The United States is normally considered a Christian nation. In surveys regarding the religious background of Americans, it is thought that up to 80% of respondents said that they were Christian while 40-50% considered themselves evangelical. Yet, many don’t attend church and seldom read the Bible. The Lord addresses this issue in the next few verses. He emphasizes that there are certain characteristics that make up the life of a true disciple of Jesus Christ. Are these a part of your life? This is the second message in this mini-series in the Gospel of Matthew.
What Does a Disciple Look Like - Part #1 (Matthew 10:26-31)
The United States is normally considered a Christian nation. In surveys regarding the religious background of Americans, it is thought that up to 80% of respondents said that they were Christian while 40-50% considered themselves evangelical. Yet, many don’t attend church and seldom read the Bible. The Lord addresses this issue in the next few verses. He emphasizes that there are certain characteristics that make up the life of a true disciple of Jesus Christ. Are these a part of your life?
When You Can't Get Along (Acts 15:36-41)
There is a principle that is common in life: “As long as there are two people, conflict is inevitable.” In Acts 15, Paul and Barnabas come to an impassable situation regarding a disagreement. The Bible always has the answer to our problems and the answer to dealing with conflicts is no different. If we want to handle conflicts in a way that honors God we need to pay attention to what God says regarding conflicts.
Christlikeness: The Goal of Discipleship (Matthew 10:24-25)
In your journey as a “believer” or a “born-again Christian”, have you ever asked the question, “Is this all there is to be a Christian?” Jesus said, “I have come that you might have life and have it more abundantly.” What exactly does that mean? How do I know if I am having abundant life. What exactly is abundant life? The Lord begins a mini-series in Matthew as He details the issues surrounding what it means to have abundant life. The question today is: “Are you experiencing abundant life?”
How Should We React to the Resurrected Lord (John 20:11-31)
Sandy Patti has a song that is entitled, “Was It a Morning Like This?”. It speaks of the reactions to the resurrected Lord. We all react to Easter differently. Some of us get excited, some of us like that it is a holiday that we can get together with family, and some of us don’t really care. But, Easter is the one day that separates Christianity from everything else. We serve a risen Savior. The tomb is empty. Our Lord is alive and He is everything He said He was. As the saying goes, “He is risen, He is risen indeed!”
It's Palm Sunday! - Where will You be Standing? (Matthew 21:1-11)
Growing up in a church, I remember Easter very well. Easter activities always began on “Palm Sunday”. The kids in the Sunday School would be handed “palm branches” and we would invade the auditorium during the service by coming down the center aisle, waving the palm branches, and shouting “hallelujah”! It was exciting for us even though we didn’t fully comprehend what it really meant. The crowds also didn’t comprehend what it meant when Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. There were 4 different groups represented that day. We have to ask ourselves, “What group would we have been in?”
Living as Sheep Among the Wolves (Matthew 10:16-23)
When I pastored in Michigan, I had a member of my church that raised sheep. I used “sheep” as an illustration in a sermon one Sunday and, afterward, he asked me to come out to his farm so I could actually observe sheep. I found that his sheep, like everyone else’s, were pretty typical. They usually didn’t know where to go or what to do if he didn’t direct them and watch over them. It was a very unique education that day for me. It is no mistake that the Lord refers to His children as “sheep”. In today’s passage, the Lord tells the disciples that He is sending them out as “sheep among the wolves”. What exactly did He mean? Today’s message answers that question.
Light for Dark Days (2 Thessalonians 2:13-17)
It is an interesting and terrible fact that approximately one out of every 400,000 children will be born with a rare genetic disorder known as familial dysautomomia. Literally, the child will never feel any pain. What a wonderful thing. To think that you could go through life with no aches or pains, no headaches, no stomach aches, no feeling from sprains or breaks, etc., etc., etc. What sounds wonderful is really a curse. The tragedy of this disorder is that the child will never live long enough to make it to adulthood. Pain is often what saves our lives as it points out the issues or problems that need to be corrected or looked at. In the spiritual realm, pain is also the vehicle that often helps us to grow and become like Christ. Paul’s message today explains the blessings of pain as we grow and mature.
The Lord's Commission to His Disciples (Matthew 10:5-15)
Every time that I have started a new job or ministry position, the organization or company has handed me a document that clearly states its expectations for me as I work or represent them in whatever field of endeavor it entails. We call it a “job description”. It is great to work in an environment where the expectations are clearly stated. We know when we are doing what we should be doing and that helps tremendously. The Lord provided a “job description” for the disciples as He sent them out. It was His “commission”. It is important to understand that the expectation that the Lord had for the disciples is very similar to the expectations that He has for us today.
When the Trumpet Sounds (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)
When we talk about the future and the Lord’s return, we create a lot of interest and curiosity. When Jesus ascended into Heaven in Acts 1, the disciples stood there staring up in the sky. Two angels suddenly appeared and said, “Why are you standing here and staring up into the sky? This same Jesus will return in the same manner that He left.” We have been waiting ever since that moment. How should we approach the Lord’s return and is it real? Today’s message explains Paul’s comments as they address the Lord’s return.
The Messiah's Call to His Disciples (Matthew 10:1-4)
When a person accepts Christ, they became a part of God’s forever family. With the call to become a part of God’s family also comes a call to become one of the Lord’s disciples. Everyone responds to that call in one way or another. Some say yes and some say no. The Lord put out a call to His original twelve. How did He call them and what did He give them? Today’s message looks at those questions.
The Mission of the Messiah (Matthew 9:35-38)
When the Lord came to the earth as a tiny babe, it wasn’t just a last-minute plan or a fleeting task. He came with a specific purpose in mind. As a matter of fact, the Lord didn’t do anything without purpose. If you know Christ as Savior, you didn’t stumble into that. As the Lord had specific purposes in coming to earth, He had a specific purpose in saving you. Today’s message speaks of His purpose or His mission.
Jesus' Power over Sight and Sound (Matthew 9:27-33)
The Sermon on the Mount was the Lord’s “State of the Union” address for the public ministry that He was introducing to Israel. At the conclusion of His message, the Lord demonstrated His power over all sorts of elements in the world today from healing to power over nature. The greatest evidence of the Lord’s power was His resurrection from the dead on that great Sunday. The second evidence of the Lord’s power was His power to raise the dead. The third evidence was to give sight where there was no sight. We once again see that power evidenced in today’s message. There is nothing that you may bring to the Lord that He cannot handle. He is waiting and wanting to meet your needs today. Will you let Him meet those needs?
Jesus' Power over Death [P#1] (Matthew 9:18-22)
The Sermon on the Mount was the Lord’s “State of the Union” address for the public ministry that He was introducing to Israel. At the conclusion of His message, the Lord demonstrated His power over all sorts of elements in the world today from healing to power over nature. The greatest evidence of the Lord’s power was His resurrection from the dead on that great Sunday. The second evidence of the Lord’s power was His power to raise the dead. We see that power evidenced in today’s and next week’s message. There is nothing that you may bring to the Lord that He can not handle. He is waiting and wanting to meet your needs today. Will you let Him meet those needs?
God Receives the Sinner and Refuses the Righteous (Matthew 9:9-13)
One day as Jesus was traveling and ministering, he was approached by a large number of children who were laughing and excited to see the Messiah. The disciples tried to rebuke them and tell them to leave the master alone. Jesus took one of the children and said, “Unless you come as a little child, you will never understand or receive the kingdom of God.” Today’s passage is Matthew’s call to ministry. The pharisees reacted negatively to all of this because they accused Jesus of hanging out with people who He should never be around. The Lord always receives the sinner but the righteous don’t see the need for one. The messages challenges us today to consider what group we are in.
Jesus' Power over Sin (Matthew 9:1-8)
It is pretty amazing to consider Jesus. The Bible tells us, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God!” Obviously, Jesus is God! As we have studied Matthew, we have seen that the Lord has the power over disease, the power over nature, the power over the supernatural, and finally, the power over sin. The Lord has the power and the ability to heal the disease of sin in my life. Forgiveness! What a wonderful thing. The Lord has the power to forgive! I can have forgiveness if I come to the Lord. What a wonderful thing.
Jesus' Power over Sin (Matthew 9:1-8)
It is pretty amazing to consider Jesus. The Bible tells us, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God!” Obviously, Jesus is God! As we have studied Matthew, we have seen that the Lord has the power over disease, the power over nature, the power over the supernatural, and finally, the power over sin. The Lord has the power and the ability to heal the disease of sin in my life. Forgiveness! What a wonderful thing. The Lord has the power to forgive! I can have forgiveness if I come to the Lord. What a wonderful thing.
Jesus Power over the Supernatural (Matthew 8:28-34)
Jesus is Lord. He is Lord over diseases. He is Lord over creation. He is Lord over nature. He is Lord over all. In today’s passage, we see the Lord arriving on the other side of the Sea of Galilee where He is immediately confronted by two demon-possessed individuals. Not only is Jesus the Lord over nature, but He is also Lord over the supernatural. What happens in this passage serves as an example for us that the Lord can handle anything that comes into our lives. We only have to trust Him.
Jesus' Power over the Natural (Matthew 8:23-27)
Jesus is Lord. He is Lord over diseases. He is Lord over creation. He is Lord over nature. He is Lord over all. In today’s passage, we see the Lord traveling across the Sea of Galilea. He just finished the Sermon on the Mount and has spent the remaining time healing people of diseases. He is exhausted. He falls asleep in the boat and a storm that the disciples have not experienced before comes upon them. They are afraid. The Lord still sleeps. They are afraid they are going to drown. They forget that they are with the Lord of creation. What happens? This message takes us right into the boat with them.
How to Have Courage When You Are Not Sure What is Coming... (Joshua 1:1-9)
One of the issues that is pretty common to everyone is a fear of the unknown. When we don’t know what is ahead we have a tendency to fear what may or may not be there. Joshua faced that very issue. He had been Moses’ second in command for forty years and watched God do amazing thing through Moses. Now, Moses is gone and Joshua is God’s choice to lead Israel into the promised land. It was pretty overwhelming. God gives Joshua this motivational speech that challenges him to trust God no matter what. Pretty good advice for all of us. Today’s message speaks to that.