Pictures Drawn By King Jesus

Matthew 13:1-23

Purpose: understanding the Kingdom of Jesus through His parables, to become a true disciple!

• King Jesus Teaches The Parable of the Sower & Four Soils

Matthew 13:1 That day Jesus went out of the house and was sitting by the sea. 2 And large crowds gathered to Him, so He got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd was standing on the beach. 3 And He spoke many things to them in parables, saying, "Behold, the sower went out to sow; 4 and as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up. 5 "Others fell on the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil. 6 "But when the sun had risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. 7 "Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out. 8 "And others fell on the good soil and yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty. 9 "He who has ears, let him hear."

• Why King Jesus Uses Parables

Matt. 13:10   And the disciples came and said to Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?" 11 Jesus answered them, "To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. 12 "For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. 13 "Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 "In their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says,

         "YOU WILL KEEP ON HEARING, BUT WILL NOT UNDERSTAND;

         YOU WILL KEEP ON SEEING, BUT WILL NOT PERCEIVE;

15     FOR THE HEART OF THIS PEOPLE HAS BECOME DULL,

         WITH THEIR EARS THEY SCARCELY HEAR,

         AND THEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR EYES,

         OTHERWISE THEY WOULD SEE WITH THEIR EYES,

         HEAR WITH THEIR EARS,

         AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART AND RETURN,

         AND I WOULD HEAL THEM.'

16 "But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. 17 "For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

            Both to reveal and to conceal (vv. 11-13, 16-17)

            FULFILLMENT of Isaiah 6:9-10, see also John 12:38-41 & Acts 28:26

• The Kingdom of Jesus is Like the Sower & Four Soils

Matthew 13:18 "Hear then the parable of the sower. 19 "When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road. 20 "The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away. 22 "And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 23 "And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty." 

Jesus, King of the Sabbath

Matthew 12 (NASB)

Purpose: to worship Jesus who is Greater than the Temple

• King Jesus is Greater than the Temple and Lord of the Sabbath

Matthew 12:1 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and His disciples became hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat. 2 But when the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, "Look, Your disciples do what is not lawful to do on a Sabbath." 3 But He said to them, "Have you not read what David did when he became hungry, he and his companions, 4 how he entered the house of God, and they ate the consecrated bread, which was not lawful for him to eat nor for those with him, but for the priests alone? 5 "Or have you not read in the Law, that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the Sabbath and are innocent? 6 "But I say to you that something greater than the temple is here. 7 "But if you had known what this means, "I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT A SACRIFICE,' you would not have condemned the innocent. 8 "For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."

            Jesus is greater than the temple!

            Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath!

            FULFILLMENT of Hosea 6:6

• King Jesus Has Compassion, Healing a Man on the Sabbath

Matthew 12:9 Departing from there, He went into their synagogue. 10 And a man was there whose hand was withered. And they questioned Jesus, asking, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" "” so that they might accuse Him. 11 And He said to them, "What man is there among you who has a sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out? 12 "How much more valuable then is a man than a sheep! So then, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." 13 Then He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand!" He stretched it out, and it was restored to normal, like the other. 14 But the Pharisees went out and conspired against Him, as to how they might destroy Him. 15 But Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. Many followed Him, and He healed them all, 16 and warned them not to tell who He was. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet:

18     "BEHOLD, MY SERVANT WHOM I HAVE CHOSEN;

         MY BELOVED IN WHOM MY SOUL is WELL-PLEASED;

         I WILL PUT MY SPIRIT UPON HIM,

         AND HE SHALL PROCLAIM JUSTICE TO THE GENTILES.

19     "HE WILL NOT QUARREL, NOR CRY OUT;

         NOR WILL ANYONE HEAR HIS VOICE IN THE STREETS.

20     "A BATTERED REED HE WILL NOT BREAK OFF,

         AND A SMOLDERING WICK HE WILL NOT PUT OUT,

         UNTIL HE LEADS JUSTICE TO VICTORY.

21     "AND IN HIS NAME THE GENTILES WILL HOPE."

            FULFILLMENT of Isaiah 42:1-3

            Jesus is the Hope of the Gentiles!

            True Compassion is not about Pharisaical Rules, but Saving the Nations!

• In Jesus, The Kingdom of God has Come Upon You!

Matthew 12:22 Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus, and He healed him, so that the mute man spoke and saw. 23 All the crowds were amazed, and were saying, "This man cannot be the Son of David, can he?" 24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, "This man casts out demons only by Beelzebul the ruler of the demons."

25 And knowing their thoughts Jesus said to them, "Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and any city or house divided against itself will not stand. 26 "If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand? 27 "If I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? For this reason they will be your judges. 28 "But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 "Or how can anyone enter the strong man's house and carry off his property, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. 30 "He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters. 31 "Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. 32 "Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.

33 "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit. 34 "You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. 35 "The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil. 36 "But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. 37 "For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."

            Teaching about "a house divided against itself" answering the Pharisees (vv. 22-30) 

            Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit not forgiven (vv. 31-32) 

            From the heart the mouth speaks, a tree is known by its fruit (vv. 33-37) 

            The Kingdom of God has come in Christ, i.e., it is not future only

• King Jesus is Greater than Solomon, and the Sign of Jonah

Matthew 12:38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from You." 39 But He answered and said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet; 40 for just as JONAH WAS THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS IN THE BELLY OF THE SEA MONSTER, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 "The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment, and will condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. 42 "The Queen of the South will rise up with this generation at the judgment and will condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.

43 "Now when the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and does not find it. 44 "Then it says, "I will return to my house from which I came'; and when it comes, it finds it unoccupied, swept, and put in order. 45 "Then it goes and takes along with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. That is the way it will also be with this evil generation."

            FULFILLMENT of Jonah 1:17

            Like one inhabited by more evil spirits, an evil generation seeks signs (vv. 43-45)

            The error of this generation = they did not repent! (vv. 41-42)

• King Jesus and His Family

Matthew 12:46 While He was still speaking to the crowds, behold, His mother and brothers were standing outside, seeking to speak to Him. 47 Someone said to Him, "Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside seeking to speak to You." 48 But Jesus answered the one who was telling Him and said, "Who is My mother and who are My brothers?" 49 And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, "Behold My mother and My brothers! 50 "For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother."

"Whoever does the will of My Father" is "My brother and sister and mother"

See Matthew 28:18-20

Note: The context necessitates that the first set of family described is the earthly family of Jesus, His blood relatives, in order to distinguish them from those who do the Father's will. Therefore, any teaching that Jesus had no earthly family because Mary is a "perpetual virgin" is proven incorrect by this text.

Scripture Fulfilled Even In Those Who Oppose King Jesus

Matthew 11

Theme: To see the Sovereignty of God fulfilled even in those who oppose Jesus the King

• King Jesus and Elijah!

Matthew 11:1 When Jesus had finished 1giving instructions to His twelve disciples, He departed from there to teach and preach in their cities. 2 Now when John, while imprisoned, heard of the works of Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to Him, "Are You the Expected One, or shall we look for someone else?" 4 Jesus answered and said to them, "Go and report to John what you hear and see: 5 the BLIND RECEIVE SIGHT and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the POOR HAVE THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO THEM. 6 "And blessed is he who does not take offense at Me."

Matthew 11:7 As these men were going away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John, "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 "But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Those who wear soft clothing are in kings' palaces! 9 "But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and one who is more than a prophet. 10 "This is the one about whom it 1is written,

         "BEHOLD, I SEND MY MESSENGER AHEAD OF YOU,

         WHO WILL PREPARE YOUR WAY BEFORE YOU.'

11 "Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 "From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force. 13 "For all the prophets and the Law prophesied until John. 14 "And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is Elijah who was to come. 15 "He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

Matthew 11:16 "But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market places, who call out to the other children, 17 and say, "We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.' 18 "For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, "He has a demon!' 19 "The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, "Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds."

• 1-6 John the Baptist's disciples question Jesus

                        FULFILLMENT of Isaiah 35:5; Is. 61:1

• 7-19 Jesus teaches about John the Baptist

                        FULFILLMENT of Malachi 3:1

                        FULFILLMENT of "all the prophets and the Law" v. 13

                        FULFILLMENT of Malachi 4:5, the Elijah to come

• God's Purpose for the Miracles of King Jesus? Repentance!

Matthew 11:20 Then He began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles were done, because they did not repent. 21 "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles had occurred in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 "Nevertheless I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. 23 "And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You will descend to Hades; for if the miracles had occurred in Sodom which occurred in you, it would have remained to this day. 24 "Nevertheless I say to you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for you."

            "Woe" to Chorazin, Bethsaida, & Capernaum as compared to OT cities

• 20 "because they did not repent"

            i.e., the wickedness and hard-heartedness is worse during Jesus' time

                        than during the OT times of the cities mentioned! 

• King Jesus Prays to the Father and Invites the Weary

Matthew 11:25 At that time Jesus said, "I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. 26 "Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight. 27 "All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.

Matthew 11:28 "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29 "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. 30 "For My yoke is 1easy and My burden is light."

King Jesus prays and praises the Father that He has hidden "these things"

            = fulfillments and judgments = hidden from the wise but revealed to "infants"

• 27-30 Eternal truth of election with an open invitation.
• 27 "All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and

no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him."

            Jesus says, "come to Me. . .", "take My yoke . . .", "learn from Me"

                        FULFILLMENT of Jeremiah 6:16

            Do you answer the invitation of Jesus? Or do you oppose Him?

King Jesus Chooses His Apostles

Matthew 10

Purpose: To follow Jesus means we witness without fear and persevere when persecuted.

• King Jesus Calls the Twelve

Matthew 10:1 Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.

2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; and James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Him.

Jesus summons the 12 Apostles from the other disciples

Jesus commissions them to go to the lost sheep of Israel

Jesus prepares the apostles for their mission!

• King Jesus Prepares the Twelve Physically

Matthew 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them: "Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans; 6 but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 "And as you go, preach, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' 8 "Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give. 9 "Do not acquire gold, or silver, or copper for your money belts, 10 or a bag for your journey, or even two coats, or sandals, or a staff; for the worker is worthy of his support. 11 "And whatever city or village you enter, inquire who is worthy in it, and stay at his house until you leave that city. 12 "As you enter the house, give it your greeting. 13 "If the house is worthy, give it your blessing of peace. But if it is not worthy, take back your blessing of peace. 14 "Whoever does not receive you, nor heed your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet. 15 "Truly I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.

            Preach, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand"! Now, in Jesus Christ!

            Trust God to provide for your mission, He sent you, He will take care of you

The testimony to Israel, comparing to Sodom and Gomorrah, prepare for the King!

• King Jesus Prepares the Twelve Spiritually

Matthew 10:16 "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves. 17 "But beware of men, for they will hand you over to the courts and scourge you in their synagogues; 18 and you will even be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. 19 "But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say. 20 "For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. 21 "Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. 22 "You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved. 23 "But whenever they persecute you in one city, flee to the next; for truly I say to you, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel until the Son of Man comes.

Sheep to wolves; be wise serpents and innocent doves

            Do not worry, the Spirit will give you your testimony

            Persevere, keep proclaiming the Kingdom of Jesus, keep on going!

• King Jesus Explains True Discipleship

Matthew 10:24 "A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. 25 "It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign the members of his household! 26 "Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 27 "What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops. 28 "Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 "Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 "But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 "So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows. 32 "Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. 33 "But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven. 34 "Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 "For I came to SET A MAN AGAINST HIS FATHER, AND A DAUGHTER AGAINST HER MOTHER, AND A DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER MOTHER-IN-LAW; 36 and A MAN'S ENEMIES WILL BE THE MEMBERS OF HIS HOUSEHOLD. 37 "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 "And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 "He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.

True Discipleship is:

To follow Jesus without fear

To confesses Jesus before men

To take up your cross being willing to be persecuted like Jesus was

Goes into the public realm expecting persecution

Loves Jesus first in witness, life, and family

• 35-36 FULFILLMENT of Micah 7:6

Trusts God, as with the sparrows, that our hairs are numbered, so GO!

• Will You Receive the Message of King Jesus?

Matthew10:40 "He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. 41 "He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. 42 "And whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward."

Jesus encourages true reward in the work for the workers and the "receivers"

This is all tremendous empowerment to proclaim the kingdom of God in Christ along with warning and teaching about persecution; the King's encouragement to persevere!

Christmas Hope!

Purpose:  To show us that the only sure hope we have in this life is in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

• We Hope in Jesus Because Angels Worshipped Him!

Matthew 1:18-23; Luke 2:8-14

• We Hope in Jesus Because Kings Worshipped Him!

Matthew 2:1-12

Psalm 2:1-12

Phil. 2:9-11 Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE SHOULD BOW, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (NASB)

• We Hope in Jesus Because Shepherds Worshipped Him!

Luke 2:15-20

 "A man should not teach his son to be . . . a herdsman . . . for their craft is the craft of

robbers." (Mishnah: Kiddushin 4:14)

See Luke 4:18 quoting Isaiah 61

• We Hope in Jesus Because He is the Hope of the Nations!

Genesis 12:1 Now the LORD said to Abram,

         "Go forth from your country,

         And from your relatives

         And from your father's house,

         To the land which I will show you;

2       And I will make you a great nation,

         And I will bless you,

         And make your name great;

         And so you shall be a blessing;

3       And I will bless those who bless you,

         And the one who curses you I will curse.

         And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed."

Genesis 15:5 And He took him outside and said, "Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them." And He said to him, "So shall your descendants be."

Romans 4:18 In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become aa father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, "SO SHALL YOUR DESCENDANTS BE."

Galatians 3:8 The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, "ALL THE NATIONS WILL BE BLESSED IN YOU."

Revelation 5:9 And they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation."

Revelation 7:9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; 10 and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb."

A Christmas Poem by Christopher Smart:

Where is this stupendous stranger?                O the magnitude of weakness,

Prophets, shepherds, kings, advise;                If eternal is so young.

Lead me to my Master's manger,                   God all-bounteous, all creative,

Show me where my Savior lies.                     Whom no ills from good dissuade,

                                                                        Is incarnate, and a native

O most mighty, O most holy,                         Of the very world He made.

Far beyond the seraph's thought,

Art thou then so mean and lowly

As unheeded prophets taught?

Only God Can Forgive

Matthew 9

Purpose: Jesus is the God Who forgives, bringing with Him the New Covenant!

• Jesus Heals and FORGIVES the Paralytic

Matthew 9:1 Getting into a boat, Jesus crossed over the sea and came to His own city.

2 And they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, "Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven." 3 And some of the scribes said to themselves, "This fellow blasphemes." 4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, "Why are you thinking evil in your hearts? 5 "Which is easier, to say, "Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, "Get up, and walk'? 6 "But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins" "” then He said to the paralytic, "Get up, pick up your bed and go home." 7 And he got up and went home. 8 But when the crowds saw this, they were awestruck, and glorified God, who had given such authority to men.

            Jesus Has Authority to Forgive because He is God!

What is your reaction? Like the scribes or the awestruck crowds who glorified God?

• Jesus Calls Sinners to "Follow Me!"

Matthew 9:9 As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man called Matthew, sitting in the tax collector's booth; and He said to him, "Follow Me!" And he got up and followed Him.

10 Then it happened that as Jesus was reclining at the table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were dining with Jesus and His disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, "Why is your Teacher eating with the tax collectors and sinners?" 12 But when Jesus heard this, He said, "It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick. 13 "But go and learn what this means: "I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT SACRIFICE,' for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

            FULFILLMENT of Hosea 6:6

• Jesus the Bridegroom and New Wineskins

Matthew 9:14 Then the disciples of John came to Him, asking, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?" 15 And Jesus said to them, "The attendants of the bridegroom cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. 16 "But no one puts a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and a worse tear results. 17 "Nor do people put new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wineskins burst, and the wine pours out and the wineskins are ruined; but they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved."

Jesus is the Bridegroom

Are you one of the new wineskins?

• Miracles Revealing the Power of Jesus

Matthew 9:18 While He was saying these things to them, a synagogue official came and bowed down before Him, and said, "My daughter has just died; but come and lay Your hand on her, and she will live." 19 Jesus got up and began to follow him, and so did His disciples.

Matthew 9:20 And a woman who had been suffering from a hemorrhage for twelve years, came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His cloak; 21 for she was saying to herself, "If I only touch His garment, I will get well." 22 But Jesus turning and seeing her said, "Daughter, take courage; your faith has made you well." At once the woman was made well.

Matthew 9:23 When Jesus came into the official's house, and saw the flute-players and the crowd in noisy disorder, 24 He said, "Leave; for the girl has not died, but is asleep." And they began laughing at Him. 25 But when the crowd had been sent out, He entered and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. 26 This news spread throughout all that land.

Matthew 9:27 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!" 28 When He entered the house, the blind men came up to Him, and Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They said to Him, "Yes, Lord." 29 Then He touched their eyes, saying, "It shall be done to you according to your faith." 30 And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them: "See that no one knows about this!" 31 But they went out and spread the news about Him throughout all that land.

Matthew 9:32 As they were going out, a mute, demon-possessed man was brought to Him. 33 After the demon was cast out, the mute man spoke; and the crowds were amazed, and were saying, "Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel." 34 But the Pharisees were saying, "He casts out the demons by the ruler of the demons."      

            Jesus raises a synagogue official's daughter from the dead (vv. 18-19, 23-26)

Jesus heals a woman from a 12-year hemorrhage (vv. 22-22)

            Jesus makes two blind men see (vv. 27-31)

            Jesus casts out a demon from the mute man (vv. 32-34)

• The King's Teaching and Heart for the People

Matthew 9:35 Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness. 9:36 Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 38 "Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest."

Jesus the King's Methodology = through all the cities and villages, teaching,

proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing (v. 35)            

            Jesus the King's Heart = He felt compassion on the shepherdless people (v. 36)

            Jesus the King's Cry = Pray the Lord of the harvest to send workers! (vv. 37-38)

The Power of King Jesus

Matthew 8

Purpose: When you follow Jesus, you follow the Creator God and Sovereign Lord

• Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed."

Matthew 8:1 When Jesus came down from the mountain, large crowds followed Him. 2 And a leper came to Him and bowed down before Him, and said, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." 3 Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus said to him, "See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest and present the offering that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."

         Jesus Has Power to Cleanse So that You Too May Worship Him

         Jesus Cleanses a Leper

• Jesus said to him, "I will come and heal him."

Matthew 8:5 And when Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, imploring Him, 6 and saying, "Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, fearfully tormented." 7 Jesus said to him, "I will come and heal him." 8 But the centurion said, "Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 "For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, "Go!' and he goes, and to another, "Come!' and he comes, and to my slave, "Do this!' and he does it." 10 Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, "Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel. 11 "I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven; 12 but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." 13 And Jesus said to the centurion, "Go; it shall be done for you as you have believed." And the servant was healed that very 3moment.

Jesus Has Power to Heal Anyone, Gentile or Jew, Who Believes in Him

Jesus Heals the Centurion's Servant

Jesus compares the Gentile's true faith with the lack of Israel's faith

            Believing Gentiles are in the Kingdom of Heaven

                        Note the Old Testament Covenant language with Kingdom language (v. 11)

• "He touched her hand, and the fever left her"

Matthew 8:14 When Jesus came into Peter's home, He saw his mother-in-law lying sick in bed with a fever. 15 He touched her hand, and the fever left her; and she got up and waited on Him. 16 When evening came, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed; and He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were ill. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: "HE HIMSELF TOOK OUR INFIRMITIES AND CARRIED AWAY OUR DISEASES."

            Jesus Has Power to Heal the Ill and Demon-Possessed

FULFILLMENT of Isaiah 53:4

• But Jesus said to him, "Follow Me, and allow the dead to bury their own dead."

Matthew 8:18 Now when Jesus saw a crowd around Him, He gave orders to depart to the other side of the sea. 19 Then a scribe came and said to Him, "Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go." 20 Jesus said to him, "The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head." 21 Another of the disciples said to Him, "Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father." 22 But Jesus said to him, "Follow Me, and allow the dead to bury their own dead."  8:23 When He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him. 24 And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being covered with the waves; but Jesus Himself was asleep. 25 And they came to Him and woke Him, saying, "Save us, Lord; we are perishing!" 26 He said to them, "Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?" Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm. 27 The men were amazed, and said, "What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?"

Jesus has power over creation because He is Creator!

            Jesus tells a scribe that He has no place to lay His head (vv. 19-20)

            Jesus tells a disciple to follow Him and leave his family (vv. 21-22)

            Jesus calms the storm and calls the disciples "men of little faith" (vv. 23-27)

Creation Obeys Jesus Better Than His Followers

Begs us to answer the question for ourselves! Who is this Jesus?

The call of discipleship: Will you follow Jesus Christ?

• "Go!"

Matthew 8:28 When He came to the other side into the country of the Gadarenes, two men who were demon-possessed met Him as they were coming out of the tombs. They were so extremely violent that no one could pass by that way. 29 And they cried out, saying, "What business do we have with each other, Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?" 30 Now there was a herd of many swine feeding at a distance from them. 31 The demons began to entreat Him, saying, "If You are going to cast us out, send us into the herd of swine." 32 And He said to them, "Go!" And they came out and went into the swine, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and perished in the waters. 33 The herdsmen ran away, and went to the city and reported everything, including what had happened to the demoniacs. 34 And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw Him, they implored Him to leave their region.

Jesus Has Power Over Demons

            Jesus calls Himself "Son of Man" (8:20, see Dan. 7:13),

"¦but the demons call Him "Son of God" (8:29)

            The people of the area implore Jesus to leave!

Conclusion:

What's your response to Jesus's who power over demons and creation to cleanse and heal?

How do you answer the question, "Who is this?"

Are you more like those who have experienced Jesus's healing?

"¦ Or those with Jesus in the boat? "¦ Or those of the city who push Jesus away?

When you follow Jesus, you follow the Creator God and Sovereign Lord!

Few Find the Way

Matthew 7:13-29

Purpose: The way to heave is a narrow path, are you on it?

• Jesus the King on the Right v. the Wrong Way

         Matthew 7:13 "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 "For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.     

         Matthew 7:15 "Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 "You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? 17 "So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 "A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. 19 "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 "So then, you will know them by their fruits. 21 "Not everyone who says to Me, "Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 "Many will say to Me on that day, "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' 23 "And then I will declare to them, "I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'

Matthew 7:24 "Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 "And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock.

Matthew 7:26 "Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 "The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell "” and great was its fall."

Find the Only Way to Life (vv. 13-14)

Wide Gate = Destruction = Many Go the Wrong Way

Narrow Gate = Life = Few Find It!

Flee From False Prophets (vv. 15-20)

"You will know them by their fruits" (vv. 16, 20)

            Frauds Forbidden in the Kingdom of Heaven (vv. 21-23) 

                        FULFILLMENT of Psalm 6:8

            Follow The Right Way (vv. 24-25)

House built on the Rock = Obedience After Hearing

            Forsake The Wrong Way (vv. 26-27)

House built on Sand = Disobedience After Hearing

• Jesus Teaches With Kingdom Authority

Matthew 7:28 When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; 29 for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.

Conclusion:

This is all about true Christian Discipleship

Which path are you on?

Your path will definitely lead you to your destination!