Historical Posts
Some People are Hard to Reach – Mark 6:1-6
Text: Mark 6:1-6
Have You Been Rejected?
You probably have someone in your family or circle of friends you’ve tried to share the Lord with, but they’ve shown no interest. They might hgave even displayed hostility.
You may have felt guilty about it. I must be doing something wrong. If only I had the right words, the right approach . . .
Something like this happened in Jesus’ life.
Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and His disciples followed Him. And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, “Where did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands! Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?” So they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.” Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching. (Mark 6:1-6).
That must have been difficult for the Lord.
He had returned home to Nazareth, probably eager to share His message with people He had grown up with. And it seemed to start well—people were amazed at His teaching.
Even Jesus was Rejected!
But that’s as far as it went. They were scandalized by His lowly roots, and they doubted He could have risen higher than they or His family had.
So they rejected Him while simultaneously insulting His mother and siblings.
What About Us?
Sometimes we need to be reminded that if people rejected Christ, and most did, should it surprise us that many people turn away from the message we’re trying to share?
It’s often hardest to reach the ones who’ve known us the longest, especially if they knew us when we were growing up.
But we’re not responsible for how people respond. We need just to keep living the Christian life and looking for opportunities to share Christ.
Sometimes it takes people years to overcome emotional or intellectual barriers to the gospel, but some of them will eventually come to know Christ.
Is there someone you know who doesn’t yet believe?
Perhaps soon the Lord will give you an opportunity again to talk about Christ and share your faith.
Content by Donald W. Treadway
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Romans – What Would Paul Preach?
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Introduction
I. Most people today have been to a concert.
A. They sing the same song.
II. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to hear the Apostle Paul?
A. Christians at Rome had not been privileged to hear Paul preach.
1. The Book of Romans is different for the other epistles.
B. But in the Book of Romans, Paul is preaching what he would have preached.
III. Paul is going to preach the gospel (Romans 1:16).
A. The gospel deals with God’s scheme of redemption.
1. Sin [expresses the need of redemption] (Romans 5:12; Romans 3:10, 23).
2. Seed [the promise seed is the solution] (Romans 1:3; Romans 4:13-14).
3. Statutes [the law was the vehicle] (Romans 5:20-21; Romans 10:1-4).
4. Savior [the Christ of redemption] (Romans 3:23-24; Romans 10:9-10).
B. The gospel is for all–“4-all.”
1. All are guilty of sin [universal sin] (Romans 3:23).
2. All need a Savior [universal need] (Romans 5:10).
3. All are saved by Jesus’ death [universal death] (Romans 5:8).
4. All are one body in Christ [universal unity] (Romans 12:4-5).
IV. What would Paul preach at Gahanna-Jefferson?
(1 Corinthians 2:2 KJV) For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
(1 Corinthians 4:17 NKJV) For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church.
Body
I. PAUL WOULD PREACH SALVATION (ROMANS 10:1-2).
A. Hear (Romans 10:16-17; cf. John 6:45).
B. Believe (Romans 10:13-15; Romans 3:21-23).
1. Obedient faith (Romans 1:5; Romans 5:1; cf. John 8:24).
C. Repent (Romans 1:28-32; Romans 2:4; cf. Luke 13:3; Acts 17:30-31).
D. Confess (Romans 10:9-10; cf. Matthew 10:32).
(Mark 14:61-62 NKJV) But He kept silent and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked Him, saying to Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” {62} Jesus said, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”
(1 Tim 6:12 NKJV) Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
E. Be Baptized (Romans 6:17, 3-4; cf. Mark 16:16).
II. PAUL WOULD PREACH ADORATION.
A. God is to be worshiped (Romans 1:18-25).
1. He is the invisible God.
2. He has the eternal power.
3. He has a divine nature.
4. He is the incorruptible God.
5. He is the Creator.
B. God is to be served in His church (Romans 12:3-5).
III. PAUL WOULD PREACH TRANSFORMATION.
A. Our relationship to GOD must change (Romans 12:1-3).
1. I give God my body.
2. I give God my mind.
3. I give God my will.
B. Our relationship to OTHERS must change (Romans 12:9-16).
C. Our relationship to OUR ENEMIES must change (Romans 12:17-21).
D. Our relationship to THE STATE must change (Romans 13:1).
E. Our relationship to OTHER CHRISTIANS must change.
1. We are to receive one another (Romans 14:1).
2. We must edify one another (Romans 14:19).
3. We must please one another (Romans 15:1-2).
Conclusion:
I. If the Apostle Paul were here, he would preach what I have been preaching for years.
A. Become a Christian
B. Worship God faithfully
C. Live the Christian life.
Content by Donald W. Treadway
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How Do People Respond to the Gospel? Acts 02:41-42
Text: Acts 2:41-42
Lesson Aims
- For the Christian to gain knowledge of how differently people will respond to the gospel.
- To be prepared with joy, to be set for the defense of the gospel of Jesus Christ – 1 Peter 3:15
- Gain understanding that the Word of God is a powerful force and when it is proclaimed and you will have various responses to it – Hebrews 4:12
Read These Lesson Texts
ACTS 4:1-4 (PRIESTS, CAPTAIN OF TEMPLE, SADDUCEES & PEOPLE);
ACTS 13:4-12 (SERGIUS PAULUS); ACTS 26:1-29 (PAUL, FESTUS, AGRIPPA,)
(1) Grieved/Believed
(2) False prophet Bar-jesus not happy / deputy believed
(3) Paul obeyed, Festus didn’t believe the message of Paul, King Agippa almost persuade to be a Christian.
How Do People Respond When Hearing the Message of Salvation?
READ PARABLE OF SOWER EXPLANATION, MATTHEW 13:18-23
(SEED RECEIVED BY THE WAY SIDE)
Some hear the Word of God, may not understand it fully, or the devil plants thoughts of doubt and disbelief in one’s mind of What God says through traditions, worldly values, or false doctrine.
Others hear the Word of God and receive it with joy but they are not rooted and grounded enough in the Word of God to grow properly. Ass a result, when it is time to put your faith in God into action they fall away through trials and suffering.
(SEED RECEIVED IN STONY PLACES)
In (Acts 5:1-11), Ananias and Sapphira are examples of Christians who were not rooted and grounded in the truth. Therefore they followed temptation and paid the price.
A number of people hear the Word of God, yet their love for money and the world causes them to be with odds with God – James 4:4.
(SEED RECEIVED AMONG THORNS)
These worldly vises choke the Word of God – Matthew 19:23-26; I Timothy 6:6-10
(SEED RECEIVED IN GOOD GROUND)
There will be some people who receive and obey the Word of God and will endure temptations to the end. As a result, they will obtain the crown of life that God will give them (James 1:12). (SEED RECEIVED IN GOOD GROUND)
How Much Effort?
How hard is it to become a Christian, according to the New Testament pattern?
Compare this to becoming a denominational member!
How Do People Respond…
Do people accept that repentance and baptism are necessary elements of accepting God’s salvation?
Repenting of your sins is not an easy task to embark on but is necessary. If you want to have a right relationship with God and draw closer to being saved, you must be willing to repent – Acts 17:30-31; Luke 13:3; Acts 2:38
Repentance signifies to change one’s mind or purpose – 2 Corinthians 7:9-10
This change of mind occurs when you learn that your behavior or actions are contrary to God’s Word. As a result, you work at aligning your life to God’s standard to the best of your ability. Therefore, your change of thoughts leads to changes of action – Acts 26:9-11
What is the common response to the necessity of repentance in God’s plan of salvation?
Why are people not willing to lose their life to save it? – Mark 8:34-37
Baptism is required
Baptism is necessary for your salvation just as the other works of faith are necessary for salvation such as:
– Confession of Jesus as the Son of God (Matthew 10:32-33; Romans 10:9-10)
– Hearing the gospel message (Romans 10:17)
– Repenting of past sins (Luke 13:3)
– Having faith in God (Hebrews 11:6)
How do people respond to the Word of God when it clearly says baptism is one of the necessary components for one’s salvation?
See Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:28; Acts 22:16; I Peter 3:21, plus all of the 9 examples of conversion in the book of acts include baptism!
Metanoeo (verb): “to perceive afterwards” (meta, “after,” implying “change,” noeo, “to perceive;”
2 Corinthians 7:10 …Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation
Baptizo (verb): “to dip repeatedly, to immerse, to submerge (of vessels sunk) to cleanse by dipping or submerging, to wash, to make clean with water, to wash one’s self, bathe to overwhelm”
Romans 6:1-4
Notice that all nine of these conversions recorded in Acts included Baptism
1. Pentecost – Acts 2:36-39
2. The Samaritians – Acts 8:5-13
3. The Ethiopian Eunuch – Acts 8:26-40
4. Saul of Tarsus – Acts 9:1-22; Acts 22:3-16
5. Cornelius – Acts 10:1-48
6. Lydia – Acts 16:13-15
7. Philippian Jailer – Acts 16:22-34
8. The Corinthians – Acts 18:1-8
9. The Ephesians – Acts 19:1-5
Content by Harry (Andy) Anderson Jr.Return to the Home Page
An Introduction to Matthew
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Text: Matthew
Introduction
1. The book of Matthew has always occupied a position of high esteem in the faith and life of the church:
“When we turn to Matthew, we turn to the book which may well be called the most important single document of the Christian faith, for in it we have the fullest and the most systematic account of the life and the teachings of Jesus.” (William Barclay)
2. The writings of the early church fathers reveal that it was…
a. The most frequently quoted
b. Perhaps the most widely read gospel during the first two centuries of the church’s history
[Why was this book so popular? Perhaps we can understand why as we consider some background information pertaining to it…]
Body
I. AUTHOR AND DATE OF THE GOSPEL
A. MATTHEW (LEVI)…
1. The apostolic origin and canonical rank of the gospel of Matthew were accepted without a doubt by the early church (ISBE)
2. Matthew, surnamed Levi, had been a tax-collector…
a. He was one of Jesus’ earliest disciples – Matthew 9:9; Mark 2:14
b. He was chosen to be one of the twelve apostles – Matthew 10:2-3
3. Being a close associate of Jesus during His ministry…
a. Matthew’s gospel is a first hand account
b. Unlike Luke who depended upon other eyewitnesses – Luke 1:1-4
B. BEFORE 70 A.D….
1. Irenaeus says it was written when Peter and Paul were preaching in Rome
2. Eusebius states that this was done when Matthew left Palestine and went to preach to others (Historia Ecclesiastica, III, 24)
3. Clement of Alexandria said that the presbyters who succeeded each other from the beginning declared that “the gospels containing the genealogies (Matthew and Luke) were written first” (Eusebius, Historia Ecclesiastica, VI, 14)
4. A date before 70 A.D. is considered by many to be the most feasible
II. THEME AND OUTLINE OF THE GOSPEL
A. ITS THEME OR PURPOSE…
1. Written to Jews, designed to prove that Jesus is the Messiah of OT prophecy
2. Evidenced by his frequent appeal to OT Messianic prophecies
a. He quotes from almost every book in the OT
b. Twelve times he identifies O.T. prophecies as fulfilled in the life of Jesus – Matthew 1:22; 2:15,23; 4:14; 5:17; 8:17; 12:17; 13:14,35; 21:4; 27:9
— One could say that the theme is: “Jesus, King of the Jews”
B. A DETAILED OUTLINE…
(adapted from The Wycliffe Bible Commentary)
1. The birth and childhood of Jesus Christ – Matthew 1:1-2:23
a. Genealogy of Christ – Matthew 1:1-17
b. Birth of Christ – Matthew 1:18-25
c. Visit of the Magi – Matthew 2:1-12
d. Flight into Egypt and massacre of the infants – Matthew 2:13-18
e. Residence at Nazareth – Matthew 2:19-23
2. The preparation for the ministry of Jesus Christ – Matthew 3:1-4:11
a. The forerunner of Christ – Matthew 3:1-12
b. Baptism of Christ – Matthew 3:13-17
c. Temptation of Christ – Matthew 4:1-11
3. The ministry of Jesus Christ – Matthew 4:12-25:46
a. His ministry in Galilee – Matthew 4:12-18:35
1) Residence at Capernaum – Matthew 4:12-17
2) Call of four disciples – Matthew 4:18-22
3) General survey of the Galilean ministry – Matthew 4:23-25
4) Sermon on the mount – Matthew 5:1-7:29
5) Ten miracles and related events – Matthew 8:1-9:38
6) Mission of the twelve – Matthew 10:1-42
7) Christ’s answer to John, and related discourse – Matthew 11:1-30
8) Opposition from the Pharisees – Matthew 12:1-50
9) A series of parables on the kingdom – Matthew 13:1-58
10) Withdrawal of Jesus following John’s beheading – Matthew 14:1-36
11) Conflict with the Pharisees over tradition – Matthew 15:1-20
12) Withdrawal to Phoenecia and healing of a Canaanitish woman’s daughter – Matthew 15:21-28
13) Return to the Sea of Galilee and performing of miracles – Matthew 15:29-38
14) Renewed conflict with the Pharisees and Sadducees – Matthew 15:39-16:4
15) Withdrawal to the region of Caesarea Philippi – Matthew 16:5-17:23
16) Instruction of the twelve at Capernaum – Matthew 17:24-18:35
b. His ministry in Perea – Matthew 19:1-20:16
1) Teaching on divorce – Matthew 19:1-12
2) Blessing of the children – Matthew 19:13-15
3) Interview with the rich young man – Matthew 19:16-30
4) Parable of the laborers in the vineyard – Matthew 20:1-16
c. His ministry in Judea – Matthew 20:17-34
1) Another prediction of Christ’s death and resurrection – Matthew 20:17-19
2) Ambitious request of Zebedee’s sons – Matthew 20:20-28
3) Healing of two blind men – Matthew 20:29-34
d. His ministry in Jerusalem – Matthew 21:1-25:46
1) Triumphal entry – Matthew 21:1-11
2) Cleansing the Temple – Matthew 21:12-17
3) Cursing of the barren fig tree – Matthew 21:18-22
4) Questioning of Jesus’ authority and his parabolic answer – Matthew 21:23-22:14
5) Questioning of Jesus by various groups – Matthew 22:15-46
6) Jesus’ public denunciation of the Pharisees – Matthew 23:1-39
7) Olivet Discourse – Matthew 24:1-25:46
4. The suffering of Jesus Christ – Matthew 26:1-27:66
a. Plot against Jesus – Matthew 26:1-16
b. The final meal – Matthew 26:17-30
c. Prediction of Peter’s denial – Matthew 26:31-35
d. Events in Gethsemane – Matthew 26:36-56
e. Events at the Jewish trials – Matthew 26:57-27:2
f. Remorse of Judas – Matthew 27:3-10
g. Events at the Roman trials – Matthew 27:11-31
h. The Crucifixion – Matthew 27:32-56
i. Burial – Matthew 27:32-56
5. The resurrection of Jesus Christ – Matthew 28:1-20
a. Discovery of the empty tomb – Matthew 28:1-8
b. Appearance of Jesus Christ – Matthew 28:9-10
c. Report of the soldiers – Matthew 28:11-15
d. The great commission – Matthew 28:16-20
III. SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE GOSPEL
A. A JEWISH GOSPEL…
1. We’ve noted its frequent appeal to OT prophecies
2. It’s organization is mostly topical, as opposed to strictly chronological (a common style in Jewish literature)
— It appears to have been written with a Jewish audience in mind
B. AN ECCLESIASTICAL GOSPEL…
1. It is the only gospel which mentions the word “church”
a. It foretells its beginning – Matthew 16:18
b. It describes some of the life in the church – Matthew 18:15-17
2. It contains lengthy discourses especially beneficial to those in the church
a. Such as the sermon on the mount – Matthew 5 – Matthew 7
b. Such as the many parables – Matthew 13
c. Such as the Olivet discourse – Matthew 24 – Matthew 25
3. It contains admonitions important to disciples of Christ
a. Such as the importance of doing the Father’s will – Matthew 7:21-23
b. Such as observing all that Jesus commanded – Matthew 28:20
— In other words, this was a gospel designed for use by those in the early church
C. AN EVANGELISTIC GOSPEL…
1. It is a preaching gospel
a. Especially when compared with the apostles’ preaching found in Acts
b. For it expands upon the basic elements and point made in their sermons
2. Consider these themes in apostolic preaching:
a. God’s promises in the OT have been fulfilled – Acts 3:18,24
b. The long-awaited Messiah, born of David’s line, has come – Acts 13:23
c. He is Jesus of Nazareth – Acts 13:23
d. He went about preaching and doing good through mighty works – Acts 10:38
e. He was crucified according to the promise and will of God – Acts 2:22,23
f. He was raised from the dead, and exalted at God’s right hand – Acts 2:24,32-33
h. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead – Acts 3:20-21; 17:30-31
i. Therefore, all should heed His message, repent, and be baptized – Acts 2:36-38
— All of these points are expanded in the gospel of Matthew
Conclusion
1. The purpose which Matthew’s gospel served in the first century was simple…
a. To confirm faith in Jesus as God’s Anointed One (the Messiah)
b. To instructing disciples on living the Christian life
2. It can serve a similar purpose for us today…
a. Increase our faith in Jesus as the Christ
b. Instruct us in the righteousness expected of those in His kingdom
c. The last three verses present the climax of this amazing gospel:
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” – Matthew 28:18-20
3. Have you submitted to the authority and command of Jesus as it pertains to becoming His disciple and observing what He taught? If so, then you have the precious promise of His abiding presence in your life!
Content by Donald W. Treadway
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