Sermons on Matthew (Page 5)

Sermons on Matthew (Page 5)

Matthew

The King’s people… in the world

Having already given his disciples a description of life as the King’s people, in the beatitudes, Jesus addresses the question, “What does it mean to be the people of the king in our relationship to the world?” He says they are salt and light in the world. That is, as followers of Jesus (the King’s people) our lives are to cause others to glorify God by being unmistakably distinctive.

The Jesus revolution begins

Many of the world’s most famous people have been revolutionaries – people who lit a spark that changed the world by grabbing the imagination (and the hearts) of their followers. By this measure, Jesus Christ would have to be at the top of the list. His three short years in the spotlight started something that is still being felt 2000 years later! How did he do it? What was His secret? In this message Pastor Murray takes us back to where it all started – the places, the culture, the people and the strategy He used. From these humble beginnings the world has been changed forever. Have you joined the Jesus revolution? If not, this message will challenge you to join up today.

The Son comes

Jesus finally arrives on the scene, he is baptised and is about to begin his public ministry. John the Baptist and the Heavenly Voice announce him to be God’s chosen Messiah who will suffer for and rescue his people. He comes with all authority. People, then and now, must respond in true repentance.

Ready to face the Judge?

What happens when we die? The atheist says: “We rot!”. But most people have at least vague notions of an after-life. And generally these notions are positive and often expressed at funerals, such as: “At least Dad’s no longer in pain and he’ll be up there now having a good time with his mates!”. But is this true? According to Jesus a day is coming when we will all face Him as our judge and there will be a division into two groups. More sobering, He will take into account not just what we have believed but how we have lived out those beliefs in practical deeds of love and compassion. And even more sobering, many will be surprised on that day to find themselves rejected by Jesus and consigned to eternal punishment. Never joke about hell! Jesus says it’s real.

The cynic’s view of the crucified Christ

The crucifixion of Jesus has always been a point of division among people. For Christians it’s the very heart of our faith. But for others it’s a sign of the weakness and eventual failure of Jesus and his mission to save the world. In today’s message we take a look at three groups of people who were eye-witnesses of the final hours of Jesus’ life. We see their cynical attitudes toward Jesus as they mock his claim to be king and joke at his apparent powerlessness. Little did they realize how their words would come back to bite them! Still today so many people fail to grasp the true meaning of the death of Jesus. They dismiss the cross too quickly. There he proved that he really is God’s eternal King with all the power to save people like you and me today.

Agony in the garden

Today, on the east side of Jerusalem at the base of the Mount of Olives, there is a grove of olive trees. The original Garden of Gethsemane was somewhere in this vicinity, and it was here that Jesus prayed the night before His death. And what a gut-wrenching prayer. Two things stand out about this incident: firstly, the immensity of the pain Jesus was going through that night, and secondly, his unwavering commitment to fully obey His Father’s will. In order to begin to understand the message of the cross, both of these truths are essential. As Jesus “tasted” the cup of God’s wrath His agony was very real. But why did he did he have to drink it? It was for you and for me. That’s why!

The Disillusioned Disciple (Judas Iscariot)

Why do people fall away from following Christ? There are many possible answers to this question, and it troubles those of us who love and care for our friends who do. Judas Iscariot stands as the supreme example, as someone who was so close to Jesus, yet not only walked away but even betrayed Him. Why did he do it? What went wrong? In today’s message Pastor Murray takes us behind the scenes into Judas’s life as we wrestle with these questions. But the bigger question is: could it happen to us? Sadly, the answer is “yes” (see 1 Corinthians 10:12-13). But the good news is that even when we fall away, God is still offering a way back. Failure doesn’t have to be final. Just as Peter found forgiveness after denying Jesus, we can, too. He is the “God of the second chance”.

God’s humble messenger (John the Baptist)

One of the greatest men of all time, according to Jesus, is John the Baptist. Yet in so many ways he is an enigma to us. He lived in the desert, wore weird clothes, ate weird food and wasn’t afraid to offend people, even the governor and his wife! Yet this eccentric man was also profoundly godly. In the tradition of an Old Testament prophet he fearlessly called people to repent and get ready for the arrival of the Messiah. But he was also deeply humble as he consistently pointed people to Jesus and flatly refused any special attention for himself. His greatest joy was to see other people following Jesus: “He must become greater. I must become less” was his modus operandi. May we be as faithful in pointing others to Jesus in our day.

Four very personal questions

The 2016 “Word of the Year” according to the Oxford Dictionary is “post-truth”. Sadly, truth doesn’t seem to matter in many circles these days. Truth is a matter of personal opinion rather than objective fact. But that’s not the way Jesus understood truth. In today’s passage He calls us to decide clearly between different options, because the consequences of the decisions we make in life have profound implications. He talks about a “road that leads to destruction”, a “tree that is cut down and thrown into the fire”, and a house that “fell with a great crash”. Where are you looking for truth? Because according to Jesus, truth does exist and it really does matter!