The Gospel According to Matthew
Matthew 1:15-50
INTRODUCTION: Today we are going to once again tackle a very long passage of scripture. I considered breaking it up, but I think it all goes well together. From theses long passages we are going to look at 4 principles. I hope it is these 4 principles that we can continue to digest and study this next week.
1. Quietly proclaim the gospel by meeting the needs of those around us.
2. We need to be very careful with the use of our words! What we say matters.
3. It isn't enough to get rid of the bad, we must be filled with JESUS!
4. We can be part of the family of God. Working for Christ, we are with family!
1. Quietly proclaim the gospel by meeting the needs of those around us.
READ: Matthew 12:15-21
God’s Chosen Servant
15 Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. A large crowd followed him, and he healed all who were ill. 16 He warned them not to tell others about him.17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:
18 “Here is my servant whom I have chosen,
the one I love, in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him,
and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
19 He will not quarrel or cry out;
no one will hear his voice in the streets.
20 A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out,
till he has brought justice through to victory.
21 In his name the nations will put their hope.”[b]
the one I love, in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him,
and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
19 He will not quarrel or cry out;
no one will hear his voice in the streets.
20 A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out,
till he has brought justice through to victory.
21 In his name the nations will put their hope.”[b]
As an individual, what does this passage say to you?
How should you proceed in sharing the word of God?
As a church how should this passage influence us?
If we don't see change in the world church in methods of evangelism, what should I do?
2. We need to be very careful with the use of our words! What we say matters.
READ: Matthew 12:22-37
Jesus and Beelzebul
22 Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see. 23 All the people were astonished and said, “Could this be the Son of David?”
24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.”
25 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? 27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
29 “Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house.
30 “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 31 And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.
33 “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. 35 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. 36 But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
What is speaking against the Holy Spirit?
3. It isn't enough to get rid of the bad, we must be filled with JESUS!
READ: Matthew 12:38-45
The Sign of Jonah
38 Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”
39 He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here. 42 The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here.
43 “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. 45 Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.”
How can we make sure that we replace the evil with good?
What is in your life that you know you need to get rid of?
Maybe there is something in your life that you have let go and it keeps coming back again and again, did you replace it with something?
How can we make sure that we replace the evil with good?
What is in your life that you know you need to get rid of?
Maybe there is something in your life that you have let go and it keeps coming back again and again, did you replace it with something?
4. We can be part of the family of God. Working for Christ, we are with family!
READ: Matthew 12:46-50
Jesus’ Mother and Brothers
46 While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. 47 Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.”
48 He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49 Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. 50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”
It seems that every time I have read this passage in any of the gospels it has made me mad. I am a pastors daughter and when you are it is easy for "the work" to be everything! It is easy to feel like your life is not your own but the churches. I know you don't have to be a pastors child to feel that way. The church can become all consuming and I do believe that the church and church work can get in the way of healthy family interaction. So is that what is happening here?
Jesus' Mother and brothers were trying to protect Jesus and take him away for a rest. Jesus knew he was fine to keep going and what He was doing was important. However he also took the opportunity to emphasize the family of God.
We are a family! How should that change or influence our interaction with each other?
Are our neighbors family?
How should we be treating or interacting those around us?
Sometimes family isn't a very powerful motivator or example when our biological families are dysfunctional. What can I do to contribute to the "family" health both biological and biblical?
Who am I?
I am apart of the family of God! I am a daughter of the King, a sister to many! As a princess I have a kingdom responsibility, I have a birthright, a position. I need to be careful of what is inside, so my etiquette reflects my station. I need to be careful of what I say, how I say it and to whom. I need to quietly serve my Kings, kingdom, his family!
It seems that every time I have read this passage in any of the gospels it has made me mad. I am a pastors daughter and when you are it is easy for "the work" to be everything! It is easy to feel like your life is not your own but the churches. I know you don't have to be a pastors child to feel that way. The church can become all consuming and I do believe that the church and church work can get in the way of healthy family interaction. So is that what is happening here?
Jesus' Mother and brothers were trying to protect Jesus and take him away for a rest. Jesus knew he was fine to keep going and what He was doing was important. However he also took the opportunity to emphasize the family of God.
We are a family! How should that change or influence our interaction with each other?
Are our neighbors family?
How should we be treating or interacting those around us?
Sometimes family isn't a very powerful motivator or example when our biological families are dysfunctional. What can I do to contribute to the "family" health both biological and biblical?
Who am I?
I am apart of the family of God! I am a daughter of the King, a sister to many! As a princess I have a kingdom responsibility, I have a birthright, a position. I need to be careful of what is inside, so my etiquette reflects my station. I need to be careful of what I say, how I say it and to whom. I need to quietly serve my Kings, kingdom, his family!
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