Matthew
Faith = Authority
How does your understanding of suffering effect your faith?
Jesus’ disciples learned a lot about faith and authority
As they came to understand the suffering of Jesus
No wonder the disciples did not let suffering get in the way
Of their purpose and authority
Doubt = Insecurity
BUT
Faith = Authority
Faith = Authority
The Book of Matthew is all about
the Kingdom of Heaven.
In the first 3 chapters…
Jesus is connected to the Old Testament
as the fulfillment
and introduced as “God with us”.
Chapters 4-7…
We see the announcement of the Kingdom.
Chapters 8-10…
The demonstration of the Kingdom brings
healing, life, and hope to people’s lives.
Chapters 11-13…
We see the response to Jesus and the parables
to help us see how the Kingdom is received.
Chapters 14-20…
We see the different expectations of people
to Jesus and the Kingdom.
After Jesus asked the disciple, “Who do people say I am”
than asked, “Who do you say I am?”…
A key shift takes place in Chapter 16 verse 21.
From that time on Jesus began to explain
to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem
and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.
Matthew 16:21
After coming down from the Mount of Transfiguration,
Jesus explained Elijah’s coming
before the Messiah and says…
Jesus replied, "Elijah is indeed coming first to get everything ready for the Messiah. But I tell you, Elijah has already come, but he wasn't recognized, and they chose to abuse him. And in the same way they will also make the Son of Man suffer." Then the disciples realized he was talking about John the Baptist.
Matthew 17:11-13 NLV
Suffering is always hard to understand.
Suffering affects us in different ways.
Why should Jesus have to suffer?
The first thing that happens
after Jesus says the Son of Man will suffer…
Happens at the bottom of the Mountain of Transfiguration
when the disciples could not cast out a demon.
A demon that caused a boy to suffer.
Look at the father’s description to Jesus…
"Lord, have mercy on my son.
He has seizures and suffers terribly.
He often falls into the fire or into the water.
Matthew 17:15-16 NLT
Jesus casted out the demon
and stopped the boys’ suffering.
So why should Jesus suffer
if He has the power over demons
and their power to make us suffer?
You can imagine how hard it was for the disciples
to understand why Jesus had to suffer and die.
Second, when one member suffers, we all suffer
The disciples could not handle the problem
when Jesus was away for just a short time.
Look at what Jesus says and does…
Jesus replied, "You faithless and corrupt people!
How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you?
Bring the boy to me." Then Jesus rebuked the demon in the boy, and it left him. From that moment the boy was well.
Matthew 17:17-18 NLT
What is Jesus saying…
"You faithless and corrupt people!”
Afterward the disciples asked Jesus privately,
"Why couldn't we cast out that demon?"
20 "You don't have enough faith," Jesus told them. "I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it would move. Nothing would be impossible."
Matthew 17:19-20 LNT
Jesus gives the answer…
"You don't have enough faith"
Jesus in His rebuke to the disciples says…
You faithless and corrupt people!
Understanding their lack of faith comes as
we see what the New Living Translations says…
corrupt people
The Greek word here means…
To distort, misinterpret, corrupt or perverse
It is not so much the amount of faith…
But the contamination of faith.
Note what Jesus says when you have faith…
"I tell you the truth,
if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed,
you could say to this mountain,
'Move from here to there,'
and it would move.
Nothing would be impossible."
Matthew 17:19-20 LNT
Faith = Authority
Our way of thinking contaminates our faith
and weakens our authority.
We many times say the right things but,
on the inside we are not quite sure.
Remember when Peter got out of the boat and walked on water?
He was fine until his thoughts were contaminated.
You and I have a lot to learn about suffering
in order to have enough faith.
Jesus taught us the necessity of suffering
and the power to remove it.
Jesus showed us the goal, or purpose
is more important than suffering.
Jesus did not let suffering get in the way of His purpose.
Jesus cast out demons and stopped suffering
as well as suffered the death of the cross….
Because His faith was not contaminated.
The people who heard Jesus speak said…
All the people were amazed and said to each other,
"What is this teaching?
With authority and power he gives orders to evil spirits and they come out!"
Luke 4:36
The people were amazed at his teaching,
because he taught them as one who had authority,
not as the teachers of the law.
Mark 1:22
Like the disciple…
You and I become less contaminated in our faith
as we embrace more of God’s Word.
Remember…
His Kingdom come His will be done
in earth (us) as it is in heaven.
Jesus’ disciples learned a lot about faith and authority
as they came to understand the suffering of Jesus.
No wonder the disciples did not let suffering
get in the way of their purpose and authority.
Doubt = Insecurity
BUT
Faith = Authority
Scripture Reading
Matthew 17:9-20 NLT
9 As they went back down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, "Don't tell anyone what you have seen until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead."
10 Then his disciples asked him, "Why do the teachers of religious law insist that Elijah must return before the Messiah comes?"
11 Jesus replied, "Elijah is indeed coming first to get everything ready for the Messiah. 12 But I tell you, Elijah has already come, but he wasn't recognized, and they chose to abuse him. And in the same way they will also make the Son of Man suffer." 13 Then the disciples realized he was talking about John the Baptist.
Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Boy
14 At the foot of the mountain, a large crowd was waiting for them. A man came and knelt before Jesus and said, 15 "Lord, have mercy on my son. He has seizures and suffers terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. 16 So I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn't heal him."
17 Jesus replied, "You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to me." 18 Then Jesus rebuked the demon in the boy, and it left him. From that moment the boy was well.
19 Afterward the disciples asked Jesus privately, "Why couldn't we cast out that demon?"
20 "You don't have enough faith," Jesus told them. "I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it would move. Nothing would be impossible."
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