Witness: Matthew (2)
Notes
Transcript
Witness: Matthew
Peter struggled with a superiority complex.
After a long journey he was waiting for food when he had a vision. He was told in the vision to eat food that was unclean. After the vision he is asked to go to a Gentile tanner’s house to share with them about Jesus.
Peter goes to Caesarea to Cornelius' house where he had gathered all of his family and friends. They were all saved and Holy Spirit was poured out upon them.
New Testament is full of such stories. The whole family...
Malawi- training church leaders- encouraging them to gather their family and share their testimony.
One man came back and shared that all of his family accepted Jesus.
God is asking us to gather our family and share with them the good news of Jesus.
9 As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.
10 And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples.
11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
12 But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.
13 Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
4 Excuses For Not Witnessing
They Are Too Sinful
They Are Too Sinful
11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
Like Zacchaeus, Matthew was a traitor and a cheat.
Just look at the friends he kept- known as tax collects and sinners.
2 ways "sinners" is used for the Jews.
The vast majority of Jews who did not follow the stricter sectarian regulations of the Pharisees.
The criminal and disreputable types of people in society. -- This is the use here.
Jesus was criticized for just being in their presence.
Jesus loved Matthew despite these failures.
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
13 Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
This barrier proves we do not understand the effects of sin.
All sin separates us from God.
No one is righteous.
Jesus came for the worst of sinners.
"Those who are well have no need of a physician."
Jesus died for the sinner-- that is us.
The first challenge in witnessing to someone is helping them realize they are a sinner. Pharisees didn’t realize they were sinners.
Jesus did not give up on us. We shouldn't give up on them.
They Are Not Interested
They Are Not Interested
9 As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.
He was working- sitting at tax booth.
Worked in a position that would show rebellion against God.
This is one of the biggest lies of Satan.
“They don’t care… if they did they would ask… if they did they would come to church… etc.”
Everyone is interested in truth and everyone wants to go to heaven if there is one.
People hide their needs. Everyone has a hole in their heart that they are trying to fill.
19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.
20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools,
23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
People are hurting from the effects of sin on this world. They are looking for a way out.
They have tried to replace God with something in their life.
For Saul, he was trying to replace God with legalism.
For Peter, James and John- they were replacing God with work.
For Matthew, he was replacing God with a rebellious lifestyle.
For Rich Young Ruler, he was replacing God with money.
Many may be sidetracked but their greatest need in life is Jesus.
They Will Not Listen
They Will Not Listen
10 And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples.
Matthew told everyone he knew. He did it on day one. no training.
There is not any training necessary to tell people about Jesus.
Just tell your story.
ILL-- Baptist churches sprung up in the West differently than most other denominations.
Most would send trained ministers to a new town and give them the power to start a church.
Baptists didn't have enough trained ministers. Lay Baptists would show up in a new town and find other Baptists and start a church and then find a pastor.
Eastern Heights- Mr. Ibach and 34 other lay people came together October 10, 1969. Eastern Heights started with a group of people wanting to start a church on the East side. Then they found them a preacher.
Del Norte- sent a group from FBC Albuquerque- Pastor search was secondary. Hired a college student.
This is one of the reasons that Baptist churches dominated Oklahoma and Texas.
They are more likely to listen to you than a preacher.
WE live today in a society that is skeptical of preachers.
But these are people you already have a relationship with.
They Will Not Respond
They Will Not Respond
12 But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.
13 Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Matthew was so excited about what Jesus did in his life he had a party and invited his friends.
The fear of rejection paralyzes most people from trying.
Asking out a girl. Seems better to have the dream than deal with rejection.
We must not take people saying "no" as a rejection of us. It is a rejection of God.
Matthew was criticized. Jesus was criticized. But many met Jesus.
Standing up for Christ is hard in front of people who we cherish their approval.
I’ve always struggled witnessing to family.
8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ
Galatians 1:10 We must take the risk. It is worth the risk.
10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.
God has called us to take the risk. But, it is not our responsibility for their decision.
6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.
7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.
8 He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor.
9 For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.
CONCLUSION
Will you invite your friends and family to meet Jesus?
Will you invite your friends and family to meet Jesus?