FBCWest 418 | Jesus Authority Challenged and His Response
Recorded On: 09/27/2020
Bulletin
FBCWest
September 27, 2020
“God is Spirit, and those who worship Him
must worship Him in Spirit and truth.”
“I Corinthians 1:18 - 25”
“There is a Name I Love to Hear”
Praise and Worship
SCRIPTURE READING –
“He Has Won”
“More”
“Days of Elijah”
“Shine”
Giving of Selves and Our Offerings
OFFERTORY PRAYER
SPECIAL MUSIC – By Pru Hungate
Proclamation of the Word
Message by Pastor Joe
“The Life and Ministry of Jesus The Messiah”
“Jesus’ Authority Challenged and His Response”
PRAYER TIME / Time of Reflection
“Love Moved First”
Acknowledgements and Announcements
Benediction “Won’t Stop Now”
Sermon Notes
Matthew 21:23 – 27 Jesus’ authority challenged by religious leaders
Matthew 21:28 – 32 Parable of two sons
Matthew 21:33 – 41 Parable of the Landowner
Matthew 21:42 – 44 Jesus’ judgment
Matthew 21:45 & 46 Their response
Matthew 22:1 – 14 Parable of the Marriage Feast, we should take special note
Scritpures
Transcript of Service
Have you ever had people ask you questions?
That they didn't care to know the answer to.
That they already had a set agenda and didn't matter how you answered.
They wanted to hear particular thing.
The religious leaders.
Always confronted Jesus.
From the beginning of his ministry.
To the end of his.
Life.
Ministry.
And they would ask him questions.
Which he had already answered, both verbally.
An by actions.
But it didn't matter what the answer was.
And they didn't care about the truth of the answer.
And they're going to do that this time. Again, they've already are plotted against him, because how dare he raised Lazarus from the dead and they were going to both put away?
Jesus and Lazarus.
And so Jesus has come into Jerusalem.
Few days before.
Passover.
He went into the temple.
And then later.
It went into the temple and.
Cleaned out the money changers.
And those were making merchandise.
Of the House of God.
And so he is in the temple.
In his teaching and he'll be teaching there during this week.
When they come up to him and then.
Matthew Chapter 21 sorry with verse 23, it says when he entered the temple, the chief priest and the elders of the people came to him while he was teaching. And said by what authority are you doing these things? And who gave you this authority?
So they asked him two questions.
Even though he has been answering this an even if you will by what he did by cleaning the temple, he stated by what authority he was doing these things.
But they were hoping to trap him.
Because they had an agenda and the truth.
Did not matter.
Kind of like today.
And Jesus said to them.
I will also ask you one thing which if you tell me.
I will also tell you by what authority I do these things.
So it goes OK, I'm going to answer your question, but first I want you to answer a question of me.
And he says, this is the question verse 25 the baptism of John.
From what source? From heaven?
Or from men.
Sing was John doing what John was called to do? Because God called John to do it? What was John doing it? Because that was what men were kind of expecting of him to do.
And they began reasoning among themselves, saying, if we say from heaven, he will say to us, then why did you not believe him?
Which gives you.
An answer.
Already.
If they came from God and it's saying well, why didn't you believe him?
And if we say from heaven, and why do you say to us then why do you not believe him? But if we say from men, we fear the people, for they all regards. John, as a Prophet.
So already either the people or right or there, right? But they are afraid to make a statement.
Because if the people were right and John was a Prophet in the religious leaders should have been following John and then John.
Bye.
Preparing the way.
For Jesus.
And answering Jesus.
They said.
We do not know.
Well, they just reason.
The end, so they've lied. The answer is, we're afraid to say.
We don't want to make a commitment.
Because if we say from heaven and we need to take action on that statement.
And if we say from men.
Then we're fearful.
He said to them.
Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.
But Jesus.
Well, in essence, tell them.
Because if you remember away back in Jesus's ministry, when the religious leaders were obstructing his ministry and seeking to seize him and at times throw him off a Cliff or do various things to harm him.
When they.
Accused Jesus of working and the Holy Spirit of working.
For Satan
and he said.
No longer will I speak plainly.
I will speak to you an parables.
Or hearing you might hear an listening you might understand. So Jesus, I'm going to answer you in Parables because you've chosen not.
To truly seek the truth.
And because of your unforgivable sin, I will not make it.
So that you can.
But so he's going to in essence, continue on the discussion. He doesn't walk away, he says. But what do you think? So he's going to tell them a parable, but what do you think the man had two sons?
And he came to the 1st and he said, son go work today in the vineyard. And he answered, I will not.
But afterwards he regretted it and went.
Now that tends to be a lot of us.
We have this tendency to be rebellious.
Especially when it comes to our parents are parents. Obviously I've gotta be wrong so that whatever, so whatever they tell us to do, our initial reaction is to say no.
But in this situation, Jesus is talking about.
The father.
And spiritual, if you will sons.
And so this is the first one starts off by saying no, but then does it.
The man came to the second and said the same thing and he answered, I will Sir.
But did not go.
Which of the two did the will of his father?
They said the first notice they can. They can answer this one without.
Budget.
The first
And Jesus said to them, truly, I say to you that the tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you.
Now that's a stinging rebuke, because here they think their religious there. Holy their righteous there on God side.
But Jesus is saying that there, like the second son, who said that they would do what God told them to do, but do not.
Their their faith is only words but not actions.
But he's going to say, but the tax collectors in the prostitutes, those who you think are so sinful, that they can never be redeemed. They're the ones that initially rebelled against God, but having her and thought better of it.
Decided.
To do God's will.
It is not what you say, but what you do.
James kind of talks about this.
I will show you not by my words, by my actions.
Of my face.
For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him, and you seen this did not even feel remorse afterwards so as to believe.
Anytime.
A Sinner.
Comes to God.
We should do two things.
We should rejoice.
And two, we should inspect our lives to see if something has separated us from God.
That we should be following what he said rather than being content with our religion.
You see, the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and describes all they were satisfied with religion.
That God has called us to a relationship.
It is called us to do is were not to be errors and throughout the scriptures you will hear especially.
When Jesus speaks.
He who has an ear, let him hear, which means move from hearing.
To action.
And so he is condemned them because they did not repent.
And follow God, but yet those who they look down upon did.
But it doesn't end it there.
He continues, this is listen to another parable.
There was a landowner who planted a vineyard and put a wall around it and dug a winepress in it and built the tower.
And rented it out to a Vine growers and went on a journey.
When the harvest time approached, he sent his slaves to the Vine growers to receive his produce.
And the Vine growers took his slaves and beat one.
And killed another and stoned 1/3.
And again he sent another group of slaves larger than the 1st, and they did the same thing to them. But afterwards he sent his son to them, saying.
They will respect my son.
But when the Vine grower saw the sun.
They said among themselves.
This is the air. Come let us kill him and sees his inheritance.
They took him and threw him out of the vineyard and kill them.
Therefore, therefore, when the.
Owner of the vineyard comes.
What will he do?
To those Vine growers.
Now.
I think this parable.
Is pretty clear.
And I suspect.
They're pretty sure that it's pretty clear too.
Because it has been.
The history.
Of God's people.
To win, a Prophet comes to tell them to repent instead of repenting. They stone him or kill him or throw him in prison or do all sorts of manner of things to mistreat.
The Prophet.
And so.
Jesus is saying.
Likewise, you have done the same and so the owner since his son.
Saying they'll respect him, but obviously as we see, by the way, these religious leaders treat Jesus. They do not respect him.
And as a matter of fact, this parable will come plainly evident because they will take Jesus outside the gate.
To crucify him to kill them.
To hope that they do away with him so that they will keep the inherit.
So, but he asked the question, what should the owner do?
Now.
Let me give you some advice. If somebody ever ask you about what should somebody do in judgment.
Here's the principle.
How you judge?
You will be judged.
So notice their determination. They said he will bring those wretches to a wretched end, and they will rent out the vineyard to it. Other Vine Growers who will pay him the proceeds at the proper season.
So the other thing is, let's get rid of those guys. This give it to somebody else who will do what they're supposed to do.
There are.
Exactly, you guys have been told that you are a responsible for God's people, that you were to grow produce that you were to grow fruit and instead of giving those to God, you have sought to keep them for yourselves. And they said their wretches. They should be destroyed in somebody else, should get to manage.
And that is exactly.
But it's going to happen.
And Jesus said to them, did you never read in the scriptures the stone which the builders rejected? This became the chief cornerstone.
This came about from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes.
Therefore, I say to you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing the fruit of it.
You think you made a judgment and that judgment is exactly what's going to happen. Is going to be taken away from you.
And it's going to be given to somebody else.
That somebody else is you and me.
It's we Gentiles.
And those or true juice.
Who are true children of Abraham?
But if he.
Did not respect those whom he first gave it to.
If we do not follow his will, then how is it that we expect to maintain it as well?
We are to be given to a people who produce fruit.
For him.
And you falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but on whomever it falls, it was scattered him like dust.
There is this rock the stone of offense.
As I just read when we started at the service.
Doesn't make sense.
To the Jews.
'cause they're looking for signs doesn't make sense.
To the Greeks.
The Gentiles because.
Why would God?
Surrender his son.
Or US.
So it breaks apart those who stumble over it, but it scatters like dust. It crushes those who it falls on.
But notice Jesus having not answered them directly as now twice told them what their fate is and what their judgment is.
Then he's by implication telling them what authority he has.
And when the chief priest and the Pharisees heard this parable, they understood that he was speaking about them.
To their kind of getting it.
And when they thought this season, they feared the people because they considered him to be a Prophet. Notice they fear Jesus.
Because of the.
Crowd, and they feared the answer about John because of the crowd.
And all too often people make their decision about who the Lord is based on the crowd and not based upon who he is.
But Jesus is not through with Parables.
He's going to give them one more.
In Matthew 22, starting with verse one, it says this.
Jesus spoke to them again in parable, saying the Kingdom of Heaven may be compared to a King who gave a wedding feast for his son.
He sent out his slaves to call those who have been invited to the wedding feast.
And they were unwilling to come.
Again, he sent out other slaves saying tell those who have been invited. Behold, I have repaired my dinner, my oxen, and my fatted livestock are all butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast so he's imploring them said it's ready, you don't have to wait.
One of my problems going to to a reception after is how long it takes. You gotta wait for the right group to show up and then they gotta announce them and they got everybody's getting on it. Then you gotta have the the.
Rides dance in the rooms, dance and then and then somebody makes a toast and half the time they really inappropriate.
I don't want to hear about their past.
An in finally.
To get around to the food which is cold rubber chicken.
And then afterwards half the people are gone before they serve the cake.
It's just, you know, I'm not a big one on weddings, but when is last about maybe 20 minutes.
Unless you got a extra service and it can last hours, so I'm one of those guys I'm willing to go to wedding. I just don't want to reception 'cause it just takes them but but this wedding is a feast.
It is a feast. I mean they've got the fatted animals. So as sounds like they've got prime rib which not not rubber chicken and they've got the oxen and they got whatever so it's ready.
Sit down and eat.
But they're not interest.
But they may noted paid no attention and went their way one to his own farm, another to his business, and the rest sees the slaves and mistreated and killed them.
You know it's bad enough to reject the offer, but they're so irritated they seize the slaves who were inviting them for a good time.
They get a free meal.
And yet the irritation.
And they killed them.
But the King was enraged.
Notice he doesn't take it.
Neutrally.
So, Well, you know.
He's enraged.
And he sent his armies in, destroyed those murderers, and set their cities on fire.
You see God is not neutral.
You see, people tend to think that that you either forgot against God or Newark Neutral.
Neutral is against God.
There's only two choices.
It's binary.
You forgot your against God.
Is not a third option.
And so he destroys those who humiliate it and seized his slaves and.
Decided.
To treat with contempt.
The wedding feast.
And he said to his slaves.
The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy.
Again, he is hit the religious leaders.
Those who thought their righteousness, was it.
And he said they're not worthy both, therefore, to the main highways, and as many as you find their invite to the wedding feast.
In those slaves went out into the street and gathered together. All they found both evil and good, and the wedding Hall was filled with dinner guest.
So you see, the King's plan was still implemented.
He wanted his dining Hall filled.
For the wedding feast.
So that there were still those who there, but there were those who were invited.
Who may not have been considered worthy in the beginning? Because those who are invited were both good and evil.
And if you will this parable.
Talks about you and me.
Or you see, we have invited to the wedding feast of God.
Because those who were originally invited didn't show up.
And so Jesus in.
My Apostles send my servant, send my slaves to tell them about the gospel, about the power of God, and how that you haven't been invited into a relationship with God, and that you are there in the most intimate of eastern culture relationships to dine with the King.
You and I have been invited.
But when they came, came in and looked over the dinner guest.
He saw a man there who was not dressed in wedding clothes.
And he said to him, friend.
How did you come in here without wedding clothes?
And the man was speechless.
Now let me comment A.
Good friend of mine.
Son was married.
Almost a year ago.
And usually you know how to dress based on the.
Invitation
usually the invitation is kind of formal, and so you prepare and say OK, I'm going to wear a suit and tie or or whatever.
You have now this particular invitation. They said. Kind of the theme of the wedding was going to be western.
Wear your boots.
I don't have any.
Probably won't get any books 'cause the ones I've ever worn were uncomfortable.
And so I wasn't quite sure how to dress thing. Well, does that mean I'm supposed to wear jeans?
How do you go to a wedding in a in a?
Reception when the.
Theme is.
Western.
On leap year.
And so my first reaction was, well, I probably will wear jeans and maybe a coat whatever.
And then.
Both council, my wife and the good old adage that says it's better to Overdress and under dress is if you overdress
people will be less critical of you that if you under dress and since he was my good friend whatever. So I wore a suit.
Well, most of the people there wore suits at least by other good friend that we sat with. So I felt comfortable with what the right. But at least I wore the right thing.
OK.
This gentleman that came to this feast did it.
So you say, well, what is the wedding dress that Jesus is talking about?
The scriptures tell us.
That are.
Actions are deeds are righteousness or as filthy rags.
So if you show up.
As you
your inappropriately dressed.
You need to come to the King's wedding feast.
In his righteousness we're dressed in the righteousness of Jesus. We are placed in the robe of righteousness that God has given to us.
I don't know how many times I've heard people who.
Don't necessarily want to follow Jesus who say, Well, you know.
When that time comes an I'm before God.
I'll tell him that.
I did more good things and bad things.
Well, the first thing is is that.
You probably did it.
This is beyond this if you if you know your own art, you know you haven't done more good things and bad things, even if you didn't end up doing the bad things you thought about it.
And God says, your your thoughts?
Will speak against you.
And so you're probably not going to be able to convince anybody that you're more good than bad, and is matter. Fact Jesus is already slammed the door 'cause he said there's no one good with God. And since you're not God, you ain't good.
Next problem, notice here. He was speechless.
He wasn't able to, you know, it was a last minute I was not working the field and I got invited and I don't want to miss it. So I showed up.
Notice he didn't offer an explanation. He was speechless.
And when you come before, not just the King, but the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, you ain't going to open your mouth.
Your only hope is that when Jesus sitting at the right hand of God and he's mine, my blood paid for.
Come thou into my rest.
Good and faithful slave.
Dressed in his righteousness.
And not my own.
Then the King said to the servants, bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, in the place where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Now this is Jesus statement, for he goes to hell.
And then he makes a very interesting statement.
Or many our call.
But few.
Art shows.
God lays open.
The Gospel for everyone.
He calls everyone to come, even says it is not my will that any should perish.
Many are called.
But few are chosen.
And the only way you know that you are chosen.
Is how you're dressed.
And how you're dressed is in his righteous.
It is by faith alone in Christ alone.
So while this.
Parable.
Has been spoken to the religious leaders.
I think it's a parable that we need to take close attention to.
Or you see, we were invited.
Not because of our worth.
But because of the UN worthiness of those originally invited.
And that we only get to stay at the feast.
Not because.
Of who we are.
But because of his grace.
Is low.
His.
Dressing.
Our lives.
You see?
We don't end up in the Kingdom.
'cause one day we wake up.
Citing that we just love God.
And we think it would be a good idea to follow God.
And we think you know.
What do we got to lose? Let's just follow Jesus.
No, it's because of his love.
His redemption
his declaration by word and deed of his everlasting love.
That we respond in love.
It doesn't matter what you've done.
You be good. You could be evil.
You're invited.
As Jesus said.
Those who are tax collectors.
And prostitutes.
Originally told God No.
But then thought better of it.
And it.
Let us not go so.
Much into.
We attend church. We attend church. We attend church.
And not always look.
That we are.
Not only hearing his word.
But doing his work.
And then we always find ourselves.
Dressed in his righteousness.
And that we are that way.
Because his love.
Move.
Stand with me as we pray.