Journey Through Matthew: No Respect
Journey Through Matthew • Sermon • Submitted
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· 6 viewsWhenever the truth of the Gospel is shared, there are many who fail to heed its warning, choosing rather to disrespect and dishonor the teacher who is simply bringing the message. If Jesus received this treatment why should we expect any different treatment?
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Introduction
Introduction
Good morning and welcome back!
I hope everyone has had a great weekend and are looking forward to what the Lord has in store for us all this coming week.
If you will, start turning in your Bibles back to .
We are going to finish up this morning looking at the concept of respect.
I believe it was Rodney Dangerfield who said, “I get no respect!”
Well, he isn’t the only one.
It seems as if in our current culture people in general have no respect for anyone else.
And in many ways we’ve sort of done it to ourselves.
Take school teachers for instance.
There was a time when a child got into trouble at school that the parents would discipline their children and then apologize to the school for their behavior.
And that still happens on occasion, but what happens more often is the child coming home telling the parents how they got into trouble at school and it is all the school’s fault.
And instead of investigating what exactly went on, the parent goes to the school and throws a fit because they are picking on their child, when in reality they were just trying to discipline the child.
Now that doesn’t mean that there are not times when the teacher is in the wrong, but the problem is the parent never takes the time to find out what actually went on.
And even if the teacher was in the wrong, the adults should be handling adult matters around other adults.
Because when a parent goes into a school and disrespects a teacher or principle in front of the children, the only thing it does is teach the children to disrespect adults and authority figures.
The same is true when kids see their parents disrespecting other authority figures.
But the biggest one is when children see their parents disrespecting one another, whether married or not.
And children in society have learned to be disrespectful because adults have not taught them and shown them examples otherwise.
However, as disrespected as we all may be or may feel like we are, we can take heart because we are in good company.
Because disrespect is not something that is brand new.
In fact, in our Scripture for this morning we are going to be looking at how Jesus himself was disrespected by the very people who should have been supporting him the most.
His own family and friends.
So, if you have found in your Bibles, I’d invite you to stand with me as we read a little bit about respect.
Matthew writes . . .
Scripture Focus
Scripture Focus
53 When Jesus had finished these parables, he moved on from there. 54 Coming to his home town, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked. 55 “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? 56 Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” 57 And they took offence at him. But Jesus said to them, “Only in his home town and in his own house is a prophet without honour.” 58 And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.
Matthew 13:
Going Home (vs 53-54)
Going Home (vs 53-54)
So, just to sort of recap and bring us up to speed here, for the last two weeks we have been looking at Jesus’ parables and his attempt to teach the people about some of the finer points of salvation and of heaven in ways that they could both understand and retain.
And as he is traveling about teaching these great truths, he is achieving some measure of success.
People were following Jesus and listening to Jesus.
People were being healed and delivered, both physically and spiritually.
Other than having to deal with the Jews who were trying to kill him, things were actually going pretty good for Jesus and the disciples.
So, Matthew writes in verse 53 . . .
53 When Jesus had finished these parables, he moved on from there.
Which was typical.
Jesus didn’t stay in one place too long.
Mainly because there were so many people to reach and so little time to reach them.
And I am sure that the Jews chasing after him also kept him on the go a little bit.
But Jesus moves on from where he was and on his way to his next destination, he is going to be passing through his hometown of Nazareth.
And Matthew writes . . .
54 Coming to his home town, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked.
And now, keep in mind that Jesus had been gone from home for quite a while.
So, he had probably changed some since the last time these people saw him.
All they knew him as was “little Jesus”
“Joseph’s son”
Or maybe even “the carpenter’s son.”
They didn’t know him as Jesus the Chris, the Messiah, the Deliverer, the source of salvation to all humanity.
He was just plain ordinary Jesus.
That boy who had grew up there they all probably thought was a good kid but nobody special.
Sure, they probably had heard about some things the he may have been doing, but they didn’t pay much attention to them.
It would sort of be like if someone really really famous came from Stanford.
It really wouldn’t matter too much how famous or powerful they became, most people here who knew them growing up wouldn’t think much different of them.
Because they knew the person and not the hype behind the person.
So, it is sort of that same kind of mindset here with Jesus.
The difference though is, this is Jesus the Son of God, not some ordinary famous person.
Their problem though is they couldn’t see that.
Which is why when Jesus began teaching the people in their synagogue, they were amazed.
Amazed because this wasn’t the boy Jesus they remembered.
He was wise beyond his years and had miraculous powers that they had never ever seen before.
They didn’t know what to think of things.
Rejected by His Own (vs 55-57)
Rejected by His Own (vs 55-57)
So, they became to question things . . .
55 “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? 56 Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?”
Matthew 13:
So, their mind is thoroughly blown.
Have no idea what to make of Jesus.
They know his family, his mother, his brothers, his father.
In there mind Jesus could not in any way be who he was claiming to be or be doing what he is claiming to do.
They were convinced that he was faking things in some way, fooling them with tricks and they were not going to go for it.
Nevermind what the Holy Spirit was telling them.
Nevermind what they felt deep in their soul.
They were not going to go for it at all.
After all, who is Jesus, this boy of a carpenter to tell them to repent of their sin.
Who is he to claim to be the Son of God.
And this is why it says . . .
57 And they took offence at him. But Jesus said to them, “Only in his home town and in his own house is a prophet without honour.”
Matthew
They took offense at him because in their mind he wasn’t good enough to be teaching them these things.
In their mind he wasn’t good enough to really be healing and delivering them.
They were expecting this glorious champion from some far off and exotic land to come and save them all from the Romans.
And, who did they get instead? Jesus.
And his response to them was this, Only his his home town and in his own house is a prophet without honor.
And notice Jesus did not just talk about his hometown, but also his own family.
His own family was even rejecting him and his message.
Because they couldn’t see past the boy Jesus to the Messiah Jesus.
However, one major problem that many of us have as well is, we have a tendency to use the same types of excuses.
And I am not talking about rejecting the pastor because he is from your hometown.
I won’t lie, it is tough sometimes but God works through that.
What I am talking about is rejecting any message from any preacher, pastor, teacher, evangelist because you find something that just doesn’t live up to your expectations.
I will just tell you, it doesn’t matter if the message comes from my mouth or the mouth of a donkey, God’s Word is God’s Word.
And none of us have a valid reason as to why we don’t listen to God’s Word.
It doesn’t matter who it comes from, if it is God’s Word, it is God’s Word, period, end of discussion.
But what we will do is we will pick out those things we know about the person giving the message, or worse than that things, we don’t know but think we do.
And we will judge the quality of the Word with the quality of the person.
I’ll just be honest, there are people in this community who would probably never come to church here because they know me.
There are churches in this community where I would never be invited to preach at because they know me.
Now that doesn’t mean that those people and churches are bad because of their opinion.
It also doesn’t mean that I’m anybody special who should be heard in other places.
But it shows the extend at which people judge your ability to deliver God’s Word based on your past and based on where you are from.
They are not nearly as interested in hearing the Word as what they claim to be.
And the same thing applies to all of you as well.
There are places and people that do not want to hear one thing you say because of the fact that they know you.
But I will tell you this, they don’t want to hear it from anybody and they are just using those things as an excuse.
Don’t be discouraged because for every one that doesn’t want to hear you there is one who does, because they know you.
They know where God has brought you and they are hungry for it and they want to know how to get it.
Focus on those people.
But be sure that your life now lives up to what you are claiming to be.
There will always be critics and those who take offence, so let’s not give them good reason to.
And again, Jesus mentions his hometown and his house for a reason.
That reason being that many times some of your worst critics are those who are closest to you.
No Miracles (vs 58)
No Miracles (vs 58)
And as a result of their attitude and behavior . . .
58 And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.
Now for a long time I thought that this meant that because they didn’t have any faith Jesus was unable to touch them and heal them.
But the more I studied this, the more I realized that Jesus did not do many miracles because their lack of faith prevented them from bringing people to Jesus for healing.
Now, says that . .
6 And he was amazed at their lack of faith. Then Jesus went round teaching from village to village.
5 He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 And he was amazed at their lack of faith. Then Jesus went round teaching from village to village.
So, there were a few people who actually did have faith and believed.
But the problem was not Jesus’ ability to heal them, it was their unwillingness to come and be healed.
They refused to even bring the sick to Jesus for healing.
They had so little faith they didn’t even try.
Altar Call
Altar Call
And I wonder this morning if that would describe any of us here today.
First, we have spend so much time making so many different excuses as to why not, that we are not even hearing the Word of God.
I will be the first to tell you, you are right, I am not qualified to do what I do.
No one is.
However, God has giving me a calling and God has given me a message.
Make no bones about it, as flawed as I am, the message is God’s and the message is right.
And the message is repent for the kingdom of God is at hand.
Turn from your sin and turn toward Christ.
Accept Him and follow Him.
And if you are refusing to hear that because of something you don’t like about me or any other preacher, teacher, relative, or friend, then you will be held accountable to God for it.
But maybe you do believe in Jesus but just don’t know about all of this healing stuff.
All of this deliverance stuff.
You have a need but are refusing to come and lay that need on God’s altar.
Your faith is so weak you will not even try.
Well, I ask you, what do you have to lose?
You’ve likely tried everything else, why not give God a try?
Again, no one can force you, but you will be held accountable for it.
The opportunity is before you but you have to choose to take advantage of that opportunity.
Will you do that today?
The altar is open, don’t wait until it is too late.
Don’t let you get in the way of God moving in your life and changing you forever.
It’s your choice to make, what will it be today?