MT 3:1-6
INTRO: According to Mt 2:1,2, certain wise men came to Jerusalem with this question,Where is he that is born King of the Jews? Around the time of Jesus birth, this question is asked. Before Jesus had begun His own teaching, John the Baptist was announcing, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. More times than any of the other gospel writers the word kingdom is found in Matthews gospel. Over the years, I have begun to think of the book of Matthew as the gospel of the kingdom. It is said to be the most Jewish of the gospels and certainly stresses the Messiahship of Jesus.
I. MATTHEWS STRESS ON FULFILLED PROPHECY
A. Why was this important in Matthews gospel?
1. as a sort of Jewish gospel, fulfilled prophecy would be very important
2. the prophecies of a coming Messiah were well known to the Jews
3. the name Christ (anointed, Messiah) is prominent in this gospel ... and it is important to confirm that Jesus is Christ
B. How does Matthew appeal to prophecy?
1. Mt 1:22,23 (of Isa 7:14) - born of a virgin
2. Mt 2:5,6 (of Mi 5:2) - birthplace of Bethlehem
3. Mt 8:16,17 (of Isa 53:4) - of his bearing our infirmities
4. Mt 12:39,40 (of Jonahs experience) - of his resurrection
5. Mt 13:34,35 (of Ps 78:2) - of his speaking in parables
6. Mt 21:1-5 (of Zech 9:9) - of his coming as a King riding a donkey
7. Mt 27:35 (of Ps 22:18) - of his garments parted and casting lots for them
C. Matthews message? Jesus is Christ because He fulfilled the prophecies
1. note Jesus words at Mt 5:17 - ...but to fulfil
2. yes, other gospel writers refer to the prophets re. Jesus
3. but to prove Him to be the Messiah was of paramount importance to Matthew - so, Mt 16:15,16 - Thou art the Christ...
II. MATTHEWS STRESS ON THE KINGDOM
A. The kingdom filled Jesus teaching as recorded in Matthew
1. Mt 4:17 - ...the kingdom of heaven is at hand
2. Mt 4:23 - ...preaching the gospel of the kingdom...
3. Mt 5:3 - ...for theirs is the kingdom of heaven
B. Then, there were the great kingdom parables of Mt 13
1. the kingdom of heaven is like...
2. the parable of the sower; the tares, the mustard seed, the leaven, etc.
3. each of these earthly stories with heavenly meanings tell us something about the nature of the kingdom; its demands, its spread, its purity, its value
C. One of the great kingdom statements is Mt 6:10
1. the kingdom was yet future tense - and did come (see Col 1:12,13)
2. but notice the connection of the kingdom and Gods will at Mt 6:10
3. we are, as Christians, kingdom citizens ... question: is the will of God done as perfectly among us as it is in heaven?
D. And do we need to remember Mt 29:18-20?
1. Jesus possesses all authority ... he is King of kings and Lord of lords
2. His kingdom transcends national boundaries - all nations
3. while I wonder if Matthew, hearing these words of Jesus, understood the scope and significance of them, the Jewishness of the book gives way to all nations
III. MATTHEWS PICTURES OF THE JUDGMENT
A. Mt 25:14 - The graphic picture of three men entrusted with talents
1. after all of the information about the kingdom has been given, there is this last, vital scene ... more kingdom information
2. each man had kingdom responsibility commensurate with ability (25:15)
3. there came a day of accountability (25:19)
4. and there were rewards and punishment
B. Mt 25:31,32 - The all nations judgment scene - the Lord sits on His throne!
1. what an incredible sight ... I cannot really visualize the throng of people
2. and the dividing right and left of his sheep from the goats
3. in this scene it is what each did with his opportunities to do good which determined his eternal fate
4. 2 Tim 2:19 - ...the Lord knoweth them that are his
CLOSE: A closing verse? I have chosen Mt12:30 - Matthews gospel calls us to believe that Jesus is the Messiah. And since He is, He has made very plain what our response must be.
Cecil A. Hutson
03 August 2003
You Must Hear the Gospel
Romans 10:17
You must hear the gospel and then understand and recognize that you are lost without Jesus Christ no matter who you are and no matter what your background is. The Bible tells us that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) Before you can be saved, you must understand that you are lost and that the only way to be saved is by obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 1:8) Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6) “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12) "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17)
You Must Believe
Hebrews 11:6
You must believe and have faith in God because “without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6) But neither belief alone nor faith alone is sufficient to save. (James 2:19; James 2:24; Matthew 7:21)
You Must Repent
Acts 3:19
You must repent of your sins. (Acts 3:19) But repentance alone is not enough. The so-called “Sinner’s Prayer” that you hear so much about today from denominational preachers does not appear anywhere in the Bible. Indeed, nowhere in the Bible was anyone ever told to pray the “Sinner’s Prayer” to be saved. By contrast, there are numerous examples showing that prayer alone does not save. Saul, for example, prayed following his meeting with Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:11), but Saul was still in his sins when Ananias met him three days later (Acts 22:16). Cornelius prayed to God always, and yet there was something else he needed to do to be saved (Acts 10:2, 6, 33, 48). If prayer alone did not save Saul or Cornelius, prayer alone will not save you. You must obey the gospel. (2 Thess. 1:8)
You Must Confess
Romans 10:9
You must confess that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. (Romans 10:9-10) Note that you do NOT need to make Jesus “Lord of your life.” Why? Because Jesus is already Lord of your life whether or not you have obeyed his gospel. Indeed, we obey him, not to make him Lord, but because he already is Lord. (Acts 2:36) Also, no one in the Bible was ever told to just “accept Jesus as your personal savior.” We must confess that Jesus is the Son of God, but, as with faith and repentance, confession alone does not save. (Matthew 7:21)
You Must Be Baptized
Acts 2:38
Having believed, repented, and confessed that Jesus is the Son of God, you must be baptized for the remission of your sins. (Acts 2:38) It is at this point (and not before) that your sins are forgiven. (Acts 22:16) It is impossible to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ without teaching the absolute necessity of baptism for salvation. (Acts 8:35-36; Romans 6:3-4; 1 Peter 3:21) Anyone who responds to the question in Acts 2:37 with an answer that contradicts Acts 2:38 is NOT proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ!
You Must Be Faithful Unto Death
Revelation 2:10
Once you are saved, God adds you to his church and writes your name in the Book of Life. (Acts 2:47; Philippians 4:3) To continue in God’s grace, you must continue to serve God faithfully until death. Unless they remain faithful, those who are in God’s grace will fall from grace, and those whose names are in the Book of Life will have their names blotted out of that book. (Revelation 2:10; Revelation 3:5; Galatians 5:4)