Refusal To Believe

I. EXORDIUM:

Are you a believer? Have you refused to believe before?

II. AUDIENCE PROFILE:

General believers

III. OBJECTIVES:

To show that being offended is a mark of an unbeliever

IV. TEXT:

Matthew 13:57

And they were deeply offended and refused to believe in him. Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his own family.”

V. THESIS:

Being offended is what unbeliever does.

VI. TITLE:

Refusal To Believe

VII. EXPLICATION:

A. Author: Matthew or Levi

B. Key Thought: Fulfilled

C. Audience: Jews

D. Purpose: to show that JESUS is the Kingly Messiah of Jewish Prophecy.

VIII. MAIN BODY:

A. Highlights/ Marks of an Unbeliever:

1. They were deeply offended.

- it's always the masses, always many

- the closer ones are easy to offend.

B. "And they were deeply offended and refused to believe in HIM." (NLT)

C. Result: Refusal to believe

1. Few miracles done. (Matthew 13:58)

Matthew 13:58

And so he did only a few miracles there because of their unbelief.

2. The LORD JESUS is the Rock of Offense (Isaiah 8:14)

Isaiah 8:14

He will keep you safe. But to Israel and Judah he will be a stone that makes people stumble, a rock that makes them fall. And for the people of Jerusalem he will be a trap and a snare.

3. GOD blesses the person who is not offended at the LORD (Matthew 11:6)

Matthew 11:6

And tell him, ‘God blesses those who do not turn away because of me.

4. They were offended at a carpenter teaching GOD's Words (Mark 6:3)

Mark 6:3

Then they scoffed, “He’s just a carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon. And his sisters live right here among us.” They were deeply offended and refused to believe in him.

5. Once you stumble, you're no longer a believer. (Romans 9:32)

Romans 9:32

Why not? Because they were trying to get right with God by keeping the law instead of by trusting in him. They stumbled over the great rock in their path.

6. Jews are offended when CHRIST was crucified because they thought JESUS will save them from Roman tyranny. (1 Corinthians 1:23)

1 Corinthians 1:23

So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense.

7. The stumbler - they do not listen to GOD's Words, they do not obey, they met the fate planned for them (1 Peter 2:8)

1 Peter 2:8

And, “He is the stone that makes people stumble, the rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they do not obey God’s word, and so they meet the fate that was planned for them.

IX. CONCLUSION:

Be perfect. (Matthew 5:48) so people will not be stumbled or not offended by us.

Matthew 5:48

But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.

- Don't make excuses (1 John 4:18)

1 John 4:18

Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.

- Be perfect in love. Love one another, our difference is our love for our brethrens (2 John 1:6)

2 John 1:6

Love means doing what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning.