Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
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Introduction
I don’t know if you have noticed, but the world is a mess.
People are hopeless, hurting and reeling from the day to day grind in this broken world.
Medical Technology
Many who do not seem hopeless, have placed there hope in fleeting hopes which cannot ultimately satisfy and will not sustain them!
Mindfulness
… But God … God is doing something and God has done something in Jesus Christ!
Financial Success and Security
That’s the story of the Gospel, that’s the Story of God and what He has done and is doing to overcome the brokenness and emptiness of this world.
Accolades at Work
“What’s your story?”
Everyone has a story—a way in which they understand themselves and the circumstances of their life.
If you give 10 different writers the a set of 10 circumstances and ask each of them to write their own story about these circumstances, you will end up with 10 (probably totally) different stories.
A story isn’t merely the circumstances and reality of your life—it’s the way you understand and identify with the circumstances and realities of life.
Your story—in that sense—forges your identity.
In today’s text we’re going to see that Matthew wants us to know that John’s Story is all about Jesus.
Jesus’ story is all about the Kingdom of God—the restoration of God’s people and the dawning of the new age (the age of resurrection).
Where does your story fit?
In our text we could talk about the steadfast convictions of John that led him to confront Herod.
We could talk about the fear of man and its paralyzing affect on our lives.
We could talk about the sinful nature of Herod’s court.
We could talk about the insanity of rash vows and the detrimental nature of peer pressure.
We could talk about all of these and more!
But all of these aspects of this story are there to point to the one John always pointed to … to Jesus.
The the story of the Gospel of Jesus.
To the good news of the now dawning Kingdom of God.
It’s never enough to talk about sin and the effects of sin—We must always talk about the answer to sin!
It is never enough to talk about convictions and hot confront sin—We must always talk about our Confession of Him who as over come sin!
John’s Story, Jesus’ Story & Our Story
Matthew 14:5-
John’s Story
John’s story is all about the story of Jesus.
John’s Life
John’s life and ministry are intentionally meant to direct the focus and attention to Jesus.
John’s baptism points to a greater baptism.
John calls people to repentance, Jesus will gather His own to Himself by causing repentance within them.
John’s life and ministry are intentionally meant to direct the focus and attention to Jesus.
John rejoices in the ministry of Jesus as the long-awaited Messianic King, who is worthy of all attention, affection and affiliation.
John wants the fame and following of Jesus to increase.
John’s Death
The circumstances of John’s death—like his life and ministry— are intentionally meant to direct the focus and attention to Jesus.
Fame—14:1
Confusion about Identity—14:2
John had a great deal of fame, Jesus has a great deal of fame.
Seized and Bound—14:3 (, )
Confusion about Identity
A Prophet in Conflict with a Ruler—14:4
We will come into conflict with Jesus if we want to be the ultimate ruler of our worlds.
Dealing with People Gripped by the Fear of Man—14:5 (
Many people were confused about the identity of John; many people are confused about the identity of Jesus.
Because of sin and brokenness, God’s prophets and His prophetic word are a stumbling block to many.
A Prophet in Conflict with a Ruler--
Seized and Bound
A Nagging Reluctance to Execute—14:9
John was seized and bound and delivered over to death; Jesus will be seized and bound and delivered over to death.
John was seized and bound and delivered over to death, Jesus will be seized and bound and delivered over to death.
Wives Playing a Part in the Story—14:3
Dealing with People Gripped by the Fear of Man
Shameful Deaths ()
A Prophet in Conflict with a Ruler
Burial by Disciple(s)—14:12
A Nagging Reluctance to Execute
Wives Playing a Part in the Story
Shameful Deaths
Burial by Disciple(s)
In all these ways, the circumstances of John’s death foreshadow the death of another prophet, a greater prophet.
Jesus’ Story
Resurrection?? John Burial…
The text leads to ask questions that can only ultimately be answered by Jesus’ story.
John’s story ends with his burial.
And then … they tell Jesus.
Why tell Jesus?
Is Jesus going to raise John from the dead?
Will Jesus manage to escape the fate of John?
Is Jesus going to raise John from the dead?
Will Jesus do anything about this?
The concept of resurrection has come up with Herod, but John’s body is buried and that is the end of John’s story.
The greatest of the Old Testament prophets has his story ended like so many before him.
Has darkness triumphed?
Can a true prophet of the Lord affect true and lasting change?
Will God’s people ever be led out of the exile their sin has led them into?
Can Jesus do anything about these things?
Jesus’ Story
Resurrection!! Jesus’ Empty Tomb
John’s story ends with his death, but the Prophetic Story does not, it cannot end the same way.
The death of John—as the greatest of the Old Covenant Prophets—signals the end of the Old Covenant era.
Jesus’ Story is about the Kingdom of God.
The dawning of God’s Kingdom was to be the dawning of a new age—the age of resurrection and restoration.
Ezekiel prophesied about a coming age of restoration and return from exile, where God would put His Spirit within HIs people.
This age was to be the age of resurrection.
The age when the dead dry bones that was God’s people would receive resurrection life.
The time of restoration (gather you from the countries) and new life is the time of resurrection.
,
Jesus’ resurrection from the dead is the foundation for the age of resurrection, the new age, the age of the Kingdom.
Jesus’ Story is all about the Kingdom, the new age—this new age was the age of resurrection, when God’s people would be given His Spirit … for a purpose.
But it’s not only about His resurrection—it’s about the resurrection of all God’s people and the regeneration of the created universe.
Our Story
Resurrection Life in the Spirit
The age of the resurrection—of life in the Spirit—is the age where the life and ministry of the people of God are intentionally meant to direct the focus and attention to Jesus.
Church: There is one, and only one, story that gives meaning and purpose to all of our stories.
You can have new life, resurrection life.
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