Matthew11

 

Jesus is the One

 

1 And it happened when Jesus finished commanding his twelve disciples, he left there to teach and to preach in their cities. 2.Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, 3.And said to him, Are you he that is to come, or do we look for another? 4.Jesus answered and said to them, Go and show John again those things that you hear and see: 5.The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6.And blessed is he, whoever is not offended in me.

 

  • Only God can do these things.
  • Jesus showed us who He was.
  • Isaiah 35:4 Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, do not fear: behold, your God will come with vengeance, … he will come and save you. 5 Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf will be unstopped. 6 Then the lame man will leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb will sing

 

7.And as they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John, What did you go out into the wilderness to see, a reed shaken with the wind? 8.But what did you go out to see, a man clothed in soft clothing? Behold, those that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. 9.What did you go out to see, a prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet.10.For this is he of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you. 11.Truthfully I say to you, Among those that are born of women there has not risen a greater than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12.And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. 13.For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. 14.And if you will receive it, this is Elijah, who is to come.

 

  • If the nation would receive Jesus, their Messiah then John would be the prophet preparing the way for Him.
  • John the Baptist was the greatest man born with a sinful nature like Adam.
  • Jesus, being born of a virgin, was without man’s sinful nature.
  • And all those in the kingdom of heaven no longer have the sinful nature.
  • When Jesus comes again He will take the kingdom back to God (It’s Maker and rightful owner) by force.

 

15.He that has ears to hear, let him hear. 16.But to what can I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their playmates, 17.And saying, We have played the flute for you, and you have not danced; we sang a dirge to you, and you have not mourned. 18.For John came neither eating nor drinking and they say, He has a devil. 19.The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a drunkard, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.

 

  • He became one of us but without sin.
  • Nothing can satisfy those that will not listen to their Maker.

 

20.Then he began to reproach the cities in which most of his mighty works were done, because they did not repent: 21.Cries of grief to you, Chorazin! Cries of grief to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22.But I say to you, It will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. 23.And you, Capernaum, exalted to heaven, will be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works that have been done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24.But I say to you, It will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for you.

 

  • Jesus stated clearly by this that there are degrees of punishment.
  • The Father has given all judgment to Him.
  • He is the judge that is going to judge the cities, ancient and modern.
  • John 5:22 For the Father judges no man, but has committed all judgment unto the Son

 

25.At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hid these things from the wise and prudent, and have revealed them unto babes. 26.Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in your sight. 27.All things are delivered to me by my Father: and no man knows the Son, except the Father; neither does any man know the Father, except the Son, and he to whomever the Son reveals him.

 

  • Remember John’s question at the first of the chapter ‘are you the one?’
  • This is the last part of Jesus’ answer to John the Baptist’s question.
  • God must reveal Himself to us.
  • The father had hid these things from the wise and revealed them to babes.
  • His genius and power are revealed in nature, the universe.
  • He reveals His preciousness and love in scripture by Jesus to whom He wills through His Holy Spirit.
  • He told His disciples not to cast their pearls before swine.

 

The Lord invites all to come to Him and rest

 

28.Come to me, all you that labor and are heavily loaded, and I will give you rest. 29.Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and low in heart: and you will find rest for your souls. 30.For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

 

  • The highest royalty of all, the King of the universe, is not high minded about Himself but just the opposite. He is humble enough to want to spend eternity with the lowliest of this earth.
  • A life of following God is a life of rest and peace.
  • If you are under stress, it’s not from God.” (Joyce Meyer)
  • John’s ministry in the desert left all the burdensome temple ritual to follow a simple path of loving God.
  • Psalm 23:2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures: he leads me beside the still waters. 3 He restores my soul
  • Psalm 55:22 Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you: he will never allow the righteous to be moved.

 

                                             Matthew 12

 

1 At that time, on the sabbath day, Jesus went through the grain. And his disciples were hungry and began to pluck the heads of grain, and eat. 2.But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him: Look at this, your disciples do what is not lawful to do on the sabbath day. 3.But he said to them, Haven’t you read what David did, when he was hungry, and those that were with him, 4 how he entered into the house of God, and ate the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for those that were with him, but only for the priests? 5.Or have you not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless? 6.But I say to you, In this place is one greater than the temple. 7.If you had known what this means, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the guiltless. 8.For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.

 

  • The temple taught of the Lord. But the Lord of the universe, Maker of heaven and earth, the eternal Almighty God was in the temple, being merciful to them.
  • The words ‘have you not read’ show us that Jesus expects us to know His word including the Old Testament.
  • Matthew 22:29 Jesus answered and said to them, You do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.

 

Jesus restores us and makes us whole; He healed them all

 

9.And when he left there, he went into their synagogue: 10.And watch this, there was a man that had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? So that they might accuse him. 11.And he said to them, What man is there among you with one sheep, that if it falls into a pit on the sabbath day, will not take hold of it, and lift it out? 12.How much then is a man better than a sheep? So it is lawful to do good on the sabbath days. 13.Then he said to the man, Stretch out your hand. And he stretched it out; and it was restored whole, like the other.

 

  • John 7:24 Do not judge according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

 

14.Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, to destroy him. 15.But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from there: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all; 16.And charged them not to make him known: 17.That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, 18.Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he will show judgment to the Gentiles. 19.He will not strive or cry; neither will any man hear his voice in the streets. 20.He will not break a bruised reed or quench a smoking flax until he leads justice to victory. 21.And in his name/person the nations will trust.

 

  • Jesus left the area of danger.
  • He is the judge but He wasn’t there to judge at that time in the way they thought.
  • He was there to take our judgment on the cross thus guaranteeing us His victory forever.

 

He knows our thoughts

 

22.Then one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb was brought to him: and he healed him, so that the blind and dumb both spoke and saw. 23.And all the people were amazed and said, Isn’t this the son of David? 24.But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow does not cast out devils, except by Beelzebub the prince of the devils. 25.And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself will not stand: 26.And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how can his kingdom stand? 27.And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 28.But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you. 29.How can one enter into a strong man's house, and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then he will plunder his house. 30.He that is not with me is against me; and he that does not gather with me scatters.

 

  • Jesus showed them that their accusation didn’t make sense.
  • The strong man is Satan. The Lord binds him, casting out the devils.
  • Then He takes the souls back to His heavenly Father.
  • He brought the kingdom of God to us.
  • There is no middle ground in this life. If we are not for Him, we are against Him (Matthew 12:30).

 

31.Therefore I say to you, All manner of sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost will not be forgiven men. 32.And whoever speaks a word against the Son of man, it will be forgiven him: but whoever speaks against the Holy Ghost, it will not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.

 

  • The word ‘world’ is the Greek word AION. It means ‘age.’
  • The person who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven in the age of Israel or and the age to come, the church age.
  • Let’s not say that the charismatic movement, faith healers, or groups that are casting out demons, or any other work today is of evil. It is not our place to judge anything.
  • 1 Corinthians 4:5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: then every man will have praise of God.

 

33.Either make the tree good, and its fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and its fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by its fruit. 34.O generation of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35.A good man out of the good treasure of the heart brings forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. 36.But I say to you, Every idle word that men speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. 37.For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.

 

  • The word ‘idle’ in the Greek is inactive or non-producing.
  • Their words against Jesus poisoned hearts and brought death to those who followed them.
  • Notice that we do this to ourselves. It’s our words that condemn or justify us. Our words come from our hearts.

 

38.Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we want to see a sign from you. 39.But he answered and said to them, An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; no sign will be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonah: 40.For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so the Son of man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41.The men of Nineveh will rise in judgment with this generation, and condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and note this, a greater than Jonah is here.

 

  • It was absurd that they asked for a sign. The blind had been given sight, the lepers cleansed, and He’d raised the dead.
  • John 21:25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which, if every one of them would be written, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.

 

Jesus is greatest of all

 

42.The queen of the south will rise up in the judgment with this generation, and condemn it: for she came from the farthest parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and watch, a greater than Solomon is here. 43.When the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he walks through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. 44.Then he says, I will return into my house from where I came out; and when he has come, he finds it empty, swept, and garnished. 45.Then he goes and takes with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. That’s how it will be with this wicked generation.

 

  • Christ came to cleanse the nation.
  • The nation would be far worse, more full of evil when He was gone because the nation would also be guilty of killing the Lord, the Savior of mankind.
  • This verse also teaches us that devils seek men’s bodies to live in.

 

46.While he still talked to the people, watch this, his mother and his brothers stood outside desiring to speak with him. 47.Then one said to him, Behold, your mother and your brothers stand outside desiring to speak with you. 48.But he answered and said to him that told him, Who is my mother? And who are my brothers? 49.And he stretched out his hand toward his disciples and said, Behold my mother and my brothers. 50.For whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

 

  • This corrects the view that every person in the world is our brother.
  • Many People in this world are under God’s judgment for rejecting their Maker.
  • The are God’s enemies and our enemies.
  • To treat idol worshippers as brothers helps Satan’s deadly cause.
  • We are to make distinctions according to the will of God.
  • John 6:29 Jesus answered and said to them, This is the work of God, that you believe on him whom he has sent.


 

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SUMMARY: Matthew 11-12

 

  • Jesus is the One
  • The Lord invites all to come to Him and rest
  • Jesus restores us and makes us whole; He healed them all
  • He knows our thoughts
  • Jesus is greatest of all