If You Are Willing Series

If You Are Willing

Matthew 8:1-4

NOW THIS MORNING – after our break for the Easter Season, where we are jumping back into our verse by verse study of The Gospel of Matthew...

UNDERSTAND – in His Gospel Matthew wants to us to know that Jesus is the promised King...

IN FACT – He makes this clear from the very beginning of His Gospel...

In His genealogy (Matthew 1:1-17)... Matthew shows us that Jesus has the legal authority to Davidic Throne by tracing His family line from Abraham – through David – to Joseph, Jesus’ earthly father.

In Jesus birth Matthew tells us that Jesus fulfilled what Isaiah wrote in Isaiah chapter 40, about the promise King... The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means “God with us”. Matthew 1:23

In Chapter 2, Matthew tells us the wisemen that were led by God’s Star to worship and brings gifts to... the who has been born King of the Jews... – Matthew 2:2

In Matthew Chapter 3, like any King who would have a forerunner announcing his coming, Matthew gives us JTB... This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:

A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’ – Matthew 3:3

AND THEN – to give us Jesus’ moral authority, Matthew gives us His baptism and God’s pronouncement... This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. - Matthew 3:17

Followed by Jesus’ victory over the evil one’s temptation... Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’ Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him. – Matthew 4:10,11

AND THEN – in Matthew chapters 5-7 Jesus goes up on a mountainside overlooking the Sea of Galilee and gave His what is known, as the Sermon on the Mount, His Kingdom Manifesto, a manifesto we spent 38 weeks diving into together. A manifesto about: the values, about the ethics... ABOUT - how life is actually lived, when Jesus reigns as King in the life of those who follow after Him, and...

When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

Matthew 7:28,29

NOW – understand if we were to ask Matthew to describe Jesus in one word, I am convinced that it would be KING.

AND MGCC – we have lost that (Jesus is the KING) in many respects. IN FACT – I’m not sure we want a KING.

INSTEAD - we want a friend, we want a buddy, we want a shoulder, we want a God who makes our life better but does not interfere with our own wants and desires…

HOWEVER – God knows what we need more than we do, AND GOD KNOWS – that we need a KING,

SO - He gave us Jesus.

AND LISTEN – as King Jesus has…

• The authority to speak (into everyone’s life, ‘you have heard it said but I say to you”… “Those who hear my teaching and put them into practice is like…)

• The power to rule (over nature, over sickness, over demons, over sin death and the grave)

• The desire to include (everyone and anyone in His Kingdom)

• The right to reward (“well done my good and faithful servant, come enter my joy and happiness).

YEAH – in the first seven chapters Matthew wants us to know that Jesus is King, Jesus...

• Has the legal authority to the forever throne of David

• Was born to a virgin as the promised king, who is Immanuel ‘God with us’

• Was announced as King by JRB, worship as King by the wiseman, proclaimed by God as His Son in whom He is well please, and

• On the hillside unveiled His kingdom manifesto

That’s the first seven chapters of Matthew...

AND – this brings us to Matthew chapter 8...

When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. – Matthew 8:1

AND LISTEN – it here in Matthew 8 and also in Matthew 9, that we see the authority of Jesus’ demonstrated...In other words... Jesus begins giving proof that He is who He said He is.

The Authority of The King Demonstrated

• 3 miracle stories (Matthew 8:1-17)

• 2 descriptions of discipleship (Matthew 8:18-22)

• 3 miracle stories (Matthew 8:23-9:8)

• 2 descriptions of discipleship (Matthew 9:9-17)

• 3 miracle stories (Matthew 9:18-34)

AND LISTEN...

Here’s s the deal, Here’s the point Matthew is making in these two chapters...

King Jesus possess absolute authority in the world and warrants absolute authority from the world.