Introduction

Good morning, cherished brothers and sisters in Christ. It's a joy to gather with you today as we open God's Word together. The very book that serves as our compass, our comfort, and our constant reminder of God's unwavering love for us. Today, we find ourselves in the Gospel of Matthew, specifically chapter 13, verses 54 to 58.

Let's read it together. "He came to his hometown and began teaching them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, 'Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers? Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary, and His brothers, James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this man get all these things?' And they took offense at Him. But Jesus said to them, 'A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.' And He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief."

In the heart of this passage, we find a profound truth about the nature of knowing and kinship, and the keys to the kingdom. We find ourselves asking, who is this King? And what does it mean to truly know Him?

As Charles Spurgeon, the Prince of Preachers, once wrote, "To know God is to live." Indeed, our lives find their true meaning, their true purpose, and their true joy when we come to know God in His fullness. Not just as a distant deity or an abstract idea, but as our King, our Savior, our closest Friend.

Let us pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you for this day, for the gift of life and the privilege of gathering together to study Your Word. As we open our hearts and minds to Your truth, we ask that You would guide us, enlightening us with Your wisdom and filling us with Your love. Help us to see You more clearly, to love You more dearly, and to follow You more nearly, day by day. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Transition. So, let's ask ourselves: Do we truly know our King? Do we understand the depth of our kinship with Him? And are we ready to turn the keys to His kingdom?

Knowing the King

In the heart of the Gospel of Matthew, we find ourselves face to face with a profound question: Who is this King? The people of Jesus' hometown, those who had known Him since He was a child, found themselves grappling with this very question. They saw the wisdom in His words, the power in His miracles, and yet, they struggled to reconcile this with the Jesus they thought they knew. The carpenter's son. The brother of James and Joseph and Simon and Judas. The local boy made good.

This struggle is not unfamiliar to us. We too, in our walk with Christ, often find ourselves wrestling with the question of who Jesus really is. We read the stories of His miracles, we hear the wisdom in His teachings, and yet, we struggle to truly know Him. To see Him not just as a figure from a story, but as a living, breathing, present King.

The first step in truly knowing our King is recognizing His divinity. Jesus was not just a man. He was not just a wise teacher or a powerful miracle worker. He was God in the flesh. The Creator of the universe, the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. He was the Word made flesh, the embodiment of God's love for us. Recognizing this is crucial to truly knowing our King. It's not enough to admire Jesus for His wisdom or His power. We must acknowledge Him as our God.

But acknowledging Jesus' divinity is just the start. To truly know our King, we must also understand His humanity. Jesus was not just God. He was also a man. He experienced hunger and thirst. He felt pain and sorrow. He knew what it was to be tempted, to be misunderstood, to be rejected. He was fully human, in every sense of the word. Understanding this is crucial to truly knowing our King. It's not enough to revere Jesus for His divinity. We must also relate to Him in His humanity.

Understanding Jesus' humanity and divinity, however, is still not enough. To truly know our King, we must also experience His love. Jesus did not just teach about love. He embodied it. He healed the sick, fed the hungry, comforted the grieving. He washed His disciples' feet, forgave His enemies, and ultimately, gave His life for us. Experiencing this love is crucial to truly knowing our King. It's not enough to understand Jesus in our minds. We must also feel Him in our hearts.

Finally, to truly know our King, we must follow His example. Jesus did not just talk the talk. He walked the walk. He lived a life of humility, service, and sacrifice. He loved God with all His heart, soul, mind, and strength, and loved His neighbor as Himself. Following this example is crucial to truly knowing our King. It's not enough to admire Jesus from afar. We must also walk in His footsteps.

Transition. In the end, knowing our King is not a matter of knowledge, but of relationship. It's not about understanding facts, but about experiencing love. It's not about following rules, but about living a life of faith. It's not about seeing Jesus as a distant deity, but about embracing Him as our closest friend. It's about recognizing His divinity, understanding His humanity, experiencing His love, and following His example. It's about seeing Him not just as the carpenter's son, but as our King.

Knowledge and Kinship

As we continue to reflect on the passage from Matthew 13, we find ourselves drawn to the people of Jesus' hometown ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO