Sermons on Matthew (Page 2)
Some of you are thinking… Christmas is over! Why are we still talking about Christmas? Well, the nativity narrative includes events that occurred after the birth of baby Jesus. So, this week and next, we’re going to be looking at the final two characters in the Cast of Christmas—the Magi and King Herod.
We do not know everyone who knew the reason for Mary’s sudden departure to go stay with her relatives near Jerusalem, but we assume that Joseph was aware of what was going on. But what was happening with Joseph during these three months that Mary was gone? What was he thinking? How did he feel? I cannot answer these questions definitively, but we can deduce some aspects of the situation back in Nazareth based off of what we learn in Matthew 1. Joseph, Mary’s betrothed, had made a difficult decision for his life and future; and God chose to intervene by sending one of His messengers to inform Joseph of vital details about the situation before it was too late.
In our message this morning, we’re going to explore the fourth chapter of Second Corinthians. In this chapter, Paul encourages believers to be the couriers of God’s promises to everyone who will receive this message of grace. In the first section, he shows himself and his companions as an example of how to do this work of ministry; and then, in the second section, he encourages us to keep on working for the Lord—even in the midst of difficult circumstances.
Paul wrote to the church of Thessalonica and urged them “to aspire to live quietly, and to mind [their] own affairs” (1 Thessalonians 4:11). If we look at our lives honestly, that is not who we are nor is it how we live. Richard Foster wrote, “We crave things we neither need nor enjoy. ‘We buy things we do not want to impress people we do not like.’” He went on to say that, “Simplicity is freedom. Duplicity is bondage. Simplicity brings joy and balance. Duplicity brings anxiety and fear.” Jesus explained it this way: “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money” (Matthew 6:24).
There is a way of thinking that has become more and more popular during my lifetime. It’s hard to sum up this point of view with just one word, or even a few words, without being offensive to someone. Truth is no longer considered absolute, but relative, which gives individuals the perceived right to choose what they believe and what they do not. People all over the world will say that there are many more paths to God than Christianity. But I ask you today, is there any other way?
In the wake of Pastor Wade’s recent eye surgery, we are thankful to welcome Bro. Donny Parrish, Executive Director of Lifeword Media Ministries, as our guest speaker. For more information about Donny or Lifeword, please check out the PDF above.
As we embark on this journey through the “One Another” Commands in the New Testament, I want us to not lose sight of the prevailing goal of this series —we want to Unite People to One Another. In order to make that happen, we must learn how to get along with one another. The first…