UNBELIEF

TEXT: MATTHEW 12 http://www.biblica.com/bible/verse/index.php?q=matthew12&niv=yes

PARAPHRASE

MERCY, NOT SACRIFICE

Jesus and his disciples are accused by the Pharisees of doing what is unlawful when on the Sabbath they ate from the heads of grain in the field they are walking through. Reminding the Pharisees what David and his companions did when they were hungry and what the Law says about temple priests on the Sabbath, Jesus tells them that as the Messiah he is greater than the temple and that he is Lord of the Sabbath. Because of this, he tells them that if they knew the meaning of what Hosea prophesied God as saying when he wrote: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice,” they wouldn’t have passed judgment on his disciples who are innocent in what they have done.

Going into the Pharisees’ synagogue they were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, asking him in the presence of a man with a shriveled hand if it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath. After contrasting the greater good done on the Sabbath in helping a man rather than a pulling a sheep out of a pit, the man’s hand was completely restored when he stretched it out as Jesus instructed him to do. However, after this the Pharisees went out and plotted how they could kill Jesus.

HOPE OF THE WORLD

Aware of the Pharisees intent, Jesus left that place and many with him as he healed all of their illnesses but warned them not to tell others yet that he was the Messiah. And what Jesus was doing fulfilled what the prophet Isaiah said when he spoke:

This is my chosen servant, Whom I love and delight in, My Spirit is on him, He humbly and gently proclaims My righteousness to the world. So that the harassed, helpless, weary and burdened will not be crushed until My righteousness triumphs. In the name of Jesus the world will place their hope.

BLASPHEMY

When Jesus healed a demon possessed man so that he was able to talk and see, the people were amazed and wondered whether he was the Son of David – the Messiah. Instead, the Pharisees reacted by accusing him of driving out demons by the power of Beelzebub, the prince of demons – Satan. Knowing this, Jesus tells the Pharisees that it makes no sense for Satan to drive out his own demons because if he does, his kingdom can’t stand in the same way that any kingdom divided against itself can’t stand. He asks them in whose name their people drive demons out and tells them that as the Messiah he is driving demons out by the Spirit of God then the kingdom of God has come. In other words, Jesus says that you can’t enter a strong man’s house and take his possessions unless you tie up the strong man first, i.e. Satan. And, after doing this you can then rob his house, i.e. the kingdom of God can forcefully advance.

He tells them whoever remains neutral with respect to whether he is the Messiah is really against him because instead of working with him to build up the kingdom of God they are instead working against him to scatter it. He tells them that all sins and blasphemy will be forgiven except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, i.e. anyone who speaks blasphemy against Him will be forgiven but anyone who speaks blasphemy against the Holy Spirit by attributing the work of the Holy Spirit to Satan will not be forgiven either now or at the day of judgment.

Jesus tells them that a tree is recognized by its fruit – with good trees producing good fruit and bad trees producing bad trees – indicating that the Pharisees are a brood of vipers who are evil and thus are unable to say anything good. He says that on the day of judgment they will be held accountable for every careless word they have spoken - words that will either acquit or condemn them.

SIGN OF JONAH

When the religious leaders demanded that Jesus show them some dramatic miraculous sign, he calls them a wicked and adulterous generations for trying to test him after failing to believe in the miracles he had done in their midst. He tells them the only sign they will be given is the sign of Jonah – indicating that like Jonah who spent three days and nights in the belly of a huge fish before being released, he will spend three days and nights in a grave before being resurrected. He goes on to tell them that the people of Nineveh, who repented at Jonah’s preaching, will condemn their generation on the day of judgment because even though they have one greater than Jonah preaching to them, i.e. the Messiah, they have not repented. He also tells them that the Queen of the Sheba, who traveled a long distance to hear the wisdom of Solomon, will rise on the day of judgment to condemn their generation because even though one with greater wisdom than Solomon is with them, i.e. the Messiah, they fail to listen to him and believe.

He tells them when an evil spirit leaves a man it travels around trying to find places to rest and when it doesn’t find one it returns to the place it left finding it unoccupied, clean and in order – because there has been no change of heart, no acceptance of him as the Messiah, and only continued self-righteousness. Because of this it gets seven more spirits that are more wicked than itself to come and live there as well and in the end the man’s condition is worse than it was at first. He tells them this is the case with their generation that does not believe that he is the Messiah. .

FATHER’S WILL

While he was talking Jesus was notified that his mother and brothers were standing outside and wanted to talk with him. Pointing to his disciples, he said that whoever does the will of his Father is his brother and sister and mother.

PRINCIPLES

I. MATTHEW TOLD HIS FIRST CENTURY READERS THAT THE PHARISEES DID NOT BELIEVE JESUS WAS THE MESSIAH.

II. HOW DID MATTHEW TELL HIS FIRST CENTRUY READERS JESUS ADDRESSED THE PHARISEES’ UNBELIEF?

III. MATTHEW TOLD HIS FIRST CENTURY READERS THAT JESUS ADDRESSED THEIR UNBLIEF BY REVEALING HE WAS:

A. LORD OF THE SABBATH.

B. HOPE OF THE NATIONS.

C. HEALER OF ALL DISEASE.

D. JUDGE ON THE LAST DAY.

E. SERVANT OF THE FATHER’S WILL.

IV. MATTHEW TELLS US THAT THE PHARISEES OF TODAY DO NOT BELIEVE JESUS IS THE MESSIAIH.

V. HOW DOES MATTHEW TELL US JESUS ADDRESSES TODAY’S PHARISEES’ UNBELIEF?

VI. MATTHEW TELLS US THAT JESUS ADDRESSES THEIR UNBELIEF BY REVEALING HE IS:

A. LORD OF THE SABBATH.

B. HOPE OF THE NATIONS.

C. HEALER OF ALL DISEASE.

D. JUDGE ON THE LAST DAY.

E. SERVANT OF THE FATHER’S WILL.

PRAYER

Our Father, we thank You for Your Son, the Messiah and that as Lord of the Sabbath he desires mercy not sacrifice.

Our Father, forgive us when like Pharisees we focus on what we do rather than on what Your Son has done to change our heart purifying it from iniquity.

Our Father, we thank You for Your Son that he is our Hope, that he brought Justice to the World that he is our Salvation.

Our Father, we give you praise for Your Son who gave us the sign of Jonah, by spending 3 days and nights in the ground before You resurrected him to life.

Our Father, we give you praise that Your Son through the power of Your Holy Spirit drives our out demons leaving Your indwelling Spirit behind.

Our Father, help us to do Your will that we will be disciples of Your Son.

Our Father, we pray all of these things in the Name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.

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FORCEFULLY ADVANCING

TEXT: MATTHEW 11 http://www.biblica.com/bible/verse/index.php?q=matthew11&niv=yes

PARAPHRASE

“R U THE 1”

After Jesus had instructed his disciples and was teaching and preaching in Galilee, John the Baptist, having heard what he was doing, sent his disciples to ask if Jesus was “the” Messiah they had been waiting for. Jesus told John’s disciples to go back and tell him what they themselves had witnessed – that he has been doing exactly what Isaiah prophesied the Messiah would do when he came, namely heal all kinds of infirmities, raise the dead and preach good news to the poor. In light of his fulfilling prophecy in this way, he told them that whoever believes in him as the long awaited Messiah and doesn’t reject him receives the blessing of God.

While John’s disciples were leaving Jesus spoke about John to the people asking them a series of rhetorical questions about who they went out into the desert to see, figuratively raising rhetorical questions that describe King Herod to contrast who Herod is with who John is - a prophet. However, Jesus goes on to say that John is no ordinary prophet because when the prophet Malachi spoke for the LORD Almighty, He said the LORD would send a messenger to prepare the way for the Messiah. However, Jesus says that even though among all those born of women no one has risen to a greater stature than John in his role as messenger for the Messiah; in the kingdom of heaven, whoever is least is still greater than John, because the least in the kingdom of heaven doesn’t just prepare the way of the Lord, but testifies to the death, resurrection and ascension of the Lord. Jesus says from the time of John’s coming until now, his coming as the Messiah, the kingdom of heaven has been moving powerfully forward in the darkness despite the various types of human and spiritual opposition it has been facing. Jesus says that all Prophets and the Law up to John prophesied about his coming as the Messiah and if the people are able to comprehend the Prophet Malachi, John is the Prophet Elijah Malachi prophesied the LORD as saying He would send to prepare the way of the Messiah for the dawning of the kingdom.

Jesus then asks what he can compare this generation to - stating they are like children in the marketplace who call out to the people: We played our flute and you didn’t dance and we sang a funeral song and you didn’t cry. He uses this comparison to say these children are like those in this generation who say John has a demon because of his simple lifestyle with frequent fasting and at the same time say Jesus is a glutton, alcoholic and sinner through his associations with other sinners because he doesn’t lead a simple lifestyle and fast all the time like John. Jesus tells them that wisdom is proved right by its actions, in that both John and he will be vindicated by the way that they live in contrast to the people who talk out of both sides of their mouths at the same time.

“WOE 2 U”

After this, Jesus charged the cities he performed most of his miracles in with their failure to repent. He cried out in pity for the people of Korazin and Bethsaida, telling them that if the miracles he had done in their midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon they would have repented long ago. He tells Korazin and Bethsaida that judgment day will be better for the people of Tyre and Sidon than for them. And he tells the people of Capernaum they will see Hell on judgment day, unlike the city of Sodom had the people of that city had the chance to see the miracles because had they, their city would have remained to this day because they too would have repented. Because of their lack of repentance, Jesus tells the people of Capernaum that it will also be better for the people of Sodom on judgment day than for them.

"DISCIPLESHIP"

Then Jesus praised his Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, for His good will - for hiding the spiritual truth that he is the Messiah from the religious rulers and others who are prideful, thinking they know everything and so don’t need a Savior and for revealing who he is to those with the humility of children, know they don’t know everything and know they need a Savior. Then Jesus said His Father has committed all things to him, that no one knows the Son except the Father and no one knows the Father except the Son and whoever the Son chooses to reveal Him to. Having identified himself as the Son of God by saying this, Jesus called all who are weary and burdened to come to him so he could give them rest, telling the people to become his disciple and learn from him, telling them he is gentle and humble in heart and that by being his disciple they will find rest for their souls. He says that becoming his disciple is easy and that his disciplines are refreshing.


PRINCIPLES

I. MATTHEW TOLD HIS FIRST CENTURY READERS THAT JESUS HAD TO ADDRESS OPPOSITION TO HIS BEING THE PROMISED MESSIAH.

II. HOW DID MATTHEW TELL HIS FIRST CENTRUY READERS THAT JESUS ADDRESSED OPPOSITION TO HIS BEING THE PROMISED MESSIAH?

III. MATTHEW TOLD HIS FIRST CENTRUY READERS THAT JESUS ADDRESSED OPPOSTION TO HIS BEING THE MESSIAH THROUGH:

A. An assertion about his healings.

C. A pronouncement about John.

D. A Judgment concerning the unrepentant.

E. An offer concerning the weary and burdened.


IV. MATTHEW TELLS US TODAY THAT JESUS HAD TO ADDRESS OPPOSITION TO HIS BEING THE PROMISED MESSIAH.

V. HOW DOES MATTHEW TELL US TODAY THAT JESUS ADDRESSED OPPOSITION TO HIS BEING THE PROMISED MESSIAH?

VI. MATTHEW TELLS US THAT JESUS ADDRESSED OPPOSITION TO HIS BEING THE MESSIAH THROUGH:

A. An assertion about his healings.

C. A pronouncement about John.

D. A judgment concerning the unrepentant.

E. An offer concerning the weary and burdened.


PRAYER

Our Father, We praise You for Your Prophet John who prepared the way of the Lord and for Your Son – the Messiah with whose coming Your Kingdom dawned.

Our Father, We thank You for Jesus’ miracles so we would know he was the Messiah, the Christ, Your Son and would know that we are in need of His Liberation, His Salvation because we are unable to save ourselves.

Our Father, Forgive us when like John we question the Messiah in any way at any time when our faith lacks in anyway – LORD help us with our unbelief.

Our Father, we come to Your Son weary and burdened for rest because He is humble and gentle and our souls are in desperate need of rest, now and forever.

Our Father, we come to Your Son to become His disciples, to learn from Him, to train in His disciplines and to be refreshed by them.

Our Father, we pray that as disciples we will go to all nations in Your Son’s Holy Name so that the Kingdom can continue to forcefully advance in the darkness that remains in the world.

Our Father, we pray all of these things in the Name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.

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LISTEN UP

LISTEN UP

TEXT: MATTHEW 10 http://www.biblica.com/bible/verse/index.php?q=matthew10&niv=yes

PARAPHRASE

CALLING & INSTRUCTIONS

Jesus called out to twelve to be his disciples, his apostles, including: Simon (Peter) and Andrew (his brother); James (Zebedee’s son) and John (his brother); Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew (the tax collector); James (Alphaeus’ son), and Thaddaeus (Jude); Simon (the Zealot) and Judas Iscariot (the betrayer).
Giving them authority to drive out demons and to heal every disease and sickness He sent them out with the following instructions:

You mission is to the lost of Israel, not to the lost Gentiles or Samaritans and your message is that the kingdom of heaven is near. You are to heal those who are sick, raise those who are dead, purify those with leprosy, and drive out demons from those who are possessed.

And do these things free of charge because you received this message, calling and authority for free. And don’t take any money or extra clothes or anything else which could result in you relying on yourselves for provisions while on this mission because God provides for those who do the work of His kingdom through others.
In each town or village you go to look for someone willing and able to take you in while you’re there and when you enter their home greet them with a blessing of peace, but if it turns out they don’t take care of you, let your blessing of peace return to you. Upon entering a town or village, if no one welcomes you or listens to your message shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that home or town as a sign that because of their refusal to offer hospitality and to hear your message you will not be taking any of their dust from their roads from them as you leave either – a symbolical way of marking them as having rejected the My message. Truly, Sodom and Gomorrah will do better on Judgment Day than for any town that rejects you and the message you bring in this way. You need to keep in mind that since you are being sent out like sheep among wolves you need to be as clever as snakes while at the same time being as innocent as doves so that you can be effective and not undermine the message by being too cautious.

You need to be prepared because some of you will be handed over to the local religious councils and you will be flogged in their synagogues. Because of your preaching who I am, others of you will be brought before the Roman governors and the Jewish kings they appoint and will have the opportunity to witness this to them as well. Don’t worry what or how to say it when you are arrested because the Spirit of the Father will speak through you at that time.

Who I am will not only cause men to hate you, it will cause brother to betray brother, fathers to betray their children, and children to rebel against their parents – all to the point of death. But whoever remains faithful to me to the end will be saved. When you are persecuted in one place, there is no logical reason to put up with unnecessary persecution when it is clear you and the message you bring are unwanted. You are on a missionary journey for the purpose of helping to build the kingdom of God so move on to another place where your efforts can be productive – don’t stay where you are being persecuted just so you can be martyred. You will not complete the mission I am giving you to go throughout the cities of Israel before I return in judgment of Israel.

Remember that I’ve been called Beelzebub, the prince of demons, by the religious leaders for casting demons out of demon possessed people. So if I the Son of God have been called Satan, you as my disciples will be called the same thing because students and servants are not above their teachers or masters. You need to be prepared for this and know that strange as it may seem the kingdom message will advance in the world in this way.

But do not fear them because the truth of the good news will be brought out into the open despite what others will call you. What I’m telling you, proclaim for all to hear. Another reason not to fear them is because although they can kill you body, they can’t kill your soul; instead fear God who controls your destiny which can be hell where both body and soul are destroyed. Finally, do not fear them because you are more valuable than sparrows and not one of them perishes without it being the will of God – and He knows you so well that He could tell you how many hairs are on your head.

Those who recognize me before men will be recognized before my Father, but those who deny me before men will be denied to my Father. When it comes to the issue of entering the kingdom, I haven’t come to bring peace but a sword because it is “the” issue that will divide people and result in who does and doesn’t enter the kingdom of God. Therefore, my coming will turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law such that the members of a man’s household will become his enemies when his father, mother, son or daughter learn that he loves Me more than them. If he doesn’t, he isn’t worthy of me - just like anyone who fails to sacrifice his life by dying to himself for the sake of others in following me. And a person who works hard to find their life will actually end up losing it in the age to come, while a person who loses their life in the course of following me will find it in the age to come.

Whenever you are received by others, they are also receiving me and my Father who sent me. In the same way, anyone who receives a prophet receives the prophets reward, anyone who receives a righteous man receives the righteous man’s reward, and anyone who gives a cup of cold water to my disciple, one of these little ones, receives my disciple’s reward – the kingdom of God!


PRINCIPLES

1. MATTHEW TOLD HIS FIRST CENTURY READERS THAT AFTER JESUS CHOOSE TWELVE DISCIPLES HE INSTRUCTED THEM ABOUT THE MISSION HE WAS SENDING THEM ON.

2. WHAT DID MATTHEW TELL HIS FIRST CENTURY READERS JESUS’ INSTRUCTIONS FOR HIS DISCIPLES WERE FOR THE MISSION HE WAS SENDING THEM ON?


3. MATTHEW TOLD HIS FIRST CENTURY READERS THAT JESUS INSTRUCTED HIS DISCIPLES:

A. They had authority to drive out demons and to heal every sickness and disease.

B. They were to go only to the lost sheep of Israel.

C. They were to preach the message that kingdom of heaven was near.

D. They were to heal the sick, raise the dead, cure the lepers and drive out demons.

E. They have received freely from God so they were to give freely to others.

F. They were not to rely on their own provisions but instead to trust in God’s provision.

G. They were to stay with a worthy person and to give them their peace.

H. They were to leave behind the dust on their feet as a testimony against those who wouldn’t welcome or listen to them.

I. They were to be both clever in the way they operated as well as be innocent in the means they used so they didn’t undermine the message by being too cautious.

J. They were to be aware they would be persecuted in their synagogues & that they would witness to the Gentiles through the power of the Holy Spirit.

K. They were to be aware they would be hated because of preaching who Jesus is and they would need to stand firm in their faith about Him.

L. They were to flee to another place when persecuted by those who obviously wouldn’t accept them or their message rather than make themselves into martyrs and become unable to preach the message about the kingdom.

M. They were to know they wouldn’t finish their mission before Jesus returned in judgment of Israel.

N. They were to know they were not above their teacher so they would not be treated better than he was.

O. They were told to not be afraid because their Father knows them individually and was in control of everything.

P. They were told if they acknowledge Jesus before others He will acknowledge them before His Father.

Q. They were told Jesus has come as a sword in that when people have to decide whether he is first in their lives it creates conflict for them and between them and others in their lives, including in their family.

R. They were told if they don’t sacrifice their lives, die to themselves, for the sake of others they aren’t worthy of him.

S. They were told that if someone doesn’t give their life to Him they will lose it.

T. They were told that anyone who receives them, receives Him and His Father who sent him.


4. MATTHEW TELLS US TODAY THAT AFTER JESUS CHOOSES HIS DISCIPLES HE INSTRUCTS THEM ABOUT THE MISSION HE IS SENDING THEM ON.

5. WHAT DOES MATTHEW TELL US TODAY JESUS’ INSTRUCTIONS ARE FOR HIS DISCIPLES FOR THE MISSION HE IS SENDING THEM ON?

6. MATTHEW TELLS US THAT JESUS’ INSTRUCTIONS FOR HIS DISCIPLES TODAY ARE THAT:

A. We have authority to drive out demons and to heal every sickness and disease.

B. We are to go to the lost sheep of all Nations.

C. We are to preach the message that kingdom of heaven is here.

D. We are to heal the sick, raise the dead, cure the lepers and drive out demons.

E. We have received freely from God so we are to give freely to others.

F. We are not to rely on our own provisions but instead to trust in God’s provision.

G. We are to stay with a worthy person and to give them our peace.

H. We are to leave behind the dust on our feet as a testimony against those who don’t welcome or listen to us.

I. We are to be both clever in the way we operate as well as be innocent in the means we use so we don’t undermine the message by being too cautious.

J. We are to be aware we will be persecuted in our churches & that we will witness to the secular world through the power of the Holy Spirit.

K. We are to be aware we will be hated because of preaching who Jesus is and we will need to stand firm in our faith about Him.

L. We are to flee to another place when persecuted by those who obviously wouldn’t accept us or our message, rather than make ourselves into martyrs and become unable to preach the message about the kingdom.

M. We are to know we will not finish our mission before Jesus returns in judgment of Israel.

N. We are to know we are not above our teacher so we will not be treated better than he was.

O. We are told to not be afraid because our Father knows us individually and is in control of everything.

P. We are told if we acknowledge Jesus before others He will acknowledge us before His Father.

Q. We are told Jesus has come as a sword in that when people have to decide whether he is first in their lives it creates conflict for them and between them and others in their lives, including in their family.

R. We are told if we don’t sacrifice our lives, die to ourselves, for the sake of others we aren’t worthy of Him.

S. We are told that if we don’t give our life to Him we will lose it.

T. We are told that anyone who receives us, receives Him and His Father who sent him.


PRAYER


Our Father, we praise You for Your Son for His calling disciples and for His giving them authority preach and heal in His Name.

Our Father, we thank You for Your Son for His calling us as disciples and for giving us authority to preach and heal in His Name today.

Our Father, forgive us when we try to do the work of Your kingdom on our own strength, our own words and our own resources, rather than relying on Your provision and the power of Your Spirit.

Our Father, help us to use the minds You have given to us as we do the work of Your kingdom so that we will evaluate who we associate with, we prepare ourselves for the persecution that lies ahead, we cleverly preach with intelligence, we don’t let the ends of Your message justify the means by which we go about presenting it, we testify against those who reject us as Your messengers and Your message, and we leave pointless persecution behind us for another place where eyes, ears and hearts are open.

Our Father, help us to have no fear because You are with use at all times and even though we know that we will be treated no better than Your Son, who was insultingly called the prince of demons, give us peace in knowing that even though You are God, You know us so well that even the number of hairs on our head our known by You.

Our Father, we ask that we remain faithful at all times: never disowning Your Son, placing him first in our lives before all even those in our family, sacrificing our lives for His sake and that of others, losing our lives for Him, and receiving prophets, the righteous and other disciples in Your and Your Son’s Names.

Our Father, our prayer is in the Name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.



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"ATTACK"

TEXT: MATTHEW 9 http://www.biblica.com/bible/verse/index.php?q=matthew9&niv=yes

15 - Get Up and Walk - Trevor Nerva - Producer


PARAPHRASE

“BLASPHEMY”

When some men bring a paralytic to Jesus after crossing over to Capernaum, seeing their faith, he tells the paralytic his sins are forgiven. Some of the teachers of the law accuse Jesus of blasphemy in their minds, but Jesus, knowing this calls them on it, asking them whether they think it is easier for him to say to the man his sins are forgiven or get up and walk? But so they will know that when he told the paralytic his sins are forgiven that he has the authority to do so, he then tells the paralytic to get up, take up his mat and go home – at which point he gets up and goes home – demonstrating that if he has the authority to heal he also has the authority to forgive sins as well. Totally amazed by this, the crowd praises God for giving this authority to men.

“DESPICABLE”

Moving on, Jesus sees a man named Matthew, a tax collector, and when he says to him, “Follow me” he gets up and follows him. During a dinner at Matthew’s house with many tax collectors and sinners the Pharisees ask Jesus’ disciples why their teacher eats with such despicable people? Overhearing this, Jesus tells the Pharisees that in the same way people go to the doctor when they’re sick not when they’re healthy that people who are sinful are in need of mercy and forgiveness. He tells them to go and find the true meaning of Hosea’s words that say, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” And, he tells them he hasn’t come to call those who think they are so good they don’t need his help, but instead those who know they really need it.

“RESISTANCE”

Then John the Baptists’ disciples question Jesus why his disciples aren’t observing the traditional fasts like they and the Pharisees are doing. Jesus tells them his disciples will fast at the appropriate time but for now his presence with his disciples is like that of a bridegroom with his guests at a wedding feast where there is celebration not fasting – a sign of the Messiah’s coming. He went on to illustrate that his presence is new and requires change (it cannot be fit into Judaism) in two more ways, telling them that 1) his presence without change would be like sewing a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment with the patch pulling away from the garment when it is washed, making the tear worse and 2) his presence without change would be like pouring new wine into old wineskins such that when the wine ferments and expands, the old wineskins have no stretch left in them and therefore burst open with the new wine running out because the old wineskins are ruined. He tells them that in the same way that new wine requires new wineskins so that both can be preserved, his coming as the Messiah cannot be contained within Judaism - requiring a new form, a fulfillment of the law, a new covenant so that it can be preserved.

“TAUNT”

While he was explaining this, a synagogue ruler came and knelt before Jesus, telling him his daughter had died, expressing his faith that Jesus can restore her to life by merely touching her. As Jesus and his disciples are on their way to the ruler’s house a woman who had been suffering from a bleeding problem for 12 years “secretly” touches his cloak because being both unclean and a woman she was prohibited from touching anyone let alone a Jewish man. However, she did so having faith that if she was able to just touch some part of Jesus she would be healed by his power. Recognizing he had been touched, Jesus turns to her and says her faith has healed her and from that time on she was healed of her bleeding problem. And, on arriving at and entering the ruler’s house, when Jesus tells those gathered to console the ruler on his daughter’s death to leave because she is asleep, they laugh mockingly at him. However, with the crowd outside, when Jesus takes the girl by her hand she gets up - with the news of this spreading throughout the region.

“DEMONIC”

As he heads home, two blind men follow him, call him “Son of David” in their recognition of Jesus as an earthly Messiah and ask him to have mercy on them. Following Jesus indoors, he asks them if they believe he is able to restore their sight and when they reply, “Yes” he touches their eyes saying, “According to your faith it will be done to you,” at which point their sight is restored. Despite being warned by Jesus not to tell others what had happened they tell people throughout the region. After they leave a man who couldn’t talk because he was demon-possessed is brought to Jesus. But, after Jesus drives out the demon the man is able to speak to the people’s amazement leading them to say, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.” However, in contrast the Pharisees accuse Jesus of driving out demons by Satan’s power and authority instead of attributing it to God.

“HARASSMENT”

Going throughout the towns and villages, Jesus’ ministry consists of teaching in the synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. He had compassion on the people because like sheep, they are harassed and helpless and in need of a shepherd. Because of this, he tells his disciples there are many people to bring the good news of the kingdom to but there are few disciples to preach the good news such that they need to ask him as the Messiah in charge of who enters the kingdom to send disciples to the helpless people.


PRINCIPLES

1. MATTHEW TOLD HIS FIRST CENTURY READERS THAT JESUS WAS ATTACKED WHEN HE DEMONSTRATED HIS AUTHORITY AS THE SON OF GOD TO FORGIVE SINS.

2. HOW DID MATTHEW TELL HIS FIRST CENTURY READERS THAT JESUS WAS ATTACKED WHEN HE DEMONSTRATED HIS AUTHORITY AS THE SON OF GOD TO FORGIVE SINS?


MATTHEW TOLD HIS FIRST CENTURY READERS THAT:

A. The teachers of the law accused Jesus of blasphemy when he forgave a paralytic’s sins & healed him.

B. The Pharisees questioned why Jesus would associate and eat with tax collectors and sinners.

C. John’s disciples questioned Jesus why his disciples didn’t fast like they and the Pharisees did.

D. The flute players & noisy crowd mocked Jesus when he told them to go away the girl was asleep.

E. The Pharisees said it was by the prince of demons that Jesus was driving out demons.

F. The religious leaders’ harassment of the people led Jesus to tell his disciples to ask Him for help.


3. MATTHEW TELLS US TODAY THAT JESUS IS ATTACKED BECAUSE HE DEMONSTRATES HIS AUTHORITY AS THE SON OF GOD TO FORGIVE SINS.

4. HOW DOES MATTHEW TELL US TODAY THAT JESUS IS ATTACKED BECAUSE HE DEMONSTRATES HIS AUTHORITY AS THE SON OF GOD TO FORGIVE SINS?

MATTHEW IS TELLING US THAT:

A. Some believers accuse other believers of blasphemy for forgiving sins and healing in Jesus’ name.

B. Some believers question why other believers associate with prostitutes and drug dealers.

C. Some believers question why other believers drink alcohol, eat meat, dance, play cards, etc.

D. Some believers mock other believers when they tell them Jesus miraculously heals today.

E. Some believers say it is by the power of Satan that other believers are driving out demons.

F. Some believers’ harassment of the people causes other believers to ask Jesus for help.


PRAYER

Our Father, we give You praise for Your Son, the Messiah and his coming into the world with the authority to forgive our sins and heal our sickness and disease.

Our Father, forgive us when we act like the teachers of the law, Pharisees, disciples of John the Baptist, flute players & the noisy crowd, and religious leaders by opposing the Messiah’s work in the world today.

Our Father, change our hearts through the mercy and forgiveness we have received so that we will obediently teach, preach, and heal amongst those the Messiah came for.

Our Father, help us to touch others with Your Son’s touch and use us to help open the eyes of others to who Your Son is and what he has done.

Our Father, we ask Your Son for helpers in carrying out His harvest work for Your Kingdom that began when he came as the Messiah.

Our Father, we especially ask for helpers in the midst of the tragedy that has occurred at Fort Hood - that Your Son’s presence as the Good Shepherd will be known through his helpers in the midst of the shock, grief, and helplessness that exists in the aftermath of the trauma the people are going through.

Our Father, we ask all of this in the Name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, Amen.

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