Matthew 4:17-25 Unexpected Glory in Our World

Tomorrow is the day that many will resolve to change something about themselves in 2024. I saw a news piece that claimed the 3 most common resolutions are physical, financial and emotional. But if A.W. Tozer is correct that

“What comes to our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”[i]

Then perhaps a spiritual, or better yet a biblical, priority may be a better use of the New Year opportunity. I call this a biblical priority instead of a resolution because resolutions depend totally upon human resolve, and Biblical priorities are prompted and empowered by the Spirit of God as a work of God’s grace to us.

When you consider biblical priorities how many hear somebody who has said, “That’s not very Christian of you.”? What that person usually means, because they don’t know Christ nor have even read much of the Bible they mean “that doesn’t make me feel warm & fuzzy” or “You’re harshing my mellow”.

2 Weeks ago in this room we received and passed “light”—We celebrated hope, peace, joy and love in the last 4 weeks. But what might it look like if we committed ourselves to MT 5:13-14 -being the salt of the Earth and light of the world?

In about 12 hours some of you will be watching a lit ball drop. What if 2024 were to be the years that FHCC gets lit?!

“get lit” has a few meanings in English slang, that I am NOT suggesting, and a yet it is a Biblical expression that is the normative experience for someone filled with the oil of the Holy Spirit.

My prayer is that we as a church body are so prompted and energized by the Holy Spirit of God that Chase County will see our good works and glorify our Father in Heaven. My aim is that our world would experience unexpected glory when they encounter us in the next 365!

Transition: If the glory I am talking about, truly comes from the Holy Spirit and points people to the eternal God, it will look like Jesus. We can’t allow the world to define what Christian looks like, We must permit Christ to define what Christian looks like!

The Priority of the Christ Life (Matthew 4:17)

What! (repent)

Turn!

Saving Faith = Change of dependency

In Jesus’ day they did not get a new calendar from the bank at the end of December. Before our current calendar that is based upon one trip around the Sun, people kept time with phases of the moon and events like harvest. Jesus’ life events in Matthew 3 & 4 include his baptism and temptation, then Matthew 4:12 begins something new.

3. Jesus turned from childhood and began a new direction.

For some of us the turn that needs to happen today is a turn from serving and relying upon ourselves and coming to Christ as Savior and Lord.

For others of us the turn that need to happen today is that we need to step off the throne of our own lives and submit to a new reality where Christ determines our priorities and the way we view our world.

Why! (kingdom of heaven)

A different urgency – notice how Matthew begins this chapter. The Devil (evil personified) attempts to multiply his impact and gain control. Jesus refutes each of these temptations with the power of Scripture, then sets out to transform the very world that Satan strives to control.

When we recognize a kingdom that is not of this earth we submit to

A different king – a king without borders, the angel told the shepherds he was a ruler for all people.

Different values

Different goals

Transition: The Christ life was never meant to be lived by Christ alone. At the very beginning of His public ministry, before He did a single miracle or preached a single sermon, He called for partners to join Him.

The Partners in the Christ Life (Matthew 4:18-22)

A New Call (fishers of men)

1. Nets, not hooks (v.18)

Line fishing is for one fish. The bait or lure is for a particular target.

Drag Net fishing is from boats, involves a crew and is rather indiscriminate so that unintended catch gets thrown back.

Casting net fishing is done by an individual, but has a broader intention than one line with one piece of bait.

2. Disciples – followers/learners (vv.19-20)

following was with a goal and for the purpose of imitation

Ø Do you look more like Jesus in your thoughts, emotions and actions than a year ago?

Ø Where have you noticed movement toward or away from Christlikeness?

3. Apostles – ambassadors/representatives/surrogates/body

Granted apostleship is not part of today’s lesson, but 6 chapters later in Matt 10:2 these same 4 are identified as apostles. Within 24 months these 4 went from totally uninitiated to being sent out as surrogates.

Ø How long have you been following Christ?

Ø Is there anything keeping you from going as a representative?

I am not trying to lay guilt on anybody. I just think our American 21st Century understanding of discipleship and apostleship can bear some tweaking.

Following and representing Christ should not take as long as we expect. We should crave the milk of the Word, but it is normative to move on toward more substance much quicker than our normal practice. Last Sunday afternoon I spent time with my niece and her 4 month old daughter. My wife, sisters and mother were asking if she is moving on to solid food yet.

When I taught at a Bible Institute in India, I had part in commissioning 12 graduates who were Hindus just 12 months previous.

Ø Chase County KS looking like the kingdom that Jesus taught is going to require many more learners becoming representatives!

A New Chronology (immediately)

It’s time! Is a message that indicates the pregnancy it about complete. After months of underlying birth pains and discomfort the task at hand is about to gain central priority. Everything else is going to revolve around this task.

Here 2 sets of brothers drop everything mid-sentence and become disciples.

Jesus later tells in MT 8:18ff. of those He calls who wanted to put conditions or delay to their obedience. The listeners wanted comfort, that Jesus never promised, and accommodation that Jesus challenges.

Ø Urgency of mission is upon us!

Transition: Matthew goes on to describe what our daily lives will look like if we accept the call to become like Christ.

The Procedures of the Christ Life (Matt 4:23-25)

Kingdom Values (teaching)

Jesus made a priority out of clarifying misunderstanding about what the Law, Prophets, & Writings (what we call the Old Testament) actually meant. He had to help people unlearn what they thought by introducing them to fresh applications of the words.

Rabbis had institutionalized and added to the words of Scripture so that the common understanding was quite different than God intended when He inspired the writers of the Book.

We must help others unlearn, and relearn what God has said to those who wish to love Him.

Notice, He does this in their synagogues! I’m not telling you to stand by the side of the road with a piece of posterboard or paint a sign that travelers will see anonymously. I don’t believe bumper stickers or social media memes will accomplish this goal. I’m saying that when we face-to-face encounter people with religious ideas that are contrary to the Bible, we need to take them to the book and explain what is actually there.

Not only did Jesus correct religious misunderstanding through teaching, Matthew uses another word to describe Jesus’ communication…

Kingdom Expansion (proclaiming)

All Galilee describes 204 cities and villages with no fewer than 15,000 citizens each. Jewish historian Josephus estimates Galilee would have been at least 3 million people.

News of Jesus’ proclaiming and meeting people’s needs spreads so that people from Syria (to the North), Decapolis (10 cities to the SW), Jerusalem and Judea (to the SSE) and beyond the Jordan (to the E) were coming to Galilee to encounter Jesus.

Proclaiming is a different verb than teaching. Not only are we, if we are going to be like Christ, to teach – (the practice of instructing another in an area of knowledge); we must also loudly speak a message for a large number of people to hear.

If those who identify with a certain sexual identity can be “loud and proud”, Christ followers who want to be like Jesus must be loud and proud publicly about the good news that people can become part of God’s kingdom.

4. Face-to-face correction and public announcement are both going to bring us in contact with human needs. Jesus does not turn a blind eye to human suffering.

Kingdom Kindness (healing)

We may not end disease, but we CAN bring about flourishing amidst affliction

We tend to quickly excuse ourselves from this ministry of Christ. Would you be surprised to learn that the underlying word used by Matthew is the root of our English word therapy?

According to experts who are smarter than I am, This underlying word is used in 2 ways in the first century. The first is used outside of Scripture in other ancient Greek texts in the sense of: ① to render service or homage, serve a divinity[ii]. These smart people say that it is used here ho carry the idea of ② heal, restore. Both of these definitions contain the idea of attending to the wants/needs of another person.

3. Thursday of this week I visited with 2 of our members who have recently been involved in physical and occupational therapy. One told me of a therapy that felt good, but did damage to the spine. The other told me of a plan for 2 weeks of therapy, but after 3 days it was determined that going home was an acceptable alternative.

4. People around us have real needs that must be attended to! Our “therapy”/our interaction with their needs cannot be based only on what feels good or some preconceived routine.

Transition: With kindness and wisdom God is calling us to attend to the needs of those in our County

Conclusion:

Jesus turned to a new lifestyle in Mt 4:12, one that taught, proclaimed and served a heavenly kingdom.

Some of us need to enter that kingdom by repentance and faith in death on a cross that provides forgiveness.

Some of us need to adopt Jesus’ lifestyle of correcting bad theology, being loud and proud about joining the heavenly kingdom, and attending to the needs of people.

I’m not asking you to dig deep and resolve in your own strength to be different. I’m asking you to submit to the work of the Holy Spirit that can make 2024 different than 2023.Text

Song of Response #296.. “We’ve a Story to Tell”

[i] A. W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy (San Francisco: Harper, 1978), 9. [ii] Arndt, William, Frederick W. Danker, Walter Bauer, and F. Wilbur Gingrich. 2000. In A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed., 453. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.