Ecclesiastes 1 (Ecc 1:1 KJV)
Chasing After Things That Are Empty
We see in this first verse of this first chapter that Solomon the son of David is the author. We know that Solomon was considered one of the wisest men to ever live. He doled out advice and counsel and wisdom to others. We see in Ecclesiastes which means “speaker, preacher” Solomon offering up advice to us in this verse regarding chasing after things of this earth and leaving God out of it.
I. Vanity
A. There was a song in the seventies entitled “Your So Vain.”
B. This song was written by a woman and told what she thought of a certain individual.
C. Basically she was saying that he was so wrapped up in himself that he was empty, shallow or vacant.
D. This is what Solomon is trying to get across to us here.
E. When he says vanity of vanities: He is extending the length to which the vanity is taken.
F. Just like Holy of Holies describes the most Holy of places in the Old Testament, Vanity of vanities leads us to see that all is vanity.
G. 3 What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun? (Ecc 1:3 KJV)
H. Solomon asks how it benefits man to toil and chase things on this earth.
I. What are you chasing?
J. What are we chasing as a church?
K. Are we chasing numbers? Are we chasing programs?
L. Those are necessarily bad things.
M. As long as the numbers are to add to Heaven, and the programs further the cause of Christ in our lives.
N. What benefit is God’s work getting if we are chasing earthly success?
O. If we fill this building up, I would be The Church Builder. Churches would contact me to come speak to them.
P. I could maybe write a book about it.
Q. But if the building of this church is at the destruction of God’s true and righteous message, it is vain and empty.
II. We are Temporary
A. We are temporary on this earth.
B. Look at verse 4.
C. Generations come and generations go.
D. We leave all of this behind.
E. Everything we have chased all of our lives we leave behind.
F. The word generation means time duration dwelling place.
G. Take the old football field in Paris for instance.
H. A new shiny toy was built and the one that was built 50 something years ago has been abandoned.
I. When the old stadium was built the people probably thought it would endure forever.
J. If you drive by the old stadium there is metal falling off and the paint is starting to chip off.
K. Last year it was good enough. This year it is old and decrepit and useless.
L. There will be a time when we have moved on and someone else is here.
M. We have to make sure that what God establishes here he can use after we are gone.
N. When our vapor fades out, are going to be found chasing after empty things?
III. That next generation
A. What are we leaving for the next generation?
B. Are we leaving them with the necessary means to carry on God’s work?
C. Are we leaving them with the necessary teachings to carry on God’s work?
D. Are we leaving with them the example that they need to see what a Christian looks like?
E. We are responsible for who we are here with now, and for what legacy we leave the next generation to do God’s work.
F. We should always strive to leave God’s work in a better more advanced place than we found it.
G. Not for our glory but for the glory of God and for the next generation to advance the work from there.
How many vain and empty things have we been chasing? How much of those empty earthly things keep us from advancing the gospel message the way we should?
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Prayer
Instructions on Prayer Matthew 6:9-13
This passage is mistakenly referred to as the Lord’s Prayer. This is actually not a prayer, but this is a model of prayer. This is Jesus instructing on the proper way to pray. Prayer had become vain repetitions among many people, and the effect of prayer was diminished. This instruction is to the believer as it was given by Christ in the Sermon on the Mount. It is a piece of scripture called the beatitudes. Beatitudes has the meaning of happy and blessed. Happy or blessed is the person that follows the instruction of Jesus Christ. The Westminster Shorter Catechism says this about prayer, and it goes along with this passage, “Prayer is an offering up of our desires unto God, for things agreeable to His will, in the name of Christ, with confession of our sins, and thankful acknowledgement of His mercies.
Westminster Shorter Catechism.
I. Acknowledge God
A. Father. Recognizing God as the giver of life.
B. The one that answers your prayers.
C. Which art in Heaven.
D. God on His throne. The mighty and powerful God.
E. Hallowed be thy name.
F. Holy is our God. His name is holy.
G. Have we made God’s name too common today?
H. Do we use it in other ways than intended?
I. Does the name God still mean something to us today?
J. Holy- Exalted or worthy of complete devotion as one perfect in goodness and righteousness.
K. When we address God properly, it shows that we are humbling ourselves before him and placing ourselves in the correct place.
II. Pray for God’s Will
A. His kingdom come.
B. This is in reference to “repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand.”
C. Our prayer should be that we are able to spread the Gospel message to the lost.
D. We should long to bring the Kingdom of heaven to the lost soul.
E. We are instructed to also pray for God’s will to be done.
F. We are to pray that God’s desires are accomplished though us on earth.
G. Refer back to the illustration I told last week about Ivan in the soviet prison camp. That he was not praying for release prison, but to do God’s will.
III. Daily Bread
A. Plead for the sustenance of the Lord.
B. Pray that He will provide for you.
C. 19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (Phi 4:19 KJV)
D. God supplied the Bread of Life to us through his son Jesus Christ.
E. This is the bread that once tasted of, we will never hunger again. This is eternal sustenance.
F. 22 Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. (Psa 55:22 KJV)
G. He will provide your measure.
H. 24 The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. (Lam 3:24 KJV)
I. He is our portion. Who else can we depend on?
IV. Forgive
A. The word that Jesus uses here is to send away.
B. We need forgiveness from God for what we owe.
C. 7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; (Eph 1:7 KJV)
D. Our forgiveness our price our ransom has been paid by the blood of Christ.
E. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him. (Luk 17:4 KJV)
F. We are to forgive those that forgive those that trespass against us because we have been forgiven ourselves.
G. Are we able to “send away” the things that have been done to us in the past?
H. Does it do any good for us to hang on to past trespasses and become bitter?
V. Lead Us Not Into Temptation
A. Is God Going to lead you into temptation?
B. Jesus is saying here that we need to plead for God to strengthen us to not heed to temptation when we face it.
C. 3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. (Mat 4:3 KJV)
D. This is a passage of scripture from the temptation of Christ.
E. Satan is called the tempter.
F. Jesus mentions this to us, because he knows what the temptation of the Devil feels like. When we are at our weakest, Satan is at his strongest.
G. We find our strength in God.
VI. We Need Delivery From Evil
A. Pray deliver us from evil.
B. Why do we need to be delivered from evil?
C. We need delivered form the bad or bad of nature.
D. 14 Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it. (Psa 34:14 KJV)
E. The Psalmist says to depart from evil. To turn aside from it. To flee from it.
F. 22 Abstain from all appearance of evil. (1Th 5:22 KJV)
G. Paul, in this letter to the church at Thessalonica, says that we must abstain from even the appearance of evil.
H. Abstain means to hold ones self off, or to refrain form. To restrain self.
I. Appearance here means the external or outward appearance.
J. If it perceived to be bad or of bad nature, we need to pray to God for the strength to flee from it.
K. Not fleeing from it will hinder God’s work through us.
VII. His Kingdom and Glory
A. It is God’s kingdom that we are trying to advance here on this earth.
B. It is his kingdom that we look forward to when death comes.
C. It is his power that has gotten us to where we are today.
D. It is God that we should exalt on a daily basis.
E. We should do these things because He is God, and he has provided us with eternity in heaven.
F. The official close of any prayer, Amen.
G. Firm, so be it, there it is.
This pattern of prayer given to us by our Lord will enhance our prayer lives. I urge you not to repeat this prayer, but add your personality to it. This is a fail proof design of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
This passage is mistakenly referred to as the Lord’s Prayer. This is actually not a prayer, but this is a model of prayer. This is Jesus instructing on the proper way to pray. Prayer had become vain repetitions among many people, and the effect of prayer was diminished. This instruction is to the believer as it was given by Christ in the Sermon on the Mount. It is a piece of scripture called the beatitudes. Beatitudes has the meaning of happy and blessed. Happy or blessed is the person that follows the instruction of Jesus Christ. The Westminster Shorter Catechism says this about prayer, and it goes along with this passage, “Prayer is an offering up of our desires unto God, for things agreeable to His will, in the name of Christ, with confession of our sins, and thankful acknowledgement of His mercies.
Westminster Shorter Catechism.
I. Acknowledge God
A. Father. Recognizing God as the giver of life.
B. The one that answers your prayers.
C. Which art in Heaven.
D. God on His throne. The mighty and powerful God.
E. Hallowed be thy name.
F. Holy is our God. His name is holy.
G. Have we made God’s name too common today?
H. Do we use it in other ways than intended?
I. Does the name God still mean something to us today?
J. Holy- Exalted or worthy of complete devotion as one perfect in goodness and righteousness.
K. When we address God properly, it shows that we are humbling ourselves before him and placing ourselves in the correct place.
II. Pray for God’s Will
A. His kingdom come.
B. This is in reference to “repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand.”
C. Our prayer should be that we are able to spread the Gospel message to the lost.
D. We should long to bring the Kingdom of heaven to the lost soul.
E. We are instructed to also pray for God’s will to be done.
F. We are to pray that God’s desires are accomplished though us on earth.
G. Refer back to the illustration I told last week about Ivan in the soviet prison camp. That he was not praying for release prison, but to do God’s will.
III. Daily Bread
A. Plead for the sustenance of the Lord.
B. Pray that He will provide for you.
C. 19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (Phi 4:19 KJV)
D. God supplied the Bread of Life to us through his son Jesus Christ.
E. This is the bread that once tasted of, we will never hunger again. This is eternal sustenance.
F. 22 Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. (Psa 55:22 KJV)
G. He will provide your measure.
H. 24 The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. (Lam 3:24 KJV)
I. He is our portion. Who else can we depend on?
IV. Forgive
A. The word that Jesus uses here is to send away.
B. We need forgiveness from God for what we owe.
C. 7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; (Eph 1:7 KJV)
D. Our forgiveness our price our ransom has been paid by the blood of Christ.
E. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him. (Luk 17:4 KJV)
F. We are to forgive those that forgive those that trespass against us because we have been forgiven ourselves.
G. Are we able to “send away” the things that have been done to us in the past?
H. Does it do any good for us to hang on to past trespasses and become bitter?
V. Lead Us Not Into Temptation
A. Is God Going to lead you into temptation?
B. Jesus is saying here that we need to plead for God to strengthen us to not heed to temptation when we face it.
C. 3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. (Mat 4:3 KJV)
D. This is a passage of scripture from the temptation of Christ.
E. Satan is called the tempter.
F. Jesus mentions this to us, because he knows what the temptation of the Devil feels like. When we are at our weakest, Satan is at his strongest.
G. We find our strength in God.
VI. We Need Delivery From Evil
A. Pray deliver us from evil.
B. Why do we need to be delivered from evil?
C. We need delivered form the bad or bad of nature.
D. 14 Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it. (Psa 34:14 KJV)
E. The Psalmist says to depart from evil. To turn aside from it. To flee from it.
F. 22 Abstain from all appearance of evil. (1Th 5:22 KJV)
G. Paul, in this letter to the church at Thessalonica, says that we must abstain from even the appearance of evil.
H. Abstain means to hold ones self off, or to refrain form. To restrain self.
I. Appearance here means the external or outward appearance.
J. If it perceived to be bad or of bad nature, we need to pray to God for the strength to flee from it.
K. Not fleeing from it will hinder God’s work through us.
VII. His Kingdom and Glory
A. It is God’s kingdom that we are trying to advance here on this earth.
B. It is his kingdom that we look forward to when death comes.
C. It is his power that has gotten us to where we are today.
D. It is God that we should exalt on a daily basis.
E. We should do these things because He is God, and he has provided us with eternity in heaven.
F. The official close of any prayer, Amen.
G. Firm, so be it, there it is.
This pattern of prayer given to us by our Lord will enhance our prayer lives. I urge you not to repeat this prayer, but add your personality to it. This is a fail proof design of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
One Path
14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.
15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.
16 For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
(Pro 4:14-19 KJV)
One Path
Some religions claim there are many paths to God. Some claim there are no paths to God. Some claim that man can become God. God proclaims that he is God and there is only one way to him and only one path to follow when we get to Him.
I. Only One Way as a Child of God
A. We are told in verse 14 not to begin going in the path of the wicked.
B. The word wicked means criminal.
C. As a child of God, this instructs us that there is only one way to go.
D. Just as there is only one path to salvation John 14:6 “I am the way the truth and the life and no man comes to the Father but by me.” There is only one way to live as a child of God.
E. 5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding (Pro 3:5 KJV)
F. So if we take the principle of only one path to God and only one path with God, this verse tells us that that path is in the Lord God.
G. The word trust means to be safe.
H. There are many areas of life where we may feel like taking a risk.
I. Finances, relationships, sporting events, etc.
J. But it is better to be safe in God than to be hurt or injured or distressed, when we follow the ways of the evil man.
K. The word evil in verse 14 of our text describes man, and mean injured or distressed.
L. Verse 15 tells us to Avoid, pass away turn from the path of the evil man.
M. To ignore it, decline it or alienate yourself from it.
N. Make it a foreign concept to you.
II. Following the Path of the Wicked is Addictive in Nature
A. Verse 16.
B. They sleep not, until they have done mischief.
C. Sleeps evades them until they have made some fall.
D. An evil minded person on the wrong path cannot have peace until they have broken someone down or caused to fail.
E. Think about times in your life when you were not on this one path that God has for you.
F. How did you act? Are you on this path right now?
G. Do you feel the need to succeed by making someone miserable?
H. As a child of God, you will be miserable.
I. Do you long for that moment when you can bring failure to someone with words, or actions, or non-actions.
J. Is this a feeling that you have to have in your life?
K. If so you are leaning on your own understanding and not letting God direct your paths.
L. God does not want us tear each other down.
M. He does not want us to tear those that are without Jesus in their lives down.
N. Evil minded people who long for this feeling of hurting others feast on the wrongness and the guilt ridden situations, and they drink the fruit of cruelty and injustice.
O. Does this describe you today?
III. God’s Path is Bright
A. You can tell the difference of which path you are on today, by examining yourself and determining whether you are walking in a dark place that longs to bring suffering to others.
B. Or if the path you are on is bright and God is the one in control of your life.
C. Verse 18 says the path of the just or righteous is a bright light.
D. When we are walking in the light, we can see what is ahead of us. We know where we are going.
E. As a child of God, we know our destination.
F. The journey to get there is different for all of us.
G. Our journeys all begin the same way, but having faith and belief that Jesus died on the cross to cleanse us of that that separates us from God.
H. But our journeys to the destination are different.
I. Sometimes we are in the well lit path, and sometimes we are stumbling blind in the darkness.
J. A person that has not accepted their sin or separation from God, and has not put faith in Jesus Christ to save them is stumbling toward a destination that is destruction and brokenness.
K. Verse 19 says the light shines more and more unto that perfect day.
L. As we walk in the light, we get closer to the light.
M. It becomes brighter and more clear for us to see where we are supposed to be going.
N. It will become crystal clear in that perfect day.
O. That perfect day is when we get to see Jesus face to face.
15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.
16 For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
(Pro 4:14-19 KJV)
One Path
Some religions claim there are many paths to God. Some claim there are no paths to God. Some claim that man can become God. God proclaims that he is God and there is only one way to him and only one path to follow when we get to Him.
I. Only One Way as a Child of God
A. We are told in verse 14 not to begin going in the path of the wicked.
B. The word wicked means criminal.
C. As a child of God, this instructs us that there is only one way to go.
D. Just as there is only one path to salvation John 14:6 “I am the way the truth and the life and no man comes to the Father but by me.” There is only one way to live as a child of God.
E. 5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding (Pro 3:5 KJV)
F. So if we take the principle of only one path to God and only one path with God, this verse tells us that that path is in the Lord God.
G. The word trust means to be safe.
H. There are many areas of life where we may feel like taking a risk.
I. Finances, relationships, sporting events, etc.
J. But it is better to be safe in God than to be hurt or injured or distressed, when we follow the ways of the evil man.
K. The word evil in verse 14 of our text describes man, and mean injured or distressed.
L. Verse 15 tells us to Avoid, pass away turn from the path of the evil man.
M. To ignore it, decline it or alienate yourself from it.
N. Make it a foreign concept to you.
II. Following the Path of the Wicked is Addictive in Nature
A. Verse 16.
B. They sleep not, until they have done mischief.
C. Sleeps evades them until they have made some fall.
D. An evil minded person on the wrong path cannot have peace until they have broken someone down or caused to fail.
E. Think about times in your life when you were not on this one path that God has for you.
F. How did you act? Are you on this path right now?
G. Do you feel the need to succeed by making someone miserable?
H. As a child of God, you will be miserable.
I. Do you long for that moment when you can bring failure to someone with words, or actions, or non-actions.
J. Is this a feeling that you have to have in your life?
K. If so you are leaning on your own understanding and not letting God direct your paths.
L. God does not want us tear each other down.
M. He does not want us to tear those that are without Jesus in their lives down.
N. Evil minded people who long for this feeling of hurting others feast on the wrongness and the guilt ridden situations, and they drink the fruit of cruelty and injustice.
O. Does this describe you today?
III. God’s Path is Bright
A. You can tell the difference of which path you are on today, by examining yourself and determining whether you are walking in a dark place that longs to bring suffering to others.
B. Or if the path you are on is bright and God is the one in control of your life.
C. Verse 18 says the path of the just or righteous is a bright light.
D. When we are walking in the light, we can see what is ahead of us. We know where we are going.
E. As a child of God, we know our destination.
F. The journey to get there is different for all of us.
G. Our journeys all begin the same way, but having faith and belief that Jesus died on the cross to cleanse us of that that separates us from God.
H. But our journeys to the destination are different.
I. Sometimes we are in the well lit path, and sometimes we are stumbling blind in the darkness.
J. A person that has not accepted their sin or separation from God, and has not put faith in Jesus Christ to save them is stumbling toward a destination that is destruction and brokenness.
K. Verse 19 says the light shines more and more unto that perfect day.
L. As we walk in the light, we get closer to the light.
M. It becomes brighter and more clear for us to see where we are supposed to be going.
N. It will become crystal clear in that perfect day.
O. That perfect day is when we get to see Jesus face to face.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Jesus is Still Jesus Even on Sunday
Matthew 12:.
9 And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue:
10 And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.
11 And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?
12 How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.
13 Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.
14 Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.
15 But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all;
16 And charged them that they should not make him known:
(Mat 12:9-16 KJV)
If we look back to verse one in this 12th chapter of Matthew we see the disciples shucking corn to eat on the Sabbath. According to the Law, this preparation work was to be completed the evening before the Sabbath so that no work would take place on the Sabbath. The Pharisees, being the Law abiding people that they were decided to question Jesus on this. Ant the answer he gives them in verse 8 should settle any conflict. He says that even on the Sabbath the Lord is the Lord. Let’s move to verse 9 and see what Jesus does following this.
I. Jesus Heals a Withered Hand
A. We see in verse nine that Jesus entered their synagogue.
B. The Pharisees were looking for any opportunity to trip Jesus up.
C. They wanted to make him break the Law so that they could prove he was a sinner.
D. Let’s stop and look at this for a moment.
E. People around you that know you go to church are going to be watching you.
F. They are going to be looking for something that proves that you are not high and mighty.
G. You know, they are going to find it.
H. We are not high and mighty, God is.
I. Even though we are not bound by the Law that was handed down to Moses any longer, As a standard for living, and that is what the word of God should be for us, we will go against God’s word on a daily basis.
J. And there will be a “Pharisee” there to catch us when we do.
K. Do we set aside a day for rest and recuperation and praising God.
L. “I have to get this done or that done and Sunday is the only day I have to get it done.”
M. Somebody that knows you that you go to church will see you and think, “They are not there, they are mowing, or chopping wood or whatever it may be.”
N. If people around you do not see the necessity in your life to come to church and worship, they will not see the necessity in their life for it either.
O. But Jesus wanted to use this to teach the Pharisees and eventually us that We are ot bound by the Law any longer, and people need to see that Jesus is we proclaim him to be.
II. Jesus’ Answer to The Accusation
A. I love the way that Jesus answers the accusation.
B. Remember the Pharisees are looking to accuse him for working on the Sabbath.
C. Jesus turns it around and he speaks in a language that the Pharisees can understand.
D. If a sheep falls into a pit, would they not lift it out on the Sabbath to save it.
E. Then he asks them if a sheep is worth more than a man.
F. How much more beautiful is a man than livestock.
G. The Pharisees could justify this, just like we can justify anything, by saying “That is our livelihood and we must take care of it.”
H. Jesus is saying to them “People are my livelihood, and I must take care of them”
I. He came here to heal us of the condition of sin.
J. He came here to show us what true compassion looks like.
K. Society today does not care about worshipping God.
L. Our god today in society is money.
M. Money is good.
N. We have to have it.
O. But we spend a lot more time chasing money than we do God.
P. Jesus is trying to get the Pharisees to understand that he fulfilled the Law.
Q. Do we understand this today?
III. The Plot of Destruction
A. The Pharisees then held a counsel to plot Jesus’ destruction.
B. Why?
C. He made them look like fools again.
D. How many times do we look like a fool when we challenge the authority of Jesus Christ.
E. By Jesus saying that the Lord is the Lord even on the Sabbath, he was saying that people are still people even on the Sabbath.
F. People still need healing and food on the Sabbath.
G. He was not going to let them stop him from he could do to help others.
H. He fulfilled the Law and now he was setting new standards of service,
I. He was being an example to us today as to what to do and not to do.
J. He wanted to teach the Pharisees that what they were holding on to was tradition and not Him.
K. How many times today do we hold on to tradition and not onto God?
L. When we hold to tradition and not God we plot destruction on ourselves and on God’s work.
M. We become our own Pharisees.
N. Jesus found out about the plot and left and we see that he kept healing.
O. He charged them not to make it known.
P. He was being plotted against and he knew that eventually he was going to die.
Q. But just like everything else about God’s word, Jesus would determine when it was time for him to lay down his life for me and for you.
IV. Application
A. Are we allowing God to use us every day of the week to show how mighty, powerful, beautiful and loving that he is?
B. Sunday is not for you. It is for God. Monday is not for you, it is for God, Tuesday is not for you, it is for God…
C. What are you chasing today? Who are you chasing?
D. Are you a Pharisee who is so concerned about what others are doing that you can not see what God is doing?
E. That is the way these Pharisees were acting to Jesus. Instead of praising him for healing the withered hand, they used the man with the withered hand to try and trip Jesus up.
F. The compassion was not for the man, but for their own selfish purposes.
G. When we use God’s work for our own selfish purposes we will fail and we will fall.
H. Are you a plotter?
I. If you are living a life pleasing to God, you will be plotted against.
J. But Jesus is Jesus even on the Sabbath. Are you still his?
9 And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue:
10 And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.
11 And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?
12 How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.
13 Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.
14 Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.
15 But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all;
16 And charged them that they should not make him known:
(Mat 12:9-16 KJV)
If we look back to verse one in this 12th chapter of Matthew we see the disciples shucking corn to eat on the Sabbath. According to the Law, this preparation work was to be completed the evening before the Sabbath so that no work would take place on the Sabbath. The Pharisees, being the Law abiding people that they were decided to question Jesus on this. Ant the answer he gives them in verse 8 should settle any conflict. He says that even on the Sabbath the Lord is the Lord. Let’s move to verse 9 and see what Jesus does following this.
I. Jesus Heals a Withered Hand
A. We see in verse nine that Jesus entered their synagogue.
B. The Pharisees were looking for any opportunity to trip Jesus up.
C. They wanted to make him break the Law so that they could prove he was a sinner.
D. Let’s stop and look at this for a moment.
E. People around you that know you go to church are going to be watching you.
F. They are going to be looking for something that proves that you are not high and mighty.
G. You know, they are going to find it.
H. We are not high and mighty, God is.
I. Even though we are not bound by the Law that was handed down to Moses any longer, As a standard for living, and that is what the word of God should be for us, we will go against God’s word on a daily basis.
J. And there will be a “Pharisee” there to catch us when we do.
K. Do we set aside a day for rest and recuperation and praising God.
L. “I have to get this done or that done and Sunday is the only day I have to get it done.”
M. Somebody that knows you that you go to church will see you and think, “They are not there, they are mowing, or chopping wood or whatever it may be.”
N. If people around you do not see the necessity in your life to come to church and worship, they will not see the necessity in their life for it either.
O. But Jesus wanted to use this to teach the Pharisees and eventually us that We are ot bound by the Law any longer, and people need to see that Jesus is we proclaim him to be.
II. Jesus’ Answer to The Accusation
A. I love the way that Jesus answers the accusation.
B. Remember the Pharisees are looking to accuse him for working on the Sabbath.
C. Jesus turns it around and he speaks in a language that the Pharisees can understand.
D. If a sheep falls into a pit, would they not lift it out on the Sabbath to save it.
E. Then he asks them if a sheep is worth more than a man.
F. How much more beautiful is a man than livestock.
G. The Pharisees could justify this, just like we can justify anything, by saying “That is our livelihood and we must take care of it.”
H. Jesus is saying to them “People are my livelihood, and I must take care of them”
I. He came here to heal us of the condition of sin.
J. He came here to show us what true compassion looks like.
K. Society today does not care about worshipping God.
L. Our god today in society is money.
M. Money is good.
N. We have to have it.
O. But we spend a lot more time chasing money than we do God.
P. Jesus is trying to get the Pharisees to understand that he fulfilled the Law.
Q. Do we understand this today?
III. The Plot of Destruction
A. The Pharisees then held a counsel to plot Jesus’ destruction.
B. Why?
C. He made them look like fools again.
D. How many times do we look like a fool when we challenge the authority of Jesus Christ.
E. By Jesus saying that the Lord is the Lord even on the Sabbath, he was saying that people are still people even on the Sabbath.
F. People still need healing and food on the Sabbath.
G. He was not going to let them stop him from he could do to help others.
H. He fulfilled the Law and now he was setting new standards of service,
I. He was being an example to us today as to what to do and not to do.
J. He wanted to teach the Pharisees that what they were holding on to was tradition and not Him.
K. How many times today do we hold on to tradition and not onto God?
L. When we hold to tradition and not God we plot destruction on ourselves and on God’s work.
M. We become our own Pharisees.
N. Jesus found out about the plot and left and we see that he kept healing.
O. He charged them not to make it known.
P. He was being plotted against and he knew that eventually he was going to die.
Q. But just like everything else about God’s word, Jesus would determine when it was time for him to lay down his life for me and for you.
IV. Application
A. Are we allowing God to use us every day of the week to show how mighty, powerful, beautiful and loving that he is?
B. Sunday is not for you. It is for God. Monday is not for you, it is for God, Tuesday is not for you, it is for God…
C. What are you chasing today? Who are you chasing?
D. Are you a Pharisee who is so concerned about what others are doing that you can not see what God is doing?
E. That is the way these Pharisees were acting to Jesus. Instead of praising him for healing the withered hand, they used the man with the withered hand to try and trip Jesus up.
F. The compassion was not for the man, but for their own selfish purposes.
G. When we use God’s work for our own selfish purposes we will fail and we will fall.
H. Are you a plotter?
I. If you are living a life pleasing to God, you will be plotted against.
J. But Jesus is Jesus even on the Sabbath. Are you still his?
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