Are You Missing God's Best for Your Life?
The Gospel of Matthew
Matthew 16:24-28
Sermon by Rick Crandall
(Prepared September 10, 2022)
BACKGROUND:
*Please open your Bibles to Matthew 16. This chapter began with Christ-rejecting Pharisees and Sadducees trying to trap Jesus by asking Him for a sign from heaven. The Lord had already given them countless miraculous signs that proved He was the promised Messiah. But no sign would have been enough for those ungodly religious elites.
*By this time, Jesus was in the 3rd year of His ministry. J. Vernon McGee estimated the Lord was only six months away from the cross, and the Lord was viciously opposed by four evil groups: Scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees, and Herodians. Normally, the scribes and Pharisees hated the Sadducees and Herodians, and the feeling was mutual. But these Christ rejecters had come together in their murderous hatred of Jesus. They were obsessed with His destruction, and had been plotting His death for months.
*William Barclay explained that "the cross was coming closer, and Jesus needed some time alone with his disciples, so He withdrew to the region of Caesarea Philippi. It was 25 miles northeast of the Sea of Galilee. The people there were mainly non-Jewish, like the soldiers of the Roman Empire. Locals worshiped in temples dedicated to the demonic gods of the Syrians and Greeks. Caesarea Philippi also had a giant, white marble temple that was built to worship the Roman Emperor as God.
*John Phillips explained that there on the edge of the Gentile world, the Lord tarried with His disciples for about a week. There Jesus began to speak plainly about His cross. And for the first time, He spoke about His Church. That's why Phillips called this chapter "the great divide" of Matthew’s Gospel. (1)
*As Jesus focused on His Church and His cross here, He was speaking to His 12 disciples. But we must understand that the word "disciple" simply means "student," "learner," "follower," imitator." And in that sense, Christians, we are also called to be the Lord's disciples.
*Thank God, we are citizens of Heaven, children of God, friends of God, and much, much more. But we are all called to be followers of Jesus Christ. And God wants us to be the best followers we can possibly be. God wants us to have the best lives we can possibly have. Please think about these truths as we read Matthew 16:24-28.
MESSAGE:
*Have you ever been watching something on TV? -- Maybe it was a movie or a show you really wanted to see. Maybe it was the big game, and at just the crucial moment the power went out on you. Or maybe some storm clouds got too thick, and blocked the satellite signal. I know that's happened to most of us, and we don’t like missing out on something we wanted.
*But we might be missing out on something infinitely more important. We might be missing out on God's best for our lives, and not even know it. Let me ask you 5 questions that can help us find God's best for our lives.
1. THE FIRST QUESTION IS: HAVE I MEASURED THE TREASURE OF MY LIFE?
*In vs. 24-26, Jesus wants us to know how valuable our lives truly are:
24. Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
25. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
26. For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
*Your life, your soul is worth more than all the riches of the world. Your soul is worth more than every diamond and every drop of oil in the world. Your soul is priceless. There is nothing worth more.
*Please think of the incredible value that God has put on your life. Nobody in their right mind would trade a finger for a thousand dollars. Would you trade your arm for 100,000 dollars? Would you trade your tongue for a million? Of course not. But the real you who lives inside your body is worth infinitely more. Jesus tells us that we are priceless. And we are priceless, because we are God's creation.
*Zig Ziglar put it in perspective when he asked us to think about the priceless masterpieces painted by DaVinci or Michelangelo. And Zig said, "I am roughly familiar with the price of the canvass and the paints. In and of themselves, they are not worth much at all. No -- The value of the painting comes from the touch of the Master's Hand." (2)
*And you are priceless, because you were created by the greatest Master of all. On top of that, you are priceless because of the high price Jesus paid on the cross for our souls. That's why 1 Peter 1:18-19 tells believers, "You were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot."
*Think about the price that Jesus paid on the cross for you, and you will see how much God values your life. That's how much He loves us! And God wants us to have the best lives we can possibly have, so ask yourself: "Have I measured the treasure of my life?"
2. THE SECOND QUESTION IS: HAVE I DETERMINED THE DESTINY OF MY LIFE?
*Jesus asked in vs. 26, "What is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?" Sadly, it is possible to lose your soul, and most people will lose their souls. That's because the just punishment for our sins is eternal separation from God in a terrible place called hell.
*We don't like to think about hell. We don't like to think about the wrath of God, but it is a very real thing. Nave's Topical Bible has over 80 references about the anger of God. One of those is Romans 2:5, where Paul said this to hard-hearted, Christ-rejecting people: "In accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God."
*On the other hand, Paul was speaking to other Christians in 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10. And he talked about how they "turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come."
*The wrath of God is coming on this wicked world, so "what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?"
*David Holwick once said, "I am convinced that we will exist after death. The question is: 'Where will we spend eternity?' For though there is a Heaven, which the Bible abundantly makes clear. it makes equally plain the truth that everyone is not going to Heaven.
*Listen to the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:13-14: 'Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.'
*How do we go to heaven? In John 14:5, Thomas said, 'Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?' Then in John 14:6 Jesus answered by saying, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except by me.'
*The way to Heaven is as narrow as the cross. Only those who are willing to humble themselves, acknowledge their sin, and place their trust in Jesus Christ will ever enter the gates of Heaven.
*There are two personal truths I know about myself. The first is: I ought to go to hell because that is where I belong. I stand guilty before God and deserve His displeasure. But the second truth, which I know equally, is: I am going to Heaven because Jesus took my punishment on the cross for me! I have no other hope but the Risen Savior's free gift of eternal life." (3)
*Everybody is not going to Heaven. What about you? Have you admitted your sin and trusted in Jesus Christ for your salvation? Have you received Him as your Lord and Savior? Have you called on the Lord to save you? God wants His best for our lives, so ask yourself: "Have I determined the destiny of my life?"
3. THE THIRD QUESTION IS: DO I RECOGNIZE MY RESPONSIBILITY BEFORE GOD?
*In vs. 27 Jesus said, "The Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works." This verse reminds us that all people are accountable to God. Lost people are accountable to God, -- and saved people are accountable to God.
*Yes, believers, our sins are washed away by the blood of Jesus Christ, and our sins are buried in the sea of God's forgetfulness. As Micah 7:19 says, "He will again have compassion on us, and will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea." And in Hebrews 8:12 God says, "I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more."
*Thank God! But does that mean we can live any old selfish sinful way? -- Of course not! In Romans 6:1-2 Paul asked, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?" Micah 6:8 says, "He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?"
*Christians, we are still accountable to God. In Romans 14:10-12 Paul asked, "Why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written: 'As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God.' So then each of us shall give account of himself to God."
*Paul's sure knowledge of this truth helped motivate him to keep pressing on for Jesus, so in Philippians 3:14 Paul said, "I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." That is the spirit we need in life!
*Then in Acts 20:24, Paul knew that he was facing chains and tribulation as he made his way back to Jerusalem, but Paul was determined to keep serving Jesus. And he showed us how to live, when he said, "None of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God."
*This is the life all Christians are called to: Finishing our race with joy, and finishing the ministry we received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. The Lord wants us to have His best for our lives, so ask yourself: "Do I recognize my responsibility before God?"
4. THE FOURTH QUESTIONS IS: AM I WILLING TO TRUST JESUS WHEN I DON'T UNDERSTAND?
*Remember that the Lord's disciples did not understand the cross at this point, even though they had been following Jesus for over two years. That's why Peter got in trouble in vs. 20-23:
20. Then He commanded His disciples that they should tell no one that He was Jesus the Christ.
21. From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.
22. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!''
23. But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.''
*The disciples were still confused on that first Easter Sunday, even after our risen Lord had appeared to Mary Magdalene and some other followers. Mark 16:14 says, "Afterward He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen."
*They just didn't understand. And there's a verse in today's Scripture that is hard to understand. It's vs. 28 where Jesus said, "Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.''
*That cannot mean what it seems to mean on the surface, because if it did, then the Lord would have come back 30 to 40 years after He rose again from the dead. And that surely did not happen. So, what does vs. 28 mean? "Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom."
*Most commentaries I read said that this statement referred to Peter, James and John seeing a revelation of the Lord's glory on the Mount of Transfiguration. That makes sense, because the story of the Lord's transfiguration closely follows this statement in the 3 Gospels where it's recorded (Matthew 17, Mark 9, Luke 9).
*On top of that, John 1:14 calls Jesus "The Word," and there the Apostle John said, "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."
*And in 2 Peter 1:16-18 the Apostle Peter said:
16. We did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.
17. For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.''
18. And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.
*Maybe in vs. 28 Jesus was referring to the upcoming transfiguration. But please listen to this verse one more time. Jesus said, "Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom."
*That really doesn't sound like the Transfiguration to me. The Transfiguration seems more like a brief glimpse of the Lord's glory. And the Apostle John got another glimpse of Christ's glory. Here's part of John's report from Revelation 1:10-18:
10. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet,
11. saying, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,'' and, "What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.''
12. Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands,
13. and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band.
14. His head and His hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire;
15. His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters;
16. He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.
17. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, "Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last.
18. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death."
*I say all of this to point out there are some things in God's Word that are hard to understand. And that's exactly what Peter said about Paul's letters in 2 Peter 3:16. There are some things in God's Word that are hard to understand, and there are some things in life that are hard to understand. But Proverbs 3:5 tells us to "trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding."
*That is exactly what God wants us to do. And we must because it is impossible for us to fully understand God. Steven Myers once wisely said: "Trying to understand God is like trying to teach calculus to a worm." (4)
*Sometimes we are also like a dog C. S. Lewis told about. That dog had his leash wrapped around a signpost. And he was pulling, pulling at his leash, struggling to go forward. But the master knew that the only way to go forward was to back-up and get untangled. (5)
*That's right! -- So, we have got to learn how to trust God, even when we don't understand. And God wants us to have His best for our lives, so ask yourself: "Am I willing to trust Jesus when I don't understand?"
5. THE FIFTH QUESTIONS IS: AM I FOCUSED ON THE FACT OF CHRIST'S RETURN?
*We see the Lord's victorious return in vs. 27-28. There, again Jesus said:
27. "For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.
28. Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom."
*Jesus Christ is coming back, and that's for sure! But are you focused on the Lord's return? Are you paying attention to this truth? Are you intentionally thinking about His return, and what it means for our world?
*C. S. Lewis described it this way: "When the author walks onto the stage, the play is over. God is going to invade, all right; but what is the good of saying you are on His side then, when you see the whole natural universe melting away like a dream and something else comes crashing in? This time it will be God without disguise; something so overwhelming that it will strike either irresistible love or irresistible horror into every creature. It will be too late then to choose your side. That will not be the time for choosing. It will be the time when we discover which side we really have chosen, whether we realized it before or not. Now, today, this moment, is our chance to choose the right side."
*C. S. Lewis also said: "If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this." (6)
CONCLUSION:
*Jesus told us many times to be watching, waiting, and ready for His return. So don't miss out on God's best for your life. Take a few moments today to search your heart and see. As we bow our heads for prayer, please ask yourself these questions:
1-Have I measured the treasure of my life? You are precious in the sight of God. -- Don't miss that!
2-Have I determined the destiny of my life? Everybody is not going to Heaven. Are you? Believe on the crucified and risen Savior Jesus Christ. Receive Him as your Lord and Savior. Jesus is the only way to get to Heaven.
3-Do I recognize my responsibility before God? We will all be accountable to Him. Don't miss that truth.
4-Am I willing to trust Jesus when I don't understand? We all go through those seasons, so "trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding." (Proverbs 3:5)
5-And am I focused on the fact of Christ's return? Be intentional about it. Spend some time every day focusing on this great truth: Jesus Christ is coming again!
(1) Adapted from:
-THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH J. VERNON MCGEE by J. Vernon McGee - Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville - Copyright 1981 - "Jesus Announces His Death and Resurrection" - Matthew 16:21-28 - Downloaded to e-Sword by Rick Meyers - Copyright 2021
-BARCLAY'S DAILY BIBLE STUDY SERIES - NEW TESTAMENT by William Barclay - Revised Edition - Copyright 1975 - First published by the Saint Andrew Press, Edinburgh, Scotland - The Westminster Press, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - "The Scene of the Great Discovery" - Matthew 16:13-16 - https://bibleportal.com/commentary/section/william-barclay/the-scene-of-the-great-discovery-matthew-1613-16
-EXPLORING THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW by John Phillips, Kregal Publications, Grand Rapids - "Peter and the Christ" - Matthew 16:13-20 - Downloaded to "Bible Study 6" from Olive Tree Bible Software, Inc.
(2) Original source for Zig Ziglar quote unknown
(3) Adapted from - KERUX SERMON COLLECTION - ID Number: 706 - PREACHER: Rev. David Holwick - LOCATION: First Baptist Church; West Lafayette, Ohio - DATE: 4/24/1983 - MAIN TEXT: Revelation 21:1-4, 22-27 - Title: Why I Believe in Heaven
(4) Steven Myers - Source: "Dynamic Illustrations: Apr, May, Jun, 2001 - Topic: God
(5) Original source unknown
(6) C. S. Lewis - "Mere Christianity" - Harper, San Francisco - Zondervan Publishing House, Copyright renewed 1980
