Like Barking Dogs Series

LIKE BARKING DOGS

Matthew 7:15-29, 13:34

S: Celebrate Jesus

Th: Communication

Pr: Jesus spoke God’s truth in everyday language.

?: How? How did Jesus speak?

KW: Characteristics

TS: We will find in our study three characteristics that

demonstrate how Jesus spoke to engage his listeners.

The _____ characteristic that Jesus demonstrated to engage his listeners is He was…

I. DISCERNABLE (Matthew 7:15-27)

II. DRAMATIC (Matthew 13:34)

III. DEFINITIVE (Matthew 7:28-29)

RMBC 2/20/00 AM

INTRODUCTION:

1. Did you ever wonder what they were saying?

ILL dogs hey! hey!

I wonder this all the time with my dog. He barks a lot. If you ever come to our house, I must warn you, you will most likely be greeted by a barking dog. Now, I really don’t know what he is saying, except that I think he’s scared and wants us to deal with the stranger in our midst.

There was a Far Side cartoon on my door a while ago that talked about a scientist that had invented a dog translator machine. As he wore this machine, everywhere he went, he understood exactly what dogs were saying. It was actually quite simple. Every dog was saying, “hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!”

Well, even though dogs do give us clues to what they are thinking or what their needs are…

2. It is frustrating to attempt to understand someone that is not speaking our language.

It is usually frustrating to both.

You are never quite sure that you have been understood.

TRANSITION:

1. This is our fifth Sunday (Day 29) of our 50-Day Adventure called “Celebrate Jesus: Discover What Makes Him Attractive to So Many People.”

We have been celebrating Jesus and discovering what He was like as He walked this earth.

In turn, it is our goal to just not know what Jesus was like, but to be like Him.

So far, we have learned that…

1.1 Jesus stayed spiritually connected and directed by God.

Using the story of the Samaritan woman, we learned that…

1.2 Jesus shattered the stereotypes of “us” and “them.”

Using the story of the calling of Matthew the tax collector, we learned that…

1.3 Jesus liked people and drew out the best in them.

Using the story of the washing of the disciples’ feet, we learned that…

1.4 Jesus knew his identity yet served with humility.

Today, we want to speak about how Jesus communicated,

We all know that…

2. It is helpful to us when people speak clearly.

It is also helpful when we come across someone that will go the extra mile to make sure that we understand.

Take for example this story…

ILL 50 Day Message

Everybody but Sam had signed up for a new company pension plan that called for a small employee contribution. The company was paying all the rest. Unfortunately, 100% employee participation was needed; otherwise, the plan was off. Sam’s boss and his fellow workers pleaded and cajoled, but to no avail. Sam said that the plan would never pay off. Finally, the company president called Sam into his office. “Sam,” he said, “here’s a copy of the new pension plan, and here’s a pen. I want you to sign the papers. I’m sorry, but if you don’t sign, you’re fired—as of right now.” Sam signed the papers immediately. “Now,” said the president, “would you mind telling me why you couldn’t have signed earlier?” “Well, sir,” replied Sam, “nobody explained it to me quite so clearly.”

Well, we chuckle at that story, but the truth is, Jesus spoke in the same kind of way.

He was not difficult to understand.

He did not, like my philosophy professor at college, speak over your head.

In fact…

3. JESUS SPOKE GOD’S TRUTH IN EVERYDAY LANGUAGE.

The question we want to answer today is how ?

How did Jesus speak?

Well…

4. We will find three characteristics that demonstrate how Jesus spoke to engage his listeners.

OUR STUDY:

I. The first characteristic that Jesus demonstrated to engage his listeners is He was DISCERNABLE (Matthew 7:15-27).

We need to recognize that the longer that we are Christians, the more our language becomes out of touch of where people are and how they think.

For…

1. We develop our own religious jargon that is gibberish to seekers.

In fact, when we have the opportunity to share our faith, it might come out something like this…

ILL DRAMA “Huh?”

2. Jesus spoke in terms that everyone could understand.

Note the way Jesus speaks in Matthew 7:

(15) Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.

(16) By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?

(24) Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.