Jesus: The Old and the New

Passage Main Point: The children of God will treasure God’s reign more than anything, see it grow through humble means, and watch it eventually culminate in judgment where those, who God has caused faith to sprout, obey its call will know eternal joy, but those who choose not to believe will perish into everlasting punishment. All of this is done through Jesus.

Sermon Main Point: We are called to protect our faith, trust in God’s work, value him over everything. When done correctly these are the things that cause division in people: fierce focus of faith

Our Problem: We doubt his judgment of us, we doubt his means, we doubt his value, we doubt his judgment of others

Text’s Solution: As we tremble, trust, and treasure God we will know his joy (/salvation).

Application: If we tremble in front of God’s holy judgment, if we trust that he will use what he sees as right, and we treasure the news of this Kingdom above everything: we will have a fierce and focused faith.

1-2 Intro: What is Happening

3-9 parable

10-13 Saying

14-15 OT Quote

16-17 Saying

18-33 Parable

34-35 Outro: What Just happened

44-52 What to do: OT Connection, life connection

Intro

Christianity is a lot

Obey rules, responsibilities, gifts, God, Holy Spirit, conviction, change, judgement, love, God’s in control, heaven, hell, reading, praying, Bible, OT, NT, big words

Imagine having Jesus in front of you, and he says “ok, let me explain this to you”

But it is complicated, so he uses parables

Parables are stories with a lesson

Backstory: Jesus

This is Jesus’ first time talking about parables in Matthew. Must be important.

It is also following some pretty intense stuff about Jesus’ disciples

You’re 100% in or your 100% out. No JV league in Christianity.

Some accept, some reject.

Matthew shift: focus on disciples.

When it comes to Jesus speaking on what is important: He focuses on the Kingdom— 12 times.

He also focuses on family: Seed/Descendant.

This is a little scary to some people who thought they would go to heaven cause their family went to church.

Uncomfortable point: not everyone is in my family

While the parables are about the Kingdom, the theme is human reaction to the kingdom

Good and Bad, righteous vs punished, powerful God and unresponsive men

How can something so great and powerful be at work and yet people still don’t listen? That is the mystery that these parables are meant to explain.

Beginning with people coming to hear him, ending with people he came to rejecting him. In the middle was the essence of his goals.

Kingdom 12 times.

Seed as grain/ Seed as descendants

People expecting their identity as Abrahams family to be enough

Jesus clarifying what “God’s family” looks like to everyone.

In Luke 4 we learn that they didn’t just reject him, they tried to throw him off a cliff.

First reference of Parables in Matthew

Chapters 11-12 channels division of followers and disciples, thus the explanation of the Kingdom reveals how some could reject while others believe

Half-way point of the book: he shifts ministry to focus on those who don’t reject him.

While the parables are about the Kingdom, the theme is human reaction to the kingdom

Good and Bad, righteous vs punished, powerful God and unresponsive men

How can something so great and powerful be at work and yet people still don’t listen? That is the mystery that these parables are meant to explain.

Umbrella- Sower ()

Sower: The human and divine elements of being in the Kingdom

Some

1. Wheat/weeds: What will happen in the Kingdom- evil still present until judgment

2. Mustard seed: The future of the kingdom- spreads, grows, huge but from small start

2. Leaven: The future of the kingdom- spreads, grows, huge but from small start

3. Treasure: The value of the kingdom is more than anything

God is working and in control. But people are responsible. Some people listen while others reject.

3. Pearl: The value of the kingdom is more than anything

1. Net: What will happen in the kingdom- evil still present until judgment

(prophecy)

52- Because of all of this, the LAW and GRACE now are together. OLD and NEW are now together. JESUS is YOURS

Box 1- Wheat and weeds ()

Judgement will come.

Ovals 1- Mustard ()

The Kingdom will grows through the humble ways that God decides

Ovals 2- Flour ()

The Kingdom grows slowly and huge, but from the smallest things

Pink 1- Hidden Treasure ()

The Kingdom can only be had if you are willing to give up everything for it

Pink 2- Pearl ()

The Kingdom is priceless, above everything

Box 2- The Net ()

Judgement is coming.

Boxes— Judgment

Ovals- Small/big

Pink- Value

— “Do you understand all these things?” — ()

If you have them let me help you connect this into your life

Teacher & Law vs Disciple & Kingdom

Green things— LAW and GRACE

LAW and GRACE

Both of these things can come together and you can find treasure in one way- JESUS

Because of all of this, the LAW and GRACE now are together. OLD and NEW are now together. JESUS is YOURS

When we arrive at the end of this long equation and all our answers = Jesus. This makes sense.

The way to live out this equation is to

TREMBLE at God’s judgment

TRUST in God’s ways

TREASURE God

When we live this out the equation will equal out to Fierce and Focused Faith

Fierce and Focused Faith

Focus- **marriage**

Nothing is considered outside of it

Nothing is forgotten

Nothing is done without thinking through it’s effect

Fierce-

Jealous, intentional, powerful, sacrificial

All-consuming priority.

If we tremble in front of God’s holy judgment, if we trust that he will use what he sees as right, and we treasure the news of this Kingdom above everything: we will have a fierce and focused faith.

For instance, telling people about it will become important.

Getting rid of those sins that you hate will become important.

Forgiving people that have hurt you will become important.

Doing something important, not just floating looking to have fun, do something that matters will become important.

- What is important to you?-

- What are you focused about?-

- What are you fierce about?-

— Is it your faith in God? —

is mi

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