MATTHEW

LOVING AND SERVING GOD–MATTHEW 22:36-40–PART 4a

Art Davison MATTHEW 0 Comment
LOVING AND SERVING GOD
MATTHEW 22:36-40
PART 4-a
Introduction:
IX. JESUS IS AN EXAMPLE IN SHOWING US HOW TO LOVE AND SERVE ONE ANOTHER.
A. Without humility there is no love for others, John 13:14-15, “If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.” (See John 13:2-17)
1. Our view of self, Romans 12:16, “Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.”
2. Using the example, John 13:15, “For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.”
B. We must be a sweet-smelling savour, Ephesians 5:2, “And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.”
C. Walk as He walked, 1 John 2:6, “He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.”
X. WE ARE TO IMITATE JESUS IN LOVING OTHERS.
A. A new commandment, John 13:34-35, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
B. It is His commandment, John 15:12, “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.”

LOVING AND SERVING GOD–MATTHEW 22:36-40–PART 3

Art Davison MATTHEW 0 Comment
LOVING AND SERVING GOD
MATTHEW 22:36-40
PART 3
Introduction:
In this third lesson on loving and serving God, we deal with our personal love for the Lord in comparison of our love for family.
It cost something to serve the Lord, as He requires in the Scriptures. Many Christians fail in the area of their Christian experience. Love of family must take a backseat in regard to our love for Jesus Christ.
I. WE ARE TO LOVE GOD ABOVE ANYONE OR ANYTHING
A. What does it take to be a disciple of Jesus Christ? Luke 14:26, “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.”
1. The stress here is on the priority of love, Matthew 10:37, “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”
2. In order to be the Lord’s disciple we have to forsake all, Deuteronomy 33:9, “Who said unto his father and to his mother, I have not seen him; neither did he acknowledge his brethren, nor knew his own children: for they have observed thy word, and kept thy covenant.” (This was Levi standing with Moses on the matter of the golden calf.)
B. The results of that discipleship.
1. Who is on the Lord’s side, Exodus 32:26, “Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LORD’S side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.”
2. Levi stepped up to stand for the Lord, Exodus 32:27-28, “And he said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour. 28 And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.”
II. CHRIST’S LOVE FOR US, MUST CONSTRAIN US TO LOVE AND SERVE HIM.
A. We should not live for ourselves, 2 Corinthians 5:14-15, “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: 15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.”
1. You know the grace of our Lord, 2 Corinthians 8:8-9, “I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love. 9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.”
a. The love of God is worthy of our acceptance, Romans 5:8, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
b. Where sin abounded God’s grace abounded more, Romans 5:20, “Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:”
c. Where sin brought death God’s grace brought life, Romans 5:21, “That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.”
2. Therefore reckon yourselves alive unto God, Romans 6:11-12, “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
a. Don’t let sin run your life, Romans 6:12, Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.”
b. Don’t let yourself be used as a “weapon” against the grace of God, Romans 6:13, “Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.”
c. Rather be an instrument of God’s grace, 1 Corinthians 6:20, “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
3. Let God order you life for His glory, Psalm 119:133, “Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.”
B. We are to seek the things of God, Colossians 3:1, “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.”
1. We are to be a “living sacrifice,” Romans 12:1, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”
2. We are a purchased possession, 1 Corinthians 6:20, “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
a. Glorify God in your body, 1 Corinthians 10:31,“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”
b. Glorify God in your spirit, 1 Peter 2:9, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:”
1) We are a chosen people, 1 Peter 1:2, “Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.”
2) We are a royal priesthood, Revelation 1:6, “And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”
3) We are a holy nation, Isaiah 26:2-3, “Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in. 3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”
4) We are a peculiar or purchased people, Titus 2:14, “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”
CONCLUSION
1 Peter 4:11, “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”

LOVING AND SERVING GOD 2–MATTHEW 22:36-40

Art Davison MATTHEW 0 Comment
LOVING AND SERVING GOD 2
MATTHEW 22:36-40
Introduction:

This is the continuation of that first lesson on Loving and Serving God. In the first lesson we looked at Experiencing God’s love in salvation and how He loved us first. Our love for Him is based on the fact that He loved us first.

Now we look at Responding to God’s love. Here we see what the Lord expects from His children.

II. WE ARE TO RESPOND TO GOD’S LOVE BY LOVING HIM.

Deuteronomy 6:4-7, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: 5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. 6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: 7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.”

A. Thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine HEART, Deuteronomy 10:12, “And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,”

1. The heart is the “home of the personal life,” and hence a man is designated, according to his heart…

a. Wise, 1 Kings 3:12, “Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.”

b. Pure, Psalm 24:4, “He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.” Matthew 5:8, “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.”

c. Upright and righteous, Psalm 11:2, “For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart.”

d. Pious and good, Luke 8:15, “But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.”

2. The heart is also the seat of the conscience, Romans 2:15, “Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)”

a. It is naturally wicked, Genesis 8:21, “And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.”

b. It contaminates the whole life and character, Matthew 12:34, “O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.”

c. Therefore the heart must be changed, regenerated, Ezekiel 36:26, “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.”

B. Thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thy SOUL [ the seat of will and purpose ], Philippians 1:27, “Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;”

1. Consider Christ in this regard, Hebrews 12:3, “For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.”

2. Consider the early Christians, Acts 4:32, “And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.”

C. Thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thy MIND [the mind as a faculty of understanding, feeling, desiring], 2 Kings 23:25, “And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the LORD with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him.”

1. The faculty of knowing with an evil significance, Ephesians 2:3, “Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.”

2. The faculty of sentiment, or disposition…

a. In an evil sense, or imagination, Colossians 1:21, “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled”

b. In a good sense, 2 Peter 3:1, “This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:”

LOVING AND SERVING GOD–MATTHEW 22:36-40–PART 1

Art Davison MATTHEW 0 Comment
Loving and Serving God
Matthew 22:36-40
Part 1

Introduction:

It is impossible for us to love and serve others, until we have experienced the love of God in our lives. If we truly know and love God, we will serve God. If we are serving God, we will be busy serving others. This is one of the great needs of the hour, if we are going to experience Biblical Christianity.

I. WE MUST EXPERIENCE GOD’S LOVE IN SALVATION.

A. He that does not know God does not love Him, 1 John 4:8-10, “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. 9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

1. Not knowing God, 1 John 2:4-5, “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.”

2. God is love, v. 9; Ephesians 2:4-5, “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)”

3. The way His love was shown to us, vs. 9b-10:

a. God sent his only begotten Son, John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

b. That we might live, John 6:51, “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

c. God sent Jesus to be a propitiation for our sins, Romans 3:24-25, “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;”

Note: Christ is “the propitiation,” because by his becoming our substitute and assuming our obligations he expiated our guilt, covered it, by the vicarious punishment which he endured. —Easton’s Bible Dictionary

B. He loved us first, 1 John 4:19, “We love him, because he first loved us.”

1. He loved us when we were both unloving and unlovely, Romans 5:8, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

2. His love is our incentive to love…

a. The brethren, vs. 20-21.

1) If we do not love our brother, how can we love God? 1 John 3:14, “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.”

2) That love ought to be unfeigned [genuine, sincere], 1 Peter 1:22, “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:”

b. The lost, Mark 12:31, “And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.”

1) Love him enough to witness to him, Acts 1:8, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

2) Love him enough to be testimony of God’s grace, Titus 2:11-13, “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

C. His love is poured out in our hearts, Romans 5:5, “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”

1. He has given us light in our hearts, 2 Corinthians 4:6, ”For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

2. We have the Spirit of God indwelling us, John 14:17, “Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.”

3. The love of God in salvation has been sealed in us by the Spirit of God, Ephesians 4:30, “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”

a. This is the Lord guarantee of Salvation, John 10:28-29, “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.

b. It is good until Jesus comes to receive us to Himself, John 17:24, “Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.”

CONCLUSION

Next week we will go on to the next point about loving and serving God.

NO MAN KNOWS THE DAY OR THE HOUR–MATTHEW 24:3-14, 36

Art Davison MATTHEW 0 Comment
NO MAN KNOWS THE DAY OR THE HOUR
MATTHEW 24:3-14, 36

Key verse: v. 36, “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.”

Introduction:

The disciples came unto him privately. Not all of them, but Peter, James, John, and Andrew, Mark 13:3, “And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” The prediction that the temple would be destroyed had been made in the presence of all the apostles, Matthew 24:2, “And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.” A part of them now came privately to know more particularly when this would be.

I. THE GENERAL SIGNS OF HIS COMING

Matthew 24:3, “And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?”

A. The budding of the fig-tree, Mark 13:28-29, “Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near: 29 So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors.”

1. Fig tree was used as a symbol of the nation of Israel.

2. However, here it is used to show the nearness of the coming prophetic events.

B. The Love of many waxing cold, Matthew 24:12, “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.”

1. Through discouragement from apparently fruitless efforts to do good, Psalms 40:12, “For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me.”

2. Through resentment at ingratitude and injustice, 2 Timothy 3:2, “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,”

3. Through general influence of an evil example and environment, Romans 1:28-31, “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:”

C. Wars and Rumors of wars, Mark 13:7-8, “And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet. 8 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.”

1. These are the BEGINNINGS OF SORROW, Jeremiah 4:31, “For I have heard a voice as of a woman in travail, and the anguish as of her that bringeth forth her first child, the voice of the daughter of Zion, that bewaileth herself, that spreadeth her hands, saying, Woe is me now! for my soul is wearied because of murderers.”

a. The death-agony of this age is the birth-agony of the next, Isaiah 37:3, “And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and of blasphemy: for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth.”

b. Nation against nation and Kingdome against kingdom, Jeremiah 25:32, “Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth.”

c. Earthquakes, famines and troubles, Luke 21:11, “And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.”

II. TAKE HEED THAT NO MAN DECEIVE YOU

B. False Messiahs and other false teachers, v. 4; 2 Peter 2:1, “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.”

Josephus informs us that there were many, who pretended to Divine inspiration, deceived the people, leading out numbers of them into the desert. “The land,” says he, “was overrun with magicians, seducers, and impostors, who drew the people after them in multitudes into solitudes and deserts, to see the signs and miracles which they promised to show by the power of God.”

C. The Prophets prophesy lies, Jeremiah 14:14, “Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart.”

D. These things are happening before our eyes today and many are blind to the truth, Ezekiel 12:2, “Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house.”

1. As for me and my house we will serve the Lord, Joshua 24:15, “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

2. Many shall be offended, Matthew 24:10, “And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.”

3. The Gospel shall be preach to every nation and then the end of the age shall come, Matthew 24:14, “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.”

CONCLUSION

The Lord will come after His children and the next chapter in God’s plan will begin. Our admonition is to watch, Matthew 24:42, “Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.”