The Status of the Believer
Matthew: A Promised King • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Introduction: After Jesus had called them to follow Him, The disciples entire worlds had been turned upside down. They started out with occupations like fishermen, tax collector, and zealots, but had left everything to follow Jesus, and as they followed Him and watched His ministry they saw how different Jesus was from other religious leaders.
Unlike the other religious leaders, Jesus spoke with one who had authority and He could prove that He had authority by casting out demons, healing illnesses, and calming stormy seas.
And there was a part of them that expected Jesus to use this authority to overthrow both the Romans and, at this point, the oppressive Jewish religious leaders.
Yet Jesus had begun to reveal to them the news of His impending death, and I am sure their minds were filled with thoughts like, “What does this mean? The Messiah cannot die, can he?,” and, “If this is true, what is my place in this world? I have already left everything to follow Jesus.”
Have you ever felt this way? You are looking and waiting for the return of Jesus, but at the same time you know you want to use your time well here on earth. You know you should be “doing things” for God, but what are the important things? How can I be doing the right things to maximize my testimony for Christ while here on earth?
And as Jesus continue to disciple and prepare them for their coming ministries He reveals to them their place as both an earthly and heavenly citizen.
The Believer’s Status As An Earthly Citizen (17:22-27)
The Believer’s Status As An Earthly Citizen (17:22-27)
Read Matthew 17:22-27
The believer’s role on earth is not to disrupt the traditions of men or the political system of this world.
Not a new idea
Jeremiah 29:5–7 “Build houses and dwell in them; plant gardens and eat their fruit. Take wives and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters—that you may be increased there, and not diminished. And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace you will have peace.”
This is an idea that Peter carried with him
1 Peter 2:16–18 “as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king. Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh.”
1 Peter 3:15 “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;”
Jesus’ coming death was a willing submission
John 19:10–11 “Then Pilate said to Him, “Are You not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?” Jesus answered, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.”
The Believer’s Status As A Heavenly Citizen
The Believer’s Status As A Heavenly Citizen
As a Little Child
As a Little Child
Read Matthew 18:1-5
Children have no intrinsic societal standing.
Two things all moral societies have agreed on:
Children are precious and have great value.
Children are to be protected.
Anyone who will be great in the kingdom of heaven must lay aside their own ambitions of being great, but instead must focus on the protection of others
Philippians 3:7–8 “But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ”
As a Protector
As a Protector
Read Matthew 18:6-11
This must have come as a shock to the disciples who were just arguing over the own greatness in the kingdom of heaven.
Remove whatever you need to remove in order to prevent yourself from sinning and by your example leading others to sin
Do not despise another believer because they are so valuable to God that he sends His angels to protect and serve them
Hebrews 1:14 “Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?”
Do not despise another believer because Jesus came to save them
Read Matthew 18:12-14
As a Redeemer
As a Redeemer
The Value of the Lost Brother
The Value of the Lost Brother
Read Matthew 18:15-20
The Value of Forgiveness
The Value of Forgiveness
Read Matthew 18:21-35
Rabbi Jose ben Jehudah - “If a man commits an offense once, they forgive him; if he commits an offense a second time, they forgive him; if he commits an offense a third time, they forgive him; the fourth time they do not forgive him.”
Amos 1:3 “Thus says the Lord: “For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, Because they have threshed Gilead with implements of iron.”
Jesus’ response
Genesis 4:24 “If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, Then Lamech seventy-sevenfold.”
Man’s standard is to return evil for evil without limit, but God’s standard is to return good for evil without limit.
The parable of forgiveness
Ten thousand talents
One talent is equal to 6,000 denarii
One denarii is equal to one day’s wage
One talent would take 16 years to earn
Ten thousand talents represents 160,000 years worth of wages
This servant’s debtor owed him less than one year’s worth of wages
The man who truly understands the great debt he has been forgiven will freely forgive others without limit