Jesus said, “He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather together scatters abroad,” Matthew 12:30.
We welcome you to our study of the life and teachings of Jesus the King in the gospel of Matthew.
If you haven't got your Bible yet, we want to encourage you to be locating that as we're going to study together Matthew chapter 12 through 15 today as we look at Jesus, the King of Kings and the Messiah of the world.
As we turn our attention to the gospel of Matthew chapters 12 through 15, today we begin in chapter 12 with where Jesus as a discourse between Himself and the Jewish elite of that day. He and His disciples were going through the fields of grain. As they're passing through, His disciples on the Sabbath pick some of the heads of grain- which according the old law would've been doable, would been something the law allowed, and yet because of this action and because of the lack of love for Jesus that these high priest and that the Pharisees and Sadducees have, they now want to accuse Jesus’ disciples of violating the Sabbath.
How is Jesus going to address this problem? Jesus is going to show they did not violate the Sabbath, because He is the Lord and Master of the Sabbath. He instilled it for mankind, and He definitively knows what it is and is more powerful than the Sabbath.
Notice what the Bible says in Matthew 12:8. Jesus said, “For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” Christ is greater than Sabbath. He's over the Sabbath. He's going to eventually do away with the old law and the Sabbath. He wants these critics to see His power, to see His Majesty, to help them see the error of their way, and to show His greatness as Lord of Lord and King of King.
I'm reminded of the climax of Peter's sermon as he thought about Jesus the ultimate Savior and Lord. He said in Acts 2:36, “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”
Friend as part of living for Christ, as part of our Christian walk and mindset, we've got a realize Jesus is in control. He's the master. He's the Messiah. He's the ultimate Lord above all and over all. Personally speaking, that means He's Lord of my life.
I love the words of Saul of Tarsus who later became Paul in Acts 9:6. Jesus has confronted Saul as he is on the road to Damascus to do great harm to the church and the cause of Christ. In the midst of that confrontation with Christ Saul will eventually say ‘Lord what would you have me to do?’
Can you find a better motto for living your life than that?
‘Lord how do you want me to live my life?’ Of course, the Bible dictates exactly how God wants us to live our life! 2 Corinthians 6:19-20 the Bible says, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of Holy Spirit who is in you whom you have from God? You're not your own.” What do you mean? “You were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit which are God's.”
As we think about Christ, as being greater than Lord, over the Sabbath, and ultimately the application that He is Lord of all and Lord over our life. Friend we need to be willing to submit to, to honor Him, and to give Him preference in our life. My mindset needs to be: What does the Lord want me to do? What does the ultimate master the King of Kings ask of me? I want to live my life in such a way that it brings honor and glory to God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 the apostle Paul would say, “Whether you eat or
whether you drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”
In Matthew chapter 12 now we're going to learn another very practical lesson from the life and teachings of Jesus the King of Kings. In Matthew 12:30 Jesus will now say and give this emphatic statement of how we must be either for Him or we're against Him. Jesus said, “He who is not with Me,” Matthew 12:30. “He who is not with Me is against Me. He who does not gather together scatters abroad.”
What's Jesus trying to get across here? We're either for Him, or we're not. There is no middle ground. I can't be 50% for God and 50% for something else. I can't be 75% for God. No, I've got to be wholly committed to the cause of Christ and of putting God first in my life. This is all about priorities. Do you remember Jesus said in Matthew 6:33 “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.” Jesus said, “If any man desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” This is about the commitment of putting Christ first in everything that we say or do. Making sure that we've got the mindset of the apostle Paul, “For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain,” Philippians 1:21. If we're not for Christ, listen carefully now, if we're not if Christ is not a top priority, if the kingdom's not first, then we're against it. You may say, 'How can that be? I do love God a little bit. I do give God a big portion.’
God wants first place, and He wants that which consumes us to be His part that which is the most important. He needs to be in our life. It can't be partly God and partly something else. We want God to have the top priority in everything that we say and that we do.
Now think about this, if we're not for God Jesus said, we're against Him. The world, materialism, all the things that try to pull us away- those make us God's enemy.
Listen to James 4:4. James said with some of the strongest language in the Bible, “Adulterers and adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore desires to be a friend of the world makes himself God's enemy.” Jesus said in Matthew 6:24 “You cannot love God and mammon or earthly treasures.”
We want to think about today our commitment to Christ. Is Christ at the top of my priority list, Matthew 6:33? Is living for Christ what life is really all about? Am I making sure that I give precedence to Christ as Lord of Lord and King of Kings in my life?
Now friend as we think about the ultimate life and teaching of Jesus Christ, one of the statements Jesus makes that will really stand out and that really helps us to understand how Christ must control our life is this: we need to realize that God is going to judge us by our speech, what we say-if it doesn't bring honor and glory to God. James says in James 3 that the tongue is one of the hardest members of the body to tame. You can think about that in your own life. How many times have you said something you really didn't think about? How many times after you said something you wish ‘man if I could take that back’? Controlling the tongue is a big part of letting Christ be the Lord of our life.
Notice what Jesus says in Matthew 12:36-37. The Lord said, “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak they will give an account of it in the Day of Judgment. For by your words you be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” The emphasis here's upon the idle word. Idle means something that has no value. It's not going anywhere, profits nothing. It's stuck in neutral we might say. For the idle word that doesn't honor God, doesn't lift up mankind, it doesn't help others to draw to Christ; I'm going to give an account of for every word I speak that's idle. I'm going to give account of that in the Day of Judgment, and so I need to make sure that my words have profit that my words are not idle that they're actually progressing and trying to help others to grow closer to God and lift up God and bring glory and honor to His life. Be careful what we say, and let's make sure God has control over it.
Now friend especially this is relative to the teaching of the gospel. James 3:1 James says, “My brethren let not many of you become teachers knowing we shall receive a stricter judgment.” This is not meant to deter people from teaching but simply to remind them of the seriousness of teaching and preaching the gospel and making sure our words are not idle. The proverb writer said in the long-ago, “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.”
Controlling the tongue begins with controlling the mind. James said in James 1:19, “Let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to
wrath.” We need to, listen carefully, take it in. Think about it. Soak it up, and then respond after we've thought about what we hear. Yet, too many times that impulse reaction occurs, and we just say something before we think about it. Remember, Jesus said we'll give an account for every idle word that we speak. ‘By your words you'll be justified. By your words you'll be condemned.’
Now friend, that doesn't mean that you can't get forgiveness. That doesn't mean that if we say something we shouldn't that we can't repent and be forgiven and change of that. If our life doesn't have control of our tongue, friend there's going to be a big problem in life on the judgment day. It is indeed a very serious matter.
Then we turn our attention to the life and teaching of Jesus the King in the 13th chapter of the gospel of Matthew, and here in Matthew 13 Jesus is now going to tell the parable of the sower.
A sower went out to sow that was his part. The one spreading the gospel just goes out and he can teach the gospel. That's his responsibility. He can't make people obey. He can't make him disobey. He just simply spreads the word. That seed, which Luke 8:11 tells us is the word of God, then falls on different soils. You've got good soil. You've got rocky soil. You've got thorny soil. You've got the soil that is choked up by briars. Each of these soils represents a different type of person and a different type of heart. Fell among the hard soul, the stony soul, it took root when the sun, when trials and difficulties came out it withered away. That which fell among the briars and thorns, it was choked up by the cares. You've seen people like that- excited about Christ and the gospel, and then in a moment of trouble and tribulation they're back to their old selves. You've seen people who the gospel can really never get into their life, because it's choked out by worldliness and materialism. Then we've seen people as well who when the word of God falls on their ears, when they hear the gospel, that good soil responds properly. They hear the word of God that is faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Not only do they hear it that that they're ready to obey. ‘Jesus is the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.’
And not only do they obey the gospel, Romans 6:17, God be thanked ‘though you were the sons of darkness, though you were in darkness, you've obeyed from the heart.’ That form of the gospel, which was
delivered unto you, and so they obey the gospel, and they produce fruit. They're not idle. They're not just sitting in a pew. They're not just filling a seat. They're actually getting out and doing something.
As we think about this parable that Jesus told, you know the practical lesson is we've got ask ourselves: How's my soil? If you plant gardens you need to have your soil tested occasionally, and you might have to add certain minerals, or you might have to put more fertilizer. We might have to adjust the amount of things or add lime-whatever it may be in the garden.
What about our heart? What are we doing to make sure that our heart is a receptive place for the gospel? Does Jesus have precedent in my life? Am I making sure that you know my ground is not hardened? That I break up my fallow ground as Hosea said in Hosea chapter 10. Are we making sure that the cares and the pleasures of this world don't choke out our desire to put God first? Are we really submissive to God as we ought to be in striving to live according to His will?
Also in Matthew chapter 13 Jesus is here going to illustrate for us in a very powerful way teaching from His life about the power of the gospel. And friend, this shows us and helps us to see we must never underestimate where God's power is. God's power is not in men necessarily. God's power is in the gospel and this parable shows us that.
Notice Matthew 13:31-32 Jesus here says, “Therefore I say to you,” or excuse me Matthew 13:31. Jesus says another parable, He put forth to them saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field which indeed is the least of all the seeds. When it is grown, it's greater than the herbs and becomes a tree so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”
This parable shows us the power of the gospel. Remember the seed is the word of God, Luke 8:11. How did Jesus stress the importance and the power of that seed? He said, well it's like the smallest seed you can imagine. A mustard seed, if you can imagine, the tiniest seed you can imagine in your mind- and yet you take that seed, put in good soil, and that seed can bring up a magnificent tree. Jesus said that ‘even the birds of the air can light in it.’ What's that parable all about?
Friend it stresses to us the inherent power in the seed, the inherent power of the gospel. Romans 1:16, “I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ it is the power of God unto salvation.” ‘The word of God is living. It's alive. It's powerful, sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to division of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It's a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.’ The gospel has the power to change lives, to save people's souls, and ultimately help us to live the way God wants us to. It can make us powerful in the sight of God in the sense that we trust God, we follow Him, and we are His powerful people today.
As we think about the gospel of Matthew one of the things that we learn in Matthew 14:13-21 is that Jesus Himself is the ultimate bread of life.
I want you to notice what is said here in Matthew 14 beginning in verse number 13. You've got the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000. He takes of the loaves of bread and a few fish and He feeds a mass multitude with that little bit. John tells us so much so that they take up 12 baskets full of fragments. Watch the lesson beginning in Matthew 13:17. They said to Him, ‘We have here only five loaves and two fish.’ He said, “Bring them here to Me.” ‘Then He commanded multitudes to sit down the grass. He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples and the disciples gave to the multitudes. So they all ate and were filled, and they took up 12 baskets full of fragments that remained. Now those who had eaten were about 5000 men besides the women.’ Think about this great miracle! In John's account of the gospel, we'll hear Jesus in just a few breaths later say ‘you ate and you were filled.’
Here's the lesson: “I am the bread of life.” Jesus miraculously took those few loaves of bread and those few fish and He fed 5,000 people. If Jesus physically can feed that many people with that little, imagine what He can do spiritually for our souls! He's able to give men and women that which they need.
Now listen to what Jesus said in Matthew 4:4. Jesus was tempted by Satan. Satan knew He was hungry, knew He'd been in the wilderness. ‘If you're the Son of God, command that these stones be turned to bread.’ How did Jesus deal with that? “Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” Jeremiah said it this way “Your words were found and I did eat them. They were to me the joy and
rejoicing of my heart.” You know you can get a little bread and fish and fill your stomach.
What about satisfying your soul? What about satisfaction spiritually? Friend Jesus can give us more than we can ever begin to imagine. That's why He would say “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness.”
We then then turn our attention to another lesson of Jesus that really stands out as magnificent. Matthew 14:22-23, Jesus comes to His disciples. They're out on the boat in the third watch of the night- in the deep dark of the sea we might say. They've heard these mariners stories about ghost and sea monsters and things like unto that, and so the sea is disruptive. Jesus comes to them in the midst of that walking on the sea, and they're afraid. They're fearful it's a ghost. How does Jesus deal with this situation?
Notice Matthew chapter 14. I want you to look in verse number 27 following. After they say it is a ghost and cry out for fear, Jesus said in verse number 27 but immediately the Bible says Jesus spoke to them saying, “Be of good cheer. It is I. Do not be afraid.” Peter answered Him and said, “Lord if it's you, command me to come to you on the water.” So He said, “Come Peter, come down out of the boat.” He walked on the water to go to Jesus, but when he saw that the wind was boisterous he was afraid and beginning to sink. He cried out saying, “Lord save me.” Immediately, Jesus stretched out His hand caught him and said to him “Oh you of little faith. Why did you doubt?” When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
What does this whole story in this example meant to show about the life and teaching of Jesus the King? Friend it shows us His power over the natural elements of this world! Who can walk on water? Only God. Only the creator of the laws of nature can control those and manipulate those within His power. Who could calm the storms in just a moment except? Jesus. Who could draw Peter out of the boat and make him walk on water? Peter couldn't do it. When he began to think he was doing pretty good that's when he sunk. The main lesson is Jesus is trying to teach I can control the laws of nature. I'm the Lord of Lord. I can calm the fears in your life that you may have. The Bible says “The Lord will never leave you nor forsake you
so that we may boldly say ‘The Lord is my helper. I will not fear. What can man do to me?’”
If we're on God's side, if we're living for Christ, then God can help us with the challenges and difficulties we face. Unlike the disciples here, we don't need to live a life that is controlled by fear and fear of the unknown, especially ‘for we know whom we have believed in and we're persuaded. He's able to keep that which we committed to Him until that day.’
Now another lesson we want to emphasize from the life and teaching of Jesus is found in Matthew chapter 15. This is a very practical lesson. Jesus is again going to be confronted by the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the religious elite- they're going to try and condemn Jesus’ disciples for not washing out according to the tradition of the fathers and to their Jewish tradition. They wash to the elbow. They wash the pitchers. They wash their couches, and they’re going to say to Jesus ‘Your disciples didn't know that they broke the tradition of the fathers and the elders.’ Jesus is going to say, ‘Wait a minute now, they may of broke man's tradition but you've broke something far worse.’
Look in Matthew 15 at what Jesus says in verses 7 through 9. Jesus here says, “Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you saying this people draw near to Me with her mouth, honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. In vain they worship Me teaching as doctrine the commandments of men.” Jesus disciples may have not followed the tradition of the elders of the people of that day- which wasn't contrary to the will of God. But these people were actually breaking the will of God. How? Following the commands of men. Here's the command of God, here's the command of men, and they elevated the command of men above the command of God. Jesus said ‘Hypocrites! You want to condemn my disciples for breaking your law, when you've actually broken the law of God.’
And so, we want to make sure in this life that we give precedence to the teaching of God, teaching of Christ, and of course to the words we find in the Bible.
Friend God's commands are the commands that are important. Men may have their ideas. Men may have their thinking. Men may even make up ways of salvation that we don't find in this book.
What's going to matter on the Day of Judgment?
Jesus said, “He who rejects Me and does not receive My word has that which judges him. The word that I've spoken will judge him on the last day.”
And so friend, we ask you today have you submitted your life to Jesus the ultimate King? Have you obeyed the gospel? Meaning, do you believe in Christ? John 8:24. Are you willing to change your life repent of sin and turn to Him? Acts 3:19. Would you confess the name of Jesus before men? Romans 10:10. Would you be immersed in water for the forgiveness of your sins? Acts 2:38
As always, may God be glorified in the preaching of the gospel of Christ.
Study Questions for: “Matthew: Lesson 5”
1. According to Matthew 12:30, what does Jesus say about people that are not with Him?
2. What does Jesus say about people that are not gathering together in Matthew 12:30?
3. What does Matthew 12:8 say of the Lord and the Sabbath?
4. In Acts 2:36 what does Peter say about Jesus?
5. What question does Saul of Tarsus ask Jesus in Acts 9:6?
6. According to 2 Corinthians 6:19-20, what is our body?
7. What does Paul tell us about what we do in 1 Corinthians 10:31?
8. According to Matthew 6:33, what shall we seek first?
9. What does James 4:4 tell us about friendship with the world?
10. According to Matthew 12:36-37, what will be done with the idle words we speak?