Matt 13:1-53, Rejection results in the kingdom explained in parables

• Review:
• John the Baptist's doubts -- see Matt 3:7-12
• What was John expecting?  Judgment
• What was John seeing?  Mercy
• Explanation of rejection
• "Central to the plot of Matthew's story is the element of conflict. The
principal conflict pits Israel against Jesus, and the death of Jesus
constitutes the primary resolution of this conflict. On another level, Jesus
also struggles with the disciples. Here the conflict is to bring them to
understanding, or to enable them to overcome their 'little faith,' or to invite
them to avail themselves of the great authority Jesus has given them, or,
above all, to lead them to comprehend that the essence of discipleship is
servanthood."(Kingsbury, p9)
• Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, in view of the context (vv. 24-28),
involved attributing Jesus' works to Satan rather than to the Spirit. The sin
was not a matter of speech; the words spoken simply reflected the attitude
of the heart. God would not forgive this sin because the person who
committed it in Jesus' day was thereby strongly rejecting Jesus as the
Messiah. … Can a person commit this sin today? One can reject Jesus Christ, but one
cannot blaspheme the Spirit in the same sense in which Jesus'
contemporaries could. To do so one would have to observe Jesus doing
His works and attribute them to Satan.  One could say therefore that
blasphemy against the Spirit was an unforgivable sin during Jesus' earthly
ministry. The unforgivable sin at any time since Jesus began His earthly
ministry to the present day is (ultimate, death bed) rejection of Jesus Christ.
• How is this important the church?
• Clearly Matthew is still written for the Jew today
• Because of the rejection by Israel, the mystery of the church was revealed.  We are in the church age today.  Jews who come to Christ are part of the church, but God, as revealed elsewhere in the NT and OT, has not finished his program with Israel
• It should be noted that after the rejection, Jesus begins to reveal "mysteries" (also translated "secrets"), i.e., truths not fully revealed in the OT
• Romans 11:1–5 (ESV) — 1 I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel? 3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.” 4 But what is God’s reply to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” 5 So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace.
• Romans 11:25–26 (ESV) — 25 Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written,
“The Deliverer will come from Zion,
he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”;


Matthew 13:1–2 (ESV) — 1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2 And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach.


• What day are we talking about?
• The day of the rejection
• Jesus is going to give 8 parables (probably more), 4 to the people publicly and 4 to his disciples privately, and then they are going to get in a boat and cross to the other side of the Galilee, which is why Jesus falls asleep
• A full day of teaching and conflict is exhausting
• Note: Matthew doesn't show the order because it is thematically organized
• We need to understand the organization of this next section
Matthew presented this discourse in a chiastic (crossing) structure.(Wenham, 516) This structure is common in the Old Testament and in other Jewish writings. It enhances the unity of the discourse and focuses attention on the central element as what is most important. A diagram of this structure follows.
A The introduction vv. 1-2
B The first parable to the crowds vv. 3-9
C An explanatory interlude: purpose and explanation vv. 10-23
D Three more parables to the crowd vv. 24-33
E An explanatory interlude: fulfillment and
explanation vv. 34-43
D' Three parables to the disciples vv. 44-48
C' An explanatory interlude: explanation and response vv. 49-51
B' The last parable to the disciples v. 52
A' The conclusion v. 53
This structural analysis reveals that the discourse consists of two sections of four parables
each, the first four to the multitudes and the last four to the disciples. In each section one
parable stands out from the others. In the first group this is the first parable and in the
second group it is the last one. The central section between the two groups of parables
explains the function of the parables and explains one of them. (Constable, p182)


Matthew 13:3–13 (ESV) — 3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6 but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears, let him hear.”
10 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11 And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.


• Note that Matthew uses an interlude here
• Jesus spoke to the crowds, at least 4 parables and probably more
• Matthew jumps to the future to show the explanation of the one and then returns to the scene
• What is the first question the disciples raise after the parable of the sower?
• They question him about the use of parables
• Why the question?
• What is Jesus response?
• Because of the rejection, Jesus is no longer speaking plainly
• Because of the rejection, the mysteries are required to explain the postponement of the kingdom
• That fits with my theory that although God knew Israel would reject, he waited until they rejected


Mark 4:13 (ESV) — 13 And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?


• The first parable is a key to all the other parables


Matthew 13:18–23 (ESV) — 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 what was sown along the path. 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”


• What are the four soils?
• What is the seed?
• Who are the birds?
• How many soils respond?
• Incidentally, I think they soils are in decreasing size of response
• If 3 soils represent believers, then what are the three conditions believers can find themselves in?
• Fallen away because of lack of root and troubles
• Good roots but choked because of sin
• Good roots and fruit
• How does the Christian develop good roots?
• Good roots are in contrast to surface roots -- what is the difference? DEPTH
• Quickly talk about five ways of getting the scripture into life
• Hear
• Read
• Study
• Memorize
• APPLY / MEDITATE


Matthew 13:24–30 (ESV) —
24 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, 25 but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. 27 And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ”


• Remember what Jesus actually said, if you don't understand the first, you won't understand the others
• Here we have the seed again, which is what?
• What happens with the seed?
• It grows and there is a whole bunch of it -- like the church
• Incidentally, there was a weed, bearded darnel, that look very much like wheat
• But what happens?
• Someone, called an enemy plants another type of seed in the same field that has the church
• The weeds become intertwined with the believers
• What does Jesus say to do?
• Leave it alone, it will be separate at the end


Matthew 13:36–43 (ESV) — 36 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” 37 He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40 Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, 42 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.


• This is the explanation given to the disciples afterwards
• First of all, where is Israel and its mission of taking the gospel to the world?
• It is missing
• The field is still the world
• Who is the sower and the director of the harvest?
• Son of man, Jesus
• Jesus takes God's role of directing the harvest and sowing
• Who are the good seeds?
• This should be Israel, and it is now Jesus' followers
• Where do the angels gather?
• Notice that the angels weed out of the KINGDOM everything that causes sin and all who do evil
• Where do the weeds go? A fire where there is weeping an gnashing of teeth
• MY THOUGHT: There are a lot of people in the church who look a lot like believers, and there are a lot of groups who claim to be churches, but both are not.  Jesus will judge the fakes at the end of times


• Now let's go back and look at one given to the crowds. The next parable has a potentially similar application …


Matthew 13:31–32 (ESV) —
31 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. 32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”


• This time he mentions the seed and describes it size, why?
• Incidentally, while there are many smaller seeds in the world, Jesus used a very common expression in Palestine and among the rabbis, to say that the mustard seed was the smallest (small & insignificant)
• Orchid seed in Palestine is smaller
• What is unique about the garden plant, which becomes like a tree?
• It grows very big (big & significant; used to describe world power in OT)
• How big does it grow?
• Who are the birds?
• Some OT analogies use birds in trees to indicate peace and rest
• Here the birds reside in it due to the size
• AN INTERPRETATION
• The tree represents Christendom and not the church itself
• The church is only the structure of the tree
• The birds are those who take away God's word so that people can't believe
• They even exist in our churches today
• People reinterpret the word in light of today's culture
• Churches that excise part of scripture as not applicable today


APPLICATION:
1. What are we doing to deepen our roots?
2. There are people in the church who do the enemies work
1. Which is why we must be rooted and grounded in truth


Summary: Parables of the Kingdom (unknown source)

8. The Parable	Expected Form	Unexpected Characteristic
   1. Sower	Messiah turns Israel and all nations to Himself	Individuals respond differently to the Word’s invitation.
   2. Wheat / Tares	The kingdom's righteous citizens rule over the world with the King.	The kingdom's citizens are among the men of the world, growing together till God's harvest time.
   3. Mustard	Kingdom begins in majestic glory.	Kingdom begins in insignificance; its greatness comes as a surprise.
   4. Leaven	Only righteousness enters the kingdom; other "raw material" is excluded.	The kingdom is implanted in a in a different "raw material" and grows to fill the whole personality with righteousness.
   5. Hidden treasure	Kingdom is public and for all.	Kingdom is hidden and for individual "purchase."
   6. Priceless pearl	Kingdom brings all valued things to men.	Kingdom demands abandonment of all other values.
   7. Dragnet	Kingdom begins with initial separation of righteous and unrighteous.	Kingdom ends with final separation of the unrighteous from the righteous.
   Scribe	A scribe trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a house, who brings out his treasure what is new and what is old	The disciple is the scribe. He brings out the old things (OT) and the new things (Jesus' teaching) to help people understand the message. We all must be teachers.

Matt 11:1-12:50, The rejection of the King by the nation's leaders

• Review:
• Outline
• Gospel comparison


Matthew 11:2–6 (ESV) — 2 Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 4 And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. 6 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”


• Timeline:
• We have reached a pivotal point in Jesus' ministry
• This passage (up to verse 30) immediately precede 12:22
• What does John want to know?
• Why is John asking the question?
• We can't be sure
• No judgment
• No freedom for captives (himself specifically)
• On the surface, he has some doubts
• Possibly, he is looking for the kingdom to be set up (common view of the Messiah)
• The question here is in code; the answer is also in code
• What is the answer?
• There were specific miracles that the OT said the Messiah would perform.  Jesus' reply simply reiterates them (six signs of Isaiah)
• Isa 29:18 deaf hear, blind see
• Isa 35:5 blind opened, deaf unstopped
• Isa 35:6 lame leap, mute sing
• Resurrection of dead determined by Jews (but not unique to Messiah)
• Isa 61:1 good news to the poor, bind broken-hearted
• He does not quote Isa 61:1 setting captives free and opening prisons
• John called Jesus the Lamb of God, so he knew he was the suffering servant
• This section sets up the rejection or why Jesus did not fulfill all of the prophecies of the Messiah
• APPLICATION: Doubting is not an unusual response in the most godly of men.  Jesus calls John the greatest of all men


Matthew 11:11–19 (ESV) — 11 Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one 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 has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. 13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, 14 and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. 15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
16 “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates,
17 “ ‘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, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.”


• This is a quote of games children use to play: wedding and funeral
• What is the Jesus saying about people's response to John's life?
• He had a demon  (or probably--his strange asceticism)
• Their response to Jesus' life?
• He was a drunkard (he was not), a friend of tax collectors and sinners!
• APPLICATION:  People will believe what they want to believe.  They look for excuses to support their presuppositions.  They are looking for even the slightest failure in our lives so that they can discount the gospel.  And we will fail.  But, we need to repent, get back up after our failure, and try again.  Ultimately our testimony can have a positive impact


• We are not going to look at the intervening passages.  I hope you are reading the entire passages.
• Matt 12:1-21 refer to two incidents which happened quite a bit earlier, both involving the Sabbath
• Jesus reiterated nine out of the ten commandments
• The Sabbath is the one he did not reiterate
• The Sabbaths were clearly misunderstood by the religious authorities
• Today the same thing happens (usually it is the Sabbath or the Tithe where we ignore the New Testament principles and focus on the rule)
• We let the day and the rules force our actions instead of the spirt and the heart
• The two Sabbath incidents (there are actually three in the gospels) are what confirm the Jewish leaders' response to Jesus
• They saw their authority diminished when Jesus applied grace
• Matthew 12:14 (ESV) — 14 But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.


Matthew 12:22–27 (ESV) — 22 Then a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the man spoke and saw. 23 And all the people were amazed, and said, “Can this be the Son of David?” 24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.” 25 Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. 26 And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges.


• The term "Son of David" is another term for the Messiah
• The people had seen many miracles before, and had not asked the question in verse 23, why this time?
• This is a messianic signal
• Who do the people turn to?
• The leadership
• This is still true today.  Many Jews will not respond today because the Rabbis say that Yeshua is not the Messiah
• What is the leadership' answer?
• This is the prince of demons
• His power is evil and demonic
• Rather, being the very person and nature of God in their midst, they have the very person and nature of evil in their midst (what a contrast!)
• The call him Ba’al of Zebul which meant “lord of the dung.” Utley, R. J. (2000). The First Christian Primer: Matthew (Vol. Volume 9, p. 109). Marshall, TX: Bible Lessons International.
• What is Jesus' response?
• Why would Satan cast out his forces from a person? Why would he destroy evil in a person (continually)?
• How do the Pharisees cast out demons … how can you say one does it by the spirit of God and the other by Satan?


Matthew 12:28–32 (ESV) — 28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 Or how can someone enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house. 30 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 31 Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.


• The Holy Spirit is the power by which the miracles are accomplished
• What is the blasphemy against the Spirit (the unpardonable sin)?
• My opinion:  this sin was specific to this point in time.  It is a rejection of God in the flesh and the signs of the Messiah shown through the power of the Holy Spirit by the leadership of Israel.  It is irrevocable by this generation (only)
• From this point on, Arnold Fruchtenbaum observes that Jesus' ministry changes
• The offer of the kingdom to Israel is withdrawn (it will be re-offered in the tribulation)
• Jesus still works to save individual Jews but not the nation
• Miracles now require faith
• Jesus speaks in parables from this point forward
• Jesus refers to "this generation" repeatedly
• Jesus spends more time alone with the disciples and less time publicly
• Could the unpardonable sin be unbelief? Possibly
• It is true that Jesus paid the sins for the whole world
• It is true that one remaining sin is the sin of unbelief
• But, one can choose to not believe and then change his mind on his deathbed, in which case it would not be unpardonable
• But it is unpardonable in the sense that without a change there can be NO salvation


Matthew 12:38–42 (ESV) — 38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” 39 But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. 42 The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.


• The amazing thing is that they now have the gall to ask for a sign, where have they been?
• Jesus says the he will give the nation only one sign (actually 3 times), what is the sign?
• Sign of Jonah, 3 days and nights in the heart of the earth
• Three times: 1) Lazarus; 2) Jesus (first resurrection unto a new body); 3) the two witnesses in the period of the tribulation (start of the second half)
• Why 3 days?
• Needed 3 days to not be a resuscitation
• Did you ever wonder why Jesus waits a couple of days after hearing Lazarus is dead?
• Three days and nights is a common Jewish way of saying all or part of 3 days
• We want to mathematically parse it, but that is not what they meant when they talked in those days
• Who does Jesus tell the Pharisees will judge them?
• Men of Nineveh
• Queen of the south
• What does Jesus call the leaders and the people?
• This generation
• What is Jesus saying?
• You blew it.  You failed to recognize the signs


APPLICATION:
1. Confess doubts, it's normal, but then you need to move on
2. Confess sin, pick yourself up, and move on (walk with God)
3. Be careful that you are not just believing just what you want to believe (the Pharisees were guilty of that--and they were religiously trained)
4. Don't ignore the signs. God gives us all signs at various times. Listen!

Matt 9:1-10:26, Authority which identifies him as the Messiah

Matthew 9:1–8 (ESV) — 1 And getting into a boat he crossed over and came to his own city. 2 And behold, some people brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.” 3 And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” 4 But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? 5 For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 6 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic—“Rise, pick up your bed and go home.” 7 And he rose and went home. 8 When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.


• Why this story and what are the implications to authority?
• Result of the Messianic miracle
• Obviously, lots of details left out
Luke 5:17 (ESV) — 17 On one of those days, as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with him to heal.
Luke 5:21–22 (ESV) — 21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 22 When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, “Why do you question in your hearts?
• Jesus has authority over paralysis
• Jesus has the power to forgive sin
• Who gives men power to heal? God
• So, we have a conundrum, how does Jesus heal if he blasphemes God
• Either he is God
• Or he has another source of power, which would be evil. Problem with the evil argument which Jesus will point out is why would Satan want to do good?


Matthew 9:9–17 (ESV) — 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.”
14 Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” 15 And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. 16 No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch tears away from the garment, and a worse tear is made. 17 Neither is new wine put into old wineskins. If it is, the skins burst and the wine is spilled and the skins are destroyed. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved.”


• What is the issue?
• Eating with unclean persons, sinners
• So what does this have to say in respect to Jesus' authority or power?
• He is not beholden to the religious traditions
• He is not beholden to religious culture
• In fact, he fully obeys the law by shoving it in the Pharisees' face


Matthew 9:18–26 (ESV) — 18 While he was saying these things to them, behold, a ruler came in and knelt before him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” 19 And Jesus rose and followed him, with his disciples. 20 And behold, a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, 21 for she said to herself, “If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.” 22 Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well. 23 And when Jesus came to the ruler’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, 24 he said, “Go away, for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. 25 But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. 26 And the report of this went through all that district.


• There are a lot of things to focus on in this passage. What are the aspects of authority?
• Women with the bleeding -- nothing is impossible. A 12-year problem was instantly healed
• She is ritually unclean because of her hemorrhaging
• She touches a ceremonial part of Jesus' clothes (one of the four tassels) that would be considered the holiest and was required in worship
• Jairus is also an issue of timing. He was in a hurry. He says here that his daughter has just died, although the other gospels say near death. The point is that time is very short and the interruption may have caused them to be too late. Again, nothing is too hard or impossible for God
• Bringing someone back from the dead is amazing and rare, but it was not limited to the Messiah (1 Kings 17:17-24; 2 Kings 4:17-37; Acts 9:36-42) nor was it a unique Messianic miracle
• This would not be a resurrection but rather  a resuscitation, since the body needed to be dead three days to be considered a resurrection of life
• It was prophesied that the Messiah would restore life (Isa 65:17-20; Dan 12:2)
• Verse 26 is key, why?
• These are stories that would force people to think
• Is this the Messiah?


• Matthew 9:27–34 (ESV) — 27 And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, “Have mercy on us, Son of David.” 28 When he entered the house, the blind men came 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, “According to your faith be it done to you.” 30 And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, “See that no one knows about it.” 31 But they went away and spread his fame through all that district.
32 As they were going away, behold, a demon-oppressed man who was mute was brought to him. 33 And when the demon had been cast out, the mute man spoke. And the crowds marveled, saying, “Never was anything like this seen in Israel.” 34 But the Pharisees said, “He casts out demons by the prince of demons.”


• One of these miracles is a messianic miracle, the casting out of a demon from a mute
• The other miracle is not clear since the person has to be born blind
• This event occurs sometime after the rejection in Matt 12, so this is not what they might be thinking but this is after they reach their conclusion. Next week we will go back in time to discuss the specific rejection of the Messiah
• Also, after the rejection, Jesus started to required faith to heal people
• He was no longer saving Israel, he was saving the remnant in Israel
• He condemned the nation for its unbelief
• He still saved individuals


Matthew 9:35–38 (ESV) — 35 And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”


• This story also occurs after the rejection
• What is Jesus concern?
• People are harassed and helpless
• Grk word (skullo) meaning vexed, trouble, harrased (literal: skin or mangle)
• Grk word (rhipto) meaning cast to the ground, thrown away
• There a not enough workers
• Very common word for laborer or worker (ergates)
• What is the Jesus saying to us, who are also his disciples?
• Clearly, we are to pray for workers
• What is a worker?
• By definition: it is anyone who ministers in some way to those vexed, trouble, harassed, and to those who are cast off or thrown away by others (which is pretty much everybody)
• What is are the requirements for a  worker?
• None are listed here
• Jesus provides some qualifications in the next few verses


Matthew 10:1–15 (ESV) — 1 And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. 2 The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; 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, who betrayed him.
5 These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, 6 but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay. 9 Acquire no gold or silver or copper for your belts, 10 no bag for your journey, or two tunics or sandals or a staff, for the laborer deserves his food. 11 And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart. 12 As you enter the house, greet it. 13 And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. 15 Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.


• Timeline:  This event occurs immediately after the previous (Winter 29); all of chp 10 does
• Why the instruction to not go to the Gentiles or Samaritans? The primary purpose of Jesus' life was the offer of the kingdom to the Jews (even after the rejection by the leaders).  The Jews would then fulfill God's purpose by taking the gospel to the Gentiles
• What are the qualifications?
• We do need Jesus' power
• Note: Matthew's point is to show that Jesus can give his authority to others
• The miraculous sign can be taken too literally.  In actuality, signs signaled that something new was happening.  I think it would be wrong to apply the signs as a requirement for a worker in this age
• One set of clothes and no money or food
• Common OT trait was showing hospitality to strangers.  It doesn't fit necessarily with today's culture.  The overriding characteristic does though, which is what? 
• Trust in God in your ministry
• Were any of the disciples seminary graduates?
• They had spent time with Jesus, probably less than a year at this point
• Everyone in this room is probably more knowledgeable about the NT than the disciples were at this point
• Examples of workers
• Rom 16:9 Urbanus
• Rom 16:21 Timothy
• 2 Co 8:23 Titus
• Phil 2:25 Epaphroditus
• Philemon 1 Philemon
• What makes Philemon a fellow worker?  He was an employer (actually a slave owner, but the closest example would be a businessman)
• Application: Everyone in this room can be a worker.  Everyone in this room has opportunity for contact with the harassed and helpless.  You don't have to be a deacon or a pastor to be a worker.  You don't have to be a man.  But you do have to (1) choose to be a worker, and then (2) figure out what can you do to be a worker
• Jesus gives a whole list of advice for workers in vs 15- 42


Matthew 10:24–25 (ESV) — 24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household.


• What does this verse mean?
• We may never exceed our teachers; and definitely we won't exceed Jesus
• But, Jesus says it is enough to like our teacher
• Jesus is our teacher
• We need to make it our aim in life to be like him
• WWJD really was a great idea, and since then the world has poked fun and scorned it
• But it doesn't matter.  It is the operative question.  What are we doing to become more like Jesus?
• I hope your answer has more to it than "going to church and Sunday school"
• Incidently, there is a play on words here since Master (be'el) and house (zebel) could be pronounced together as beelzebub


Matthew 10:26–33 (ESV) — 26 “So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. 28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, 33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.


• Who is Jesus talking to?
• WORKER
• What is  the point?
• Not to be afraid of the world
• What are we afraid of when it comes to witnessing?
• BTW, if we are going to say something in cynicism or in a mean temper -- it is better off not said
• 1 Peter 3:15-16 (NIV) But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.
• We are afraid of our image
• We are afraid of ridicule
• We are afraid of hurtful words
• God says "don't be afraid, you are worth more than many sparrows"
• Sparrows were the cheapest thing you could buy in the market.  This is a standard Jewish "how much more" argument.  If God cares for something as cheap as a sparrow, how much more he must care for you
• Secondly, there is a reward in heaven for service (10:40 -11:1)


APPLICATION:
1. Pray for workers
2. Be a worker
3. Be like Jesus
4. Don’t be afraid