THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW PRESENTS THE PROGRAM OF GOD.
The kingdom of heaven is an expression that is peculiar to this gospel. It occurs 32 times. The word kingdom occurs 50 times. The kingdom and the church are not the same. Although the church is in the kingdom there is a world of difference between them. The kingdom of heaven, simply stated, is the reign of the heavens over the earth. The Jews, to whom this gospel was directed, understood the term to be the sum total of all the prophecies of the Old Testament concerning the coming of a King from heaven to set up a kingdom on this earth with heaven's standard. This term was not new to them.
Daniel 2:44 "And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever."
ALSO
Daniel 7: 14 "And there was given Him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve Him; His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed."
DROP DOWN TO
Daniel 7:27 "And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him."
THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS THE THEME OF THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW.
THE LORD JESUS CHRIST IS GOING TO ESTABLISH HIS KINGDOM ON THE EARTH.
The gospel of Matthew contains 3 major discourses concerning the Kingdom.
1) The Sermon on the Mount - the law of the Kingdom.
2) The Mystery Parables - Matthew 13 is all about the Kingdom. The Lord Jesus tells us that the Kingdom is like a sower, like a mustard seed and so on.
3) The Olivet Discourse - THIS LOOKS FORWARD TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE KINGDOM HERE ON THE EARTH. The term "kingdom of heaven" is a progressive term in the gospel of Matthew. There is a movement in this gospel and we must be very careful not to miss it. If we do miss it, it is like missing a turn-off on the freeway. It is very important Matthew is much like Genesis. These are two key books of the Bible. We need to be familiar with them.
The gospel of Matthew tells us about the...
1) PERSON OF THE KING (Chapters 1 & 2).
2) PREPARATION OF THE KING (Chapter 2:1-16).
3) PROPAGANDA OF THE KING (Chapters 4:17 - 9:35).
4) PROGRAM OF THE KING (Chapters 9:36 - 16:20).
5) PASSION OF THE KING (Chapters 16:21 - 27:66).
6) POWER OF THE KING (Chapter 28).
1) PERSON OF THE KING (Chapters 1 & 2).
Matthew 1:23 "Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us."
Hebrews 2:9 "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that He, by the grace of God, should taste death for every man."
He had to be a sacrifice that was acceptable. The Lord Jesus is our Saviour because He is Immanuel - God with us. How did He get with us? HE WAS VIRGIN BORN. To be Immanuel He must be virgin born. That is how important the virgin birth is. He died a redemptive death on the cross for us. He is my Saviour, Immanuel, because He tasted death, for me. Is He your Saviour today?
2) PREPARATION OF THE KING (Chapter 2:1-16).
Matthew 2:1-2 "Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is He that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen His star in the east, and are come to worship Him."
THE WISE MEN CAME FROM THE EAST, THEY HAD THE PROPHECY GIVEN TO US IN
Numbers 24:17 "I shall see Him, but not now: I shall behold Him but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth."
THE STAR SHALL COME OUT OF JACOB - THAT IS, THE NATION ISRAEL.
AND A SCEPTER SHALL RISE OUT OF ISRAEL.
THE STAR AND THE SCEPTER GO TOGETHER.
Matthew 2:3 "When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him."
The wise men followed the Star. It was a supernatural Star. A miraculous Star. Till it stopped over the place where Jesus was.
The wise men, entering in, fell down on their faces and worshipped Jesus. They presented Him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
GOLD SPEAKS OF HIS BIRTH,
FRANKINCENSE SPEAKS OF THE FRAGRANCE OF HIS LIFE.
AND MYRRH SPEAKS OF HIS DEATH.
ALL OF THIS IS INDICATED IN THE GIFTS THAT THEY BROUGHT TO JESUS.
3) PROPAGANDA OF THE KING (Chapters 4:17 - 9:35).
Matthew 4:17 "From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
Jesus message was Repent, turn around, come to Me, the Kingdom of heaven is at hand. It was at hand in the Person of the King, of course. They couldn't have the Kingdom of heaven - reign of the heavens over the earth, without Him. This is what the Lord Jesus will bring to the earth someday.
THE EARTH WILL BECOME HEAVEN FOR ISRAEL, AN EARTHLY PEOPLE, AND THEY WILL GO INTO ETERNITY RIGHT DOWN HERE.
The church has a heavenly hope but the earthly hope, is also a marvelous hope, it is the hope of the Old Testament. The Lord Jesus then began to gather disciples to Himself. They were all very interesting men.
Matthew 4:23 "And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people."
Notice that the Lord Jesus is teaching in their synagogues and He is preaching the gospel of the Kingdom. What is the gospel - Good News? It is that the Kingdom is at hand and they are to accept and receive Him. Keep in mind that Matthew in his gospel is presenting Jesus as King and he follows a definite movement in bringing the King and His claims to the nation Israel. If we miss the movement in Matthew, we will miss the purpose of this gospel.
The Lord Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount to His disciples because He saw the multitudes and their need. Therefore, it was given to the multitudes indirectly. In our day, people need firstly to come to Christ. While the Kingdom is actually pending, the present state of it is a place where the seed is being sown, and the seed is THE WORD OF GOD. We today are called to sow seed in this world.
THE DAY IS COMING WHEN CHRIST WILL ESTABLISH HIS KINGDOM ON THIS EARTH.
Matthew 5:17 "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill."
CHRIST WAS THE SACRIFICE FOR THE SINS OF THE WORLD.
He did not come to destroy the law, He came to fulfill it. He fulfilled it perfectly when He was on earth. He was able to attain the standard and now He is able to make over to you and to me and to every true believer, His own righteousness. God's standard has not changed and you and I cannot attain it in our own strength. We need help. We need a Saviour.
WE NEED MERCY.
We obtain mercy, when we come to Christ. The law reveals to us that we can never measure up to God's standard. The only way that you and I can fulfill the law is by accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour. The Lord Jesus alone fulfilled the law. We are told in
Matthew 5:48 "Be ye, therefore, perfect, even as your Father, who is in heaven is perfect."
How is this possible? The only way to be perfect is to be accepted in the Beloved. When we are born again - accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour, He imputes His righteousness to us and then He begins the slow process of sanctification in us in which God attempts to conform us to the image of His Son. This should be the goal of every true believer. In this chapter the king speaks of a righteousness that the subjects of the Kingdom must possess and it is a righteousness that exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees. They had a religious righteousness. Remember that Nicodemus, (John 3:1-8) a very religious man, was told by the Lord Jesus that he had to be born again. We are told that we are to have a righteousness that is superior to that of the Scribes and the Pharisees. That righteousness can only come to us through faith in Christ Jesus.
Matthew 9:16-17 "No man puteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse. Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish; but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved."
Here our Lord is saying that the old covenant - the old dispensation of law was ending and that He had come to provide a new garment and that garment was the robe of righteousness which He freely gives to all those who simply trust Him for salvation. The Lord Jesus came to present a new garment. He did not come to sew patches on an old garment. This was very radical and the apostle John sums it up in his gospel
John 1:17 "For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ."
4) PROGRAM OF THE KING (Chapters 9:36 - 16:20).
Matthew 9:36 "But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd."
THE LORD JESUS COMMISSIONED THE 12 TO GO TO THE LOST SHEEP OF THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL.
THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR CHRISTIANS ARE NOT FOUND IN THIS CHAPTER.
MANY OF THE CULTS COME TO THIS CHAPTER FOR THEIR AUTHORITY.
Matthew 10:5-8 "These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans, enter ye not: But go, rather, to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give."
The Lord Jesus commissioned the twelve apostles to go and preach to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. NOTICE THAT THEY ARE TO GO TO THE LOST SHEEP OF THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL. These verses do not contain the commission of the church. The commission of the church is found in
Acts 1:8 "But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the utmost part of the earth."
You see, we are told to go to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to all the utmost parts of the earth. Here, in the gospel of Matthew, our Lord is instructing the twelve apostles. They are only to go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. What were the twelve apostles to preach? They were to preach that, "the Kingdom of heaven is at hand." The Kingdom was at hand because the King was in their midst. Today, throughout the so called Christian world, the major denominations have taken on the task of "building the kingdom of heaven" here on this earth. The church was never called to build the kingdom. The Lord Jesus, Himself, will establish His Kingdom when He returns to this earth.
The church is "a called out body of believers in Christ Jesus" they are called to manifest Christ in this world and to preach His gospel throughout the world.
Kingdom business is none of our business. The kingdom of heaven IS WITHIN US when we receive Christ. Look carefully at verse eight, the Lord Jesus sends out the twelve with the same credentials that He Himself had. You can see clearly that these sign gifts were for that time as raising the dead is included. It is interesting to note that there are many Christians who use this verse as their commission yet they do not have these credentials and they ignore verse 9. They always have these healing services in a place where they can take up an offering.
Matthew 10:9 "Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor copper in your purses."
Obviously we need to place this verse in its proper context. These were temporary instructions given during our Lord's three year ministry on earth. At the end of His ministry He gave His apostles different instructions.
Luke 22:35-36 "And the Lord Jesus said to them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye anything? And they said, nothing. Then said He unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip; and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one."
We ought to be very careful when we read the Bible that we put all the verses in the proper context. If we do put them in their proper context they become crystal clear to us.
THE LORD JESUS WARNED THE APOSTLES WHAT TO EXPECT.
Matthew 10:21 "And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death."
The coming of Christ into the world caused division, it did not bring unity. When one person in a family accepts Christ and another family member does not, you have a division.
Matthew 10:34 "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth; I came not to send peace, but a sword."
SIN IS STILL IN THE WORLD AND WHILE THERE IS SIN IN THE WORLD, GOD SAYS, THAT THERE WILL BE NO PEACE FOR THE WICKED.
THE APOSTLE PAUL WROTE
1 Corinthians 1:18 "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God."
Many families have been divided by the preaching of the gospel and many brothers have been separated. There is a unity among believers, but that very unity makes a division with the unsaved world.
THE WORLD HATED THE LORD JESUS THEN, AND IT STILL DOES TODAY.
THE WORLD WILL ALSO HATE US IF WE ARE IN CHRIST JESUS AND AS WE BECOME MORE AND MORE CONFORMED TO HIS IMAGE.
WE OUGHT NOT TO BE ANY MORE POPULAR WITH THE WORLD THAN HE WAS.
Hebrews 13:13 "Let us go forth therefore unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach."
WE ARE TO LEAVE THE TEMPLE AND LEAVE ALL THE RITUALS WE CLING TO.
WE ARE TO GO TO CHRIST JESUS AND CHRIST JESUS ALONE.
WE ARE TO BE SEPARATED UNTO HIM.
MANY PEOPLE TODAY ARE WRAPPED UP IN CHURCHIANITY THINKING THAT BECAUSE THEY ARE CHURCH MEMBERS THEY ARE SAVED.
TRUE SALVATION IS TO BE IN CHRIST JESUS - SEPARATED UNTO HIM.
OUR LORD MAKES IT VERY CLEAR THAT REWARDS ARE GIVEN ON THE BASIS OF FAITHFULNESS.
FAITHFULNESS TO HIM.
Matthew 11:1 "And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding His twelve disciples, He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities."
After the Lord Jesus had instructed His disciples He Himself went out. It is of the uttermost importance for us to get the Word of God out to the peoples of this world.
THE LORD JESUS PAYS TRIBUTE TO JOHN THE BAPTIST
Matthew 11:11 "Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of woman there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding, he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he."
WHEN THE LORD JESUS CAME HE BEGAN CALLING OUT A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO ARE EVEN GREATER THAN JOHN THE BAPTIST.
How can they be greater?
BECAUSE THEY ARE IN CHRIST JESUS, AND THEY ARE CLOTHED WITH HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Matthew 11:12 "And from the days of John the Baptist until the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force."
THE FORCE CAN BE INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL.
THE FORCES OF EVIL SEEK TO DESTROY IT FROM WITHOUT.
BUT ALSO THOSE WHO ARE COMMITTED WHOLEHEARTEDLY PRESS INTO IT.
JOHN THE BAPTIST FULFILLED THE PROPHECY OF MALACHI 3:1 OF THE MESSENGER WHO WAS TO COME BEFORE THE LORD JESUS.
THE LORD JESUS SAID
Matthew 11:16-17 "But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented."
THE LORD JESUS GAVE THIS PARABLE TO ILLUSTRATE A GREAT TRUTH.
This is a picture of a group of children playing in the street. They say, "Lets play funeral." Then they get tired of playing funeral and they say, "Lets play wedding. Then they soon get tired of playing wedding. They go from one extreme to the other. They are like spoiled children.
JOHN THE BAPTIST WAS AUSTERE AND THEY WERE NOT HAPPY WITH HIM.
THEY SAID HE HAD A DEVIL.
THE LORD JESUS CAME, HE WAS FRIENDLY, AND THEY WERE NOT HAPPY WITH HIM EITHER.
THEY SAID HE WAS GLUTTONOUS, TOO FRIENDLY WITH SINNERS.
THEY WERE NOT PLEASED WITH JOHN THE BAPTIST AND THEY WERE NOT PLEASED WITH THE LORD JESUS EITHER.
THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE TODAY WHOM YOU JUST CANNOT PLEASE.
Remember now that Jesus is the King. He has presented His credentials by performing many miracles.. He has preached the gospel that the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.
HE PRESENTED HIMSELF BUT THE PEOPLE REJECTED HIM.
Their rejection of Him caused Him to make a decision. He rejected them. He is the King and the King always has the last word. He pronounced judgement upon them. He speaks as the Judge and King and He makes it clear that it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgement than it will be for those cities who heard the message about Him and rejected Him.
Matthew 11:20-21 "Then began He to upbraid the cities wherein most of His mighty works were done, because they repented not: Woe unto thee, Chorazin! Woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes."
THE LORD JESUS HAD PERFORMED MANY MIRACLES IN THESE CITIES.
HE SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN CHORAZIN AND BETHSAIDA.
GOD HOLDS MAN RESPONSIBLE. LIGHT CREATES RESPONSIBILITY.
IN OUR DAY THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO REJECT CHRIST JESUS AND TURN THEIR BACKS ON HIM.
Matthew 11:23 "And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day."
THEY HAD HAD THE PRIVELEDGE OF HAVING THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE LORD JESUS IN THEIR CITY!
BUT THEY HAD REJECTED HIM.
Matthew 11:24 "But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee."
THIS IS THE HARSHEST LANGUAGE THAT CAME FROM THE LIPS OF GENTLE JESUS.
HE SPEAKS HERE AS A JUDGE AND KING.
THIS OUGHT TO MAKE US SIT UP AND LISTEN.
THE LORD JESUS SAYS THAT IT WILL BE MORE TOLERABLE FOR SODOM THAN FOR THEM WHO HEARD THE MESSAGE AND REJECTED IT.
THERE ARE TO BE DEGREES OF PUNISHMENT JUST AS THERE ARE TO BE DEGREES OF REWARD AT THE TIME OF GOD'S JUDGMENT.
Matthew 11:25-26 "At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in Thy sight."
GOD IS THE LORD OF HEAVEN AND EARTH.
MANY WISE PEOPLE DO NOT LEARN THIS TRUTH.
BUT MANY BABES UNDERSTAND IT.
Matthew 11:27 "All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.
THIS IS ANOTHER WAY OF SAYING, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me."
UP UNTIL THIS POINT THE LORD JESUS HAD TAUGHT THE PEOPLE THAT THEY WERE TO REPENT FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN WAS AT HAND.
HE NOW CHANGED HIS MESSAGE.
HE HAD PRESENTED HIMSELF AS THE KING AND HE HAD GIVEN THEM HIS CREDENTIALS.
BUT THEY HAD REJECTED HIM OUTRIGHT.
JERUSALEM AND THESE CITIES HAD TURNED THEIR BACKS ON HIM.
THE LORD JESUS NOW TURNED HIS BACK UPON ISRAEL AND HE NO LONGER PRESENTS THE KINGDOM TO THEM.
HE IS ON HIS WAY TO THE CROSS AND HIS INVITATION IS TO THE INDIVIDUAL.
Matthew 11:28-29 "Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall fine rest unto your souls."
THIS LANGUAGE IS IN CONTRAST TO WHAT PRECEDED IT IN THIS CHAPTER
This is a new message from Lord Jesus.
HE TURNS FROM THE CORPORATE NATION TO THE INDIVIDUAL.
IT IS NO LONGER A NATIONAL ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT A KINGDOM.
IT IS A PERSONAL INVITATION FOR THE INDIVIDUAL TO FIND REST.
HE IS SPEAKING TO ALL THOSE WHO ARE BURDENED WITH SIN.
THEY ARE TO COME TO HIM - HE WILL REST THEM - GIVE THEM ETERNAL REST - SALVATION FROM THEIR SIN.
THE LORD JESUS CHRIST IS HIMSELF REST. WE ARE ABLE TO REST IN HIM ENTIRELY, WE ARE ABLE TO CAST ALL OUR CARE UPON HIM BECAUSE HE CARES FOR US THAT IS THOSE WHO COME TO HIM FOR SALVATION.
Isaiah 1:4 Ah sinful nation, a people taken with iniquity, a seed of evil doers, children that are corrupters; they have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward."
Psalm 38:4 "For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me."
SIN IS TOO HEAVY FOR US TO CARRY.
AND THE ONLY PLACE IN THE WORLD TO PUT OUR SIN, IS AT THE FOOT OF THE CROSS OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.
HE BORE OUR LOAD OF SIN IN HIS OWN BODY ON THE TREE OF CALVARY.
HE IS ABLE TO FORGIVE US AND HE INVITES US TO REST IN HIM - HE GIVES US THE REST OF REDEMPTION.
NEVER AGAIN DO WE NEED TO WORRY ABOUT BEING RECOGNIZED.
NEVER AGAIN DO WE HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT TRYING TO GET A POSITION OR JOINING AN ORGANIZATION.
NEVER AGAIN DO WE NEED TO KEEP TRYING TO BE THE CHAIRMAN OF ANY BOARD OR PRESIDENT OF THE WOMAN'S ASSOCIATION.
ONCE WE ARE SEPARATED UNTO CHRIST JESUS, COMMITTED TO HIM, WE CAN REST ENTIRELY IN HIM.
HE KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT WE HAVE NEED OF LONG BEFORE WE OURSELVES KNOW AND HIS PLANS FOR US ARE GOOD, NOT EVIL.
WHEN WE ARE YOKED TO HIM HE WILL PLACE US EXACTLY WHERE HE WANTS US TO BE.
5) PASSION OF THE KING (Chapters 16:21 - 27:66).
Matthew 16:21 "From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto His disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again on the third day."
This is the gospel:
That Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures that He was buried and that He was raised again from the dead on the third day after His death.
You must know who He is.
You must know what He did for you.
He bore your sin in His own body on the tree of Calvary.
If you know these two things, then, by faith believe them and receive them. Trust the Lord Jesus Christ for your salvation.
Matthew 16:24 "Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me."
THE HARDEST PERSON IN THE WORLD TO DENY IS OURSELVES.
WE ARE TO PLACE CHRIST IN THE PLACE OF SELF.
IF WE ARE GOING TO FOLLOW CHRIST THEN WE WILL HAVE A CROSS.
6) THE POWER OF THE KING (Chapter 28).
Matthew 28:6 "He is not here: for He is risen as He said. Come, see the place were the Lord lay."
THIS IS THE DIVINE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE RESURRECTION .
JESUS HAD LEFT THE TOMB.
LATER HE WOULD ENTER A ROOM WITH A LOCKED DOOR.
THE GLORIFIED BODY OF THE LORD JESUS WAS RADICALLY DIFFERENT FROM THE BODY IN WHICH HE WAS BORN.
Matthew 28:7 "And go quickly, and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead; and, behold, He goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see Him: lo, I have told you."
THE ANGELIC MESSAGE ENDED AT THIS POINT.
FROM HERE ON THE MESSAGE WOULD BE TOLD BY HUMAN LIPS.
YOU AND I ARE TO GO OUT INTO THE WORLD AND TELL THE GOSPEL.
THOMAS ASKED THE LORD JESUS THIS QUESTION WHEN THEY WERE IN THE UPPER ROOM, "Lord how can we know the way?"
John 14:6 "Jesus said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
CHRIST JESUS IS THE ONLY PERSON WHO CAN BRING US TO GOD.
EITHER YOU ARE IN CHRIST OR YOU ARE NOT IN CHRIST.
HE IS THE TRUTH, THE BUREAU OF STANDARDS FOR TRUTH.
HE IS THE SOURCE OF LIFE, THE ORIGIN OF LIFE FROM THE LOWEST VEGETABLE PLANE OF LIFE TO THE HIGHEST SPIRITUAL PLANE OF LIFE.
THE LORD JESUS IS DOGMATIC AND HE STATES CLEARLY THAT NO PERSON WILL EVER GET TO HEAVEN EXCEPT THROUGH HIM.
WE CAN REALLY BE VERY GRATEFUL TO THOMAS FOR ASKING THIS QUESTION BECAUSE WE HAVE THIS MARVELOUS ANSWER FROM OUR LORD JESUS HIMSELF.
I am The Way.
THEN PHILIP ASKED HIM A QUESTION, "Show us the Father?"
THE LORD JESUS SAID TO HIM
John 14:9 "Jesus said unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, shew us the Father?"
THIS IS THE MOST MARVELOUS TRUTH.
I am the Father.
PHILIP HAD SEEN GOD.
IN CHRIST THERE IS A MUCH GREATER REVELATION OF GOD THAN ANYTHING IN THE OLD TESTAMENT.
PHILIP HAD SEEN FAR GREATER THINGS THAN MOSES AND THE PROPHETS HAD SEEN.
HE HAD SEEN THE REVELATION OF GOD BECAUSE HE HAD SEEN HIM INCARNATE IN THE FLESH.
PHILIP HAD BEEN IN HIS PRESENCE FOR 3 YEARS.
Hebrews 1:3 "Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His Person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high."
THE LORD JESUS, IS THE SAME PERSON AS GOD, IN POWER IN CHARACTER AND IN LOVE.
WHEN YOU HAVE SEEN HIM YOU HAVE SEEN ALL THAT YOU CAN SEE IN GOD THE FATHER BECAUSE
John 4:26 "God is a Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth"
John 1:18 "No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him."
IT IS JESUS WHOM WE SEE AND WE ARE GOING TO SPEND ETERNITY WITH HIM.
IT IS THE GOAL OF OUR LIVES - those who love Him - TO GET TO KNOW HIM - to hear His voice.
John 14:10 "Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, He doeth the works."
JESUS POINTS TO THE TESTIMONY OF HIS WORDS AND HIS WORKS. THEY ARE THE SAME.
John 14:12 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto the Father."
How are these greater works done?
It is Christ who is still working today.
IF TODAY THE LORD JESUS WERE SPEAKING WITH US PERSONALLY IT WOULD BE VERY GREAT BUT SINCE HE HAS CHOSEN TO WORK THROUGH FRAIL HUMAN FLESH TO REACH OUT TO THOSE WHO ARE LOST IN SIN, IT IS A FAR, FAR, GREATER WORK.
PRAYERFULLY MEDITATE ON
John 6:29 "Jesus answered and said unto them, this is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent."
THE WORK OF GOD IS NOT THAT WHICH IS COMMANDED BY GOD BUT THAT WHICH IS WROUGHT BY GOD.
IT IS THE WORK OF GOD AND NOT THE WORKS OF MAN.
HIS WORK IS THAT WE ARE TO BELIEVE ON HIM.
BELIEVE THAT HE DIED, WAS DELIVERED FOR OUR OFFENCES ON THE CROSS AND THAT HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD FOR OUR JUSTIFICATION.
Are you willing to receive the Lord Jesus to be your personal Saviour?
HYMN. I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say. Sankey's Sacred Songs & Solos 216.
Verse 1.
I heard the voice of Jesus say,
"Come unto me and rest;
Lay down, thou weary one, lay down
Thy head upon my breast."
I came to Jesus as I was,
Weary and worn and sad,
I found in Him a resting place,
And he has made me glad.
Verse 2.
I heard the voice of Jesus say,
"Behold, I freely give
The living water; thirsty one,
Stoop down and drink, and live."
I came to Jesus, and I drank
Of that life-giving stream;
My thirst was quenched, my soul revived,
And now I live in Him.
Verse 3.
I heard the voice of Jesus say,
"I am this dark world's Light;
Look unto me, thy morn shall rise,
And all thy day be bright."
I looked to Jesus, and I found
In Him my Star, my Sun;
And in that light of life I'll walk,
Till trav'ling days are done.
AMEN.
Home.