Book of Matthew

The King’s Messenger

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

The Messenger Of The King

Our Text: Matthew Chapter 11:1-30

We have a time line from the information of verse one. When Christ Jesus had sent out the Apostles then these things of chapter eleven take place:

Mat 10:1  And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.

Mat 11:1  And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, [he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities].

We are never alone. If by God’s will you are called to do something for God, you must realize that Christ Himself is also out working and if He is working then God is working.

There is no work yet to be done in the means of salvation, Christ finished that work on the Cross. There is only the work given to every one that calls on the name of Jesus to be fulfilled:

Mat 28:19  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Mat 28:20  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Christ Jesus, is the Lord of the Harvest, as He sent forth laborers, He also enters into the Harvest Himself.

What we will see in these scriptures is more of the fading of John the Baptist and also more of the rejection of the King as we proceed.

While Christ Jesus was ministering around Galilee, John the Baptist had preached boldly to all that would listen and he had gotten the attention of government. It is a shame that the people that make the laws are usually more guilty of breaking the laws they have put in place. Just as in our day the government of Herod was corrupt and immoral and when God’s people point these things out then, God’s Children and God’s Ministers are treated like the bad guys. The hate crimes legislation that is coming more and more into this world is centered against the Word of God.

We cannot allow this to stop the preaching of the truth of the Gospel.

Jesus said:

Joh 15:22  If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin.

The government of Herod had put John the Baptist behind bars but the world would see that though they reject the truth of the Word of God, the world cannot stop the Word of God.

Luk 3:19  But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philip’s wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done,
Luk 3:20  Added yet this above all, that he shut up John in prison.

It amazes me when I see day by day what our government does in the name “of the good of the people” but no matter, by that same Word of God, I must pray for them.

The Word of God will bring change to the individual and it takes individuals to make families, and communities and nations. Sadly the world and it’s governments are on their way to destruction and do not want to see change. They see themselves above the law!

John the Baptist was locked up because he preached the truth of God’s Holy Word!

*****Our Text:

Mat 11:2  Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,
Mat 11:3  And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?
Mat 11:4  Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:
Mat 11:5  The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.
Mat 11:6  And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

We will see in this passage:

1.) A disheartened John the Baptist.

2.) The assurance given by the Lord Jesus.

3.) A commendation given by the Lord Jesus.

You know it should have been that the religious leaders should have come to the defence of John the Baptist, for John preach the truth of the Word of God but instead they remained quiet or they sided with government.

This is just a taste of how religion and government will work together in the coming years and during the first part of the tribulation period after the Church is called out. This “sign” we can see now in the very day we live in.

Religion will send you to hell. Only Jesus Christ, “the Rejected One”, can save us.

Sure John got impatient. John was a man of the wild and now he was locked in a dungeon behind four walls. John was a preacher with the Word of God burning in his heart, yet government had silenced him. John had preached judgment yet that judgment had not yet come.

Once Christ had sent the Apostles out to preach and He also, many good reports were being heard and some had reached John in prison. John knew that the Messiah was to put down oppression and deliver Israel. John was ready to see these things happen.

The miracles that Christ did were supernatural, not natural and they conformed to the Old Testament concept of the Messiah. The only evidence Christ Jesus would send back to John was this same evidence given to the nation of Israel everywhere Christ preached.

The Bible says:

Isa 61:1  The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
Isa 61:2  To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
Isa 61:3  To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

Isa 42:6  I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;
Isa 42:7  To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

Isa 35:4  Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.
Isa 35:5  Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
Isa 35:6  Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.

John the Baptist knew all these things but he showed impatience and wanted some reassurance from the Lord Jesus.

John had come in the in the spirit and the power of Elijah, but remember even Elijah had had his days of discouragement.

We get our assurance from the Bible knowing that Christ Jesus has fulfilled and will fulfill all prophesy. We know He died on the Cross and was raised from that dead. That tomb is still empty! We know of all the great things our Lord did while on this earth and we know He is coming back to get us.

John’s faith was in the Old Testament, he believed Christ was the Messiah but he had only heard of the works of Christ for a few months. We may see doubt in John but we need to look at our own selves for do we even have the faith that John had?

Jesus adds:

“And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me”

When things do not go the way we expect them to go, do we let our guard down and start blaming God for our sorrows. We are wrong when we do!

John reached out for answers and he reached out to Christ Jesus for it is He that has all the answers. John knew if Jesus could fulfill what was written in Isaiah then He truly was the Messiah.

*****Our Text:

Mat 11:7  And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?
Mat 11:8  But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses.
Mat 11:9  But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.
Mat 11:10  For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
Mat 11:11  Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
Mat 11:12  And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
Mat 11:13  For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
Mat 11:14  And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.
Mat 11:15  He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Christ Jesus then turned to the multitudes, many of whom had heard the preaching of John the Baptist and had believed.  John stood before all that came and John preached the truth of God’s Word. He didn’t bend or yield to the majority, He spoke the truth and the One God, who over rules all earthly authority. John preached the same message to Herod that he would preach to you or to I.

The Bible says:

1Co 15:57  But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1Co 15:58  Therefore, [my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord], forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

We must resist any attempt to change to God’s Word, knowing that such change is of the Devil:

1Pe 5:8  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
1Pe 5:9  Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

We must help each other so we can all stand on God’s Word:

Heb 3:13  But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
Heb 3:14  For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;

John was not a reed that swayed in the breeze. John also did not seek physical comforts. You see there is comfort in this world for only a season. The comforts and the things of God are eternal. John was not perfect nor was he infallible.

Jesus declared John to be a “prophet”, that is a messenger from God who declared that message. John himself was actually a fulfillment of prophesy:

Mal 3:1  Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.
Mal 3:2  But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap:
Mal 3:3  And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.

John’s message was one of repentance! John the Baptist was greater than any of the prophets for he was the prophet that introduced the Messiah to Israel. The others had only foretold of His coming. The ministry of John the Baptist marked the climax of the Law and the Prophets.

John had actually come in the spirit and power of Elijah:

Luk 1:17  And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

John had even dressed like Elijah:

2Ki 1:7  And he said unto them, What manner of man was he which came up to meet you, and told you these words?
2Ki 1:8  And they answered him, He was an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite.

Like Elijah, John had a message of judgment for an apostate nation:

Isa 40:3  The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

We should not get confused because the Bible still states that Elijah will come but that will be in the tribulation period:

Mal 4:5  Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
Mal 4:6  And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

This will be just before the second coming of Christ and is most probably during the time of the two witnesses:

Rev 11:3  And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
Rev 11:4  These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.

Mat 24:15  When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)

We know in history no such judgments followed this time of John the Baptist.

John had one ministry. He was to prepare the nation of Israel to receive the Lord Jesus Christ and to present Jesus to this nation:

Joh 1:30  This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.
Joh 1:31  And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.
Joh 1:32  And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
Joh 1:33  And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.
Joh 1:34  And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.

*****Our Text:

The leaders of Israel refused to honor John and the Word he spoke:

Mat 11:16  But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows,
Mat 11:17  And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.
Mat 11:18  For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil.
Mat 11:19  The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. [But wisdom is justified of her children].

We can see that Jesus Christ was dealing with the rejection in this little parable.  The religious and the government of the nation of Israel were going to have their own way no matter what the cost. Just as children at play reject the ideas of others and insist on their own way so when John came fasting the Jews rejected him. When Christ came and did not fast He also was rejected. This generation found fault no matter what was done.

We can see this continuing in our day as the Word of God is rejected by those that have their own humanistic way and cannot be changed.

The Bible says:

Pro 17:24  Wisdom is before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.

Wisdom is an Old Testament name of Our Lord. In fact in Proverbs 8 it says that Wisdom is a person and that person is Our Lord:

Pro 8:32  Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.
Pro 8:33  Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.
Pro 8:34  Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
Pro 8:35  For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD.
Pro 8:36  But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.

Those that believe are the children of Wisdom thus the children of God!

It is now after these words that we see our first mention of the word “woe” the “judgment of God”. Christ now pronounced judgment on those that reject His Works, His Miracles. Christ explains that the Gentiles would have believed had they witnessed such glorious works and would have received His message.

In other words there is a separation of His Word and of the His Kingdom.

In other words there will be degrees of punishment.

Those that have witnessed the power of God and rejected that power will suffer more than those that have not seen Jesus and the Works that He did while He was on this Earth.

Similarly this will hold true in our day. Those that witnessed the life changing of those that have received the Lord Jesus and still reject His Gospel will suffer more than those that have never heard the Word of God.

Why did the Jews, who knew and had the Old Testament at this time, reject Christ Jesus. Some will say that Jesus did not fulfill the Messianic prophesies.  Some will say that Jesus could not fulfill His claims. Christ Jesus will now give us the real reason.

Jesus said this nation, His own people, were blind and unable to see until this blindness was removed:

The Bible says:

Rom 11:25  For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
Rom 11:26  And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
Rom 11:27  For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.

We can know that they will get another opportunity during the tribulation period after the Church has been called out.

We can also see that during the Church Age that their are many Gentiles that walk that same path but they will not get another chance during the tribulation period after the Church is called out:

Eph 4:17  This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
Eph 4:18  Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
Eph 4:19  Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

The religious leaders of Israel considered themselves to be wise and learned because they were students of the scriptures. They thought of themselves as already having the right relationship with God so they rejected the words of Jesus Christ.

Christ said if you did not have child like faith you would never accept His Words.

The only way to know the Father is to know His Son. If men will not accept this simple statement they will never know the Father who is in Heaven:

Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Joh 14:7  If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

Jesus Christ will readily reveal the Father to all that call on His name.

Even in the middle of all this rejection, Christ Jesus extended His hand in mercy. He invited them to receive His “yoke”.

The “yoke” is a symbol of submission.  Not only to submit to Him but to learn from Him. True salvation is found only in a person, it is not found in traditions. That person is Jesus Christ. To “come” means to trust Him.

These people were burdened down by the traditions of the Pharisees.

To “take” that yoke upon yourself is a deeper relationship with Christ Jesus. It is He that will give us rest.

We will have peace with God:

Rom 5:1  Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Rom 5:2  By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

We will have the peace of God:

Php 4:6  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Php 4:7  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Php 4:8  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

To take the “yoke” of Christ is to be His disciple. That word “easy” means that the yoke will fit us well. That yoke is made for our lives and it will not be heavy:

1Jn 5:2  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
1Jn 5:3  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

To “learn”: To learn of Christ Jesus is to make life simple!

The Lord Jesus Christ sends this invitation out to “all”, not just to the Nation of Israel.

Mat 7:24  Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

That “ROCK” is Jesus Christ Our Lord.

Let’s Pray!

The King’s Messenger

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

The Messenger Of The King

Our Text: Matthew Chapter 11:1-30

We have a time line from the information of verse one. When Christ Jesus had sent out the Apostles then these things of chapter eleven take place:

Mat 10:1  And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.

Mat 11:1  And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, [he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities].

We are never alone. If by God’s will you are called to do something for God, you must realize that Christ Himself is also out working and if He is working then God is working.

There is no work yet to be done in the means of salvation, Christ finished that work on the Cross. There is only the work given to every one that calls on the name of Jesus to be fulfilled:

Mat 28:19  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Mat 28:20  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Christ Jesus, is the Lord of the Harvest, as He sent forth laborers, He also enters into the Harvest Himself.

What we will see in these scriptures is more of the fading of John the Baptist and also more of the rejection of the King as we proceed.

While Christ Jesus was ministering around Galilee, John the Baptist had preached boldly to all that would listen and he had gotten the attention of government. It is a shame that the people that make the laws are usually more guilty of breaking the laws they have put in place. Just as in our day the government of Herod was corrupt and immoral and when God’s people point these things out then, God’s Children and God’s Ministers are treated like the bad guys. The hate crimes legislation that is coming more and more into this world is centered against the Word of God.

We cannot allow this to stop the preaching of the truth of the Gospel.

Jesus said:

Joh 15:22  If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin.

The government of Herod had put John the Baptist behind bars but the world would see that though they reject the truth of the Word of God, the world cannot stop the Word of God.

Luk 3:19  But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philip’s wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done,
Luk 3:20  Added yet this above all, that he shut up John in prison.

It amazes me when I see day by day what our government does in the name “of the good of the people” but no matter, by that same Word of God, I must pray for them.

The Word of God will bring change to the individual and it takes individuals to make families, and communities and nations. Sadly the world and it’s governments are on their way to destruction and do not want to see change. They see themselves above the law!

John the Baptist was locked up because he preached the truth of God’s Holy Word!

*****Our Text:

Mat 11:2  Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,
Mat 11:3  And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?
Mat 11:4  Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:
Mat 11:5  The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.
Mat 11:6  And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

We will see in this passage:

1.) A disheartened John the Baptist.

2.) The assurance given by the Lord Jesus.

3.) A commendation given by the Lord Jesus.

You know it should have been that the religious leaders should have come to the defence of John the Baptist, for John preach the truth of the Word of God but instead they remained quiet or they sided with government.

This is just a taste of how religion and government will work together in the coming years and during the first part of the tribulation period after the Church is called out. This “sign” we can see now in the very day we live in.

Religion will send you to hell. Only Jesus Christ, “the Rejected One”, can save us.

Sure John got impatient. John was a man of the wild and now he was locked in a dungeon behind four walls. John was a preacher with the Word of God burning in his heart, yet government had silenced him. John had preached judgment yet that judgment had not yet come.

Once Christ had sent the Apostles out to preach and He also, many good reports were being heard and some had reached John in prison. John knew that the Messiah was to put down oppression and deliver Israel. John was ready to see these things happen.

The miracles that Christ did were supernatural, not natural and they conformed to the Old Testament concept of the Messiah. The only evidence Christ Jesus would send back to John was this same evidence given to the nation of Israel everywhere Christ preached.

The Bible says:

Isa 61:1  The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
Isa 61:2  To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
Isa 61:3  To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

Isa 42:6  I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;
Isa 42:7  To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

Isa 35:4  Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.
Isa 35:5  Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
Isa 35:6  Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.

John the Baptist knew all these things but he showed impatience and wanted some reassurance from the Lord Jesus.

John had come in the in the spirit and the power of Elijah, but remember even Elijah had had his days of discouragement.

We get our assurance from the Bible knowing that Christ Jesus has fulfilled and will fulfill all prophesy. We know He died on the Cross and was raised from that dead. That tomb is still empty! We know of all the great things our Lord did while on this earth and we know He is coming back to get us.

John’s faith was in the Old Testament, he believed Christ was the Messiah but he had only heard of the works of Christ for a few months. We may see doubt in John but we need to look at our own selves for do we even have the faith that John had?

Jesus adds:

“And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me”

When things do not go the way we expect them to go, do we let our guard down and start blaming God for our sorrows. We are wrong when we do!

John reached out for answers and he reached out to Christ Jesus for it is He that has all the answers. John knew if Jesus could fulfill what was written in Isaiah then He truly was the Messiah.

*****Our Text:

Mat 11:7  And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?
Mat 11:8  But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses.
Mat 11:9  But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.
Mat 11:10  For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
Mat 11:11  Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
Mat 11:12  And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
Mat 11:13  For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
Mat 11:14  And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.
Mat 11:15  He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Christ Jesus then turned to the multitudes, many of whom had heard the preaching of John the Baptist and had believed.  John stood before all that came and John preached the truth of God’s Word. He didn’t bend or yield to the majority, He spoke the truth and the One God, who over rules all earthly authority. John preached the same message to Herod that he would preach to you or to I.

The Bible says:

1Co 15:57  But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1Co 15:58  Therefore, [my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord], forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

We must resist any attempt to change to God’s Word, knowing that such change is of the Devil:

1Pe 5:8  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
1Pe 5:9  Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

We must help each other so we can all stand on God’s Word:

Heb 3:13  But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
Heb 3:14  For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;

John was not a reed that swayed in the breeze. John also did not seek physical comforts. You see there is comfort in this world for only a season. The comforts and the things of God are eternal. John was not perfect nor was he infallible.

Jesus declared John to be a “prophet”, that is a messenger from God who declared that message. John himself was actually a fulfillment of prophesy:

Mal 3:1  Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.
Mal 3:2  But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap:
Mal 3:3  And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.

John’s message was one of repentance! John the Baptist was greater than any of the prophets for he was the prophet that introduced the Messiah to Israel. The others had only foretold of His coming. The ministry of John the Baptist marked the climax of the Law and the Prophets.

John had actually come in the spirit and power of Elijah:

Luk 1:17  And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

John had even dressed like Elijah:

2Ki 1:7  And he said unto them, What manner of man was he which came up to meet you, and told you these words?
2Ki 1:8  And they answered him, He was an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite.

Like Elijah, John had a message of judgment for an apostate nation:

Isa 40:3  The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

We should not get confused because the Bible still states that Elijah will come but that will be in the tribulation period:

Mal 4:5  Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
Mal 4:6  And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

This will be just before the second coming of Christ and is most probably during the time of the two witnesses:

Rev 11:3  And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
Rev 11:4  These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.

Mat 24:15  When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)

We know in history no such judgments followed this time of John the Baptist.

John had one ministry. He was to prepare the nation of Israel to receive the Lord Jesus Christ and to present Jesus to this nation:

Joh 1:30  This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.
Joh 1:31  And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.
Joh 1:32  And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
Joh 1:33  And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.
Joh 1:34  And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.

*****Our Text:

The leaders of Israel refused to honor John and the Word he spoke:

Mat 11:16  But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows,
Mat 11:17  And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.
Mat 11:18  For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil.
Mat 11:19  The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. [But wisdom is justified of her children].

We can see that Jesus Christ was dealing with the rejection in this little parable.  The religious and the government of the nation of Israel were going to have their own way no matter what the cost. Just as children at play reject the ideas of others and insist on their own way so when John came fasting the Jews rejected him. When Christ came and did not fast He also was rejected. This generation found fault no matter what was done.

We can see this continuing in our day as the Word of God is rejected by those that have their own humanistic way and cannot be changed.

The Bible says:

Pro 17:24  Wisdom is before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.

Wisdom is an Old Testament name of Our Lord. In fact in Proverbs 8 it says that Wisdom is a person and that person is Our Lord:

Pro 8:32  Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.
Pro 8:33  Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.
Pro 8:34  Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
Pro 8:35  For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD.
Pro 8:36  But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.

Those that believe are the children of Wisdom thus the children of God!

It is now after these words that we see our first mention of the word “woe” the “judgment of God”. Christ now pronounced judgment on those that reject His Works, His Miracles. Christ explains that the Gentiles would have believed had they witnessed such glorious works and would have received His message.

In other words there is a separation of His Word and of the His Kingdom.

In other words there will be degrees of punishment.

Those that have witnessed the power of God and rejected that power will suffer more than those that have not seen Jesus and the Works that He did while He was on this Earth.

Similarly this will hold true in our day. Those that witnessed the life changing of those that have received the Lord Jesus and still reject His Gospel will suffer more than those that have never heard the Word of God.

Why did the Jews, who knew and had the Old Testament at this time, reject Christ Jesus. Some will say that Jesus did not fulfill the Messianic prophesies.  Some will say that Jesus could not fulfill His claims. Christ Jesus will now give us the real reason.

Jesus said this nation, His own people, were blind and unable to see until this blindness was removed:

The Bible says:

Rom 11:25  For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
Rom 11:26  And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
Rom 11:27  For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.

We can know that they will get another opportunity during the tribulation period after the Church has been called out.

We can also see that during the Church Age that their are many Gentiles that walk that same path but they will not get another chance during the tribulation period after the Church is called out:

Eph 4:17  This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
Eph 4:18  Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
Eph 4:19  Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

The religious leaders of Israel considered themselves to be wise and learned because they were students of the scriptures. They thought of themselves as already having the right relationship with God so they rejected the words of Jesus Christ.

Christ said if you did not have child like faith you would never accept His Words.

The only way to know the Father is to know His Son. If men will not accept this simple statement they will never know the Father who is in Heaven:

Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Joh 14:7  If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

Jesus Christ will readily reveal the Father to all that call on His name.

Even in the middle of all this rejection, Christ Jesus extended His hand in mercy. He invited them to receive His “yoke”.

The “yoke” is a symbol of submission.  Not only to submit to Him but to learn from Him. True salvation is found only in a person, it is not found in traditions. That person is Jesus Christ. To “come” means to trust Him.

These people were burdened down by the traditions of the Pharisees.

To “take” that yoke upon yourself is a deeper relationship with Christ Jesus. It is He that will give us rest.

We will have peace with God:

Rom 5:1  Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Rom 5:2  By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

We will have the peace of God:

Php 4:6  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Php 4:7  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Php 4:8  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

To take the “yoke” of Christ is to be His disciple. That word “easy” means that the yoke will fit us well. That yoke is made for our lives and it will not be heavy:

1Jn 5:2  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
1Jn 5:3  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

To “learn”: To learn of Christ Jesus is to make life simple!

The Lord Jesus Christ sends this invitation out to “all”, not just to the Nation of Israel.

Mat 7:24  Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

That “ROCK” is Jesus Christ Our Lord.

Let’s Pray!

The Apostles Of The King

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

THE APOSTLES OF THE KING

Our Text: Matthew 10:1-42

The work of salvation was accomplished by Jesus “alone”, at the Cross. The witness of His testimony and His resurrection can only be done by God’s Word and by His “disciples”. To be a disciple of Jesus Christ one must first accept and trust Him as Lord and as Savior.

The King needed ambassadors to carry His message and He still needs them.

An “ambassador” is: As an ambassador is sent to a foreign court to declare the will of the king, so every Christian, is Christ’s ambassador sent to wherever He may send to declare the will of his King.

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

We will now learn how our Lord, who is truly the Lord of the Harvest, sends forth His laborers. He does it here as the King, who came to offer the Kingdom to Israel.

These first ones sent forth, the Apostles, would announce the same message Jesus had just preached, the sermon on the mount and the same message of repentance of John the Baptist. This message was altogether in connection to the Kingdom and ended with the full rejection of the Kingdom by the nation of Israel:

The Apostle John says it best:

Joh 1:10  He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
Joh 1:11  He came unto his own, and [his own received him not].
Joh 1:12  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Jesus Christ was a Jew, of Judea. People could tell just by looking at Him that He was a Jew and He was rejected by His people the Jews.

Joh 4:9  Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, [How is it that thou, being a Jew], askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.

After the “Rapture of the Church” this same message will be preached again by 144,000 Jews during the great tribulation.

Rev 7:3  Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, [till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads].

We cannot ignore any of the Word of God, but this Chapter 10 of the book of Matthew is not the same commandment given to the Christian disciple which is:

Mat 28:18  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Mat 28:19  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Mat 28:20  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

This chapter 10 is devoted  to the twelve apostles:

1.) We will see their names.

2.) We will see their “first” commission.

3.) We will see their provisions.

4,) We will see their opposition.

5.) We will see their assistant.

6.) We will see some reaction to their ministry.

7.) We will see some rewards of their ministry.

*****Our Text:

Mat 10:1  And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.
Mat 10:2  Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;
Mat 10:3  Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;
Mat 10:4  Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.
Mat 10:5  These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
Mat 10:6  But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Mat 10:7  And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Mat 10:8  Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.
Mat 10:9  Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses,
Mat 10:10  Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.

***What is an “Apostle”?

The term “apostle” comes from the Greek word “apostolosos” and it basically [means one who is sent]. In a sense it is the same as the Latin word “missionary” or one who is sent forth for a specific purpose.

These chosen disciples, “Apostles”, were empowered (not brute force but by authority from God) with many abilities, among those were the power to heal all disease and cleanse all manner evilness.

Notice:

1.) They received a personal calling.

2.) They were discipled by the Lord Jesus Himself.

3.) They were sent out as “ambassadors” to the King, (King Jesus).

These things are similar to the calling to those of the Church:

A.) It will always be personal calling from Our Lord.

B.) The Church is discipled by the Word Of God, which are the Words of Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

C.) The Church is sent out to Witness to all we come in contact with.

Each one showed a love and loyalty to Christ at this time.

D.) Each Christian must be loyal Christ Jesus also. (faith)

Each Apostle had to meet certain requirements:

E.) Each Christian must meet certain requirements:

Heb 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

*****To be an Apostle:

1.) They had to have seen Jesus:

1Co 9:1  Am I not an apostle? am I not free? [have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord]? are not ye my work in the Lord?

2.) They would have had to fellowship with Jesus:

Act 1:21  Wherefore of these men [which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
Act 1:22  Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection].

3.) They had to be chosen by Jesus:

Eph 4:11  And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
Eph 4:12  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

4.) It is these Apostles that laid the foundation, which is of Christ Jesus Our Lord, of the Church:

Eph 2:16  And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
Eph 2:17  And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
Eph 2:18  For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
Eph 2:19  Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
Eph 2:20  [And are built upon the foundation of the apostles] and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
Eph 2:21  In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
Eph 2:22  In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

The names of the Apostles:

1.) Simon Peter *****[who hears and obeys, the “rock”]
2.) Andrew*****(brother of Simon Peter)[a strong man, manly]
3.) James***** (The son of Zebedee)[supplanter, with an abundant portion)
4.) John*****(Brother of James and son of Zebedee)[Jehovah is gracious]
5.) Philip***** [lover of horses, warlike]
6.) Bartholomew***** [son that suspends the waters]
7.) Thomas***** [a twin]
8.) Matthew***** [gift of Jehovah, a reward]
9.) James*****(the son of Alphaeus) [supplanter that changes]
10.) Lebbaeus Thaddaeus***** [man of heart, large hearted, courageous]
11.) Simon***** (the Canaanite, Simon Zelotes) [the zealous rock]
12.) Judas Iscariot***** (the betrayer)[man of murder, a hireling]

Judas Iscariot was replaced with Matthias, by the Word of God.

Matthias means [a gift of God]

These twelve apostles have a definite relation with Israel:

Mat 19:28  And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, [ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel].

The New Jerusalem:

Rev 21:12  And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, [and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel]:
Rev 21:13  On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.
Rev 21:14  And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

We can be sure that it is Matthias and not Paul that will judge the nation of Israel, and his name will be on one of those gates.

The Holy Spirit, guided this selection of Matthias by the Word of God.

The Scriptures had said:

Psa 109:8  Let his days be few; and let another take his office.

Act 1:20  For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take.
Act 1:22  Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.
Act 1:23  And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.

Act 1:26  And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

We can see that the Apostle Paul recognized Mathias as an apostle:

1Co 15:5  And that he was seen of Cephas, [then of the twelve]:

Paul goes on to say:

1Co 15:8  And last of all he was seen of me also, [as of one born out of due time].

Paul separates himself from them as being different from these twelve:

Gal 1:1  Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)

Paul said he was specially chosen by the Lord for a specific purpose.

It is through Paul who had no earthly connections but chosen by the God of Glory after His resurrection, that the Gospel of Grace and the mystery that was formally hidden might be made known. To the Church, Jesus Christ is not King as such, but He is the Lord of Glory. It is from His Glory as the Head of the Body of Christ that He gives His gifts to the Church.

Eph 4:4  There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
Eph 4:5  One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
Eph 4:6  One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
Eph 4:7  But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
Eph 4:8  Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
Eph 4:9  (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
Eph 4:10  He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
Eph 4:11  And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
Eph 4:12  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Eph 4:13  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

IT IS EASY TO SEE THAT THERE CAN BE NO APOSTLES TODAY!

1Pe 1:8  [Whom having not seen], ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

We have yet to see Him but we will see Him one day and one day soon:

1Jn 3:2  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, [when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is].

*****In verse 6 we can see the first commission of these Apostles. They were to go only to the lost sheep of Israel. Not to the Gentiles, nor to any mixed race of the Jews.

It would be after the resurrection of Christ that these things would change:

The second commission of the Apostles:

Luk 24:46  And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
Luk 24:47  And that repentance and [remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem].

In this commandment of the Lord, these Apostles were to preach that the promised Kingdom for Israel, and through Israel to all the nations, was about to come. This is not the message of the Church but this will be the message preached again after the Rapture of the Church.

If not for the God of the second chance how many of us could be saved! I would burn in Hell if not for the God of mercy and grace and the God of the second and even third chance.

There are at least two principles that we can observe that do not change in the Church age:

1.) The Gospel is to be free!

The Church is not a business to make money.

2.) The Lord will provide for those He chooses!

We must have faith in God’s providing power before we take it on our own to step out. Mankind will let the missionary down, and the preacher down, and the Church down. It is our faith in the providing power of God that will keep us going.

Jesus ask later:

Luk 22:35  And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing.

These Apostles depended on the hospitality of others as they ministered the Word given to them by Jesus. They could only stay with believers!

The Apostles were not to compromise the message given to them of Christ Jesus. There is no compromising the Gospel. God says what He means and God means what He says.

*****Our Text:

Mat 10:14  And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.
Mat 10:15  Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
Mat 10:16  Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
Mat 10:17  But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;

In this time of Jesus, the refusal to show hospitality was equal to a refusal to hear one’s message. If you shook the dust off your feet that would tell those around you that you considered their place to be unclean. This was a sign that they had rejected the kingdom of heaven while Jesus was still on this earth in the flesh!

The Bible says:

Act 13:49  And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region.
Act 13:50  But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.
Act 13:51  But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium.

When we study our Bible we know that the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah was a complete destruction and their location never found, yet Jesus says:

“It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city”.

Of course the judgment mentioned here is the “Great White Throne Judgment” of the Book of Revelation:

Rev 20:11  And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
Rev 20:12  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Rev 20:13  And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Rev 20:14  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Rev 20:15  And [whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire].

Are there different degrees of judgment? This verse could indicate that this is true but there is no doubt that they all will be cast into that burning lake of fire.

*****Verse 16 gives another principle that we know to be true in all ages:

The instructions of Jesus at this point are instructions to all that are sent forth in the name of Jesus but these instruction will meet there fulfillment at the time of the great tribulation:

1.) Notice most of the opposition will come from organized religion:

Vs 17) “for they will deliver you up to the councils”

2.) And from governments:

Vs 18.) “ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake”

3.) And “All” must be saved to deliver this message:

Vs. 20) “For it is not ye that speak, [but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you]”

Joh 14:16  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
Joh 14:17  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

4.) There will be “Worldwide” persecution:

Vs 22.) “And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake”

5.) Then, The Second coming of the Lord;

Vs 23.) “Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come”

We know that some of these things took place in the Book of Acts and the Pauline Epistles. We know that some of these things take place in the day we live but we can see that the fulfillment of all these things will be in the time of the Great Tribulation. (Matthew 24-25)

The tribulation period will be a time of great opposition. Remember the Church will already be in Heaven.

The opposition will come from:

1.) Organized religion.
2.) Organized governments
3.) From ones own family.

All these things happen to some extent in our day but we will see this greatly increase as time goes by. At the time of tribulation these things will be worldwide, even in our own families.

God’s people will need to be tough, tough-minded and still tender hearted.

At some point during the tribulation period Religion and Government will join hands: Rev 13.

The Antichrist will force the world to worship him and his false prophets.

Rev 13:8  And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

There will be no natural affection:

2Ti 3:3  Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
2Ti 3:4  Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
2Ti 3:5  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

As Christians we must trust the Spirit of God to help us remember what the Lord has taught us. We must study to show ourselves worthy of His leadership:

Joh 14:26  But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

2Ti 2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

The Bible we have been given “is” the “Word that Christ Jesus has said to us”!

We should not flee when persecution comes upon us!

*****Our Text:

Mat 10:24  The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.
Mat 10:25  It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?
Mat 10:26  Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.

The emphasis on this section of scripture is Vs 26, “Fear Not”.

When we have a fear of confessing Christ openly, and many of us do, we are not fulfilling our obligation of confession to the Lord!

Rom 10:9  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Rom 10:10  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and [with the mouth confession is made unto salvation].

The world has it’s CIA, FBI, Massad, Interpol and others BUT:

God does not have a Secret Service!

Christ was persecuted, we will also be persecuted. However:

1Pe 3:12  For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
1Pe 3:13  And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?
1Pe 3:14  But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and [be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;
1Pe 3:15  But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear]:
1Pe 3:16  Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.

Why?

1.) God will bring everything to the light (Vs 26-27).

2.) We are to fear only God Himself (Vs 28).

For God will not condemn His children:

Joh 5:24  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

3.) God cares for His children (Vs 29-31).

A farthing would be about a half a penny in our money. You could get two sparrows for a half cent. To humans a sparrow was worthless but to God, He kept up with every life of this worthless bird. If God does that for this birds then He will do even more for His chosen children.

More and more in our age [the human life becomes more and more worthless to the societies we live in] but God will always be there for us:

Luk 12:24  Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: [how much more are ye better than the fowls?]

4.) God honor’s those that confess Him (Vs 32-33)

a.) Jesus is our High Priest in Heaven.

b.) Jesus is our Advocate in Heaven.

1Jn 2:1  My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
1Jn 2:2  And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

5.) A Christian will always have conflict around them (Vs 34-39)

Eph 6:10  Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
Eph 6:11  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Eph 6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Eph 6:13  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

If you put on armor you are preparing for war.

2Ti 2:3  Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
2Ti 2:4  No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

THERE IS NO MIDDLE GROUND IN THIS WAR!

6.) We can be a blessing to others (Vs 40-42)

When we become the children of God through faith in Christ:

Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Joh 14:7  If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

We become disciples when we follow in the footsteps of Christ Jesus:

Luk 9:23  And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

This is a daily walk and not a part time walk.

Let’s Pray!

The Power Of The King

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

THE POWER OF THE KING

Text: Matthew Chapters 8-9

Our Focus Text: Matthew 8:1-17

As we have proceeded into the Book of Matthew we have seen:

1.) The Person of the King (Chapters 1-4)

2.) The Principles of the King (Chapters 5-7)

3.) We will now see the Powers of the King (Chapters 8-12)

If a King has no “Power” to accomplish His Will, what good are His Principles?

There are ten miracles mentioned in Chapters 8-9 but they are not in chronological order. Matthew was led by the Holy Spirit to present Jesus as the King. Matthew uses these words to present Jesus Christ as the “Divine” King, the Jehovah of the Old Testament who had truly come to His own. To them He offers the kingdom and as we will soon see, they will reject Him and receive Him not. They actually say that these miracles were done through Beelzebub, the prince of the demons. “THIS IS THE SIN OF BLASPHEMING THE HOLY SPIRIT”! Christ will then break off His relationship with “His Own”. We will talk more of this later.

We should ask our own selves, Why did our Lord perform miracles? If we look at our own Pastors we should see that they minister to the whole person. God is concerned about our temporal well being as well as our eternal happiness. This not to say that our Pastors do miracles because that ended with the Apostles.

Christ Jesus ministered to the individual, a one on one relationship, that should be learned by all His followers. Christ Jesus performed miracles to prove His claim of being the Messiah of Israel.

It makes me wonder what these false healers are trying to prove in our day.

The Bible says:

1Co 1:22  For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
1Co 1:23  But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
1Co 1:24  But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
1Co 1:25  Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

Christ Jesus said he would fulfill everything written about Him:

Isa 29:18  And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness.
Isa 29:19  The meek also shall increase their joy in the LORD, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.

Isa 35:4  Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.
Isa 35:5  Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
Isa 35:6  Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.

We can see that we are also foolish to not believe in the miracles of Jesus Christ our Lord:

Heb 2:1  Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.
Heb 2:2  For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward;
Heb 2:3  How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;
Heb 2:4  God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?

Christ Jesus also presented a saving truth to the people with His miracles. These miracles were “Sermons in Action”.

What Christ did not do, He did not do a miracle to draw a crowd. Faith cannot be based on miracles. OUR FAITH MUST BE BASED ON THE WORD OF GOD!

Jesus Christ exercised great power. His power is not limited. Jesus had the power to change this world and he showed that power when He walked on this earth. The Healing power of Jesus is greater than any disease, but in each case if “faith” was not shown there would have been no healing.

It is a misinterpretation of scripture to teach that spiritual salvation will always result in the reversal of physical disease!

*****Our Text:

Mat 8:1  When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.
Mat 8:2  And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
Mat 8:3  And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
Mat 8:4  And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

Matthew was a publican, a tax collector. He was hated by all Jews. Can it be by chance that he begins with a miracle of Jesus to the outcast of society. Lepers, Gentiles and women were considered out cast by many Jewish people. The women of the middle east still suffer unduly in our day.

Many Pharisees would begin their day praying “I give thanks that I am a man not a woman, a Jew not a Gentile, a free man and not a slave.” They used that word “I” much to often. There is only one “I” and that the great “I Am” of the Bible.

The term “leprosy” (including leper, lepers, leprosy, leprous) occurs 68 times in the Bible—55 times in the Old Testament (Hebrew = tsara’ath) and 13 times in the New Testament (Greek = lepros, lepra). In the Old Testament, the instances of leprosy most likely meant a variety of infectious skin diseases, and even mold and mildew on clothing and walls. The precise meaning of the leprosy in both the Old and New Testaments is still in dispute, but it probably includes the modern Hansen’s disease (especially in the New Testament) and most all infectious skin diseases.

References to leprosy have a different emphasis in the New Testament. They stress God’s desire to heal. Jesus freely touched people with leprosy. While people with leprosy traditionally suffered banishment from family and neighbors, Jesus broke from the tradition. He treated the leper with compassion, touching and healing them.

We also know that leprosy is in “type” and a description of sin:

Isa 1:5  Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.
Isa 1:6  From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.

Isa 64:6  But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

Those filthy rags would be rags used to wrap up the leper!

By understanding the leper we can understand more how God sees sin:

Lev 13:3  And the priest shall look on the plague in the skin of the flesh: and when the hair in the plague is turned white, and the plague in sight be deeper than the skin of his flesh, it is a plague of leprosy: and the priest shall look on him, and pronounce him unclean.

Sin is deeper than the outward skin!

Lev 13:18  The flesh also, in which, even in the skin thereof, was a boil, and is healed,

Sin spreads!

Lev 13:45  And the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean.
Lev 13:46  All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his habitation be.

Sin defiles!

Lev 13:52  He shall therefore burn that garment, whether warp or woof, in woollen or in linen, or any thing of skin, wherein the plague is: for it is a fretting leprosy; it shall be burnt in the fire.

Sin is fit only for the fire!

When Christ Jesus touched this leper, He took his leprosy away but in “type” it is a picture of how He takes our sin away:

2Co 5:21  For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

We can also notice that the ability of Christ to heal was not questioned but only Was He Willing To Heal?

1Ti 2:3  For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
1Ti 2:4  Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

2Pe 3:9  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

We can tell that Lord Jesus was willing and still is!

Christ Jesus commanded this man not to tell other but to go to the priests. (Levitcus 14). We find that this man did not obey the Lord but he told everyone what the Lord had done.

Mar 1:45  But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter.

There is another way to look at this healing in typology:

Leprosy was the most hated disease in the Bible. It had no remedy. The Holy Spirit has made leprosy a “type” of sin as we have shown. Only Jehovah could heal this disease.

Num 12:10  And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous.
Num 12:11  And Aaron said unto Moses, Alas, my lord, I beseech thee, lay not the sin upon us, wherein we have done foolishly, and wherein we have sinned.
Num 12:12  Let her not be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he cometh out of his mother’s womb.
Num 12:13  And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, Heal her now, O God, I beseech thee.

We know that leprosy represents sin but here it represents Israel.

The Bible says:

Isa 1:4  Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.
Isa 1:5  Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.
Isa 1:6  From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.

So in “type” we see Israel’s Messiah, Jehovah-Jesus

Exo 6:3  And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.

As Christ Jesus cleansed this leper He would have also cleansed Israel at this time had they not rejected Him.

The Lord sends this leper to the priests by the law of Moses but this was proper until the death, the burial and resurrection of our Lord, when all believers are delivered from the law. This day will come again to the nation of Israel when the King will ask His remnant to come unto Him:

Mal 4:2  But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.

*****Our Text:

Mat 8:5  And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,
Mat 8:6  And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.
Mat 8:7  And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.
Mat 8:8  The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.
Mat 8:9  For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.
Mat 8:10  When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
Mat 8:11  And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 8:12  But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Mat 8:13  And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.

We have previously discussed that Capernaum was a military town so it would not be unusual to see a Roman centurion. A centurion was an officer over a group up one hundred men. We do not find any centurion mentioned in the Bible that was not a gentleman or a man of high character. This is the very first time we see a centurion in the Bible. They had a great sense of duty to Rome and to those that served under them. This particular centurion had learned to love Israel and the God of Israel. He had built a Synagogue for the people of this area. He evidently had a high regard for Christ Jesus and believed in His divine authority. It was not that Christ could heal his servant but rather would Christ heal this servant. Once he realized that Christ Jesus was willing to heal this man with the palsy (paralysis), then it was not neccessary for Jesus to travel to his home but to only say the word.

This centurion realized that Christ Jesus had the power of God and therefore all He had to do was say it was so and it would happen!

Look at this centurion:

1.) He was a man of war.

2.) He was a Gentile.

3.) He was a man of limited authority.

4.) But He was a man of great faith.

It was his great faith in Christ Jesus that allowed this miracle to happen.

This is an early indication that the Jews would not believe but that the Gentiles would believe on Christ Jesus.

What was the greatest statement of the centurion?

“I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only”

He understood that Jesus Christ was indeed God in the flesh. The Jews till this day have not come to this conclusion along with most others of this world.

When we read verse 11 it can be said that Jesus was referring to the fact that many Gentiles would join with”Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven” but without faith in the saving power of Christ none of their physical descendants would join them. Those that heard the kingdom offered by Christ and then rejected it would exclude themselves from this new kingdom. They would forever live in the darkness of hell (the outer darkness, out side the light of the Lord God Jehovah)

Remember in the first miracle, the cleansing of the leper, stands for Jehovah among His people Israel.

Here now we see Christ who is absent and heals not by His touch but by His Word. This was a reminder that the spiritual position of the Gentiles “were far off”.

Eph 2:11  Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
Eph 2:12  That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
Eph 2:13  But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

In this next miracle we will see that Christ will enter back into the house of Israel.

*****Our Text:

Mat 8:14  And when Jesus was come into Peter’s house, he saw his wife’s mother laid, and sick of a fever.
Mat 8:15  And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.
Mat 8:16  When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:
Mat 8:17  That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.

In the healing of Peter’s mother-in-law, we see a type of what will happen on the Second coming of Christ after the fulness of the Gentiles come in. This sick mother is a type of Israel.

It would be good to point out that Jesus Christ knew Peter was a married man yet he still was chosen as an Apostle. The sanctity of marriage was approved by Christ even to the ministers of God. Some religions do not allow the minister to marry. We can see that this did not come from Jesus Christ nor the Bible.

Women did not hold a high position in Israel at this time of Jesus. Though this seems a minor miracle we can see that a blessing in the home can lead to a blessing in the entire community.

Mar 1:30  But Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick of a fever, and anon they tell him of her.
Mar 1:31  And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them.
Mar 1:32  And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils.
Mar 1:33  And all the city was gathered together at the door.

Matthew said that this time in the life of Jesus was a fulfillment of the prophet Isaiah:

Isa 53:4  Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

We can see that Jesus fulfilled this prophecy in His life and not with His death. We can see Jesus did not give His life for our sickness nor our griefs. He did give His life for our “SIN”!

1Pe 2:24  Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
1Pe 2:25  For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

Sin and sickness may go together at times since sickness is a consequence of Adam’s sin:

Gen 3:17  And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
Gen 3:18  Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;
Gen 3:19  In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

The Bible says:

Psa 103:2  Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
Psa 103:3  [Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases];
Psa 103:4  Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
Psa 103:5  Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

God has not obligated Himself to heal all disease but He has said He will forgive all sin and to save all that will believe on Him.

*****Again this closes out our lesson but we will try to highlight the remaining of chapters 8 and chapter nine:

(Verses 18-22)

We see the first time the phrase “Son of Man” is used in the Bible.

Because the opposition to the message of Jesus was low at this time, there were many who wanted to be His disciples.

They would not pay the price!

Jesus Christ was saying to this scribe to let the spiritually dead bury the physical dead. In other words it is much better to preach the Gospel of Jesus in hope of salvation for the spiritually dead than to wait on you earthly father to die and to bury him. This not disrespectful and we must have our priorities right in the work of the Lord.

(Verses 23-27)

We will see that Christ Jesus never missed an opportunity to train His disciples. Jesus was asleep because He was at perfect peace in the will of the Father. This is a lesson for all of us for this is exactly what the disciples should have done. They should have been in perfect peace, they had the Lord Jesus right in the boat with them.

They did not but chose instead to question if God really cares for us. Matthew shows in these verses the little faith of the Jew as compared to the great faith of the Gentile centurion.

(Verse 28-34)

In these verses we see what Satan can do for a man. He robs man of his sanity and his self control, fills him with fears, and robs a man of his family and friends. We can see what society does for this man in Satan’s control. Society can restrain him, isolate him, and threaten him but society cannot change this man.

Only Jesus can set us free!

Notice the prayers:

1.) The demons prayed to Jesus to allow them to go into the swine, which they also drove crazy.

2.) The citizens prayed for Christ Jesus to leave them alone.

3.) One of these that was possessed by these devils after being saved by Jesus prayed to be allowed to be a disciple, but Jesus knew that he had such a great testimony needed for him to be a witness in his home town.

We can also see that the demon world has faith in Christ and is well aware of their future:

Jas 2:19  Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

We can see that the souls of these two men were much more important that the lives of those two thousand pigs.

(verse chapter 9:1-8)

What we see here is not only the faith of friends but we see that in the eyes of God sin is the greater evil to a man. This scripture does not say that all sickness is caused by sin nor does it say that forgiveness of sin will bring about physical healing also. We already know God can heal every sickness except the last sickness or injury that takes us home.

(Verse 9:9-17)

The call of Matthew:

Because Matthew was a tax collector, he was considered unclean and unfit to fellowship in Jewish society. He was under great financial obligation to Rome but we can see that he considered the authority of Jesus Christ to be greater than that of Rome. We can see he immediatly made a public showing of his relationship with Christ by having public feast. Jesus came to save sinners and He made Himself available to them all.

If you are righteous in your own eyes, you will never accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior!

We see a picture of the ministry of Jesus:

1.) The Physician: to bring Spiritual healing to the sinner.

2.) The Bridegroom: to bring Spiritual joy to the lost.

3.) Christ Jesus did not come to patch us up but to make something new!

4.) Christ came to give Spiritual fulness. Judaism cannot be filled with the New Wine of the Gospel. Law and Grace will not mix!

(Verse 9:18-19, 23-26)

Jarius was a devout Jew, a leader of the synagogue, but he knew none of his faith in those things could help him. Even though Satan tried one more time to kill her, Jesus has the power over all life. We must learn to trust Jesus no matter our circumstances.

(Verse 9:20-22)

This woman had spent all the living she had on the doctors of her time. She was in despair and had no hope. By Jewish law her disease made unable to be cleansed. She was hopeless in this world.

That hem referred to the tassels on the prayer shawl of Christ. By Jewish tradition a prayer shawl had 613 tassels around it’s hem. One tassel for ever law given to them by Moses. This reminded them that they were God’s people.

We can see that Jarius may have lacked faith so Jesus gave him the example of this woman who knew she only needed to touch the Hem of this garment.

It is not how strong our faith is that counts, IT IS TO WHOM THAT FAITH IS IN THAT REALLY COUNTS! Our faith must be in Jesus Christ Our Lord and in His Word!

(Verse 9:27-34)

Blindness is a “type” of Spiritual ignorance and unbelief:

Isa 6:10  Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; [lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed].

Rom 11:25  For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

Every sinner must be “born again” before he can see the things of God:

Joh 3:3  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

There is a difference in sickness and the work of Satan and his demon world:

Mat 10:7  And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Mat 10:8  [Heal the sick], cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, [cast out devils]: freely ye have received, freely give.

Every believer must be careful to grow spiritually or he can damage his spiritual vision:

2Pe 1:5  And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
2Pe 1:6  And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
2Pe 1:7  And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
2Pe 1:8  For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2Pe 1:9  [But he that lacketh these things is blind], and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

We see that the religious leaders of that time could not explain all the miracles of Jesus the Messiah, so they said His power came from Satan:

The Sin of Blaspheming the Holy Spirit!

We know that God had given His Spirit freely to Christ Jesus:

Mat 3:16  And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
Mat 3:17  And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

All people had witnessed the miracle healing power of Christ. They had rejected not only the testimony of Christ but also the testimony of the Holy Spirit. This the unpardonable sin. We will discuss this further in chapter 12.

(Verse 9:35-38)

We have seen that not only was Christ Jesus a healer but  He preached the Word of God and taught the Old Testament as truth as He went. He was in the flesh so He could not do all the work alone. He needs others to help Him. This is why the time was spent training disciples. Christ Jesus expects each and everyone of us to be His disciple and be busy about the Master’s Business.

Joh 4:37  And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.
Joh 4:38  I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.

Let’s Pray!

The King Instructs His Disciples

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

The King Instructs

Text: Matthew 7:1-29

Focus: Matthew 7:1-14

No matter what other people think about what is called “The Sermon On The Mount”, it has not been hard to see that the purpose of this message has been to instruct the disciples of the Lord. These chapters have not been a plan of salvation but instruction to the disciple, to the believer, to the follower of Christ Jesus. If we toss aside these words of Jesus Christ Our Lord then we have missed a pure training program for those of us who love Our Lord Jesus. It is only after salvation that we can begin in the work that God has called us to do.

Rom 12:5  So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
Rom 12:6  Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
Rom 12:7  Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;
Rom 12:8  Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.
Rom 12:9  Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
Rom 12:10  Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
Rom 12:11  Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
Rom 12:12  Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
Rom 12:13  Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.

We will learn in chapter seven how we should love our fellow disciples.

The scribes and Pharisees were guilty of exercising a false judgment about themselves, other people and even the Lord Jesus Christ. Their false judgment was an extension of their false righteousness.

These Pharisees made it a practice of setting themselves up as judges of all men and measuring others using themselves as the example.

We cannot forget the theme of this sermon of Christ Jesus:

Mat 5:20  For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

*****Our Text:

Mat 7:1  Judge not, that ye be not judged.
Mat 7:2  For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
Mat 7:3  And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:4  Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:5  Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.
Mat 7:6  Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

Jesus Christ was not forbidding His disciples nor any that believe on Him to distinguish between “good and evil”. He was not forbidding the believer to distinguish between truth and error in  doctrine. Christ was not dealing with actions as much as He was dealing with the motives behind those actions.

The Apostle Paul wrote to the Church these words:

Php 1:9  And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge [and in all judgment];
Php 1:10  [That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence] till the day of Christ;
Php 1:11  [Being filled with the fruits] of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

Those fruit are listed as:

Gal 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Eph 5:9  (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
Eph 5:10  Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.

There is no doubt in my mind that the Holy Spirit led Paul to this example of the preaching of Jesus Christ.

The person who believes every preacher without judging his sermon by God’s Word, or the person who accepts everyone that say they are spiritual but their works show that not to be true by the Word of God, will suffer from confusion and great spiritual loss.

If we accept the fact that we all will stand before Jesus at the Judgment Seat of Christ:

2Co 5:10  [For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ]; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

This is the judgment for the saved. You have to be saved to be here!

We will receive the things done in the body we call flesh. We will be judged by the work we have done for Christ since our salvation. If we accept the Lord Jesus as our Savior then we know this to be true.

Knowing this then we should judge our own selves and know that we abide by God’s Word before we can discern between good and evil of others.

Heb 5:12  For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
Heb 5:13  For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
Heb 5:14  But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, [even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil].

The Pharisees “played God” in their judgment of others and gave no thought that they would be judged of God.

We are being judged as Christians as we walk the walk of Christ Jesus:

Luk 6:37  Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:
Luk 6:38  Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

People judge us in our walk and we will receive exactly what we give. We will reap what we have sown:

Rom 2:1  Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.

When we judge our selves by God’s Word we can then be prepared to serve others. Every Christian is obligated to help each other grow in “Grace”.

Only God has true judgment:

Rom 2:2  But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.
Rom 2:3  And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?

These Pharisees criticized others to make there own selves look good, not before God, but before man.

Luk 18:10  Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
Luk 18:11  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
Luk 18:12  I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
Luk 18:13  And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
Luk 18:14  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

There is a difference when we help our brothers to look good and not our own self.

If we cannot honestly face up to our own sin then while we are trying to get a piece of dust out of another one’s eye, then that two by four in our own eye will not allow us to see properly. We can be of no help to anyone, the lost nor the saved.

God can see all the way into the heart, we cannot, no secret can be withheld from Him:

Rom 2:16  In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

So we have learned:

1.) Before we can even try to help our brothers and sisters in Christ we must self examine ourselves.

Jas 1:22  But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
Jas 1:23  For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
Jas 1:24  For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
Jas 1:25  But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
Jas 1:26  If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.

2.) We must also realize that as long as we are in this body of flesh we will have some sin. It is our faith in Jesus Christ that allows His forgiveness and He will restore us.

1Jn 1:8  If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1Jn 1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1Jn 1:10  If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

*****A restored child of God can then be a help to his brothers and sisters in Christ.

As far as the lost, it is God that will judge the lost, our job is only to witness to them. Christians must realize that not everyone is a sheep.

Some people are dogs, or hogs, and some people are wolves in sheep’s clothing.

This is the judgment that we have to make. We cannot allow the liberal church to pull the wool over our eyes.

God has given us some tools that we must use:

2Co 4:6  For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
2Co 4:7  [But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God], and not of us.

We must not cheapen the Gospel of Jesus Christ by lacking discernment of good and evil.

We must be able to discern the liberal movement of the Church as wrong and as evil. We must stand up for the truth of the Gospel and in doing so we must judge those who teach such nonsense.

We must stand up for the Blood of the Cross.
We must stand up for the Virgin birth.
We must stand up for the Resurrection of Our Lord.
We must stand up for the Truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
We must stand on the Whole Truth of the Bible and not just the parts we like.

We cannot allow these pearls of the Gospel to be trampled on by anyone.

2Pe 2:20  For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
2Pe 2:21  For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
2Pe 2:22  But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

We cannot abuse the “Grace” of God.

We are to present the truth of the Gospel, judge among ourselves as believers and correct each other in love and also realize that to argue with an unbeliever will lessen our own testimony in most cases.

Even Jesus never spoke to Herod:

Luk 23:8  And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him.
Luk 23:9  Then he questioned with him in many words; [but he answered him nothing].

And the Apostle Paul would not argue with unbelievers:

Act 13:45  But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.
Act 13:46  Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, [we turn to the Gentiles].
Act 13:47  For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.
Act 13:48  And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.

*****Our Text:

Mat 7:7  Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
Mat 7:8  For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Mat 7:9  Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
Mat 7:10  Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
Mat 7:11  If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

Christ knew that there will always be those that will not receive the Word of God so He returns to some additional teaching on prayer, and our prayer life.

We must remember this sermon was preached to the saved, it is not a sermon for salvation, but a sermon of instruction to disciples.

Our Lord had rejected the practice of prayer that the Pharisee used. Jesus now instructed on the true nature of prayer.

1.) If we keep on asking, He will keep on giving!
2.) If we keep seeking, we will find!
3.) If we keep knocking, He will continue to open the doors to allow His will to be done!

You know not everyone is called to be a preacher, or a teacher, or for some special office in the Church but everyone has been given this instruction in doing the will that God has for each and every one of us.

4.) We must all be persistent in our prayer life!

The reason for answered prayer lies in the attributes of the true Father, Our Father that is in Heaven.

He will never mock His children!
It is the Father’s responsibility to provide!

God would never teach us these things if He was not willing to do them Himself!

God’s faithfulness as a Father will not permit Him to deny the request of His children!

We must first pray to seek His direction and His wisdom for our lives and His will for each of us!

Jas 1:5  If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
Jas 1:6  But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
Jas 1:7  For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
Jas 1:8  A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

*****Our Text:

Mat 7:12  Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
Mat 7:13  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Mat 7:14  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Some people call this the “Golden Rule” but in reality it is really the basis of our attitude toward others. This principle only applies to believers! When we judge others this is the principle we should follow. A person who would project righteousness must do for others what that person would want someone to do for him if he was in the same situation.

If people would treat every neighbor as themselves, no neighbor would be mistreated!

Christ would never demand the righteousness of the Pharisees to enter the kingdom of heaven but He would demand the righteousness of the Law to enter in. To the believer, his righteousness must equal the righteousness of Christ. This can happen only one way!

The Bible says:

Rom 5:17  For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
Rom 5:18  Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
Rom 5:19  For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

Rom 8:4  That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, [who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit].

Rom 8:9  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
Rom 8:10  [And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness].
Rom 8:11  But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

Gal 5:5  For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.

Eph 4:21  If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
Eph 4:22  That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
Eph 4:23  And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
Eph 4:24  And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

1Pe 2:24  Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
1Pe 2:25  For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

Mal 4:2  But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.

If we want God’s best for ourselves and for others for there will those that will resist God’s Word.

A couple of things we need to remember:

1.) We are the salt of the earth. Salt is a preservative but we also know salt will burn and sting when it is poured on an open wound. There will be those that will oppose us.

2.) We are to be a bright and shining light for God and Christ but we must realize a bright light will expose the dirt of evil living and some will always want to stay in darkness so their dirt will be hid.

We will always have Pharisees in our world. These false prophets are still trying to deceive God’s children. They will still teach a self-righteousness. They have fooled themselves into believing that they are righteous and all others are sinful in the eyes of God. We must remember what God says:

Rom 3:23  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Christ gave us to more pictures for explanation:

There are only two roads to travel in this life. The road to Heaven and the road to Hell.

1.) The Broad way: (that leads to Hell)

This is the easy way, this is also the most popular way. Every religion seems to have this in mind when they tell us of their way to Heaven. Just because every one says they can follow their own path and that every road will lead to Heaven is simply not true. Just because they say this does not make it true.

God’s people have always been a remnant. The Church will always be a small minority.

2.) The Narrow way: (that leads to Heaven)

The way to everlasting life is sometimes narrow, lonely, and costly.

We can walk on the broad path keeping our baggage of sin but to travel the narrow path we must give up all those things.

Jesus said the Christian walk would be a hard one.

Mat 16:24  Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, [let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me].

The cross we bare will be painful at times!

Before we close let’s high light the remaining chapter:

(Vs 15-20)

Since the beginning of creation every plant and every animal will reproduce it self after it’s kind. In other words an apple tree will not produce bananas, and two cats will not produce a dog. I know what evolution says, but remember they have never found anything that has changed this basic law of God.

We know that good fruit comes from a good tree, but bad fruit comes from a bad tree. Those that have bad trees usually cut down the bad tree so it will not spoil the good tree. It is easy to see if you have a good fruit tree, wait till it produces fruit and you can tell from that point.

In a spiritual sense it is easily seen if a child of God has accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his or her Savior by the fruit they bare. If you do not have a noticeably changed life then the fruit is bad.

False Prophets, false preachers, who teach a false doctrine will have this affect on those that sit in the pews. The fruit, (the results of their ministry) is false and cannot last.

The Apostle Paul had these words:

Act 20:29  For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
Act 20:30  Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

You can still tell them by their fruit!

The person that believes a false doctrine will also never produce good fruit.

(Vs 21-29)

It does not matter what we think of our selves or really what others think of us, the final test of the child of God is what God thinks of us. What will God say when we stand before Him? The only way to prepare for God’s judgment is to be in the will of God. Obedience to God is the true test of “faith”!

When a person is truly born again, that person will have the Holy Spirit living within them:

Rom 8:9  [But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you]. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

That same Spirit enables every child of God to know His will:

Rom 5:5  And hope maketh not ashamed; [because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us].

If you have the “love of God” within you, you will obey God and you will serve others! A light on a hill cannot be hid.

The words we say are not enough. Many preachers are not saved. Even Judas Iscariot was sent out to preach. Even miracles do not make you a child of God. Satan will use lying wonders to deceive the people during the tribulation period:

2Th 2:7  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
2Th 2:8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
2Th 2:9  Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
2Th 2:10  And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

We are commanded, with love, to hear God’s Word and then, be a doer of that Word:

Jas 1:22  But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
Jas 1:23  For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
Jas 1:24  For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
Jas 1:25  But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

That carries with it a knowledge of God’s Word. If you do not know God’s Word how can you know if the preacher knows God’s Word.

If our faith in the Word of God does not lead us to good works after we are saved then we are as salt that has lost it’s flavor:

Jas 2:17  Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

We have built on the wrong foundation!

Luk 6:47  Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:
Luk 6:48  He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
Luk 6:49  But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.

Your false profession of faith will not hold up at the judgment seat!

How can we judge ourselves?

1.) Have we paid the price, do we have a changed life?

2.) Does our faith hold up through the storms of life and will it still stand the test of God’s judgment.

These are questions we must answer for ourselves. We must look into that mirror and judge our own selves and this by the Holy Word of God.

Let’s Pray!

The Demands Of The King

/ Bobby Mayfield / 2 Comments

The Demands Of The King

Our Text: Matthew 6:19-34

Who do you trust? To be saved we have to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. If we have made that decision, why is it we then worry?

The Apostle Paul wrote by the Holy Ghost:

Php 4:6  [Be careful for nothing]; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Php 4:7  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

In other words Don’t Worry.

My Pastor just preached on worry and he chose this very scripture in Matthew. There are many reasons we should not worry and I will list just a few that he mentioned.

1.) When we worry about what’s next in our lives, it simply will not help.

2.) When we worry, it will affect our health.

3.) When we worry it will keep us from focusing on God and the work God has for us to do.

4.) When we worry, we worry about things that most often do not even happen.

5.) When we worry, it will rob us of our joy.

6.) When we worry, it will grieve the Holy Ghost who lives within every believer.

7.) When we worry, it shows our lack of faith because worry is the opposite of faith.

If Jesus Christ is our Lord, and He is, He has the right to make demands about the way we live!

Jesus Christ Himself ask us all this very question:

Luk 6:46  And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and [do not the things which I say?]

How can we call ourselves Christians when we refuse to understand and do the things Christ Jesus ask us to do.

*****Our Text:

Mat 6:19  Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
Mat 6:20  But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
Mat 6:21  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Mat 6:22  The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
Mat 6:23  But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
Mat 6:24  No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

The Jews thought that riches were a sign of God’s pleasure and blessing. We can see that this line of thinking still exist today in the world we live in. In fact there are many false preachers that preach this message, saying to give to God abundantly and God will bless abundantly.

To be honest I believe God expects ten percent of our income in tithe to the Church, an offering to help others when we have extra, but one hundred percent of ourselves for His work. To give less is to be disobedient to God. These are our minimum requirements. To give more is to build up treasures in Heaven that will be there when we get there.

The Bible says:

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, [that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice], holy, acceptable unto God, [which is your reasonable service].
Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

You cannot give a living sacrifice after you are in the grave!

God would never ask us to do anything that was unreasonable!

Christ Jesus taught us that the material things of this earth may be lost to thieves, moths, or rust, that the things of this world are temporal and not permanent but on the other hand, we could store things in Heaven that are permanent and eternal.

The real danger in accumulating treasure on Earth is that too many fall in love with that accumulation and will be enslaved by those riches.

We are accustomed to dividing life into two different things:

1.) Material things of this Earth.

2.) Spiritual things in Heaven.

Christ Jesus did not make this distinction!

Jesus taught that we have to have the right attitude toward wealth:

Luk 12:13  And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.
Luk 12:14  And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?
Luk 12:15  And he said unto them, [Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth].

We can see that the Pharisees were covetous:

Luk 16:14  And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.

The scriptures point out that these so called religious leaders used their religion to make money for their personal use. False religion is full of these same Pharisees in “type” today in our world.

The wealth of the Church is in “saved souls”!

The wealth of the Church is not in bank accounts and carnal buildings and riches.

We must have the proper attitude toward material wealth while we are yet strangers here waiting, till Our Lord takes us home.

Jesus Christ never magnified poverty for His children and He did not legitimize the getting of wealth.

Remember the words of our Creator:

Gen 1:31  [And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good]. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

It is Satan, the Devil that has taken these good things that God made and used them to make them into carnal things.

God knows that we need certain things in order to live in His creation:

“for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things”

God gives us things to enjoy our time on Earth:

1Ti 6:17  Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, [who giveth us richly all things to enjoy];
1Ti 6:18  That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;
1Ti 6:19  Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

“It is not wrong to possess things but it is wrong if those things to possess you”

Christ jesus warned us against the sin of living for the things of this life and the consequences of doing so:

Exo 20:17  Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.

Psa 119:36  Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.

Eph 5:5  For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

Col 3:5  Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
Col 3:6  For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:

Most of all our worries come from our worry of how we will survive on this Earth but we must realize that materialism will enslave us:

1.) It will enslave our Heart:

“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also”

2.) It will enslave our Mind:

“if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light”

“If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!”

3.) It will enslave our Will:

“Ye cannot serve God and mammon”

We are foolish to become enslaved with the things of this life when we have been liberated by the Holy Spirit of God!

What does it mean to lay up treasures in Heaven?

It means that after we are saved, we are to use everything we have for the Glory of God!

It means measuring this life in the flesh [by the true riches of eternal life with our God in Heaven] or where ever He takes us.

When we want to get rich by this world’s standards we will fall into the snares and traps of Satan:

1Ti 6:6  But godliness with contentment is great gain.
1Ti 6:7  For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
1Ti 6:8  And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
1Ti 6:9  [But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition].
1Ti 6:10  [For the love of money is the (root) of all evil]: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
1Ti 6:11  But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
1Ti 6:12  Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

God says of that root of evil:

Luk 3:9  And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

*****Our Text:

Mat 6:25  Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
Mat 6:26  Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
Mat 6:27  Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
Mat 6:28  And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
Mat 6:29  And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

We can easily see the Christ Jesus viewed the desire to accumulate wealth as a substitute for “faith”. In other words, one who possessed riches may not see the need to trust God for their needs today or tomorrow.

We can tell that these Pharisees thought it wise to accumulate wealth so their future was secure. When we place our faith in anything of this Earth we have not understood the message of God. It is by “faith” on Jesus Christ that we are saved. There is nothing of this world that can bring us eternal salvation.

Being covetous will cheapen our riches that we obtain here on earth and it will also cheapen the individual that places his faith in his riches. Material riches create more problems than it does solutions. Material wealth gives a false sense of security and most often ends in tragedy not only for that person but for many that have been watching that person. There is always someone that is observing your life, most often your own children.

God’s plants and animals do not worry but they possess more freedoms of God than any human but they also have no opportunity for salvation. All of nature depends on God for their existence on this planet we call Earth. We as humans are no different. We depend wholly on God to exist! It’s His air, His water, and His food. Everything belongs to God.

Mortal man depends on money and money always fails!

God feeds the birds and clothes the lilies. He will also feed and cloth His own children and even the more.

It is our faith that interferes with our relationship with God.

Mat 21:22  And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, [believing], ye shall receive.

Joh 20:31  But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; [and that believing] ye might have life through his name.

1Pe 1:8  Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, [yet believing], ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

You see without faith we cannot, [CANNOT!] please God!

Heb 11:6  [But without faith it is impossible to please his]: for he that cometh to God [must believe that he is], [and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him].

*****Our Text:

Mat 6:30  Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
Mat 6:31  Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
Mat 6:32  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
Mat 6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Mat 6:34  Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

To be truly free from anxiety we must have complete “faith” in God. When we worry, we are acting on our lack of “faith”. To worry about material things is to live like the unbelievers. When we put God’s will and God’s righteousness first in our lives, He will take care of everything else.

There is no greater witness for a Christian than to put all hope in God and none in this world we live in.

We can find the formula to stop all worrying in the Book of Psalms:

Psa 37:1 Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.
Psa 37:2  For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.
Psa 37:3  Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
Psa 37:4  Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
Psa 37:5  Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
Psa 37:6  And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.
Psa 37:7  Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.
Psa 37:8  Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.

1.) Trust in the Lord (vs 3)

2.) Delight in the Lord (vs4)

3.) Commit thy way unto the Lord (vs 5)

4.) Rest in the Lord (vs 7)

5.) Cease from anger (vs 8)

Choosing anything that goes against the Word of God would be evil in the eyes of God!

It is a fruitless thing to concern our selves with the future of this planet when we will have no future on this planet and nor will anyone else. We simply have no promise of a future here on this Earth.

The Bible says:

1Pe 2:11  Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
1Pe 2:12  Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

If we die on this Earth let us die in our faith like those that have gone on to Heaven before us!

Heb 11:13  These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

Worrying about tomorrow does not help tomorrow or today, but it will rob us of our effectiveness today.

The Bible approves for us to plan for the future and even to save for our future:

2Co 12:14  Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.

1Ti 5:8  But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

This becomes sin when we worry about that future and allow it to rob us of the blessings of today!

We find three main words here:

1.) Faith (vs 30)

Faith Trusting God to meet our needs.

2.) Father (vs 32)

Knowing our Father cares for His children.

3.) First (vs 33)

We must put God first in our lives.

When we make material things our master and spend our time worrying about them we are acting like unbelievers!

Lost people value their possessions above all other things and they spend all their lives trying to accumulate more and more. Not only is this sin, it in most cases takes valuable time from the family which will soon fail and time in worshipping the Lord which is completely necessary.

Luk 10:38  Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
Luk 10:39  And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.
Luk 10:40  But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
Luk 10:41  And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
Luk 10:42  But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

If we truly put God first in our lives, ALL other things will fall into their proper position. We will have what we need and we will be satisfied with ALL that we have.

Let’s Pray!

What Is True Worship?

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

THE DECREES OF THE KING

What is true worship?

Our Text: Matthew 6

Our Focus: Matthew6:1-18

The true righteousness of the coming Kingdom of God must be applied to our everyday lives of today. Christ had rejected the Pharisees and their interpretation of the Books of Moses. Christ would now show how they practiced, their worship of God.

This chapter can basically be broken down to two sections:

1.) The principles of relating our worship to Our God.(Matt 6:1-18

2.) Our relationship to material things.(Matt 6:19-34)

There were certain acts of worship, where by putting on an act, the Pharisees would make an outward appearance for the view of other lesser men. They took great pride in showing others how they worshipped. Jesus called them “hypocrites” and that’s what they were.

Jesus warns us all of the danger of hypocrisy.

What is “hypocrisy”?

THE SIN OF USING RELIGION IN AN ATTEMPT TO COVER UP YOUR OWN SIN.

A hypocrite is “NOT” a person who falls short of high ideals or occasionally sins.

A hypocrite “IS” a person that deliberately uses religion to cover up their sin and to promote his or her own gains. A hypocrite is “Lost”.

Hypocrite in the Greek meant an “actor”!

The Pharisees were insincere and dishonest men who practiced their religion for the applause of men.

Christ will teach here that true righteousness comes from within the person. Christ Jesus will apply these scriptures to several areas of our lives. As we study this chapter we need to grade our own selves to see how we match up to these Pharisee. Remember these words from the previous chapter:

Mat 5:20  For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Christ Jesus was teaching His disciples and He begins by telling them to be careful. (take heed)

Our Text:

*****Our Giving

Mat 6:1  [Take heed] that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
Mat 6:2  Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
Mat 6:3  But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
Mat 6:4  That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

What are “alms”?

The Webster dictionary says of “alms”: Any thing given gratuitously to relieve the poor, as money, food, or clothing, otherwise called charity.

The Strong’s dictionary of Greek terms says: compassionateness, that is, (as exercised towards the poor) beneficence, or (concretely) a benefaction: – alms (-deeds).

Though the same rules could apply to your tithe, but this is not a tithe. In most cases the world will show a sense of admiration to those that give to the poor. This was the purpose of these Pharisees. They wanted the world to see how they helped take care of the poor of their communities.

Giving to the poor was one of three most important disciplines in the religion of the Pharisees. The other two being praying and fasting.

Jesus did not condemn these things at all but He cautioned us all to make sure our hearts are in the right place. If we do these things to gain the favor of men or to try to gain favor with God we have done them for the wrong reasons.

1.) No amount of giving can buy your salvation:

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9  Not of works, lest any man should boast.

2.) To live for the praise of men is foolishness because the glory of man does not last:

1Pe 1:24  For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:

If we do as these Pharisee did we are perverting the act of “mercy”.  This approach to giving was so apparent that the entrances to the Temple were lined with beggars. These Pharisee would make a show of giving to these beggars.

These poor people were sincerely in need no doubt but they were caught up in the deception of these Pharisee.

Verse 2 states “they have received their reward” and are paid in full. There can be no further reward of God. God owes them nothing. These men were not “giving”, they were “buying” praise. They wanted the praise of men so bad they were willing to pay for it. Sounds a whole lot like Satan doesn’t it!

Our sinful nature can defile even the act of doing good. If we desire the praise of men we will call attention to what we are doing. If our motive is to serve God in love and to please Him, then we will give our gifts without calling attention to ourselves.

Three things will happen when this is done right:

1.) We will grow spiritually.

2.) Others will be helped.

3.) God will get the Glory as it should be.

It is not always wrong to give openly!

Act 4:34  Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,
Act 4:35  And laid them down at the apostles’ feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.
Act 4:36  And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus,
Act 4:37  Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

We can see that Barnabas did not give in secret but he had the right motive and did it in the right manner. This is the same Barnabas that travelled with Paul.

We can also see again how the act of giving is done wrong:

Act 5:1  But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,
Act 5:2  And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
Act 5:3  But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
Act 5:4  Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
Act 5:5  And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.
Act 5:6  And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.
Act 5:7  And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.
Act 5:8  And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.
Act 5:9  Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.
Act 5:10  Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.
Act 5:11  And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.

Here the act of giving was used to make people believe that these two people were more spiritual than they were.

To the New Testament Church God has these words:

Jas 3:13  Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.

Jas 3:17  But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

We also have these words of true success in the eyes of God:

2Pe 1:5  And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
2Pe 1:6  And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
2Pe 1:7  And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
2Pe 1:8  For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2Pe 1:9  But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
2Pe 1:10  Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

*****Our Praying

Mat 6:5  And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
Mat 6:6  But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
Mat 6:7  But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
Mat 6:8  Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
Mat 6:9  After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Mat 6:10  Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Mat 6:11  Give us this day our daily bread.
Mat 6:12  And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
Mat 6:13  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Mat 6:14  For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
Mat 6:15  But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

At the time of Jesus, the Jews were much in the habit of praying in public places. At certain times of the day they always offered their prayers. Wherever they were, they suspended their employment and paid their devotions. This is also practiced now everywhere by Muslim, and in many places by Roman Catholics. It seems, also, that they sought publicity, and regarded it as proof of great piety.

A true relationship to God will be made known by true heart devotion to God, backed by all charity to men, by absolute sincerity and humility in the prayer life, by laying up heavenly treasures and by absolute confidence in the Heavenly Father to supply all real needs and overcome all troubling circumstances. This is what we call “faith”.

The Bible says:

Pro 15:8  The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: [but the prayer of the upright is his delight].

If you want to put a smile on the face of God, talk to Him. He loves to hear from His children!

Isa 55:6  Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
Isa 55:7  Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

If you want to see God’s mercy then pray to Him!

Jer 29:12  Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.

God will listen to you when you pray to Him!

Jas 5:15  And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
Jas 5:16  Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

There is nothing out of our reach when we pray! If we say we love our family and friends and we have not prayed for them then we show God that we have no love for them.

Christ Jesus gives us four main instructions to guide us in our prayer life.

***1.) We should have a consistent, personal, and private prayer life “before” we can have a public prayer life. (Vs 6)

It is not wrong to pray in public!

The Bible says:

1Ti 2:1  I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
1Ti 2:2  For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
1Ti 2:3  For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
1Ti 2:4  Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

Unless we are eating alone this prayer should most always be made in public:

Joh 6:11  And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.

Act 27:35  And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat.

When we are seeking God’s help:

Joh 11:41  Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.
Joh 11:42  [And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.]

To be a hypocrite is one who will pray in public but will not pray in private(prayer closet) to our Father in Heaven. The observer could think you are practicing a prayer life that you do not have. You will be a hypocrite.

Our Lord prayed privately and He is our example:

Mar 1:35  And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.

Other great men of the Bible also prayed privately:

Elisha:

2Ki 4:32  And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed.
2Ki 4:33  He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the LORD.

Daniel:

Dan 6:10  Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.
Dan 6:11  Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.

We do not have to believe that these Pharisees went out in public to say all their prayers but we should believe that they were proud to be observed while they prayed and that they chose a more public place to pray. They were glad to be seen praying in public. It is the wish to be seen that is wrong here. Pretending to have a personal relationship with God is the worst of all hypocrisis. If praying in public is to gain you a reputation then you are wrong and are in sin.

Our Lord is not condemning these prayers but is trying to purify the act of praying!

***2.) We must pray sincerely! (Vs 7-8)

The fact that a request is repeated does not make it a “vain repetition”.

Our example is a prayer of Our Lord:

Mat 26:36  Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.
Mat 26:37  And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.
Mat 26:38  Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.
Mat 26:39  And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
Mat 26:40  And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?
Mat 26:41  Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Mat 26:42  He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.
Mat 26:43  And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.
Mat 26:44  And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, [saying the same words].

We have also the prayer of the Apostle Paul:

2Co 12:7  And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
2Co 12:8  [For this thing I besought the Lord thrice], that it might depart from me.

For our words to be vain is when we pray without a sincere heart and not truly seeking God’s Will.

Reciting memorized prayers could be an example of prayers just to be in the act of prayer not having the desire for fulfillment.

An example by pagan worshippers:

1Ki 18:26  And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made.

The vain and heathenish repetitions which we are here warned against, are most dangerous, and yet very common; which is a principal cause why so many, who still profess religion, are a disgrace to it.

A godly man once wrote: “All of us have one routine prayer in our system; and once we get rid of it, then we can really start to pray”.

If we examine our selves we will find this to be true.

GOD ONLY ANSWERS PRAYERS THAT COME FROM THE HEART OF THE BELIEVER!

Therefore we should be extremely careful in all our prayers to mean what we say; and to say only what we mean from the bottom of our hearts.

***3.) We must pray in God’s Will! (Vs 9-13)

God gives all His disciples a model of true prayer. Jesus did not gives this prayer to be memorized and to be recited a certain number of times. Jesus does tells us all the areas that should occupy our prayers. Jesus said “pray after this manner”. This prayer is a pattern for us to learn by. This prayer is not a substitute for our own words and supplications. The purpose of prayer is to glorify God’s name and to ask His help to accomplish “His Will” for us, while we are still on this earth.

A.) Prayer must magnify the Father’s Name: “Our Father which art in heaven”

A prayer must begin with God’s interest and not our own. We have no right to ask for anything that will dishonor God’s Name, nor to delay His coming Kingdom, nor to disturb His Will on this earth.

If the Father is truly not your Father you have no right to ask anything of Him until you have accepted the Lord Jesus as your Saviour.

Joh 14:23  Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
Joh 14:24  He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.
Joh 14:25  These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.
Joh 14:26  But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Joh 14:27  Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Joh 14:7  If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

When we pray we must realize that we are all part of God’s family of believers. You have to be a believer!

Therefore a person’s first prayer must be that personal sinner’s prayer of forgiveness:

Rom 10:9  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Rom 10:10  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Rom 10:11  For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

        1.) Remember God is the Creator and thus the Parent of us all.
        2.) Our Father is the Preserver of the family and the Provider of all needs.
        3.) He is the Father of all those adopted into His family, true followers of Him.

Rom 8:14  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Rom 8:15  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
Rom 8:16  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
Rom 8:17  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

B.) True prayer will involve worship: “Hallowed be thy name”

We must worship Our God.

Joh 4:23  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

God ask this question in Ezekiel:

Eze 22:30  And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: [but I found none].

To be saved is to be this man. To be saved is to pray for the will of God in our own lives to fulfill this request of God. To start then, is to first worship Him.

1Pe 2:9  But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
1Pe 2:10  Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

C.) Prayer must be about the work of God and His Word: “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven”.

We must pray that the fulfillment of God’s Will, will be realized on this earth. If we put God’s Will first, then and only then can we bring our own needs to Him.

God will provide us with the means to do whatever it is that He would have us do but we should have that same desire in our own hearts, without doubt of His power to do so.

Mat 21:22  And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, [believing,] ye shall receive.

Our mistakes are these in most cases:

Jas 4:1  From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?
Jas 4:2  Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
Jas 4:3  [Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts].
Jas 4:4  Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

D.) Our prayer can then concern itself with our daily needs: “Give us this day our daily bread”.

This is more important than we first realize, for it shows that we are dependant on God for even our basic needs and we certainly are.

When the nation of Israel was escaping from Egypt. God set in motion a means for them to have food daily. They had no means to store food for a long period of time. They were sustained by a daily supply of “Manna”.

Jesus said:

Joh 6:32  Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.
Joh 6:33  For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.
Joh 6:34  Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.
Joh 6:35  And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

Not only do we need food daily to sustain our physical bodies we need the Word of God daily to sustain our spiritual lives. That Word comes to us through Jesus Christ!

Joh 1:14  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

That “Manna” had to be gathered every day reminding those Jews of God’s “day by day” provision for all our lives.

God may not drop “manna” down from Heaven to us now but He does allow a means for us all to be fed daily. To the believer we should not forget the bountiful hand of God.

E.) Next our prayers must contain confession. “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”:

God expects people to be forgiving. Through the blood of Jesus, God has pardoned us from all our sin. How then can we not forgiving to those we come in contact with.

Mat 18:21  Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
Mat 18:22  Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

We can see that God has tied forgiveness directly to temptation. If we cannot forgive then our hearts are not right with God and we can be sure the devil will try his best to take advantage of the situation.

“Lead us not in temptation” does not mean that God tempts His children.

Jas 1:13  Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: [for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man]:
Jas 1:14  But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
Jas 1:15  Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

We are asking God to guide us in all manner of our life in this flesh, to allow His will to be done in our lives. We must be forgiving as he is forgiving and we must avoid situations that will place in temptation.

1Jn 5:18  We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.

Our example:

Mat 4:5  Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,
Mat 4:6  And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Mat 4:7  Jesus said unto him, It is written again, [Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God].

****4.) We Must Have A Forgiving Spirit:

Jesus “does not” teach us that His forgiveness is based on whether we will forgive others. This would be salvation based on works and this would be contrary to the Doctrine of Grace. For if not for the “mercy” of God their could be no “Grace”.

If we have truly been a recipient of God’s “grace” then we will be in readiness to forgive others.

Eph 4:32  And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

Col 3:12  Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
Col 3:13  Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Col 3:14  And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

Christ was teaching His disciples true righteousness not the righteousness taught of these Pharisee.

A Good Example Matthew 18:21-35.

Praying is a family affair: “Our Father”. When the family cannot get along with each other how can we claim to have the right relationship with Our Father Who Is In Heaven.

When we are saved we are born into the family of God. Our prayer life tells if we are truly a working part of this family. If I am not in fellowship with God, I cannot pray effectively.

Rom 8:16  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
Rom 8:17  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

If in salvation, I am indwelled with the Holy Spirit and I do not pray for my brother and sisters in Christ and yet I pray when called on in public, I am truly a hypocrite. God forgive me when I don’t pray as I should.

If I am to be a witness to others I must be in fellowship with my brothers and sisters in Christ. We can see that this is a sign of being in fellowship with God and it is important to our prayer life.

If God answered the prayer of a hypocrite, He would dishonor His own name! By granting his request it would encourage that person to remain in sin. God will not answer the prayer of a sinner!

Psa 66:18  [If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me]:
Psa 66:19  But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.
Psa 66:20  Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.

When we see the lost desire to be heard of God, we owe it to them to pray for them, to intercede on their behalf, for we have one that does this for us, his name is Jesus.

*****Our Fasting:

Mat 6:16  Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
Mat 6:17  But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;
Mat 6:18  That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

The only fast God required of the Jewish people was the annual day of atonement:

Lev 23:27  Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
Lev 23:28  And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God.
Lev 23:29  For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people.

These Pharisees fasted on each Monday and Thursday:

Luk 18:11  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
Luk 18:12  I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

Because these were the same two days that the Synagogues met for service we can see that they had an opportunity to display themselves.

Their fasting was not just meat and drink but they also would not wash or anoint themselves, they went barefoot, and they sprinkled ashes on their heads. They would make their faces unsightly to show that were suffering in their fast. They displayed themselves in an ungodly manner just to win the praise of those that observed them. They were seeking admiration from the people of the synagogue.

To simply deprive ourselves of food, or drink or even sleep is not what fasting is all about. Unless there is a devotion of the heart to God there is no spiritual benefit.

True fasting is a secret thing between you and God. If we have to look miserable to be in the family of God then how can we be a witness to the love of God. If there is no joy in salvation then we are truly a miserable people.

No wonder Jesus gives us this example:

Mat 23:27  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.
Mat 23:28  Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

To use the ways of the hypocrite will rob us of our character:

1.) We pray but we will never have an answer to that prayer or any prayer.

2.) We fast but we will show no improvement in our spiritual lives.

3.) Instead of the eternal approval of God we receive the shallow praise of men.

4.) We miss the blessings of God in this life and lose the rewards of God when Jesus returns and any that could be in store in the New Heaven.

5.) We will be a negative influence in this world we live in. This is a noticeable thing world wide and the world will point out every hypocrite in a way to the show darkness in the Church.

If we are to overcome the wickedness of hypocrisy we must first be honest with God in our secret life, giving, praying, fasting and all things from the heart. The most important part of the Christian life is that part that God only sees.

When our reputation becomes more important to us we have becomes  hypocrites!

Let’s Pray!

What The King Desires Of Us

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

The Desires Of The King

Text: Matthew 5

Our Focus: Matthew 5:1-16

The sermon on the mount, as it is called by scholars, is really misunderstood by a lot of people. It is treated by many people in this world as God’s plan of salvation but it is not. There are those that say it is the rules God has given the world to live by. This also is not true. There are others that say this sermon has no application for today’s world. They are also wrong. The first thing to realize is that all scripture is given to us from God for a purpose:

2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

We must also know that to reach that point of “throughly furnished” we must rightly divide the Bible:

2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, [rightly dividing the word of truth].

This is simply the acknowledgment that God basically spoke to three groups of people:

1Co 10:32 Give none offence, neither [to the Jews], nor [to the Gentiles], nor [to the church of God]:

This includes everyone that has ever lived on this Earth but if God separates these groups then He had some scripture designed for each group and their purpose. Though we must not forget that all scripture is profitable to all, we must realize some scripture was given to individual groups such as the moral laws to the Jew:

Rom 2:14 For when the Gentiles, [which have not the law], do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:

But also realizing the fact of the “true Jew” in the eyes of God:

Rom 2:28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:

Rom 2:29 [But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter]; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

Obviously then their are “Spiritual Jews” and there are “Jews by Nation”. The term Jew comes from the old nation of Judah when the tribes of Israel split. A Jew is to Judah as an American is to America or an Egyptian is to Egypt.

This not complicated, It Is The Word Of God!

There are those that say that this sermon does not apply today and they are the most wrong [because there is never an instance in any part of our lives, where God’s Word will not apply if it is rightly divided].

The Bible says:

Psa 119:89 For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.

If God’s Word is settled in Heaven, who are we to question it here on Earth?

Jesus Christ will rule during the Millennial Kingdom with a rod of iron:

Rev 2:27 And [he shall rule them with a rod of iron]; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

Rev 12:5 And she brought forth a man child, [who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron]: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

Rev 19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and [he shall rule them with a rod of iron]: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

These may be those rules of His ruler ship but they are given to a saved people who have buried their love of God in their heart and not to a lost people to try to make themselves righteous.

The key to this sermon may be this verse:

Mat 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Though they were self-righteous, most of these scribes and Pharisees lived by every word of the Moral Law and even added to those making it harder, No making it impossible to obey them all. Yet we still have this verse of Matthew 5:20.

These religious leaders had an artificial, external righteousness based on the Law. Christ Jesus describes a real, vital, and true righteousness that comes from the heart. The Pharisees concerned themselves about the miniscule details of conduct, an outward show, while Jesus emphasized the character of each individual, character that can only come from a personal, one on one relationship with the Savior of this world.

Christ Jesus gave this message to the individual believer, not to the unsaved world. The Holy Spirit gave this message to every writer of the Epistles for the Church of today. Jesus gave this message to those writers and those teachers:

Mat 5:1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, [his disciples came unto him]:

*****Our Text:

Mat 5:1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:

Mat 5:2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

Mat 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Mat 5:4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Mat 5:5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Mat 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

We cannot over emphasize that though the importance of this message is great, It Is The Message Of “Grace” That Has The Most Importance In The Bible!

Many who change these priorities end up preaching a legalistic relation with God rather than God’s mercy to those He loves. If not for “Grace” there could be no “Mercy”.

The Bible says:

Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Our salvation comes from the “Grace” of God not these rules to live by.

At this time Christ Jesus was still preaching the same message of John the Baptist. John was preaching the coming of the King and the nearness of that Kingdom, and righteousness was the only way to get into that Kingdom. This message is still true but our righteousness can only come through the blood of Jesus. This message will never change until the Millennial reign of Christ has ended.

This message was never challenged by these Pharisees nor the Elders of the nation of Israel nor the Sadducees who observed the ceremonial laws. The only question was what kind of righteousness was necessary to enter this Kingdom?

THIS IS WHY JESUS WAS PREACHING THIS SERMON TO THE DISCIPLES WHO WOULD SOON BE THE APOSTLES!

1.) Was it the righteousness of Judaism?

2.) Was it the righteousness that comes by “Faith” in Jesus Christ?

Righteousness cannot be earned by works but only as a “Gift” from the Almighty God. Jesus Christ offered Himself as the only basis for acceptance by the Messiah into His Kingdom!(the kingdom of heaven)

*****Blessed:

The Latin word for “blessed” is beatus. From this Latin word we get the term Beatitude.

In the Greek it means supremely blessed.

To the Jew this meant “divine joy and perfect happiness”. In the Bible times this word was not used so much for humans. It described the kind of joy only a god could have or maybe the dead.

Blessed implies inner satisfaction that does not depend on an outward circumstance for happiness!

The Beatitudes do describe the attitudes that ought to be in the Church and in our own lives today!

1.) Our attitude toward ourselves(vs 3).

To be poor in spirit means to be humble. It is not a false humility of worthlessness. It is being honest with ourselves, to know ourselves, to accept ourselves and to try to be ourselves for the glory of God.

Psa 34:18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

Psa 34:19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.

Psa 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Rom 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

Php 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

2.) Our attitude toward our sin(Vs 4-6).

Those who try to cover up their sin or defend sin as is rampant in our nation now, have the wrong attitude. We cannot defend sinful living. We cannot defend abortion. We cannot defend the gay lifestyle. We cannot defend anything that goes against God’s Word. These people who do have a wrong attitude toward sin.

We must mourn for our sin and despise all sin everywhere. We must see sin the way God sees sin and submit to the ways of God.

Meekness is not Weakness! “Meekness is POWER under control:

The Bible says:

Luk 18:9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:

Luk 18:10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

Luk 18:11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

Luk 18:12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

Luk 18:13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

Luk 18:14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Again:

Php 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

Php 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Again:

Num 12:3 (Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.)

Mat 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

2Co 10:1 Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:

To be meek is to be among good company Moses and Our Lord Jesus and Paul were meek.

We must remember the righteousness of the Pharisees declared that they had No Sin in their lives but the righteousness that Christ demands is that we freely acknowledge that we are sinners in need of a personal Savior.

Jesus Christ said the righteous are those that hunger and thirst, to have an appetite for the things of God!

The Bible says:

1Pe 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

1Pe 2:3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

*****Our text:

Mat 5:7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Mat 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Mat 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

Mat 5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Mat 5:11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

3.) Our attitude toward the Lord Jesus Christ(vs7-9).

Mercy is God’s loving response to the needs of those that love Him and are the objects of His affection. To have known the mercy of God is to show mercy to all that are in this world we live in. That’s what God did when He sent Jesus.(John 3:16)

To be in God’s mercy we must trust in Christ Jesus:

Eph 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

Eph 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

Eph 2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

Only then do we have a clean heart:

God’s people must have a pure heart. Purity is not measured by what you practice but it is measured by the character of God Himself. Christ is our example of purity in the Church AND IN OUR LIVES.

1Pe 1:15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;

1Pe 1:16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

And God said:

Act 15:8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;

Act 15:9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

The Pharisees test for purity was conforming to their own traditions. How often do we see this today. Righteousness is not about traditions. IT IS about “faith” in the “grace” of God!

Only then can we be at peace in this life:

Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

Rom 5:2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

When we share these things God gives us with others, we then become peacemakers in this cruel world. The soul winner brings the message of peace to the lost so that all can be brought into harmony with God. To have peace with God is to be God’s messenger!

The Pharisees taught that to be a son of God one ONLY had to be a descendant of Abraham.

4.) Our attitude toward the world(vs 1o-16).

If the Christian does not have a different attitude from that of the world then they need to go back to the altar.

God said:

2Co 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

2Co 6:18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

If we do not come out from among them, then we have not obeyed God! A child of God should be on a totally different thought plan than the world. The world endorses sin especially when they can get away with it. The world is at war with the God of the Bible and His Son Jesus.

We must expect to be persecuted if we are serving God and Our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Pharisees declared Christ Jesus an imposter and that He must be removed. We know that in the world we live in especially in America, God has been removed from the schools, He is removed from any action in government, He is removed from His own birthday and from His resurrection. He is now being written out of modern translations of the Bible and most so called gatherings are removing Him from the preaching of His Own Word. To be right with the world you have to leave Jesus out of your prayer.

Well I’m simply not going to do these things because He lives in me and to deny Him would be to deny my own life. He is a part of me I will not give up!

The Bible says:

Rom 8:33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.

Rom 8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Rom 8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

Rom 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

Rom 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

Rom 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

a.) Jesus Christ requires repentance but the Pharisee denied any need for repentance.

b.) Jesus Christ demanded that people recognize their need but the Pharisees recognized that there was no need for God.

c.) Jesus Christ ask us to submit to His authority but the Pharisees refused the only One that had ever met the requirements of the Messiah.

d.) Jesus Christ expressed mercy but the Pharisees withheld mercy from those in need.

e.) Jesus Christ expected purity of heart but the Pharisees were only concerned with an outward show of purity.

f.) Jesus Christ appointed people to be peacemakers but the Pharisees stirred up discord and strife among their own brethren.

g.) Jesus Christ invited people to accept persecution for His Name’s Sake but the Pharisees were the persecutors.

We can surely see that the righteousness of the Pharisees was unacceptable to God on every point. We can also see that the world is still full of Pharisee want to Be’s.

*****Our Text:

Mat 5:12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Mat 5:13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

Mat 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

Mat 5:15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

Mat 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

5.) Our attitude of influence(vs 12-16)

Can there be any doubt that Christ Jesus says when we get our attitude right that we can rejoice. The rewards in Heaven will come even if persecution comes.

To show the influence of this attitude adjustment on His disciples Our Lord used two figures.

a.) Salt:

Salt is used today as a preservative but in Bible times it had other uses as well. It was the function of salt to create a thirst so that the body may retain the proper amount of fluid. Salt created a thirst that, when satisfied, would maintain life.

If God had no other purpose for us after he saved us He would just take us on up to Heaven but He does have a purpose for every saved soul:

Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them [who are the called according to his purpose].

The believers are left in this world to create a thirst, both by their life and by their words, for Jesus Christ who saved us.

Salt less salt cannot perform this function and it is then no more than the sand that we walk on. Sand is plentiful everywhere you go, but salt was scarce in the Bible times.

What Christ is saying is that if we cannot maintain a good testimony after we are saved then we are worthless to Him while we are on this earth.

The Apostle Paul said:

1Co 9:19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.

1Co 9:20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;

1Co 9:21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.

1Co 9:22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.

1Co 9:23 And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.

1Co 9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

1Co 9:25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

1Co 9:26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:

1Co 9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

He also had these words:

Php 3:7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

Php 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

Php 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

Php 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

Php 3:11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

Php 3:12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

Php 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

Php 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Php 3:15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

Php 3:16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.

Php 3:17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.

b.) Light:

Light attracts to itself and it also exposes what is in that circle of light. Those that receive the words of Christ would be counted as light in the midst of darkness. It is impossible to hide a light in darkness.

A lamp is not lit just so it can be hidden. God does not save us so we can hide from the evils of this world. Each and every one of us are placed in a certain place so our lights will shine.

The Bible says:

Pro 4:18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

The life of the believer is a light in this dark world. God reveals His lights to the world to bring praise to Our Heavenly Father.

The Bible says:

Eph 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

Eph 5:9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)

Eph 5:10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.

Eph 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

Eph 5:12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.

Eph 5:13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.

Eph 5:14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

Our Lesson may end here but let’s highlight the remaining scriptures in this chapter.

Matthew 5:17-20:

How true righteousness comes:

In the law of Moses God did reveal His standards for holy living.

The Apostle Paul said to the early Church:

Gal 3:23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

Gal 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

Gal 3:25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

Gal 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

Gal 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Remember Jesus said that true righteousness must exceed that of the Scribes and the Pharisees. Jesus explained His own attitude toward the Law:

*****a.) We cannot seek to destroy the Law.

Jesus may have seemed to defy the Law by healing on the Sabbath and by paying no attention to the traditions of the Pharisees. Jesus associated Himself with known sinners and the hated publicans also contrary to the Law.

It was truly the Pharisees that were destroying the Law. By their traditions they were destroying the Word of God. By their hypocritical lives they did not obey the Law they claimed to protect. By adding to God’s Word and in some cases changing it to fit certain situations for their own benefit they were embalming the truth of the living God so that God’s Word no longer had life. Their rejection of Christ proved this to be true.

We now have so many so called [new versions] of the Bible that in a sense these books are stifling the life out of the truth of the scriptures. We need to learn from a Bible that is translated from the oldest scriptures such as the Textus Receptus. The one I use is the King James Bible.

*****b.) We can seek to fulfill the Law.

It is Jesus Christ Our Lord that fulfilled the Law and he will fulfill the whole Law!

1.) Jesus fulfilled the Law in every area of His life:

Gal 4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

Gal 4:5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

His parents were sure to to perform every ritual of a Jewish boy.

No one could accuse Jesus of sin:

1Jn 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

1Jn 3:5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.

Jesus did not submit to the traditions of the Pharisees because He submitted to the Law that God had commanded.

Mat 17:5 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

Mat 17:6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.

2.) Jesus fulfilled the Law in His teaching:

Jesus broke away from the man-made traditions that had stifled God’s Word and showed the World the truth of the scriptures. Jesus showed the World [a new and living way] that is still rejected by most religions today. To be a Christian is not to be in a religion, It Is Having A Personal Relationship With God! Jesus offered life, a real life that is eternal.

Heb 10:20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

3.) Jesus fulfilled the Law by His death:

Gal 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

Gal 3:14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Jesus broke down all the walls of His people:

Eph 2:11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;

Eph 2:12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

Eph 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

We no longer need man made temples:

Act 7:48 Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,

We no longer need religious rituals:

Col 2:10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

Col 2:11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:

Col 2:12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

Col 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

Col 2:14 [Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us], which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

How do we fulfill the Law?

a.) Allowing Jesus to work in our lives:

Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

Rom 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

b.) Allowing Jesus Christ to live out His life through us:

Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Gal 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

Jesus obeyed the known will of God, which is the Word that we have from God and we should do the same:

Joh 4:34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

*****c.) We can seek to teach the Law:

This does not mean we ignore the New Testament and major in the Old Testament!

2Co 3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

2Co 3:15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.

2Co 3:16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.

2Co 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

The Holy Spirit is our teacher. He teaches us God’s Word and helps us to obey that Word. Sin is still sin and God still punishes Sin. We are certainly more responsible to obey God’s Word because we have been taught more than any other people.

*****21-48)

1.) Murder(vs21-26):

Jesus did not say that anger leads to murder:

Eph 4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

Eph 4:27 Neither give place to the devil.

Jesus said that anger without a cause was the same as committing murder.

1Jn 3:15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

2.) Adultery(vs27-30):

Marriage was given of God to provide for the physical and emotional needs of God’s people.

The Bible says:

Heb 13:4 Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

We can see that there is a difference in marriage and other forms of living together.

The Bible says:

1Co 7:2 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.

The physical responsibilities were also God given:

1Co 7:3 Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband.

1Co 7:4 The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.

1Co 7:5 Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.

Marriage is a benefit to society. God did not found society on the individual but on the family. It is individuals that make families and families that make communities and so forth up to making of nations. The Bible gives us the example of the Nation of Israel and tells us of many others that began with Abraham.

Gen 12:2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:

Gen 12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

God also designed marriage to be an object lesson of the relationship between Himself and the believer.(Bridegroom, Jesus and Bride of Christ, the Church)

Jesus Christ and the Church are inseparable. The marriage and the family should also be inseparable. Therefore God forbade adultery.

The Pharisees saw this only as an unlawful act of an illegal sexual union but to refrain from the physical act only did not fulfill the spiritual demands of the Law.

The Law of Christ demands not only abstinence but also the desire to do these things!

Christ says we can remove the cause that begins in our heart then goes on into our mind and then on to a physical action.

2Ti 2:21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.

2Ti 2:22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

3.) Divorce(vs31-32):

We must go back to square one. Jesus said your righteousness must exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees.

a.) The Pharisees viewed marriage as a social institution governed by the laws of men.

b.) Christ viewed marriage as a divine institution governed by the laws of God.

God had said that when two are joined together they become one flesh. One is an indivisible unit so an indivisible union was established.

The right to divorce was highly prized among the Jew. It was considered a gift from God. In fact a gift that God denied the Gentiles. Their thinking was that if Christ denied divorce it could alienate Him from the nation of Israel.

Divorce had been permitted in Israel’s past and we can see a reason in the Book of Ezra:

Ezr 10:2 And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land: yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing.

Ezr 10:3 Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord, and of those that tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law.

Ezr 10:11 Now therefore make confession unto the LORD God of your fathers, and do his pleasure: and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives.

Ezr 10:12 Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, As thou hast said, so must we do.

Ezr 10:13 But the people are many, and it is a time of much rain, and we are not able to stand without, neither is this a work of one day or two: for we are many that have transgressed in this thing.

Ezr 10:14 Let now our rulers of all the congregation stand, and let all them which have taken strange wives in our cities come at appointed times, and with them the elders of every city, and the judges thereof, until the fierce wrath of our God for this matter be turned from us.

The purpose behind this allowance of divorce was because of the Law:

Deu 24:1 When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, [because he hath found some uncleanness in her]: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house.

This uncleanness would be in that the bloodline was impure. A Jew could not marry outside his nationality and preferably from the same tribe.

The Bible said to Israel:

Num 36:6 This is the thing which the LORD doth command concerning the daughters of Zelophehad, saying, Let them marry to whom they think best; [only to the family of the tribe of their father shall they marry].

We can see that this stems from Abraham:

Gen 24:3 And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell:

This same process of marriage also was taught to the Church by the Apostle Paul:

2Co 6:14 [Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers]: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

2Co 6:15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

2Co 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

2Co 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

2Co 6:18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

We can see then that these are the guidelines for a Godly marriage.

Jesus said whosoever put away his wife except for marital unfaithfulness would cause the sin of adultery.

The Bible says:

Mat 1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.

Mat 1:19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.

We can see Joseph would not have been ridiculed if he had divorced Mary even though they had not consummated their arranged marriage.

These marriages were for the most part arranged by the parents and this time of espousal was given for many reasons including this one.

It is the light of this context that Jesus made this statement.(vs 31)

The Bible does not teach that the offended mate has to get a divorce as we know Joseph took Mary and had many good years and several children. It is sad that the hardness of our hearts can lead us to do things that we would not do if we learned the ways of forgiveness.

Does this mean that those that marry outside these guidelines do not have a marriage under the terms of God. God forbid! Every effort should be made in marriage to keep them together.

The Apostle Paul gave us some guidelines for the Church:

I Corinthians 7:1-40(study the entire book)

Paul said:

1Co 7:6 But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment.

1Co 7:7 For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that.

1Co 7:8 I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I.

1Co 7:9 But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.

1Co 7:10 And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband:

1Co 7:11 But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.

1Co 7:15 But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.

1Co 7:27 Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.

1Co 7:28 But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you.

1Co 7:39 The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.

Any divorce under these guidelines would automatically be permission to remarry.

If more time was spent trying to find the right spouse and then live as Christian should live, there would be less divorce:

1Co 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

If both parties have that God given charitable love, there would be no room for divorce because there would be two people that could not cause each other harm in any way.

4.) Swearing(vs33-37):

This not the sin of cursing. The Pharisees used all kind of tricks to sidestep the truth and using oaths was just one of them. They would avoid using the Holy name of God but they would come close by using the city of Jerusalem, heaven, earth, or some part of the body.

Jesus taught:

Col 4:5 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.

Col 4:6 Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

Jas 5:12 But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.

Pro 16:21 The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning.

Pro 16:22 Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly.

Pro 16:23 The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips.

Pro 16:24 Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.

Eph 4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

Eph 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

5.) Retaliating(vs38-42):

In the Old Testament we see:

Lev 24:19 And if a man cause a blemish in his neighbour; as he hath done, so shall it be done to him;

Lev 24:20 Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him again.

Lev 24:21 And he that killeth a beast, he shall restore it: and he that killeth a man, he shall be put to death.

Lev 24:22 Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger, as for one of your own country: for I am the LORD your God.

If we believe that these words meant that a person could take the law into his own hands then we missed the point of these old laws. You know it’s a good time to mention that the Jews did not just have the ten moral laws but they had in fact 613 laws to live by.

These laws were written for those that were in charge to have a means to exact punishment in the name of the Lord. We can see that corporal punishment is also listed here.

A person who retaliates himself, or takes the law into his own hands only makes matters worse and the results are more a settled war and not by peace.

In order to turn the other cheek, we must stay put and not run away:

Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, [that ye may be able to stand] against the wiles of the devil.

It is better to be hurt on the outside than harmed on the inside. It takes not only faith but also love to stand in the name of God.

Php 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Rom 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

It is the strong man that can love and suffer hurt; it is the weak man who thinks only of himself and hurts other people to protect himself.

This does not mean that we are to lie down and allow the evils of this world to walk all over us.

God has a reason for the things that happen to us and if and when these things happen we still have His protection:

Job 1:9 Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?

Job 1:10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.

God always has His angels watching:

Psa 91:11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, [to keep thee in all thy ways].

Psa 91:12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

Psa 91:13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.

Psa 91:14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.

Notice the phrase “in all thy ways”. This means these same angels can assist us in avoiding this kind of harm.

6.) The Love of our enemies(vs43-48):

The Old Testament states:

Lev 19:17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him.

Lev 19:18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.

No where does the Old Testament teach us to hate our enemies.

Exo 23:4 If thou meet thine enemy’s ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again.

Exo 23:5 If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him.

Christian love is an act of the will of God. Christian love is not an emotion or some lustful thing. If you accept this teaching then you must accept that God has the right to command us to love our enemies. After all God loved us while we were still His enemies:

Rom 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

When we find a way to love our enemies it will take the poison out of our attitudes.

When our attitudes are right we begin to become more perfect in the eyes of a Holy God. We will look more like Jesus Christ.

Our Father loves His enemies and seeks to make them His children.

OUR JOB IS TO ASSIST HIM!

Let’s pray!

The Followers Of The King

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

The Followers Of The King

Our Text:

Matthew 4:12-25

Principle Text:

Mat 4:19  And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

What we have seen so far in the Book of Matthew is that the emphasis of Matthew has been Jesus, the King of the Jews. The Gospels are given to us in four different views in order to accomplish the different purposes of each Gospel. Jesus has been introduced to the nation of Israel and as we go along we will see more and more His rejection by this same nation. We will see that Christ will begin His ministry in Galilee. Christ Jesus will proclaim the Word of God and then authenticate His message with a multitude of miracles. Matthew emphasizes this in this scripture given to him by the Holy Ghost.

There is a “parallel” or another “type” of this in the Old Testament. Moses was called of God to lead the Nation of Israel out of bondage to the Egyptians. Moses hesitated in this task so God revealed Himself in a burning bush.

Exo 3:14  And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.

This was a miracle sign to gain the attention of Moses. In Exodus chapter four three signs were given to authenticate Moses and his message.

1.) A staff(that could change into a snake)
2.) A leprous hand(that God gave and then healed)
3.) Water that would become blood.(the river Nile)

Moses gave signs through the plagues to Pharaoh as well as to the Egyptian nation. We can see that God does these things to make sure God’s messenger and God’s message is heard.

What Jesus did in these miracles was the same thing. It proved Him to be the messenger and that His message was from the Almighty God.

Every Gospel has it’s own purpose but for us to understand the ministry of Jesus we need to study all the relevant passages of each Gospel to understand any particular passage.

2Pe 1:20  Knowing this first, that [no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation].
2Pe 1:21  For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

We must use the Bible to interpret God’s Word!

It was the timing of events that always had the concern of Jesus and not any particular time. The ministry of Jesus was at a carefully selected window in time and Jesus came to fulfill all prophesy of Him.

The Bible says:

Dan 9:25  [Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks]: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
Dan 9:26  [And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself]: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

We must also realize that even when we put all four Gospels together, there is no attempt to write a biography of the life of Christ Jesus. It is the Holy Spirit of God that guided each writer to the words that we now have.

The Bible says:

Joh 21:24  This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true.
Joh 21:25  [And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen].

If we concede that each Gospel puts forth it’s own message, which they do, then we can know that the message of each Gospel has the information in it to to express that specific teaching. Each Gospel is a “spiritual” unfolding of the person and the Word of the Lord Jesus Christ.

1.) He is the Lord to the Christian.
2.) He is the King to the Jew.
3.) He is a Servant in obedience, the Son of Man and the only “Begotten” of the Father.

We have already studied where the word “Begotten” refers more to the resurrection of Jesus than to His birth.

*****Our Text:

Mat 4:12  Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee;
Mat 4:13  And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim:
Mat 4:14  That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,
Mat 4:15  The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles;
Mat 4:16  The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.
Mat 4:17  From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Jesus has now left Jerusalem, spent some time in Nazareth and has moved on to Capernaum.

The Gospel of Luke tells us something of Nazareth:

Luk 4:13  And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.
Luk 4:14  And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.
Luk 4:15  And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.
Luk 4:16  And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.
Luk 4:17  And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
Luk 4:18  The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Luk 4:19  To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
Luk 4:20  And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.
Luk 4:21  And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

The Book of John also tells us many things of this time John 1:19-3:36.

Mark adds:

Mar 1:14  Now [after that John was put in prison], Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,
Mar 1:15  And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

This was also fulfilling the prophesy of the Old Testament:

Isa 9:1  Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations.
Isa 9:2  The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.

And:

Isa 42:6  I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;
Isa 42:7  To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

The Proof of this goes back to the Book of Genesis:

Gen 49:13  Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; and he shall be for an haven of ships; and his border shall be unto Zidon.

The city of Capernaum was:

1.) The most oppressed of all of Israel

It was a Roman outpost. It was a military city. Full of soldiers and full of evil. The Romans had occupied Capernaum since 63 BC.

2.) The darkest in ignorance respecting divine things and human duties, and the accompanying ungodliness and immorality.

3.) The most corrupt of all the provinces they were enticed from good and allured to evil.

4.) The Jews looked upon those from Galilee as ignorant countrymen:

Joh 1:46  And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.

Joh 7:41  Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee?

Act 4:13  Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and [perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men], they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

We can also know that this mixed population of despised people of Galilee also had a hatred of the “racially pure” citizens of Judea.

We know that even today all the surrounding nations of Israel have a deep hatred of Israel.

What we know for sure is that a “light” will shine brightest in a dark room. Our Lord was then and is now that bright and shining light that shines in this evil world.

Jesus would later judge these cities:

Mat 11:20  Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not:
Mat 11:21  Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
Mat 11:22  But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.
Mat 11:23  And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.
Mat 11:24  But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.

We can also notice that Jesus began His ministry by preaching the same message as John the Baptist:

” From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”

This is the same message that was preached throughout the Old Testament. Since the days of Adam, salvation has come but from one thing.

“Repenting” (turning away from evil and toward God) and “believing” (in the Creator God of the Universe).

This will never change!

What we see is that Christ Jesus opened up His ministry to the people who had sunk the lowest. This tells us that if this sort of people can be saved [then we can know that “whosoever will come” to Jesus can be saved].

Christ Jesus was standing in the midst of all this evil to establish His Kingdom. Jesus preached this same message of John for a short time but soon this message would be changed.

In the Church the Gospel of Grace is preached but again after the rapture of the Church the Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached during the seven year Tribulation Period.

Dan 9:26  And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: [and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
Dan 9:27  And he shall confirm the covenant with many (for one week): and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate].

The Bible says:

2Th 1:4  So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:
2Th 1:5  Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:
2Th 1:6  Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;
2Th 1:7  And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
2Th 1:8  In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
2Th 1:9  Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
2Th 1:10  When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.

How did Christ Jesus bring light to the Gentiles?

1.) Teaching the fulfillment of the Old Testament.

2.) Preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom and then the Gospel of Grace.

3.) Healing all that came to Him.

4.) Jesus also taught with His “perfect” life.

5.) The “compassion” Christ Jesus had for people really showed.

Proof:

Mat 9:35  And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.

Mat 11:4  Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:
Mat 11:5  The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

Mat 12:15  But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all;
Mat 12:16  And charged them that they should not make him known:
Mat 12:17  That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,
Mat 12:18  Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.

Mat 14:34  And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret.
Mat 14:35  And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto him all that were diseased;
Mat 14:36  And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.

Mat 15:31  Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel.

Mat 19:2  And great multitudes followed him; and he healed them there.

We can see that Matthew was real clear that Jesus healed all manner of sickness, all manner of diseases and that nothing was to difficult for Jesus.

There are many explanations for the term “kingdom of heaven” and “kingdom of God” but we must realize that the Jews would not use the name of God and would often substitute other words.

Proof:

Luk 15:21  And the son said unto him, Father, [I have sinned against heaven], and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.

We can be sure this prodigal son knew he had sinned against God.

The “kingdom of Heaven” can also mean the period of time that Christ Jesus will rule as King during the Millennial Period.

*****Our Text:

Mat 4:18  And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
Mat 4:19  And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
Mat 4:20  And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.
Mat 4:21  And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.
Mat 4:22  And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.

We can see that Christ Jesus specifically chose certain men and gave them specific jobs to do. Jesus did not need help with His ministry but He “chose” others to help. This is a Biblical pattern or “type” for all the children of God. We need each other in the service of God. The Holy Spirit gives each of His children different talents to serve the Body of Christ.

The Apostle Paul wrote that every part of the Body of Christ was important in the service of God:

1Co 12:4  Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
1Co 12:5  And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.
1Co 12:6  And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
1Co 12:7  But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
1Co 12:8  For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
1Co 12:9  To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
1Co 12:10  To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
1Co 12:11  But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
1Co 12:12  For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
1Co 12:13  For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
1Co 12:14  For the body is not one member, but many.
1Co 12:15  If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
1Co 12:16  And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
1Co 12:17  If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?
1Co 12:18  But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.
1Co 12:19  And if they were all one member, where were the body?
1Co 12:20  But now are they many members, yet but one body.
1Co 12:21  And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
1Co 12:22  Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:
1Co 12:23  And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.
1Co 12:24  For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:
1Co 12:25  That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.
1Co 12:26  And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.
1Co 12:27  Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

Christ Jesus chose humble men. Not lawyers or great speakers. He did not choose the wealthy or the mighty though all these have the same opportunities in the Body of Christ. All things are provided to the Servant of God by the Holy Spirit and by God’s Word.

Remember God spoke from Heaven to begin this ministry of Christ Jesus!

God still seeks these types of men:

1.) Fishers of men.

2.) Shepherds of souls.

3.) Farmers to become sowers the seed.

The Bible says:

1Co 1:25  Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
1Co 1:26  [For ye see your calling, brethren], how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
1Co 1:27  But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
1Co 1:28  And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
1Co 1:29  That no flesh should glory in his presence.
1Co 1:30  But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
1Co 1:31  That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

We also knew that Jesus had already met these four men:

Joh 1:37  And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.
Joh 1:38  Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?
Joh 1:39  He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.
Joh 1:40  One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.

The calling of the disciples to follow Jesus was not a call to preach at this time. This calling was a calling into the service of God.

Notice the business of King Jesus requires an immediate reaction from those that are called.

The Bible says:

Luk 14:26  If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
Luk 14:27  And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

Of course we must know that the word hate in this scripture means we must place the love of Christ first in our lives. We should not have any less love for our father, mother, children or family. We must surely give our own bodies for the service of our Lord Jesus.

The Apostle Paul clarifies this for us:

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is your reasonable service].
Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, [that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God].

These fishermen had already come to Jesus when John the Baptist had said He was the Lamb of God. They had already trusted Him for salvation and eternal life and it was now time to go to work.

Just as the Christian, there is only one work for the “saved:

THE WORK OF BELIEVEING!

Joh 16:9  Of sin, because they believe not on me;

This is the only sin that will place all unbelievers in Hell and then the Burning Lake of Fire!

The “calling” of God is specific and selective. You can never be called until you can be led, specifically by the Holy Spirit.

There are far to many uncalled men in our pulpits today that were never called and therefore do not know the Holy Spirit nor the Word of God.

We must be careful not to ignore the call of God. The call of God is rarely a dramatic thing though it could be. If yours is not dramatic it does not mean that God is not calling you.

The Bible says:

1Jn 4:1  Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
1Jn 4:2  Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: [Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God]:
1Jn 4:3  And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
1Jn 4:4  Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
1Jn 4:5  They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.
1Jn 4:6  We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

There are many today that will not preach Jesus Christ the only way, nor will they pray in His name. We can be sure that these were never called of God!

The true servant of the Lord is obedient to His calling and looks to the Lord Jesus to provide “all” his needs.

Jesus later called all His disciples:

Mat 9:9  And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.

Mat 10:1  And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.
Mat 10:2  Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;
Mat 10:3  Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;
Mat 10:4  Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.

Commercial fishermen are busy people. Fisher men do not just set around.

1.) They sort their catch.

2.) They prepare for a new catch.

3.) They mend their catching equipment.

The Lord needs busy people who are not afraid of work, nor are they afraid to go to the work of the Lord.

Fishermen are usually courageous and patient people. They must be skilled and be able to learn from other fishermen. They must know how to locate fish. Fishermen must work together with all other fishermen. The Lord demands cooperation!

Above all “fishing” demands FAITH!

A fisherman cannot see the fish nor know what side of the boat to cast the net. They cannot see the fish nor do they know if their net is big enough or strong enough to hold the fish.

SOUL WINNING REQUIRES ALL THESE SKILLS.

CHRIST WILL PROVIDE ALL OUR NEEDS FOR THIS WORK!

Matthew presents to us the personal side of Jesus. So far all witnesses have agreed that this is the Son of God, the King of the Jew.

*****Our Text:

Mat 4:23  And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
Mat 4:24  And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.
Mat 4:25  And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan.

We know that the Temple was the place where the priests ministered and made offerings for sin. The Synagogue on the other hand was a place set aside in each location to preserve Jewish culture and provide the wisdom of God’s Word.

We can see immediately that Christ Jesus was able to heal “ALL” manner of sickness and disease. He did not require any other help to do this.

The purpose of this healing power was to prove that Jesus Christ was the Messiah, God in the Flesh.

Jesus Christ could and did go beyond the “normal laws of LIFE”.

The Bible says:

Joh 3:1  There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
Joh 3:2  The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

GOD STILL HEALS BUT MOST OF THE TIME IT GOES UNNOTICED OR THE CREDIT IS GIVEN TO MEDICINES OR DOCTORS EVEN WHEN THEY SAY THEY HAVE DONE ALL THEY COULD DO.

Jesus Christ was establishing the Word of God. He was teaching the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophets. We can see that when Jesus was preaching the message of John the Baptist(Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand) He always connected healing to this preaching.

The Bible says:

1Co 1:22  For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
1Co 1:23  But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
1Co 1:24  But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

These were the signs that this King, King Jesus was in fact the Old Testament Jehovah. Jesus was not preaching the Gospel of “Grace” at this time.

The “Gospel of Grace” requires no outward sign of healing to demonstrate it’s “Power”!

There are many so called “healers” preaching today but healing is not a sign of “Grace” but it is the sign of a false preacher.

Nowhere in the Epistles is the promise that Gospel Preaching is connected with the healing of every bodily weakness nor disease.

What we must remember is that the Kingdom of Jesus is not of this world. Jesus had come to establish a “Spiritual Kingdom”. He had come to establish His “Church”. It is the “Church” that is to declare the “Message of Jesus”(the Doctrine of Grace).

1.) Every person that Jesus healed has DIED!

2.) Every disease that was cured in those that had them, STILL EXIST TODAY!

3.) ALL PHYSICAL BLESSINGS ARE TEMPORARY!

4.) ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS ARE ETERNAL!

5.) EVERYONE THAT BELIEVED ON THE LORD JESUS IS IN HEAVEN TODAY!

6.) THIS WAS THE MESSAGE OF JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD!

The “Church” are the called out people of God. The “Church” is not a building to assemble. The “Church” is the assembly!

This “type” of healing in Matthew chapter four is a “type” of the healing that will come to end the “Tribulation Period” and to end the rule of Satan and his Demon.

The Bible says:

Mal 4:1  For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
Mal 4:2  But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.

Let’s Pray!

The Temptation Of Jesus

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

The Temptations of Jesus the King

Text: Matthew 4:1-11

As we begin to look at the time of the “temptation” of Jesus we will see that this takes place immediately after His baptism by John the Baptist and before He begins His earthly ministry.

What was the Earthly ministry of Jesus:

Act 10:38  How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: [who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil]; for God was with him.

Heb 2:14  Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; [that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
Heb 2:15  And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage]. 

Jesus was not tempted so that The Father could learn anything about Him because The Father had already approved His Son:

Mat 3:16  And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
Mat 3:17  And lo a voice from heaven, saying, [This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased].

Jesus Christ was “tempted” so that every creature in Heaven and on Earth, or under the Earth would know that Jesus is the “Conqueror”

Rom 8:37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Rom 8:38  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Rom 8:39  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

This “temptation was not a “trial” for Jesus. It was to show everyone in Heaven, in Earth and under the Earth that The Christ of God, Jesus, could not be seduced by the devil as Adam had been!

What can we learn?

1.) We see the “boldness” of Satan. If he would attack Jesus, God in the flesh, then we should know he would not hesitate to attack the Christian.

2.) We can witness the example of how to stand up to and defeat the devil.

Jas 4:7  Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

3.) To show Satan, the Devil, that mankind can stand up to his evilness if they return to God.

Eph 6:11  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Eph 6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Eph 6:13  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Christ went up against Satan as a lowly servant and defeated him:

Php 2:5  Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Php 2:6  Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
Php 2:7  But made himself of no reputation, and [took upon him the form of a servant], and was made in the likeness of men:
Php 2:8  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Joh 5:19  Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

Joh 6:57  As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.

Joh 8:28  Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.

Joh 8:54  Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God:

Jesus had to show the world that He was “morally right” to be King:

1Co 15:45  And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
1Co 15:46  Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
1Co 15:47  The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.

Jesus exposed Satan and his tactics and defeated him. Because Jesus was victorious, we can also have the victory or the Devil.

Our Lord’s experience of “temptation” prepared Him to be our sympathetic High Priests:

Heb 2:16  For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.
Heb 2:17  Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
Heb 2:18  [For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted].

Heb 4:15  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; [but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin].
Heb 4:16  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

It will be very important to make note that Jesus faced the “enemy” as a man. We must not think that Jesus used His divine powers to overcome the Devil because that is just what Satan wanted Him to do.

What was Satan’s objective?

He wanted Christ to act on His own independent of His Father. He wanted Jesus to use godly power:

1.) To prove He was the Son of God.

2.) To take the easy way out to obtain the throne of David.

BUT Christ used a way that even a “babe in Christ” could use:

1Co 3:1  And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, [even as unto babes in Christ].
1Co 3:2  I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
1Co 3:3  For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

Christ gives us the weapons of warfare the very first day of our salvation:

It takes faith in the Word of God to be saved and that very same Word of God will defeat the Devil every time:

2Ti 2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Jesus had no past to give Satan a foothold but this temptation was real just the same. Jesus came to do the will of His Father in Heaven and nothing was going to change that!

This is our task once we are saved. To do the Will of God for our lives:

Ecc 12:13  Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

*****Our Text:

Mat 4:1  Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
Mat 4:2  And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
Mat 4:3  And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
Mat 4:4  But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

The first word we see is the word “then”. You see only after Christ was recognized by John the Baptist as the Lamb of God, Only after that Voice of God from Heaven giving His approval, Only after the anointing of the Holy Ghost(the Dove) and Only after Christ gave witness of Himself by baptism, was Jesus Christ led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit to be tempted of the Devil(Satan).

We cannot battle Satan without the armor of God.

2Ti 2:19  Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
2Ti 2:20  But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.
2Ti 2:21  If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.

2Ti 2:24  And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
2Ti 2:25  In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
2Ti 2:26  And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, [who are taken captive by him at his will].

Notice the Holy Spirit led Christ, the Messiah, Jesus straight into the battle with Satan.

Once we are saved we need to join in the battle against the evils of this world. We can only do this in one way. We go out armed with the Word of God to teach others the truth of the Gospel and to lead others to Christ.

The Apostle Paul said:

2Co 10:3  For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
2Co 10:4  (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
2Co 10:5  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
2Co 10:6  And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

1Ti 1:18  This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, [that thou by them mightest war a good warfare];
1Ti 1:19  Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:

2Ti 4:5  But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
2Ti 4:6  For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
2Ti 4:7  [I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith]:

We never hear of the Apostle Paul taking up arms of any kind in the battle against evil. As we go through this Book of Matthew we will not ever see Jesus Christ take up carnal weapons nor authorize the use of them. It is the Word of God that is our weapon and our armor.

Saying all that, God never said we could not defend ourselves against those that would harm us.

Luk 10:19  Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Luk 10:20  Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; [but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven].

Notice in verse two that though Jesus went straight to meet Satan(the tempter), Satan himself was in no hurry to get there.

We know that:

1Pe 5:8  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
1Pe 5:9  Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

We know that Satan had already tried to use Herod to kill Jesus:

Mat 2:16  Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.

We can be sure that Satan was observing Christ Jesus to see any weakness and if He would use His Godly power.

Satan waited forty days.

The number forty occurs many times in the Bible and is always in connection with “temptation” or “retribution”. It is clearly a sacred thing. Moses and Elijah also fasted for forty days at the will of God. We also should have our own season of fasting for the right reasons.

Because the child of God is endowed with the Holy Ghost, he will almost never attack when God’s children are their strongest. He waits on a sign of weakness.

Jesus could have eaten of His own power at anytime but He chose to come in the flesh to save mankind:

Joh 1:14  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Heb 2:14  Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
Heb 2:15  And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
Heb 2:16  For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.

Rom 8:3  For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
Rom 8:4  That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Rom 8:5  For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
Rom 8:6  For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Satan knew all these things so what was Satan’s objective?

Satan would try to induce Jesus Christ to act on His own independent of His Father in Heaven!

Joh 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Joh 3:17  [For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved].

You see Jesus Christ did not exist for Himself but He existed for all those (whosoever will) that He came to save. The very moment He used His power to save Himself, He would disqualify Himself to be our Savior.

Satan knew this so he immediately brought up the fact that Jesus, God in the flesh, would have to be very hungry.

Where does Satan begin his attack? The word “IF”.

Casting doubt into our minds. Satan and all his demon know full well that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. This he says to try to get Jesus to prove it.

God tells us to wear a helmet because Satan will do his very best to cast doubt in our minds. You see Satan will never admit that He is a “loser” until he has to bow the knee to Christ.

Jesus could have eaten at any time of those forty days but it would have taken His power because He was in a wilderness, a desert, there was no food there other than the wild beast which would have been unclean animals.

You know when the serpent went after Eve, she had access to all kinds of food. She was in a garden and if she were hungry she could have eaten at any time but Satan also cast doubt in the Word of God.

This is the weapon that Christ Jesus chose to overcome the Devil, God’s Holy Word.

Deu 8:3  And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; [that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live].

God knows we need physical nourishment but more important we need the “spiritual food” that can come only from God’s Word.

There is a pledge that we use in our children’s classes but we all should use it every day for ourselves:

It goes like this:

I pledge to the Bible, God’s Holy word, and will take it as a lamp unto my feet, a light unto my path, and hide it’s words in my heart that I may not sin against God. (Psa 119:105)

*****Our Text:

Mat 4:5  Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,
Mat 4:6  And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Mat 4:7  Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

What we notice is that Jesus allows Satan to transport Him to the Temple in Jerusalem. Satan still possesses his angelic powers. Not only did he carry Jesus to the Temple but to the pinnacle, the highest point of the Temple.

Even though it does not say, there had to be witnesses at the Temple. Satan would not do anything without witnesses. It would have been so easy for Jesus to jump down from that high point and have the priest see that only God had such power when He landed safely or that angels caught Him safely.

Jesus had used the Scriptures to defeat Satan at his first attempt so now Satan uses scripture in his evil test of Jesus:

Psa 91:11  For he shall give his angels charge over thee, [to keep thee in all thy ways].
Psa 91:12  They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

But notice what Satan does, he leaves out the most important part of the scripture. God had said “to keep thee in “all” thy ways”.

The angles cannot only catch us if we fall but they can give us enough sense to not jump to begin with!

Jesus had nothing to prove to Satan and this is our example that we also do not have anything to prove to the Devil when he comes around with his twisted words and his undermining of God’s truth. We should be wary of all those that say they have a new translation of God’s Bible.

We should never accept any challenge from the Devil and his followers to prove who we are!

God will always protect those in His Will but we should never test God by putting ourselves in harm’s way.

Jesus answers again by God’s Word:

Deu 6:16  [Ye shall not tempt the LORD your God], as ye tempted him in Massah.

The angels of God stood by to see what their and our Lord would do. To the humans everywhere Jesus, God in the flesh, proves His manhood by standing and asserting His rights. But Christ declared through His temptation that the “strength of man” lies in the “abandoning of his own will” and “yielding absolutely to the will of God”.

This is the only right that the free men of God possess!

Ecc 12:13  Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

It is by being in the Will of God that man can endure all the evil of Satan.

1.) The first temptation required Jesus to be independent of His hunger for food.

2.) The second temptation required Jesus to be dependent on every word of the Father.

It will be a fact that the Anti-Christ will use these same tactics but he will cause a miracle to obtain his food and he will cause his angels to protect him from all danger. The Anti-Christ could never be the Messiah, He hates mankind almost as much as he hates God.

If we step outside the known will of God we cannot expect God to fulfill His will for us. Neither could Jesus Christ our Lord!

If Christ Jesus had acted in obedience to Satan, (jumped when Satan ask Him to), He would have removed Himself from the promise of God.

*****Our Text:

Mat 4:8  Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
Mat 4:9  And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
Mat 4:10  Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
Mat 4:11  Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

We know that Christ Jesus allows Himself to be moved by the Devil to another location. [That word exceeding means to the highest of mountains or the chieftest of mountains.]

Jesus is shown “all” the kingdoms of the world and it says the glory of them.

Luke put it this way:

Luk 4:5  And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world [in a moment of time].

We can only imagine what was shown to Our Lord but the verse does say “all” the kingdoms. We can think of many of the great kingdoms of the past that we know about and yet this could include kingdoms of our own time or even in our future.

After this Christ Jesus was given an opportunity to possess these kingdoms for Satan said:

“All these things will I give thee”,

We can see that Satan claimed some right to these kingdoms. His claim was that these kingdoms had only become so great under his control. That they were submissive to his ways, that they were obedient to his laws. Satan could have easily shown Jesus a vision of what the world looks like right now.

Remember:

Joh 16:11  Of judgment, [because the prince of this world is judged].

Eph 2:2  Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the [prince of the power of the air], the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

We know Satan was then as he is today, having authority over all those that are in darkness to the word of God.

What we do know is that God has already decided to give all these things to Christ, yet to obtain them Jesus Christ would have to suffer the cross.

Satan implied that Jesus could avoid the cross by just bowing to him at this time.

Psa 2:1  Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
Psa 2:2  The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,
Psa 2:3  Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.
Psa 2:4  He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.
Psa 2:5  Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.
Psa 2:6  Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
Psa 2:7  I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
Psa 2:8  Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
Psa 2:9  Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.
Psa 2:10  Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.
Psa 2:11  Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
Psa 2:12  Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

Again Satan said:

“if thou wilt fall down and worship me.”

To receive worship has been Satan’s chief objective since shortly after his creation:

Isa 14:13  [For thou hast said in thine heart], I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
Isa 14:14  I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

We know that Satan will try to do this again after the rapture of the Church:

2Th 2:4  Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

You see God knew what was in the heart of Satan before he sinned against God just shortly after his creation.

He is motivated by pride will try anything to dethrone God.

In the first two temptations Jesus recognized God’s absolute authority and had submitted to Him. Satan was trying to allow Jesus to submit to this way to obtain what God said He would do, to set Him on the throne to rule this world.

Satan is willing to give to give up everything to gain worship from God.

But God is not willing that anyone perish.

2Pe 3:9  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, [not willing that any should perish], but that all should come to repentance.

You see it is God alone that has the right to receive worship and he demands our obedience.

Jesus answered:

Deu 6:13  Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name.

Deu 10:20  Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name.

Satan ask for worship. Christ Jesus tied worship to serving. To worship Satan would be to also serve him.

The lost of this world are serving Satan every day they reject Jesus Christ. That is just a fact whether they believe it or even believe in his existence. They are serving Satan which means they are also worshipping him. If you are serving Satan and it is he that placed you in authority then, it is he that final authority.

In other words had Jesus accepted these things from Satan they would have still belonged to Satan.

The Apostle John tells that there are three ways Satan attacks:

1Jn 2:15  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1Jn 2:16  For all that is in the world, [the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life], is not of the Father, but is of the world.
1Jn 2:17  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Satan used all three:

1.) The first temptation was “the lust of the flesh” Jesus had fasted forty days.

2.) The second temptation was “the pride of life” an appeal to Jesus spiritual nature.

3.) The third temptation was “the lust of the eyes” as the carnal world was paraded before Christ.

Jesus Christ was victorious over all three.

Heb 4:15  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

Compared to Adam:

1.) The Devil challenged Adam but Christ challenged the Devil.

2.) The Devil ruined Adam but Christ spoiled the Devil.

3.) 1Co 15:22  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

4.) 1Co 15:45  And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

If we serve God we will be tempted of the Devil. Jesus Christ has given us all the tools and the weapons to defeat the Devil. The Devil will not quit. If we were as committed to our Lord as the Devil is committed to His failure, our lives would be much better.

Satan uses these same old tactics because they have worked for him all these years, because we simply do not have enough faith in the Word of God.

Satan has nothing of real value to offer us. All he has is temporal things!

The Bible says:

Jas 4:7  Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Paul said to put on our armor and stand steadfast on God’s Word. There is no other way to make Satan flee from your presence and he will return the more if you become a willing servant of God.

There are still many that deny the existence of Satan but the truth is if there is no Satan then there is no reason for Christ to come and the Bible is all a lie. To deny the Messiah is to serve Satan:

1Jn 2:21  I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
1Jn 2:22  Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.

1Jn 5:9  If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.
1Jn 5:10  He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.
1Jn 5:11  And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
1Jn 5:12  He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
1Jn 5:13  These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

You see to the Lost of this world who deny the Devil(Satan) then:

1.) Then there can be no sin.
2.) Then there can be no judgment.
3.) Then there can be no wrath.
4.) Then there can be no atonement.
5.) Then there can be no Savior.
6.) And there could be no God.

It is somewhat easy to see why there is a denial by the evolutionist and the atheist. They have to have denial to live their humanism lives, But for those that believe in a false religion to deny Christ is certainly a foolish thing.

Jesus Christ was obedient till His death on the cross:

Php 2:8  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

God has put all things under His feet:

Eph 1:22  And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
Eph 1:23  Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

One day soon the kingdoms of this world will become the Kingdoms of the Lord Jesus:

Rev 11:15  And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

Rev 22:20  He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

I love  you Jesus.

Let’s Pray!