Who's Bending Your Ear?
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Introduction:
Pledge
English Standard Version Chapter 16
5 When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any bread.
6 Jesus said to them, “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
7 And they began discussing it among themselves, saying, “We brought no bread.”
8 But Jesus, aware of this, said, “O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread?
9 Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered?
10 Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered?
11 How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
12 Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
TITLE: Who’s Bending Your Ear?
TITLE: Who’s Bending Your Ear?
Let me tell you about God’s sense of Humor:
Some scholars have indicated that this passage of scripture is Enigmatic: THE most difficult Pericope to interpret in all of Matthew.
And as you know we have been going through Matthew for over 2 years now and God knew that this was going to be the Passage I get to preach from in front of my New Boss. “YEA ME!”
So, here we go ....
Segway:
Go back and review (Chapter 14) Feeding of the 5000 & (Chapter 15) Feeding of the 4000
Christ showing Compassion
Toward the Jews (5000)
Toward the Gentiles (4000)
He was setting up the “Methodology” of administering His LOVE, MERCY, and GRACE.
From Christ .... Through His Disciples ..... to the Lost
This was going to be the Methodology he uses ever after He ascends to Heaven ....
English Standard Version Chapter 24
And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”
English Standard Version Chapter 1
And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me;
5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
2 weeks ago we asked the question ....
“Is the reason the world seems so lost, out of control, lacking LOVE, MERCY, and GRACE ..... is it because the church (disciples) has quenched the flow?”
Body:
This brings us to this pericope (16:5-12)
(5) - we find the disciples concerned about their lack of food!
The disciples had forgotten their food.
.... in Chapter 14, the disciples were concerned about the people eating!
tells us they only had one loaf to share among the group.
.... in chapter 15, Jesus was concerned about them eating!
This is not earthshaking but to the disciples felt it was a big deal.
.... in chapter 16, we find the disciples concerned about their lack of food!
(6) - Jesus takes the opportunity to issue a warning to His disciples.
He uses an analogy!
He uses an ELE - Everyday Life Experience
I come from a military background.
tells us they only had one loaf to share among the group.
This is not earthshaking but to the disciples felt it was a big deal.
Jesus uses this ELE to issue a warning/concern to the disciples.
This should not be unusual for any of us.
We do this all the time, especially as parents.
The Williams Family who lived across the street from me.
I ran across the street and forgot to look both ways (Didn’t look at all)
The mom told her son to learn from my mistake.
She took an everyday life experience (ELE) and issued a warning to child.
My son forgot his lunch the other day.
Texted me right when lunch was starting.
by the time I would have gone to get him something and dropped it off, lunch would have been over.
So after school, I asked him, “WHAT LESSON DID YOU LEARN?”
A great example of an ELE was the movie “Karate Kid.”
So Jesus, issues a warning .... “Beware (Be on alert) of the Leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
Since I didn’t live in this day and time and I’m not a bakers, I had to research this idea of leaven
In the OT days, Leaven was the remnant (Left over) of dough from the preceding baking which had fermented and become acid.
Leaven is the remnant (Left over) of dough from the preceding baking which had fermented and become acid.
Harper’s Bible Dictionary Leaven
The reason for this was that no leaven could be burned, nor could honey (Lev. 2:11). These both caused fermentation and thus appeared to have a life of their own that must not be destroyed.
Leaven was not to be burned, nor was honey (). These both(Leaven and Honey) caused fermentation which appeared to have a life of their own that must not be destroyed.
Harper’s Bible Dictionary Leaven
The reason for this was that no leaven could be burned, nor could honey (Lev. 2:11). These both caused fermentation and thus appeared to have a life of their own that must not be destroyed.
Jesus’ warning was to the idea that the Pharisees and Sadducees teaching would permeate throughout and taking on a life of its own.
This was the warning! (BEWARE of this!)
(7) - This verse makes clear to us that the disciples didn’t understand (Grasp) what Jesus was referencing.
They thought they were being reprimanded by Jesus for forgetting the food.
(8) - Jesus, aware of this (Ginosko = knew)
(9-10) - Jesus clears this all up by reminding them of what he had done, not to long ago, (Chpt. 14 & 15)
Not just what he had done but what the disciples had been a part of.
What need had been met!
(11) - After the explanation and clarity by Christ the same warning is issued again.....
(12) - The difference this time is, it has been made clear to the disciples. They Understood!
Looking at (9 & 11) we see the same Greek word translated as (perceive/understood)
(9) Do you not yet perceive?
(11) How is it that you fail to understand …?
But in verse 12 the Greek word interpreted “understood” is different.
Definition - to have an intelligent grasp of something that challenges one’s thinking or practice.
Meaning, “It’s going to cause you to see things differently.”
(Vs 9 & 11) “They were not grasping the jist of it” (The “why” of it)
English Standard Version Chapter 16
Do you not yet perceive?
(9) Do you not yet perceive?
(11) How is it that you fail to understand …?
(Vs 12) “They understand the jist of it” (Not just the the “why” but the “how” of it) and it has changed their way of thinking and/or doing from here on out.
Definition - to have an intelligent grasp of something that challenges one’s thinking or practice.
The disciples not only understood (grasped it) but, from this moment on, they will do things differently.
They will no longer take the words of the Pharisees and Sadducees as “the gospel.”
They will, from now on, put what is shared by others, through a filter.
Litmus Test defined: a test in which a single factor (such as an attitude, event, or fact) is conclusive.
That filter (Back then) was ...... Christ!
PAUSE
Climax:
This brings us to what I believe the Lord is revealing to us today ......
The main idea of this pericope is found in VS. 12 “Beware ..... of the “teachings” of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
The word “teaching,” when we look at it a little closer, we see it’s a Noun and not a verb.
This is important to understand ..... its not an action that is done but it is referencing content.
(What they are teaching)
Their doctrine - (defined as a belief or set of beliefs held to and taught)
EXAMPLE: Let me give you an example of how far off the Pharisees and Sadducees have strayed from the Commandments.
Remember () the disciples walking through the wheat field on the Sabbath and they were hungry.
So they started popping the heads of the wheat into their mouths.
The Pharisees accused them of violating the Sabbath. (Accusation: Harvesting food on the Sabbath).
So we understand that Jesus is talking about “Teaching” and not bread.
But there is another thing that needs cleared up ...
We must be clear on Jesus’s usage of the term “Leaven” in this analogy.
Looking back at we see Jesus use “Leaven” referencing a “Powerful life force.”
“The kingdom of heaven is like leaven”
But in the rabbinic literature of that day Leaven could be used as ......
Evil (permeating throughout man)
The cause of decay
The corruption of human nature
Jesus, speaking to the Disciples, uses Leaven in the negative sense.
PAUSE
Conclusion:
We live in a world today, that is inundated with information/opinions/teachings of all kinds of things.
(Jehovah Witnesses) stopping by our house.
This is done through TV, radio, pod cast, blogs, FB, Twitter, and the list could go on.
What I mean by this is ....
We have someone or something bending our ear. (Almost constantly)
There are so many beliefs/ set of beliefs being spewed out at us today and I feel what is being presented to us through God’s word is we must BEWARE! ...... Of who is bending our ear!
We must BEWARE of Evil trying to permeate through our being.
We must BEWARE of our soul decaying
We must BEWARE of corruption with our godly nature
We must maintain a holiness lifestyle as one who believes.
I feel that what the Lord was telling His disciples and what he is revealing to us today is EVERYTHING must go through a filter.
Everything that is bending our ear. (TV, News, Pod Cast, blogs, FB, Twitter others opinions.)
THAT FILTER (for us today)SHOULD BE THE WORD OF GOD!
Our words, actions and thoughts should be filtered through the WORD of GOD!
I feel like we are doing things backwards ....
What I believe is happening today is we are taking the word of God and filtering it through these avenue (TV, News, Pod Cast, blogs and others opinions) instead of taking what we are hearing, reading, or seeing and filtering it through the WORD!
Church, let me repeat what I just said: Our words, actions and thoughts should be filtered through the WORD of GOD!
Here is what I mean by this .... WE MAKE THE WORD OF GOD ....
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
Make it “First!”
The word of God should be the very first things we reach for, search through, or listen to.
Everything else comes in second!
I was speaking to a dear friend of mine the other day and he said something to me that I though fit perfectly with what I wanted to share with you today.
He said, “When I am experiencing something, “I GRAB A VERSE IN SCRIPTURE.”
I love that phrase ..... I love that picture! GRABBING a hold of the one thing that can give, sustain, and enhance life here on earth.
We are to accept people for who they are! What does the Word of God say?
We are to be happy! What does the Word of God say?
I should be able to do whatever I want! What does the Word of God say?
Dr. Phil said this .....! What does the Word of God say?
Church We need and we must make the word of God “FIRST” in our lives.
What I believe is happening today is we are talking the word of God and filtering it through these avenue (TV, News, Pod Cast, blogs and others opinions) instead of taking what we are hearing, reading, or seeing and filtering it through the WORD!
You can’t go wrong when doing this!
Make it “Relevant!”
It should not be viewed as just a historical document that has no bearing on our culture today.
It is as relevant today as it was back then.
It is alive today.
Make it the “Ruler” everything else is measured by!
Does what others say measure up to the word of God?
Does your friends opinions measure up?
Does
Can it be found in the word of God?
This is not a message against TV, News Outlets, blogs, pod cast and such......
This is a reminder that all of these things need to be filtered through the word of God and then given value to what is being stated or said.
PAUSE
If you would be so kind, I would like for us to give opportunity for the Holy Spirit to search our hearts today.
To take a few minutes and see if we have allowed the “Leaven” of this world to .....
..... permeate within us,
..... start the decaying process within our hearts
..... negatively affected our very nature?
Maybe you would be so willing to come and speak to the Lord about making His word:
First,
Relevant,
and/or the Ruler everything else is measured by.
For me, I am going to take a few minutes to allow the Holy Spirit to reveal his word in a situation that need his direction in.
For me, I am going to take a few minutes to allow the Holy Spirit to reveal his word in a situation that need his direction in.
Maybe that’s you this morning, I encourage you to join me as the praise team plays.