Kingdom Burden
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Do you believe in Jesus? It’s a simple question with often a more complex answer, especially if you’re over the age of 9. Maybe you’ve been around church for a while, or even your whole life, and you like fellowship, encouragement, warm smiles, and maybe the Bible even calms your nerves. But let me ask you this question today, are you in the active process of turning from your sin and towards Jesus?
So far in the book of Matthew we have seen the prologue of the life of Jesus, as we looked at his birth narrative, the visit of the Magi, the daring escape to Egypt, the killing of the babies in Bethlehem, and the return to Nazareth. In Matthew 1:23 Jesus is revealed as “God with us,” or immanuel.
In the first narrative section of Matthew’s Gospel we saw the ministry of John the baptizer, Jesus being baptized and affirmed by God the Father and the Spirit as God the son as the Father spoke from Heaven and indicated his pleasure that He takes in the son, which Satan tempting Jesus in the dessert was not able to dissuade him from.
We heard Jesus’ authoritative words in the first discourse, the sermon on the mount, and then we saw the authoritative deeds of Jesus in the second narrative, showing that Jesus has the authority on earth to forgive sins culminating in Matthew 9:6“6 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic—“Rise, pick up your bed and go home.”” In the second discourse Jesus sent out his disciples with instructions and warnings, and Matthew showed us that if we want God the Father to accept us, then the only way is to be acknowledged by the son, which is accomplished by acknowledging Jesus before men. So, I ask again, do you believe in Jesus and have you repented of your sins, or are you walking trying to receive the blessings of being in the kingdom without the ethical imperatives. Here’s one of those saying I want to put on our wall one day, “The obedient believe, and the believing obey.”
“Many readily received the eschatological blessings of the kingdom, but relatively few accepted the ethical imperative of repentance”
Are you a wise person? Do you understand many things? Do you have an advanced degree that says you are an expert in something, or maybe you have a chip on your shoulder because you don’t need an advanced degree to tell you what you already know; you are something special and you know what you need to know, and what you know is right! I certainly feel defensive when someone critiques me.
people in Bethsaida and Chorazin
20 Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent. 21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24 But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.” 25 At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
How many of you are feeling heavy laden? Man, I can tell you that I’ve been heavy laden and very burdened as of late.
16 Thus says the Lord: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
What burden do you need to lay down at the feet of Jesus that you’ve been carrying?
