The Purpose of the People of God - 4:23-25
The Purpose of the People of God - Matthew • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 50:25
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The Purpose of the People of God
The Purpose of the People of God
Bible Conference
Jesus just called the disciples
23 And Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people.
24 And the news about Him spread throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all who were ill, those suffering with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, paralytics; and He healed them.
25 And large crowds followed Him from Galilee and the Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and from beyond the Jordan.
Let’s Pray
23 And Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people.
So we begin with Jesus going throughout all Galilee.
Red - Antipas
Purple - Philip
Green - Archelaus
Teaching in their Synagogues
16 And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up, and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read.
23 And Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people.
Preaching the gospel of the kingdom
1 Now in those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, 2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Jesus preaches the same message to Israel Mt 4.17
17 From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Yet, at the end of chapter 4, Jesus shifts His preaching:
23 And Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people.
What is the gospel of the kingdom?
Phrase appears 3 times in Scripture, all in Matthew.
Mt 4.23, Mt 9.35, and Mt 24.14
Mt 4.24 and 9.35 bookend the section - LATER
Mt 24.14 - In response to the disciples question - LATER
None of these though give us a quick definition of the gospel of the kingdom. That’s because there isn’t a quick definition.
We recognize “gospel” as good news. Earliest usage of this term shows the imagery of a man running, bearing the good news of victory in battle. We see this numerous times in the Old Testament
15 Behold, on the mountains the feet of him who proclaims good news, Who announces peace! Celebrate your feasts, O Judah; Pay your vows. For never again will the vile one pass through you; He is cut off completely.
Of Saul
9 Then they cut off his head and stripped off his weapons and sent them all around the land of the Philistines, to proclaim the good news to the house of their idols and to the people.
Spiritual Concept in Isa
7 How lovely on the mountains Are the feet of him who proclaims good news, Who announces peace And proclaims good news of good things, Who announces salvation, And says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
The Gospel is the message of Victory!
What is the gospel of the kingdom?
What is the victory of the kingdom?
This Kingdom concept deals with many things. If you remember back to our kingdom study, we need to ask what kingdom are we talking about, or rather what aspect of the kingdom are we talking about.
You may remember:
The kingdom exists physically
The kingdom exists spiritually
There is rebellion to the kingdom
The kingdom is purposeful
All of this was to answer the question
Who has the right to rule?
In fact, this is a question dealt with throughout Scripture. It’s a basis of the question the serpent poses to Adam and Eve. It’s the struggle between Jacob and Esau. It’s what Joseph’s brothers rebel against. It’s the struggle of Israel in the wilderness. It’s the struggle of Israel in the time of the judges resulting in asking for a king. It’s the struggle between David and Saul. It’s the struggle between David and Absalom. It’s the struggle between Jeroboam and Rehoboam at the onset of the divided kingdom. It’s the accusations that Daniel navigates in Babylon. It’s what Nehemiah deals with in the rebuilding of the wall. It’s at the heart of the Maccabean Revolt in the intertestamental period. It’s what the Jews are resisting under Roman authority. It’s what Herod is afraid of at the words of the Magi. It’s the struggle the Jews had with John’s message in the wilderness. It’s the struggle the Jews had with Jesus’ ministry and life. It’s the question that Pilate asks Jesus from the Roman Bema Seat.
But it’s also the question answered.
It’s answered in God’s grace shown to Adam and Eve. It’s answered in the nations of Israel and Edom. It’s answered in the provision by Joseph for his brothers. It’s answered in the deliverance through the wilderness and into the land, the provision of Saul as king, the preservation of David. It’s answered in the protection of Daniel. It’s answered in the perseverance of Nehemiah. It’s answered in the birth of the Messiah. It’s answered in Jesus’ teaching. It’s answered in Jesus resurrection. It’s the answer believers will be held accountable to when Jesus sits on the Bema Seat. It’s the question answered through the tribulation and the Millennial Kingdom. It’s the question unbelievers will answer at the Great White Throne Judgement. Who has the right to rule?
The KING JESUS!
THIS is what Matthew is writing for! The King Jesus, the One who has all authority, He, Jesus, has the right to rule.
How deeply will you participate?
23 And Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people.
So to zero back in on our text, what does Jesus’ message include?
Faith Alone:
5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
This conversation is what culminates in Jn 3.14-16
Jn 3.14
14 “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; 15 so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.
16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
So you can participate in the victory of the kingdom through Justification
12 But when they believed Philip proclaiming the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, both men and women. 13 Even Simon himself believed; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he observed signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly astounded.
Gospel of the Kingdom
Faith Alone
19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions,
21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.
24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Righteous Living
But the kingdom is not just about obedience.
16 Therefore do not let what is for you a good thing be slandered; 17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
The Kingdom is also the experience, the fruit of the Holy Spirit
Experience of Kingdom Life
19 But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I shall know, not the words of those who are puffed up but their power. 20 For the kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power.
Paul dealing with false teachers
28 “But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
The Kingdom is marked by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit
Power of Holy Spirit
11 “And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven;
Seen in the parables of Matthew 22, 24, and 25
The Kingdom includes the wedding feast at the inauguration of the Millennial Kingdom
Wedding Feast
8 And when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one having a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
9 And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are You to take the scroll and to open its seals, because You were slain and purchased for God with Your blood people from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. 10 “And You made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they will reign upon the earth.”
More familiar with Rev 20
2 Now it will be that In the last days The mountain of the house of Yahweh Will be established as the head of the mountains, And will be lifted up above the hills; And all the nations will stream to it. 3 And many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of Yahweh, To the house of the God of Jacob, That He may instruct us from His ways And that we may walk in His paths.” For from Zion the law will go forth And the word of Yahweh from Jerusalem.
4 And He will judge between the nations, And will render decisions for many peoples; And they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, And never again will they learn war.
Millennial Kingdom
1 Then he showed me a river of the water of life, bright as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, 2 in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
3 And there will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His slaves will serve Him; 4 and they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads.
5 And there will no longer be any night, and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them, and they will reign forever and ever.
New Heavens and Earth
Every part of this is the Good News of the Victory of the Kingdom!
VICTORY OF THE KINGDOM!
Turning back to the text:
23 And Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people.
What does Jesus preach when He preaches the gospel of the kingdom?
Does this include “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” of course. But is not limited to that. Jesus’ message doesn’t change, it expands.
Correlating Aspects
Jesus preaches SALVATION!
We cannot read Scripture and limit Jesus’ message to simply believe.
Belief is the beginning, it guarantees you of relationship with God, but it is the beginning, not the finish line.
23 And Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people.
How does Jesus support His teaching? How does He make sure the audience knows His teaching is truth?
Healing and Miracles
Mt 5-7 gives us a glimpse of the teaching
Sermon on the Mount
Mt 8-9 gives us a glimpse of the healing
Leper, paralyzation, fevers, storms, demons, resurrection, and blindness!
If we look ahead in Matthew, we get a nearly perfectly parallel vs to Mt 4.23:
35 And Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.
Instead of Galilee, it is all the cities and villages
Matthew has bookended the next section of the Gospel for us. 1-4 being the introduction and 5-9 opening the preaching and healing of Jesus!
So what happens?
24 And the news about Him spread throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all who were ill, those suffering with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, paralytics; and He healed them.
Syria is not in Israel
25 And large crowds followed Him from Galilee and the Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and from beyond the Jordan.
Syria is not Israel
Syria
Decapolis
Jerusalem
Judea
“beyond the Jordan”
This message spreads like crazy! The world is ripe! Remember, at this time in history, most of the world speaks Greek thanks to Alexander the Great, so news can spread like at no other time in history since Babel until maybe today.
What do we do with this?
First we look in the narrative:
4:1-11 - All Authority belongs to Jesus (Mt 28:18)
4:12-17 - Salvation is for the nations (Mt 28:19-20)
4:18-22 - The First Disciples (Who will carry the message?)
4:23-25 - The Gospel of the Kingdom goes beyond Israel (The Result)
4:23-25 summarizes what happens in response to Jesus’ ministry. Chapters 5-9 begin to unpack that and give us the examples.
So this short section wraps up the thematic introduction to the gospel of Matthew, but it also telegraphs what is coming next, and the same questions linger from last week:
Takeaways:
Is the main thing the main thing?
Last week I asked you to consider your life.
Where in your life are there things that are not His?
2. Have you believed in Jesus?
This is where it starts
Matthew is focused on Sanctification and a little bit of Glorification, but if you haven’t believed in Jesus then this probably isn’t as helpful for you. How can you sign up to serve a King you do not know?
24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
God is perfect
I’m a sinner
Jesus covers me so my imperfection can dwell with perfection
3. How will you respond?
Baptism Service - If you’ve never been baptized, this is a great place to start.
Jesus’ call to discipleship is still open. How will you respond?
Let’s Pray
Benediction Scripture:
19 And He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 And immediately they left their nets and followed Him.
