Kingdom Mindset: Matthew 17

Intro: This week in preparing for this sermon it struck me how much Elias beholds me. He watches everything I do and copies me to the best of his abilities. When I thought about this it first made me scared that I’m not setting the best example possible, but it also made me think about what I behold.In the past I have beheld guitarists so I can play like them, I’ve beheld football players so I can play like them, and I’ve beheld strongmen so I can lift like them. But ultimately these all are wrong things to behold. If I truly want to like the best life I can it does not come down to me finding the best person to behold it comes down to whether or not I am beholding Jesus.

CIT: We become like what we behold

What do we behold?

How do we respond?

What do we behold? (Matt. 17:1-13)

We behold Jesus’s divine glory

Moses - represents the law, which reflects the glory of God

Elijah - represents the prophets, which spoke the words of God

Jesus - He is The Word and the Glory of God (John 1:1, 14)

How do we respond? (Matt. 7:14-27)

Be patient like Jesus (Matt. 17:17)

He is patient with the unbelief of the disciples

He is patient with ours

When we behold Jesus we learn to be patient with those around us

Patient when we feel left out

Patient when community takes longer than expected to build

Patient when things don’t go our way

Be compassionate like Jesus (Matt. 17:18)

He is compassionate with the man by healing his son

He is compassionate with us in saving us instead of destroying us

When we behold Jesus we learn to be compassionate towards those around us

Compassion meets the need

Be encouraging like Jesus (Matt. 17:19-20)

Jesus encouraged the disciples when they are discouraged after their unbelief

He encourages us through our unbelief

When we behold Jesus we learn to encourage others around us

Encourage them to stay strong in their faith

Encourage them to step out and build community

Encourage them to be bold in their faith

Encourage them to be vulnerable in their relationships

Be willing like Jesus (Matt. 17:22-23a)

Jesus was willing to be tortured and die for sinners

When we behold what Jesus has done for us on the cross we learn to be willing

To be willing to share the gospel despite anxieties and fears

To be willing to serve in ways that we may not want to

To be willing to suffer for the Kingdom

Be victorious like Jesus (Matt. 17:23b)

Ultimately in his resurrection Jesus was victorious over sin and death, and has promised this victory to us as well.

When we behold Jesus we learn to be victorious over sin

Be humble like Jesus (Matt. 17:24-27)

Jesus was humble enough to place himself under laws like paying temple taxes even though he created the very sea and fish that gave Peter the money for the tax.

When we behold Jesus’s humility we learn to be humble as well

Philippians 2:3-11 “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”