Having A Powerful Life

Secular -

One Sunday morning, the Sunday school teacher was trying to explain how people get to heaven. She thought she’d make it simple, so she asked the class:

“Kids, if I sell my house and car, have a garage sale, give all the money to the church, and spend every day helping the poor… would that get me into heaven?”

The children shouted together: “NO!”

She smiled and said, “Okay, what if I clean the church every day, mow the lawn, set up the chairs, and bake cookies for every fundraiser—then could I get into heaven?”

Again, the kids yelled: “NO!”

The teacher grinned. “Well then, what if I’m kind to animals, share my toys, always tell the truth, and say my prayers every night—would that get me in?”

Still, the children shouted: “NO!”

At this point, she crossed her arms and said, “Well, what does it take to get into heaven?”

A little boy in the back raised his hand confidently and said:

“You gotta die first.”

Historical/Cultural Context -

This Gospel is written by Matthew, also known as Levi who was a former tax collector. It was most likely written between AD 50-60. Matthew left everything behind to follow Jesus. Matthew wrote primarily to Jewish believers—people who knew the Old Testament well. Matthew had one goal: to prove that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah, the King of Kings, and the fulfillment of God’s promises. Connecting the Old Testament prophecies to the life of Christ, proving that every word God spoke was coming true in Jesus. The key themes of the Gospel include Jesus as King, The Kingdom of Heaven, Fulfillment of Prophecy and discipleship.

Biblical Text -

Matthew 9:1–17 NKJV

So He got into a boat, crossed over, and came to His own city. Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.” And at once some of the scribes said within themselves, “This Man blasphemes!” But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—then He said to the paralytic, “Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” And he arose and departed to his house. Now when the multitudes saw it, they marveled and glorified God, who had given such power to men. As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him. Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” When Jesus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?” And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse. Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”

-[Prayer]-

Life Principle - The Christian Life Is About Repentance, Spreading The Gospel & Spending Time With Jesus.

Life Point- Your Sins Can Be Forgiven

Exegetical -

Matthew 9:1–8 BSB

Jesus got into a boat, crossed over, and came to His own town. Just then some men brought to Him a paralytic lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven.” On seeing this, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming!” But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said, “Why do you harbor evil in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk?’ But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...” Then He said to the paralytic, “Get up, pick up your mat, and go home.” And the man got up and went home. When the crowds saw this, they were filled with awe and glorified God, who had given such authority to men.

Homiletical -

Jesus now gets into a boat and crosses over and went to His own home town.

Now he is landing and his fame is spreading because they immediately bring him someone else to heal. But instead of looking at something short term, Jesus looks at this man and thinks about his eternal value.

He says to the man your sins are forgiven you.

This immediately get the scribes into an uproar because only God can forgive sin. So in their minds they call Him a blasphemer, someone who does not deserve to live.

You see in that day and age if you were blaspheming God you could have dire circumstances; such as being stoned to death. Which means this would be something you wouldn’t throw around calling people.

Here is the interesting part. They said it within themselves. In their own minds.

Does this mean Jesus can read minds and even tell the intent of someone’s heart? Yes, Yes it does.

You see you can fool other people, pull the wool over their eyes. You can do that to some people for a long time. But let me tell you, you can’t do that to Jesus. Why? Because He is God made manifest in the flesh. He knew what they were thinking and to prove that Jesus can forgive sin. He told the man to get up and walk. and he did. He picked up his mat and walked.

I want you to notice something. Which is the greater thing? Is it greater to be healed physically or is it greater to be forgiven of sins?

When you are healed physically you will still die one day. So that miracle doesn’t survive into eternity.

But the forgiveness of sins, being saved by grace through faith, well that lasts into eternity. Meaning it has eternal value.

What did the crowd do when this happened? They did what they were supposed to do, they gave glory to God!

Notice that now the crowds are not focused on the healing part, but on the forgiveness of sins. They glorify God for this and for the healing as proof that Christ can forgive sins.

Illustration -

When President Abraham Lincoln was asked how he handled the secession of southern states, he famously said, 'I would rather save my enemies than destroy them.' This echoes the biblical message of forgiveness that is often lighter than we expect. Just as Lincoln sought reconciliation, God invites us to let go of our grudges and rejoice in reconciliation because forgiveness brings freedom to both the forgiven and the forgiver.

Today we need people to stand up for the truth of Christ.

Why?

Because this truth is the only way to receive forgiveness from God and begin to mend the great divide in our lives and country. Once a person’s eyes have been opened by the Holy Spirit then they can see objective truth. Without that regeneration of the Holy Spirit people today can only perceive the perversity of truth. Yet they call it truth when in reality it is deception. We need the Gospel today now in the United States more than we have ever needed it before. Let’s take time in our prayer lives to pray for our enemies, to pray for those who are caught in perversion.

Life Point - Spread The Gospel To The Unwanted Of Society

Exegetical -

Matthew 9:9–13 BSB

As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax booth. “Follow Me,” He told him, and Matthew got up and followed Him. Later, as Jesus was dining at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with Him and His disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Homiletical -

Let’s talk about tax collectors for a minute. Back then there was no paychecks. It was all done with currency, coins. You had to physically show up and pay or they would track you down.

If you were a tax collector you could become very wealthy off the backs of the people. In Roman society you were allowed to charge more than what was required for Rome. Rome didn’t care so long as they got their cut. They got away with this because they were accompanied in their ill-gotten-gain by Roman soldiers. If you couldn’t pay your tax bill then you would face the wrath of the Roman army, and no one wanted to do that.

taxes at this time were a big deal.

No one likes taxes now, but these tax men were pariahs in their own country. They were hated by the Jews, and they knew the only reason they were safe was because of the Roman soldiers that accompanied them.

No you wouldn’t want to be seen with a tax collector either for fear of what people might do to you, not just ostracize you but sometimes physical harm.

But Jesus didn’t care about that. He called one of these pariahs to follow him. The writer of this book, known as Matthew also known as Levi.

Jesus said to him “come and follow me” and he immediately got up and left.

Being an outcast can take its toll, if Jesus showed up and said “come and follow me” I dare say I would get up and follow Him.

So later Jesus ate with Matthew at his house. His house was probably one of the best around due to the fact that he was a tax collector. But notice who comes to eat with Jesus. Other outcasts, other tax collectors and sinners. Not the so-called righteous of the time. Not the religious leaders.

These were people down on their luck. Folks don’t you think that is who Jesus is calling us to reach? The so-called non-religious people? Those down on their luck either by the decisions they have made or by decision that were made that effected them.

Folks Jesus wants us to reach those that don’t look like us, those that need Him more and more each day, whether they realize it or not. Those are the ones that need Jesus.

So what is your excuse for not reaching them with the Gospel?

When you start reaching these people and spending time with them and teaching them the Gospel you will get nay-sayers. look at the pharisees. They scoffed at Him for doing this and Jesus rebukes them by saying it is not the healthy that need a doctor but the sick.

He tells them He has come to call the sinners not the righteous. He is hear to call the sinners to righteousness.

Illustration -

In the 19th century, William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army, dedicated his life to serving the impoverished and marginalized in London. He declared that the best way to spread the Gospel was to first meet the physical needs of those in society—the drunkards, the homeless, and the outcasts. His mission was to show love in action, which opened doors for sharing the Gospel. Booth taught that no one is unwanted in the eyes of God; He calls us to embrace the lost and unsheltered just as Christ did.

Life Point - Keep Prayer & Study Integral To Your Life

Exegetical -

Matthew 9:14–17 BSB

At that time John’s disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Why is it that we and the Pharisees fast so often, but Your disciples do not fast?” Jesus replied, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while He is with them? But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast. No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. For the patch will pull away from the garment, and a worse tear will result. Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will spill, and the wineskins will be ruined. Instead, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”

Homiletical -

So some of John’s disciples show up and ask Jesus why His disciples don’t fast. Don’t spend time away from food and time with God. Yet they and the Pharisees fast a bunch.

Now when you ate during this time it was often a matter of hours of fellowship and enjoying one another’s company. This is not so common for us in the United States. Here we often eat quickly and get on about our business.

Jesus speaks to them in a parables, stories. Jesus is here in a new work and He is with the disciples. They don’t have to fast because Jesus is bodily right there. Think about it. What is the point of fasting? To get closer to God. But Jesus is God in the flesh. So they didn’t need to take time away to fast because God was right there with them.

John 14:9 BSB

Jesus replied, “Philip, I have been with you all this time, and still you do not know Me? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

We, however, do need to take time to fast and draw closer to God. Draw closer to Jesus. This is important.

You don’t have to just fast food either. You fast anything that takes up a significant amount of time and replace that time with prayer and study of scripture.

What takes up most of your time that you could fast?

Some examples could be T.V. or hobbies.

Illustration -

There is a church in South Korea that is prospering and they say the key to their success is the amount of time the people spend in prayer. The pastor is famous for saying. “You want more of the power of Jesus in your life, you have to spend more time in prayer.”

How about you? When was the last time you spent a lot of time in prayer for your family, friends, and church?

Life Principle– The Christian Life Is About Repentance, Spreading The Gospel & Spending Time With Jesus.

Call to Action – altar call….