Matthew 20 - Skip Heitzig

[Music] welcome to expound our weekly worship and verse by verse study of the Bible our goal is to expand your knowledge of the truth of God by explaining the Word of God in a way that is interactive enjoyable and congregational we call this a textual community let's rejoice and learn God's Word in an interactive and enjoyable new way father we do want to honor you and honor your word and honor the teaching of your word because it is we believe your word even though we have had this book in our possession some of us for many years and have read these truths before yet there is something unique that occurs when two or three or more gather together under the inspiration the illumination of your holy spirit as he takes truths and we consider them together as a group and make application to our lives or our own situations in modern times we believe that there is a specific word then that you have for your people for us we've asked as we gather Lord that you would help us to see to understand the principles that we're about to uncover that your word would live we know the scripture says the Word of God is alive living powerful it's sharper than a two-edged sword it has the ability to do what no weapon can do what no institution can do what no preacher can do what your word can do through the power of your spirit it has changed the direction of a life of a family of a nation so have your will and have your way with us as we gather simply to uncover and move through the Word of God in a simple fashion Jesus name we pray amen imagine having the best boss in the world I mean a boss who was gracious to every employee helpful to every employee stands with every employee there was a man who went to his boss and said boss my wife and I need to do some deep cleaning at home and she's asking for my help tomorrow she wants me to do some work in the Attic some heavy lifting in the garage she's asking that I would get the day off the boss shook his head and said I'm sorry we're short-staffed we don't have enough people to go around I can't let you off work tomorrow and the man smiled and said thanks boss I knew I could count on you he thought he was the best boss in the world got me out of working at home sorry sweetheart can't do the housecleaning tomorrow in chapter 20 we are introduced to what some would consider the best boss in the world others would consider the worst boss in the world it all depends on your perspective it's a parable that we begin with in chapter 20 the parable is related to a principle in chapter 19 one of the things we've learned about Jesus is how much he loved the method of telling stories we figure about one-third of all of Jesus teaching was in story form parabolic form it was a common way of Rabbis in ancient times to teach their students a lesson storytelling and many ancient cultures storytelling was a big deal keep in mind two thousand years ago they had a longer attention span than we do today we don't even listen to music anymore we're used to seeing music we're used to the song portrayed in some acting some fashion with multiple camera angles so our skill of listening to a story is greatly diminished in our culture but in the day before a computer before television before iPads and iPods and iPhones and droids there was the storytelling it was like an ancient television and a parable in particular was a specialized way that a teacher would communicate truths now the word parable is from the Greek word para boleh which means to place something alongside of something else so the idea of a parable is to use an earthly story but to teach a heavenly lesson to place one thing next to another thing a natural thing next to a supernatural thing for the sake of a comparison so that in looking at the natural thing in the story you understand the supernatural thing it's pointing toward so it's an earthly story with a heavenly lesson and we've already uncovered several Kingdom parables already in Matthew chapter 13 but now we come to another parable in Matthew chapter 20 I mentioned that the parable in Matthew 20 Ella straights a principle in Matthew 19 what do I mean well this is unfortunately where chapter divisions don't help us now I've told you before but I want you to hear it again the divisions of the chapters and verses in your Bible were added many years later they were not in the original documents so chapter 19 chapter 20 John Matthew Mark Luke Paul they didn't write those things they were added for the sake of convenience a editors later on would say let's just put a division here and they would number the verses so that you could find it easily by saying to chapter and verse it'd be difficult to find a verse in a scroll document that has no numbers attached to it so it was added for convenience the problem was in the division of the chapters they didn't always divide them in a way that actually makes sense in context so the last verse of Matthew 19 is the principal and the first verse begins a parable attached to the principal so the thought processes of Jesus in chapter 19 are continuing in chapter 20 and the principal at the last verse if you look at it in chapter 19 verse 30 is many that are first shall be last and the last shall be first so the parable is attached to the principle the principle emerges from an obstacle so I'm going back a little more with you there was a problem an obstacle that Peter encountered in the teaching of Jesus see Jesus had met a rich young ruler in chapter 19 if you remember last week and the rich young ruler said hey Jesus what good thing must I do to earn inherit have everlasting life jesus said well you you know the commandments and several of them were named do these oh I've done them all from my youth Jesus said good great sell everything you have give the money to the poor and then come and follow me in your leverage is in heaven we're told that that young man walked away sorrowfully because he had many riches he was not willing to part with his God which was his wealth so he didn't really love the Lord like he said and didn't really love people like he said and Jesus busted him then jesus said to his disciples you know it's really hard for rich people to even go to heaven in fact it's easier for a camel to go through and I have a needle than for a rich person to go to heaven and the disciples with what are you kidding I'm paraphrasing who then can be saved I'm not paraphrasing there Jesus said it's impossible but with God all things are possible and then Peter but it in he's good at that Oh Lord well we we've forsaken everything and we've left our families and lands and everything to follow you what are we gonna get and Jesus says don't worry Peter you'll be handsomely rewarded you my disciples you're gonna sit on twelve Thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel in the Millennial Kingdom in the kingdom age and he ends with the principle as he says that to Peter the many who are first will be last and the last will be first now comes a parable to eliminate that principle it's all based upon the previous conversation with the rich young ruler what Jesus said about riches and what the disciples are trying to figure out in their minds this means many who are first will be last and the last will be first so he illustrates the principle of rewards as we go through this just keep something in mind and we're gonna tie this in as we get true and end this parable every Christ follower how many Christ followers do we have tonight following Jesus Christ I'm one and you are many we are following Christ all of us are going to end up in heaven it's pretty awesome but not only yeah that's that's good I'm glad you're happy about that but not only that you're gonna get rewards besides that gifts presents besides heaven presents to boot like a major-league Christmas party he's going to give you gifts rewards according first corinthians says according each one will be given gifts or excuse me rewards according to the works that he does here on the earth so you get heaven as a gift you don't earn that it's a free gift you come as a broken hearted sinner realizing you can do nothing to earn everlasting life it's given as a gift based upon the merit of christ however now that you're saved you're safe for a purpose to do good works and you will be given gifts according to your faithfulness in doing those works so what an amazing thought not only do we get heaven but we get presents as well keeping that in mind look at verse 1 of chapter 24 the kingdom of heaven for he's attaching now the parable to the principle for the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard in those days in warmer months at the harvest time in the Middle East the day began at six o'clock in the morning and ended at six o'clock in the evening was a twelve hour work day it was a very common scene to see labourers kind of mulling around the marketplace looking for a job looking for anybody who would hire them during that peak season of the harvest landowners would come and look for people to come and work in the fields it was a very common sight they were standing around looking to be hired and a landowner early in the morning went out verse two now when he had agreed with the labourers for a Denarius a day he sent them into his vineyard now a couple of things I want you to note as we go through this because each little point will be helped well as we work our way through the story notice that those that he begins the day hiring early in the morning six o'clock in the morning he first negotiates a wage with them in advance keep that in mind and I'll tie that thought together in a moment so they they agree on a set wage and what is the set wage it's a penny in the King James a Denarius in our translation that was the typical payment for a day laborer working an entire day now I try to do a little research to find out how much day laborers get in the United States for working out in the fields or just doing stuff around the yard or the factory and it varies from minimum wage to below minimum wage to above minimum wage anywhere from $5 to $15 per hour the workday was 12 hours so let's just set a price on the payment for somebody working an entire day let's just for convenience sake say it's a hundred bucks so the landowner goes out and says look I need you to work all day in my fields I'll pay you $100 a guy says great that's a fair wage it's negotiated and understood in advance verse three and he went out about the third hour now he's going back out to the marketplace at nine o'clock in the morning and he saw others standing idle in the marketplace and he said to them you also go into the vineyard and whatever is right I will give you and so they went now notice this they're so eager to work they don't negotiate a price they just said okay great he said whatever is right I'll pay the cool I just want a job for a few hours at six o'clock in the morning they negotiated a price hundred bucks great goes out of nine o'clock just says I want you to work I'll pay you what is right awesome they were just so anxious they did it without negotiating the price verse five again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour and did likewise two noon 3:00 in the afternoon and about the 11th hour that's five o'clock now the day ends at six o'clock so he's going out and finding people to work one hour only and he went out and found others standing idle and said to them why have you been standing here idle all day a lot of bosses asked that about the people they employ and they said to him because no one hired us he said to them you also go into the vineyard and whatever is right you will receive so when evening had come the owner of the vineyard said to the steward call the labourers and give them their wages beginning with the last to the first member of the principle many were first will be last and the last will be first so it's the end of the day it's the time for him to pass out the paychecks question why does the landowner in handing out the paychecks begin with those who worked fewer hours rather than with those he hired early in the morning answer because he wants to test the hearts of those he hired all day long for an agreed wage let's see their reaction when I am gracious and open-hearted and want to give these people a great blessing so he's he reversed it the last will be first the first will be last he begins with the last ones to give her a reward or a paycheck verse 9 and when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour five o'clock in the afternoon they only worked a single hour they each received a hundred bucks that's a hundred dollars an hour those are great wages but when the first came they suppose that they would receive more and they likewise received each a Denarius and when they had received it they complain against the landowner saying these men have worked only one hour and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day but he answered and said to them friend I love that knot hey slave but he's gentle to them he's generous even toward them who are complaining friend he endears himself to them I'm doing you no wrong did you not agree with me for $100 take what is yours go your way I wish to give to this last man the same as to you it's what I want to do I don't owe it to him and I don't owe you anymore we agreed on something we shook hands on it you were very happy this morning now you're not so happy if I want to do this it's my prerogative I own the property it's my will no this is an interesting story and you have to admit any union boss would hate this story this just isn't right this they would protest these practices any HR department any human resources department would would throw them into a tizzy but they didn't have unions like we do today and they didn't have HR departments like we have today but here's a thought if God's generosity were to be embodied or represented in a human being that human being would be unlike any human being who ever lived right and that's how Jesus is portraying the landowner with the heart and generosity of God himself giving to this guy who worked only one hour the same wage now there were two types of workers and we've seen them in the story there was number one the contract laborer the day laborer who would work all day for a pre-arranged fixed price it was agreed on it was understood the going rate fair was fair but number two there was the hourly worker the shocker here is that Jesus gives to the hourly worker the same wage as he would give to the day laborer he's just a gracious guy he's a big tipper because he wanted to do it I was with a friend some years ago eating a meal in Southern California and we were talking to the waitress she was Jewish who was Israeli and we were trying to share our faith she asked what we did and we told her and as she was bringing the water back and forth in the chips and I matzo ball soup I remember we ordered that that night we would she would ask another question and we would tell her a little bit about the Lord and what Jesus has done for us and she was very interested but she also told us her story and she was a single mom watching after her kids and she didn't make much money and this was her job and she had to get her kids leave them alone and work and come back and so at the end of the meal wasn't a big meal was an extravagant wheel meal but my friend decided to tip her the amount of about four times the amount of the meal itself not 20% of the meal or 15 percent or ten percent or as some Christians do one dollar but to actually tip that lady the meal times four and I learned said boy that's extravagant what are the other waiters gonna say if they find out he says I don't care what they say it's my money I want to do it we just told her about the Lord the last thing he said you want to be as a bad Christian witness when you tip and he he gave me the speech that look at most Christians they tip so poorly and all they put his a tract on the table which sort of turns people off I think we should tip generously boy did he tip generously well here you have a landowner tipping generously and the other people getting upset about it that was the shocker what was the nature of their complaint why did the people who worked all day long complain is it because they didn't get what was promised to them no they agreed in advance they are complaining merely against simply against solely against the big heartedness the generosity of the landowner now I don't know how you deal with God but if you deal with God like the guy who worked all day long if he I wonder if you're the type of says Lord I want you to give me what I deserve then you better run from the lightning that should fall from heaven and strike you dead because that's what we deserve I never asked the Lord for what I deserve in you know the best way to handle whatever the Lord would dole out to you in terms of what he provides for you in life just say Lord give me what you think is right like the landowner I'll pay you what is right Great Lord your God you know what is right for me to say I'm not getting what I deserve do you what really want to know what you deserve have you ever read the Bible long enough to figure out what you and I deserve we're gonna get heaven in the end and we're gonna get rewarded on top of that that's the promise God has made and he promised to provide for your needs not your grieves but your needs so just say Lord I'm leaving it up to you you know what I need a great passage of Scripture is proverbs 30 were the author writes two things I request of you deprived me not before I die remove falsehood and lies far from me that's number one number two give me neither poverty nor riches feed me with the food that you have allotted to me lest I be full and deny you and say who is the Lord or lest I be poor and steal and defame the name of the Lord it's a great balance Lord you know what I need so I'm just leaving that up to you don't give me riches don't give me poverty now I wonder if we ever how many times you've ever prayed that lord give me riches forget the poverty I've got that but is to say Lord Noah neither extreme just give me enough to live to be comfortable to bless others so I don't have to steal or so that I don't get prideful I'm leaving it up to you you know what's right verse 15 oh by the way keep in mind what Peter has said to Jesus well Lord what about us we've given up everything to serve you what are we gonna get so this parable follows based upon the principle that he served with Peter in the previous chapter verse 15 if it's not lawful or is it not lawful for me the landowner is asking now the complainers the guys who've worked for a hundred bucks contract labor for the day is that not right or lawful or legal for me to do what I want to do with my own things or is your eye evil because I am good you get the picture there I am they're giving them the evil eye and you've been around people who will say sweet things to you but they have that look they have the hairy eyeball I scrunch down looking through their eyebrows at you and the landowner can see the evil intent in the eye in the look why are you angry with me I see the angry look in your eye verse 16 so the last will be first and the first last for many are called but few are chosen so bottom line summary principle is that God is good god is gracious God is good all the time all the time God is good I love that refrain we should say that to each other more often God is good god is gracious and he will reward us in 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 the Bible says we believers all of us will stand before the judgment seat of Christ to receive the things that were done in our bodies whether good or bad according to what we have done either good or bad we're going to be rewarded by God for the things that we do as we serve the Lord we're gonna stand before the judgement seat or the Bema seat of Christ now let me describe that to you I did a series a while back and I did it on purpose because I had done so many funerals and I would listen to Christians as they would come up and give eulogies I still listen to many of them and I'm appalled at what I hear suppose did believers who say the craziest things at a Funeral their uncle loved to play golf so the Christian will get up and say well he's in a better place now he's in the great fairway in the sky and I'm going really that's heaven what if you hate golf and you have to be in the great fairway in the sky what if you're a bowler are you and the great bowling alley of the sky is it just sort of whatever you like to do on earth that's what you get in heaven and I'd hear all these erroneous things talked about by believers or well now you know they're released from this body and they've sprouted wings and they're angels and the belief that you turn into angels when you die and thinking where does this stuff come from because they didn't come from the book and it was so appalling what I heard I thought I need to do a series of teachings on what happens to a believer from the moment that believer dies and is ushered into God's presence all the way to the eternal state described at the end of the book of Revelation so we did a series called the edge from the edge of eternity which shows all the different phases of a believers everlasting life and part of it is that we're gonna stand before Jesus to be judged the Bema seat the judgment seat of Christ the word judgement seat is the word I keep saying it over and over again bemis seat it's the Greek word beim itas that's the Greek word where it says judgment seat the Bema toss seat and the Bema or Bama toss literally means a raised step or a raised platform and the Greeks used the term to speak about a judge who was in an elevated position and every Greek city every Greek town had a Bama toss a Bema seat a raised platform where judges would adjudicate where orations were given by great orators in Corinth acts 18 Paul was accused falsely and taken before the Bama toss the judgment seat and Paul uses this terminology when he writes back to the Corinthians that we're all going to stand before the Bema table the judgment seat of Christ and we're gonna receive rewards based upon what we have done upon the earth now something else about the Bema seat in ancient Greece the Baima toss it wasn't just for speeches were made or judges adjudicated or meetings were convened the term bama toss was used in the Greek Olympics when you would run a race and at the end of the race you would stand before the judges who were on a raised platform the Baima toss be machine they would give you a reward now the rewards weren't great at least up in Athens and Corinth they change but up in Athens they would just say job well done you won the race and they put a little crown on your head made of leaves little laurel leaves you did all that work for months and months and you don't get a million dollar cash prize in a brand new car or a chariot you get a little twig that will fade away in a few days it's gonna turn brown now in our culture we go big deal I'm not gonna do that I'm not gonna run the Olympics for that so Paul writes to the Corinthians listen to what he says don't you know that everyone who runs in a race they all run but only one receives the prize so run that you may obtain for they do it for a corruptible crown you do it for an incorruptible they'll put in all that work in the Olympics to get a twig God promises you an imperishable crown a set of rewards which means you and I should put everything into our spiritual walk into the Christian life that we can possibly do because not only are we guaranteed heaven but we get presents we get rewards based upon what we do or we don't do and that will happen at the Bema seat of Christ now I want to clear something up because I believe some of you think you're gonna stand before God to be judged and he's gonna play a video of your life and your thoughts in front of everybody you're just gonna get red-faced and embarrassing I can't believe everybody has to see that because people think that way you are not going to stand before the great white throne judgment that's mentioned in the book of Revelation that's for unbelievers only Romans 8:1 there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus Jesus Christ blood pays for your sins you will never have to stand before God to answer for your sins Jesus said the same thing in John chapter 5 whoever whoever hears my word and believes in Him who sent me has present-tense everlasting life and will not come into judgment but passes from death into life so you won't stand before the great white throne judgment to be judged by your sins but you and I will stand at the Baima toss the reward seat where Jesus Christ will give you a reward or hold back a reward based upon what you did on the earth now I hope I'm clearing something up in your thinking you are not saved by works how are you saved by faith grace through faith to be technical by God's grace a gift through your believing in him you trust him he graciously freely gives you salvation you don't earn it but now that you're saved you are saved in order that you can do good works you're not saved by works or saved for good works do you understand the difference it says in Ephesians chapter 2 for we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works and the Bible over and over and over and over brings up this theme that we're going to be judged by Christ for what we do not for salvation but for rewards jesus said in revelation to one of the seven churches behold I am coming and my reward is with me to give to everyone according to his works Jesus gave a parable same principle you've been faithful in these small matters I'll make you a ruler over ten cities enter into the joy of your Lord the joy of serving him and I believe strongly based upon all of the balance of Scripture that you get to heaven by God's free gift but your position in heaven moreover and to be more exact your position in the kingdom age the Millennial Kingdom you're ruling and reigning with Christ will depend upon your faithfulness here so understand folks the whole purpose isn't that you get saved and go to heaven you know we sort of make that the big thing oh great they're safe they're going to have it that's good that's that's that's paramount that's numero uno but if that was God's sole purpose the moment you receive Christ you'd keel over and die you know why risk it they receive Christ kill him now get him to heaven made it but there's more to it you are God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works so you and I have a lifetime how about how many days or years or months God gives us to think about how can I use my time in order to add to my bank account in glory didn't Jesus say don't store up for yourselves treasures on earth but listen store up for yourselves treasures in heaven where moth cannot corrupt where thieves cannot break in and steal so that perspective is important I did a message on this where it uncovered it piece by piece and more in depth in that series that I told you about from the edge edge of eternity the message was called bronze silver or gold if you want to refer to that you can download it for free something about the Bema seat of Christ before we move on there's gonna be some surprises gracious surprises just like jesus said to this guy who worked an hour here's a hundred bucks and the guys are going 100 blocks we worked all day we got a hundred bucks this guy worked an hour he gets 100 bucks there's gonna be some gracious surprises as Jesus gives out and doles out rewards in heaven there's gonna be people you go I don't remember her or him they were never on our platform in our church that they never preached sermons or sang in the worship team we never saw them that's the point they served so faithfully behind the scenes they were the prayer warriors they were the servants who volunteered they never got the credit one of the downsides of having a public ministry is that you get noticed and people come up to you oh you're just the greatest thing since sliced bread we just love your ministry all and I'm going on no I'm losing my reward so when you when you look out at the crowd in heaven and you see me sitting in the back row and someone you've never seen here but getting these great rewards in the front row you know why and now you understand why Jesus said whenever you do your righteous deeds don't do them in order that you can be seen by men for verily I say unto you they already have their reward but do it in secret don't let the right hand know what the left hand is doing and your father who sees in secret he will reward you openly now verse 17 now Jesus going up to Jerusalem I have to do this going up to Jerusalem if you had a map Jesus is going down to Jerusalem he's up north he's northeast and he's working his way from a geographical orientation from north to south or northeast to southwest so we would say in the West he's going down to Jerusalem notice to says he's going up to Jerusalem for two reasons when the Bible reckons it doesn't reckon geographically it reckons topographically the Dead Sea is 1290 feet below sea level Jesus is in Perea he's higher than that but he goes down toward the Dead Sea toward Jericho and that's where he's going now and then he's going to go up from there to Jerusalem Jerusalem is around 2500 feet above sea level 24 23 somewhere on there so they would be if you were to try to walk or bicycle from Jericho to Jerusalem you better be like a really great athlete because it is just this sharp incline and then you go I get it I get it they go up to Jerusalem because wherever you approach Jerusalem from you're going up number one number - they always thought spiritually no matter where you live in the world even if you live in Rome or Athens or these great cities going there is a step down when you go to God's holy place you're moving up in the world you're going up you're always going up to Jerusalem if you were to immigrate to Israel today and become a citizen they call it Aliyah in Hebrew which means to go up you're becoming a citizen you are making Aliyah you're going up in the world you're going to Israel so just a little FYI Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them behold we are going to Jerusalem where are they going Jerusalem they're going up to Jerusalem and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes and they will condemn him to death so Jesus is going to go to Jerusalem to die and deliver him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify and the third day He will rise again and I tell you why I'm spelling this out because that's what Jesus is doing to the 12 disciples is the third time Jesus has told them that he's going to go to Jerusalem and he's going to die and it sort of went over their heads or they didn't want to deal with it or they tried to marginalize it or compartmentalize it they didn't quite understand it because they're always thinking about I want the best spot in the kingdom because that's gonna come like any day now and they're not getting it so Jesus it's like he says okay guys look right here right here right now right now read my lips if you're not listening to my voice going to Jerusalem going to die on a cross notice the word crucified it's the first time Jesus mentioned that it would be death by crucifixion but he spells it out to them so it's unmistakable what is going to happen why is this important because every now and then you're gonna read or or watch the National Geographic program on the Discovery Channel about this new thing about Jesus and and some have said he's he was like this ancient hippie who wanted to express love and peace and joy and goodwill and he was this naive visionary who got caught in the mechanics of politics and religion and got himself crucified or that he tried to become a revolutionary and usurp by staging a military coup to take over from the Romans but he became a victim of crucifixion all of those lame non-historical really a waste of time to make a movie out of theories could be eliminated by reading the historical text which tells us that this was a planned event it did not surprise Jesus revelation calls him the lamb slain from the foundation of the world Jesus kept saying over and over and over again that he was going to die and now he says died on a cross from his birth in the temple Simeon said to Mary a sword is going to pierce your own heart there's plenty of clues and predictions that were made that this was not a mistake but he didn't get caught in a miscarriage of justice that this was a planned event that the father and Jesus and the spirit knew we're all coming together at this time verse 20 I want to show you how they don't they still don't get it then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to him with her sons James and John kneeling down and asking something from him and he said what do you wish and they said grant that these two sons of mine may sit one at your right hand and when at your left hand in your kingdom jesus answered and said to them now he's talking to them picture the scene it's the mom and the Mama's boys coming up to Jesus she does the talking Jesus do me a favor you wouldn't deny a poor woman would you my two boys I want to make sure that they have good seats in heaven front row first class on either side of you ruling and reigning in the kingdom now Jesus looks at the boys James and John jesus answered and said you do not know what you ask are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with they said to him yeah like huh yeah we're able they're speaking out of zeal not knowledge they have no clue he said to them you will indeed drink my cup and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with but to sit on my right hand and my left is not mine to give but it is for those to whom it is prepared by my father now the other Gospels say that James and John came to Jesus to ask a favor it's only by reading what Luke adds do we now understand how the two boys asked they used their mama they came to do the asking but the mom is the one who spoke up and gave the question so Jesus says you you have no idea what you're even asking for are you able to drink the cup now to drink the cup meant to enter into an experience fully and he was speaking about the cup of his death and so are you able to drink the cup that I'm gonna drink speaking of his death oh yeah sure yeah no problem Jesus says you will and they did it happened James becomes the first martyr John according to legend was boiled in oil he didn't boil but at least we know historically he was exiled to the island of Patmos those two boys went on to suffer and drink deeply of the cup of suffering as Jesus Christ predicted that's not what mrs. Zebedee wanted to hear now you know what her name is we know from other Gospel accounts mrs. ebony the mom of James and John is named Salome and she will be one of the gals who stands at the foot of the cross with the other woman looking up as Jesus is dying and she'll look up and she'll see Jesus but she won't see on the right hand and on the left hand two Thrones but two crosses then she'll understand what Jesus is saying in a few days oh now I get it Jesus had predicted his cross she's thinking about the crown Jesus point is you can't wear the crown until you bear the cross and your two boys are gonna bear a cross of suffering like I did or like I will and she'll understand that now in asking for this I don't want to press the analogy but it sounds a bit like Satan when he before he fell from heaven Isaiah 14 says Satan this anointed cherub who covers this worship leader in heaven said I will exalt my throne above the stars of God I will be like the Most High he wanted a higher position than the one he had and he was cast down these two boys and their mom want a higher position now things haven't changed all that much in human nature through the years it seems that people still want celebrity status not servant status they want to be a celebrity they want to be on the executive staff with an executive position and benefits it's interesting I look back with my own perspective everybody has their own perspective in life my perspective when I first came here from California and we started a Bible study I knew I needed help I didn't know many people in the area so I would call my friends in California and say you ought to move out here to Albuquerque and help serve with me I need help you could get a job locally and I need help and counseling I need help and administration and they go move where how do you spell that and nobody wanted to take it now later on when the church grew and there were paid staff positions suddenly so many felt called hey I feel called to be under right hand or left hand in the kingdom not that I have a kingdom to offer so I'll just tell you right now I'm looking for people who are servants already involved as you'll see here in the next few verses if we get to them before our times up verse 24 when the ten heard this member two of the twelve are doing this when the ten heard this they were greatly displeased with the two brothers now they were probably upset because they didn't think of it first oh man James and John and Mama got to him first before we could that was a good idea we should have thought that Jesus called them to himself and he said you know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them and those who are great exercise authority over them yet it shall not be so among you but whoever desires to become great among you let him be your servant and whoever desires to be first among you let him be your slave just as the son of man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many now as they went out of Jericho a great multitude followed him Jericho is 15 miles from Jerusalem but it's way down and Jerusalem's way up it's steep walk behold two blind mice no two blind men two blind men sitting by the road when they heard that Jesus was passing by cried out saying have mercy on us O Lord son of David if you're a Bible student you might have thought that you've come across a discrepancy a contradiction in the Bible because here Matthew says there were two blind men mark and Luke says there was one blind man and mark even names the one blind man do you remember his name bartimaeus the story of blind bartimaeus so is there a contradiction not at all this is a common perspective change that the Gospel writers often exercise here's the deal there were two blind men the most prominent one was a guy by the name of bartemaeus the fact that mark names him was probably most scholars believe because he was well known maybe even one of the members of the early church from Jericho as if to say you know Bartimaeus and so because he was the most prominent and probably the spokesperson the most well-known they isolate one Matthew however he is writing from a Jewish perspective right he's writing to show that Jesus is the Messiah from a Jewish perspective we talked about that at the beginning of the book it would be important that Matthew includes that there were two blind men because the law says that you don't receive a testimony unless you do it from two witnesses so it would be important that he would include the number two and there were the most prominent being bartimaeus that Mark and Luke speak about so we have a blind man blind people couldn't work blind people would rely on their families many of them didn't have family so typically the blind were reduced to sitting out in front of the gate of the city there were walled cities with gates at the gate of the city and they became Biggers that's where they congregated that's what Bartimaeus and his buddy whoever he was was doing at the gate baking another fYI just factual information we're told that there was a special plant that grew around Jericho that had a special balsam or balsam was extracted from this plant used to treat blindness if it worked or not I don't know but it made Jericho sort of a mecca for those who were blind so it's not uncommon to read about a blind person in Jericho so he cries out son of David have mercy on us the multitudes warned them that they should be quiet but they cried out the more saying have mercy on us o son of David you know for two blind guys they sure could see better than most people because most people just thought a guy named Jesus Jesus of Nazareth was coming through town these two blind guys could see spiritually better than the whole crowd because they somehow knew that this was Jesus the Son of David that's a messianic term that's a very restricted Old Testament term to designate one in whom the Covenant promises made to David ie the Messiah would be fulfilled in they knew that so they could see more than the rest of the crowd question how did they know that how did two blind dudes who never would leave Jericho blind people never traveled from there how they had to be confined to ever they could beg at the gate of the city having never heard Jesus before having never seen Jesus because he hadn't come through their town it's not recorded how would they know or have enough faith to say that's the Messiah the son of David here's how I figure it they were by the gate of the city begging every day the gate of the city was like watching CNN in ancient times that's where all the news came through all the people who traveled in and out of every town told the news of the gate of the city so these reports came flooding in about this preacher from Galilee traveling around named Jesus who healed the lame and raised the dead and could unstop deaf ears and blind bartimaeus and his buddy hear that and maybe one visitor came through town and old Bart said excuse me these are wonderful stories have you ever heard of this Jesus healing a blind man oh yes several blind men he is healed instantly he thought that has to be the son of David and probably in his own synagogue being Jewish he heard sermons like Isaiah 60:1 that Jesus quoted in Matthew chapter 4 the Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor to undo the prison doors to those who are captive and to give the recovery of sight to the blind bartimaeus thought if that Jesus ever comes through town I'm gonna find him that's the Messiah so here's Jesus is in town and he shouts out son of David have mercy on us the crowd says be quiet he cried out louder verse 32 Jesus Stood Still and called them and said what do you want me to do for you why did Jesus ask that question doesn't that sound a little unnecessary guy who's blind excuse me Jesus be merciful Micah can't imagine what you would want well that's not why he's asking the question in asking the question because he already knows the need he wants the man to articulate his need and I think that this is a lesson in being specific when you pray when you talk to God don't don't be general oh god bless India how would you like the Lord to bless India in particular was sending Bibles over or in Bible translation or and more missionaries or boldness for those who are there or the planning of churches be specific because when you articulate a need and you articulate a request then you can praise God when he answers you specifically in that request so what is it you want they said to him that our eyes may be opened Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes and immediately their eyes received sight notice and they followed him they followed him boy did they get an eyeful then didn't they they would follow him up to Jerusalem they would see the crowds gather around on top of the Mount of Olives they would hear the crowd shout Hosanna they would see him go into the temple as they follow him there where he overturned the tables and took a whip and drove people out they would see him as he was crucified and if they hung around long enough following him they would see him rise from the dead they got an eyeful but before they ever saw any of that what was the very first thing there I saw him he stood in front of them opened their eyes in the first thing can you imagine for the first thing your eyes ever to see it's Jesus in the flesh Wow when the great hem riders of the church went by the nickname Fanny Crosby she wrote eight thousand songs eight thousand songs talk about sing a new song to the Lord she became blind as a young girl a minister said to her one day miss Crosby with all the gifts that God has given you it's a pity that you were blind she smiled she said if I had but one request to ask God it would be that I would have been born blind he was amazed and she explained because then the first face that would ever glad in my sight would be that of my Savior they had that experience but before they saw physically they saw spiritually son of David have mercy on us now some people can see can hear they have all their faculties about them they're healthy they're well clad well clothed some are well clad well clothed and very good-looking but spiritually they are blind and destitute to have all of the assets of this world but to be spiritually blind is worse than anything you may remember and I'll close I am gonna close I promise one of the churches Jesus wrote to in Revelation I believe Laodicea he said because you say I am rich and I have need of nothing but you don't know that you are miserable wretched poor blind and naked you have an assessment of yourself I have another assessment you think you're all together I think you are lacking you are blind you think we can see you're blind maybe the Lord wants to open some eyes here tonight some of you have been looking at Jesus from afar some of you have heard of him or you've been religious or you've been inclined but you haven't given Christ reign and control over your life and tonight is the night for you to let go and to follow Jesus as he opened your eyes spiritually and the does for you whatever he wants to do after that physically between now and heaven but it begins with that act of faith let's pray father we closed this service thinking of Bartimaeus who though he couldn't see physically boy could he see into the spiritual realm quite clearly and I believe that here tonight that some eyes have been opened in a spiritual capacity their life has been lacking up till now empty up till now not all that they would imagined it could have been when they were younger some are just tired tired sick and tired of being sick and tired wanting satisfaction fulfillment purpose meaning as well as forgiveness open blind eyes Lord and bring those who don't know you into a relationship with you in Jesus name we pray amen would you all stand as we sing this final song we close with this song I'm gonna ask those of you who are here tonight you may be in the balcony or family room or outside even or right here in this auditorium if you evaluate your life and you realize I'm truly not following Jesus it's not a reality I sort of believe God existed but I haven't really given my life to him I'm not born again but I want to be in fact let me tell you this you must be born again jesus said or you will never see the kingdom of heaven and that comes from realizing you're a sinner and asking God to forgive your sins through Christ but you have to come to him you have to receive it it's not automatic you receive it and the best way we know how to do it is is we sing this song I'm going to ask you to get up from where you're standing walk down the steps if you're in the balcony or walk through the doors if you're in the family room or say excuse me if you're in the middle of a row down here come right down the aisles and stand right up here let me pray with you to receive Christ you come as we sing [Music] Nelson will show you where to come come right up this way right up in the front god bless you that's right [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] was blah but [Music] you keep keep coming come quickly yes you you come come to the cross come to forgiveness rings sweet [Music] [Laughter] who once was lost but was blind [Music] who else is lost that needs to be found who else is blind that could see you just make that step and say yes Lord release your life into his hands well sing another verse of this one time through and then we'll close it up but don't wait don't hold back don't think I can wait put this off till next time there may not be a next time we have a life we don't know how long it's gonna last God is calling you you sense that right now in your heart you say yes to him and you follow through as we sing this [Music] me Xing Grace how sweet the sound let's say not wretch like me [Music] first loves but now I'm found was blind but now I see a change I've been set free my God my Savior you're handsome like it's mercy amazing hey those of you who have come forward I'm so happy to see you here that you've done this I know this is all new to you you didn't think I was going to come that you were gonna come here tonight and stand where you're standing we didn't do this to embarrass you but we did this to sort of call you out Jesus did that he would he would publicly call people out to follow him and something happens when you say this was the night that I made a break from the past and I began my walk with the Lord the way we know how to do this the best is I'm gonna lead you in a prayer and I'm gonna ask you to pray this out loud after me say these words but you're not just mouthing words say these from your heart say them to God himself say him to the Lord let's pray lord I give you my life I am a sinner please forgive me I believe in Jesus that he died on the cross He shed his blood for my sin and that he rose from the dead I turn from my sin I leave it behind I turn to you as my savior help me to follow you as my Lord in Jesus name Amen give the Lord a hand [Applause]

Channel: Calvary Church with Skip Heitzig

Views: 6,619

Rating: 4.9574466 out of 5

Keywords: Calvary, Albuquerque, Skip, Heitzig, Sermon, Matthew, Calvary Church, rewards, judgment, judgment seat, bema seat, blind, works, Christian Living

Id: gDTEaDRDYbo

Length: 67min 7sec (4027 seconds)

Published: Wed Jul 11 2018