"Therefore,” He said to them, “every student of Scripture instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who brings out of his storeroom what is new and what is old.” 53 When Jesus had finished these parables, He left there.
54 He went to His hometown and began to teach them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, “How did this wisdom and these miracles come to Him? 55 Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t His mother called Mary, and His brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? 56 And His sisters, aren’t they all with us? So where does He get all these things?” 57 And they were offended by Him.
But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his household.” 58 And He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief."
Matthew 13:52-58
Unless we exercise faith in that relationship with Christ there is a shallowness to our foundation. We can tend to lean off center… and even fall over as Christians.
"Now without faith it is impossible to please God, for the one who draws near to Him must believe that He exists and rewards those who seek Him."
Hebrews 11:6
Good Morning Beloved,
I am so thankful for each one of you here today, I give thanks toGod, for prompting your hearts to respond to the call to join us.
Now, that brings us to our text for today. I'd like to invite you to open you Bibles with me Matthew 13, verses 52-58. Allow me to just read to you, and if you would like, follow along with me. But first, let's join our hearts and minds together in prayer.
Heavenly Father,
We pray today, that You would help us to see in this marvelous text You have given us, the power of unbelief. Good and gracious Father, we also ask and pray, that there would not be anyone among us here today, who are continuing to live in unbelief. Those who are blurring the obvious, building up the irrelevant, blinding the truths You have given us today. Father we pray for those who are yet living in self-justification, clinging to their love of sin, hearing about Your Son, Jesus Christ, listening with such bias, such repudiation, that they could never see the truth.
Father, plow up the hardened soil in our hearts by Your Holy Spirit, that there might be receptive hearts among us. And we ask then, Lord, that even beyond those who need You here today, that You would give each of us a vision, a burning desire to reach those lost and unbelieving who remain in the world. Father, we just pray, that You would also, help us to realize, that we cannot convince against the will, but we do need to be available when Your Spirit is softening the will and plowing the soil in their hearts. Help us Lord, to be watchful and attentively aware, that we need to be there to sow the seed. Father, we pray that You would help us not to become discouraged when we see unbelief, in those we encounter but to know it as a fulfillment of Your own prophecies.
Gracious and loving Father,
we ask and pray this in Jesus' name
Amen
Today's Message: Measure What Matters
"Therefore,” He said to them, “every student of Scripture instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who brings out of his storeroom what is new and what is old.” When Jesus had finished these parables, He left there.
He went to His hometown and began to teach them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, “How did this wisdom and these miracles come to Him? Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t His mother called Mary, and His brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? And His sisters, aren’t they all with us? So where does He get all these things?” And they were offended by Him.
But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his household.” And He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief."
Jesus has been pretty busy.
In Matthew chapter 8, we’re told that He:
healed a Leper – Matthew 8:1
healed the servant of a Roman centurion – Matthew 8:5
healed Peter’s mother in law – Matthew 8:14
and at Capernaum, He healed numerous people with evil spirits and various diseases – Matthew 8:16
Then, in Matthew chapter 9 tells us that Jesus:
raised a girl from the dead – Matthew 9:25
and He made the blind to see – Matthew 9:29
and He made the mute to speak – Matthew 9:32
All of these were mighty works! And all of these took place before He got to Nazareth. But something at Nazareth makes it so that He can’t do miracles there like He had elsewhere.
Does anybody know what it was that stopped Jesus from doing miracles? Lack of faith.
Without faith it’s impossible to please God.
Without faith it’s impossible to receive the power and the blessings of Jesus.
Without faith, your Christianity, and mine, lacks a solid foundation.
And when that happens, our Christianity has little to build on except lifeless doctrine and empty ritual.
Allow me, to just pose a couple of questions:
So why didn’t the people in Nazareth believe Jesus? What led to their lack of faith?
How can we make sure that our faith doesn’t suffer the same fate?
So, let’s start with the 1st question:
Why didn’t the people of Nazareth believe in Jesus?
Why didn’t they have the faith necessary for Him to work in their midst?
Well, I've often said, the answers to anything you want to know, can be found in Scripture.
God, in His provision, has provided everything we need.
So let’s look at Matthew 13:54:
"He went to His hometown and began to teach them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, “How did this wisdom and these miracles come to Him?"
Intellectually, they were well aware that Jesus could do mighty works.
Intellectually they realized that His preaching held great wisdom and tremendous power.
Now, let's look at the next few verses;
"Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t His mother called Mary, and His brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? And His sisters, aren’t they all with us? So where does He get all these things?” And they were offended by Him." Matthew 13:55-57
Now isn't that a bizarre turn of events?:
First, they begin by acknowledging Jesus’ power and wisdom
Then they backtrack and start tracing his family history.
And then they become offended with the whole idea that He could do and say what He did.
Are they crazy?
No, not at all. They’re just highly irritated, they're put off with having to move out of their "comfort zone." They think they've got Jesus all figured out, they knew all they wanted to know about Him.
And this idea that He might be more than they expected, well, it made them very uncomfortable.
Beloved, many times, we Christians fall into the same trap.
Jesus can become a theological presence for us.
We read our Bible, we go to church, we say a few prayers and then we go on with our lives. Jesus is over there and we’re over here, and let's be honest, that’s just the way some Christians like it. It’s a very comfortable arrangement for a lot of people. Jesus takes care His business, and we take care of ours.
But every now and then, Jesus, manages to escape out of the box, that we've placed Him in.
Every once in awhile Jesus moves.
He gets a little closer than we’re used to.
He starts to challenge us in ways we’re not accustomed to, and we start to become a little uncomfortable.
And then, when we least expect it, it happens. Jesus goes from allowing us to just say we believe something and puts us right smack in the middle of situations where we have to PROVE that we believe it.
And when that time comes, we have to ask ourselves: Do we really believe what we say we do?
How many times in your life have you missed God doing a miracle or mighty work in your life?
How many times have you missed God doing a work and then try to pass it off as God’s will?
There are times when God wants to bless us but He is unable to and so we try to save face by convincing ourselves that it wasn’t God’s will to heal us, or to meet a certain need of ours.
Don’t fall into the proverbial Christian assumption that says, "Well, if it’s God’s will then it will happen."
That is a line, many Christians use to keep from having to pray harder or strive to see God do something in our lives. Because God allows certain things doesn’t mean it is His desired will…
Have you ever wondered why some people seem to experience much of God, while the rest of us seem to sit on the sidelines, at watch God work from a distance?What is it causes the Power of God to explode in one person’s life but not in another?
I'm sure you know the ones, it seems as though every time they open their mouth, they are testifying about a new thing new God has done in their life. Then, you sit and wonder, "Why doesn’t anything like that ever happen to me?"
In verse 51, Jesus asked them whether they had understood all these things. If not, he was still willing to teach them. He enjoined on them their duty to make a proper use of this knowledge by speaking another parable.
Every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven, that is, every man that is acquainted with the gospel or with the truth. As the disciples had said that they had understood the truth, He says that it should not be unemployed. They should bring it forth in due time, like a householder bringing out of his treasury, or place of deposit, what had been laid up there at any time, as it was needed.
Bring forth, meaning as an occasion demands; as in sickness, calamity, or the wants of His family, or the poor require.
The word "treasure" here means a place of deposit, not merely for money, but for anything valuable, or necessary for the comfort of a family. It is the same as "treasury" or a place of "deposit."
New and old - Things recently acquired, or things that had been stored up for a long time. So, Christ, said, you, my disciples, are to be. The truth, new or old, which you have gained, don't keep it stored up and hidden, but bring it forth, in due season, on the proper occasions, for the benefit of others.
It is my personal belief, that every preacher should be so properly instructed. Christ for three years gave instructions to the apostles; and they who preach should be able to understand the gospel, to defend it, and to communicate it to others. Human knowledge and wisdom alone, is indeed of no value to a minister; but rather all learning that will enable a man better to understand the Scriptures, therefore, communicate its truths. This is valuable, and if possible, should be gained. A minister, should be like the father of a family, distributing to the church, as it needs; and out of his treasures, both new and old, bring forth truth to confirm the feeble, to enlighten the ignorant, and to recover those who are in grave danger of straying. To help advise and guide them.
In verse 52, Jesus continues: "Therefore,” He said to them, “every student of Scripture instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who brings out of his storeroom what is new and what is old." Here the disciples are named Scribes. They were being instructed in the kingdom of heaven by Jesus Himself, and it was their calling to convey His message to others. They are to bring forth the new treasure of the Gospel, however, were not to fail to apply the truths written in the Old Testament.
But because of unbelief: Matthew 13:53-58
For one last time we see Jesus teaching in a synagogue, in His home town. The people were astonished, however, their hearts remained unchanged. Familiarity often breeds contempt, therefore, they were offended in Him.
It has ever been the same, and drew forth the observation of Jesus that "But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his household." in verse 57.
It is amazing to me, that those who were witness to what Jesus had been doing and teaching were so hardened in their unbelief. It certainly wasn't that they didn't know what to believe, but instead that they refused to believe.
The sin of infidelity carries its own indictment:
And so we read in verse 58, "And He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief."
Beloved, the sinfulness of this world is not God’s will.
When you and I disobey God it is not His will. It is God’s will to work in and through our lives, however, in order to work in our lives there are some things that must take place.
Why do some churches experience the abundant blessings of God while others struggle just to keep the doors open? According to Barna Research, in 2007, an average of 1000 churches would gather, preach, pray, sing then turn off the lights and shut the doors for the last time.
What is it that moves the Hand of God?
How can you experience the "dunamis" power of God in your personal life? Dunamis power, means that this person or God has some inner strength that isn't dependent on outward things. Biblically, dunamis distinctly describes the power of God.
If we could just get a hold of the mightiness of God in our lives!
If we could just get a hold of the mightiness of God in the lives of our families!
If we could just get a hold of the mightiness of God in our church!
If we can ever get a hold of the mightiness of God in our community! Then, we can begin to experience the miracles and mighty works that God desires to do among us rather than simply hearing about what He’s doing in someone else's life.
So what is it that is squelching the power of God in most of our churches today? What is causing God to withhold his power in your life? The answer is one simple phrase: THERE IS NO VISION!
Imagine the thrill Jesus must have felt to be able to go home and preach the way of salvation to those who knew Him. They couldn't see Jesus as He is. Instead, they could only see Jesus as He was.
Beloved, if we want to experience the Power of God, we need to get a true vision of who Jesus is and of what He wants to do in us and through us.
We must see Jesus as He is:The Son of God…
The Savior of the world…
He is our salvation, our healer, our redeemer, and our deliverer!
Notice what they say about Jesus verses 55-57; "Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t His mother called Mary, and His brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? And His sisters, aren’t they all with us? So where does He get all these things?” And they were offended by Him."
Because of their lack of faith, they could not see Jesus as the Son of God, only as an earthly man. That’s how much of the world sees Him today. Not as the risen Savior! They could not see Him as the Messiah, but as a good teacher, and that’s all!
Why is God not moving His hands in today's church and the lives of His people? Allow me to read to you from the book of Proverbs chapter 29, verse 19;
"Without revelation people run wild, but one who listens to instruction will be happy."
THERE IS NO VISION!
Vision – according to Merriam- Webster, one definition is; a supernatural appearance that conveys a revelation.
A vision is also described as a mental sight; seeing the unseen…dream, vision.
Perish – to loosen or cut off; undirected, undisciplined…
Without a vision we become like a boat drifting aimlessly at sea tossed about by every wave…
It is a VISION that gives our life purpose,
It is VISION that gives us direction,
It is VISION that gives us hope,
It is VISION that gives us courage and
It is VISION that gives us motivation.
Just as an architect envisions a building before the plans are drawn or construction begins. Or a farmer envisions a crop even before the ground is broken… Parents envision many things for their children, often even before they are born.
When the church of God has a vision:
Lives will be changed…
People will be fed…
Widows will be ministered to…
Homes will be restored…
Families will be reconciled…
The sick will be healed…
And sinners will be saved…
Once we begin to stop "seeing," we can begin to envision, and expect, God to do great things… We will begin to have hope, courage, purpose and direction. We don't need to have sight in order to have a vision! We just need faith!
Beloved, we must get a vision of Jesus!
A vision of how He left Heaven to be born in this flesh of a virgin…..PREACH Christ!!!
We must get a vision of lost souls, who without Jesus Christ, are perishing!
Envision it: Just who are these perishing souls?
They are your neighbor, your mother, your father, your sibling, your co-worker.
If we literally envision the engulfing flames, literally envision hearing the screams of torment, literally smelling the sulfuric stench of Hell, literally envisioning the demons as they pounce upon each soul as new prey, envision the wailing and gnashing of teeth, we just might get a vision of Salvation and Eternity!
Eternity is forever!
Beloved, Not only are most churches without a vision, there is no vision of bringing the lost to Christ! There is no vision of reconciliation! There is no vision of accountability! There is no vision of rebuke!
And in many, there is no vision in prayer! There's no expectation of anything happening! It is disturbing, that many of today's modern churches, and Christians are just going through the motions.
Did anyone happen to notice, that in our text, they spoke about Jesus, even while in His presence!
But they didn’t speak directly to Him, they spoke as if He wasn't there!
Beloved, how often do we speak about God but fail to speak directly to Him? We spend a significant amount of time, trying to convince others, that we have this intimate relationship with Him, and we even start to believe it, because we're speaking about Him.
I'm going to say this, as boldly as I can, I’ve had people who are so lost, they couldn't find their car keys sitting in the drivers seat with the engine running! And, yet they go on and on, telling me how God has just answer their prayer and blessed them.
It is just astonishing to me, how religious some people suddenly become when they find out that I’m a preacher. That’s usually their defense mechanism. As if it's going to somehow keep me from preaching to them about salvation. Instead, I'm more inclined to speak with them about faith, prayer, obedience, and the Great Commission. You should see how many become noticeably uncomfortable.
But prayer is, prayer is speaking to God. Prayer is having an intimate conversation with Him, not a casual conversation about Him!
Have you any idea how many "Christians," cannot recite the Lord's Prayer? Who have no clue what the Great Commission is? Or worse, why they believe what they believe!? How can we claim to be a Christian, if we don't know the person of Christ? And, I'm obviously not speaking about the historical Jesus.
Beloved, Satan’s number one weapon against the church is Christians who don't know sound doctrine and those who don’t pray!
Prayer is reaching into the darkness, and taking hold of the hand of God!
We not only must pray, but we must learn how to pray!
Romans 8:26-27, the apostle Paul tells us, "In the same way the Spirit also joins to help in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with unspoken groanings. And He who searches the hearts knows the Spirit’s mind-set, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God."
And in James 4:3, we're told, "You ask and don’t receive because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your evil desires."
Do you know how you learn to pray?
You learn to pray by praying!
Finally, there is no faith!
Follow along as I read this next verse.
"Now without faith it is impossible to please God, for the one who draws near to Him must believe that He exists and rewards those who seek Him."
Hebrews 11:6
How can we operate apart from faith and expect God to bless us?
Do you know what faith is?
"Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen. For our ancestors won God’s approval by it.
By faith we understand that the universe was created by God’s command, so that what is seen has been made from things that are not visible."
Hebrews 11:1-3
Allow me to put it another way:
When you find out that you're are expecting a baby, you make preparation to receive the newborn into your life. You start to prepare the room for a nursery, you buy diapers, a crib, baby clothes. Then you baby proof the home, and if you're like most parents, you buy more diapers…and stock up on more diapers!
The point is: You prepare your life to receive the expected blessing, am I right? Faith is asking God to do a good work, perform a miracle, or do what He said He would do, in His written Word and expecting it to be done!
THAT’S WHAT OUR FAITH SAYS TO GOD… I BELIEVE YOU WILL DO IT!
Remember the woman with the issue of blood? And Jesus said what? "Your Faith has made you whole."
Great Faith will always do three things:
The first, Great Faith will always get God’s attention!
The woman with the issue, Jesus stopped.
The man crippled with palsy, through the roof, Jesus stopped the service…
Great Faith will always get an immediate response!
But its not always an immediate result, remember Daniel, Gabriel.... the result took 21 days.
And third, Great Faith will always reap a great move of God….
Something only God can do. I believe He is a bit of a show off.
He loves to hear, "That can't be done! There's no way! Its impossible!"
Then God shows up and says, "Watch Me! For Me, Nothing is impossible!"
And when Jesus raised Lazarus…. He said to Martha, "Did I not tell you that if you
would believe you would see the Glory of God?"
In Closing....
If we’re going to see the hand of God move, if we're going to see mighty works in our lives and in our community…
We need a vision of Jesus and what He wants to accomplish in us.
We must pray faithfully, effectively, and fervently for His will to be done in and through us.
We must begin to walk in great faith, believing God is already at work in us.
We must start expecting God to do it.
And start praising and praying, thanking Him for what will be done in Faith Believing!
How big is your Faith?
Measure What Matters!
And now may the Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.
Now and forever, in Jesus' name
Amen
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