Why Them?

Matt Fisher ·

Message: The Gospel According to Matthew

Text: Matthew 9:9-13

Why Them?

The self-righteous, “Why are you eating with sinners?”

  • Self-righteous people don’t eat with sinners, we’re too good for them.

  • The sinners may rub off on you.

  • We’re uncomfortable with those who aren’t our kind.

Jesus, “Why aren’t you eating with sinners?”

  • I left the glory of heaven to ransom all people, not some people.

  • You may rub off on the sinners.

  • The cross was a very uncomfortable place.

So, why aren’t you eating with sinners?

Vs 9

“…he arose…”

First Thing First

Matt Fisher ·

Message: The Gospel According to Matthew

Text: Matthew 9:1-8

First Thing First

What are the priorities in this story?

For the people it is the physical.

For Jesus it is the spiritual.

Isaiah 59:2

Does it seem that God is not responding, and even ignoring, what you believe is your need right now?

Nothing is more important to God than you, and solving the sin issue that separates you from Him.

1 John 1:9

Matthew 9:8

"Go"

Matt Fisher ·

Message: The Gospel According to Matthew

Text: Matthew 8:28-34

“Go.”

Observations:

Demons know Jesus when they see him, before He says a word. Up to this point in Matthew, only devils call Jesus, “Son of God.”

You may have doubts about Jesus? Demons never do.

Demons know something about how much time they have left. Revelation 12:12.

Demons like to inhabit and/or work thru someone. Ephesians 6:12

Paul Levertoff, “All down the ages the world has been refusing Jesus because it prefers its pigs.”

Everyone else avoids these demon possessed men, Jesus sails toward them.

If there’s not some satanic oppression, some spiritual challenge or temptation-you’re not doing something right.

Without a spiritual fight of some kind, your life will be spiritually irrelevant-you will make no eternal difference.

Do demons know you? Acts 19:15

“Go.” Matthew 8:32, 28:19

The New Impossible

Matt Fisher ·

Message: The Gospel According to Matthew

Text: Matthew 8:23-27

The new impossible

Leper, centurion’s servant, Peter’s mother in law, many others-healed. Demons cast out.

The disciples cry out to Jesus for help then are shocked when He does.

Have you reserved an area that you still see as impossible for God?

It matters to Jesus that you believe He can. Why?

Vs 25

Three Followers

Matt Fisher ·

Message: The Gospel According to Matthew

Text: Matthew 8:18-22

Three Followers

The Crowd:

Jesus left the crowd. He is not interested in entertaining or impressing a crowd or being impressed by a crowd.

Serious people step out of the crowd when they see Jesus is serious.

The Scribe:

This is a very accomplished person who is not used to the uncomfortable, the inconvenient and the unknown.

The Disciple:

Legitimate problems to overcome. Actual issues to deal with and real choices to make.

Evil exalts itself.

Matt Fisher ·

Message: The Gospel According to Matthew

Text: Matthew 8:14-17

Evil exalts itself

Accelerated demon activity.

Revelation 12:12

Anything that is exalted above God is satanic.

Genesis 3:4-5

2 Corinthians 10:3-5

1 John 3:8

Generous

Matt Fisher ·

Message: Father’s Day

Text: Genesis 18:16-19

(Genesis 12:1-3, 13:14-17)

Generous

It is what you give to someone else, then what they give to someone else, then what they give to someone else…

What keeps us from being generous?

  1. We think what we have is ours.

  2. We think if we give it away we will have less.

Generous with: possessions; yourself; grace…

Will you?

Matt Fisher ·

Message: The Gospel According to Matthew  

Text: Matthew 8:1-13  

Will You?  

Similarities: Both believed Jesus can, recognizing His authority; Both asked; Both were desperate, unable to help themselves or others; Both were outcasts from Jewish society.  

Differences: The leper was asking for himself, the centurion for someone else; Jesus touched the leper, but spoke for the centurion/servant.  

Desperation changes your prayer life.  

When Jesus says no.  

2 Corinthians 12:8-9

Let your light shine!

Matt Fisher ·

Message: Communion

Text: 1 Corinthians 11:17-19, 27-28, 33

Romans 15:1

Matthew 5:14-16

Let your light shine!

I don’t care to believe it.

It’s hard to believe it.

David Hume, the Scottish philosopher and skeptic, was once challenged as he was seen going to hear George Whitefield preach:

“I thought you do not believe in the gospel?”

Hume replied, “I don’t, but he does!”

Two Houses

Matt Fisher ·

Message: The Gospel according to Matthew

Text: Matthew 7:24-29

Two Houses

Similarities: All houses face storms; Everyone is building; Building any house is lot of work; Both hear what Jesus said.

One builds on what Jesus said and who He is, one does not.

Why are you: Doing it; Saying it; Singing it; Thinking it; Wanting it; Praying it; Needing it?...

Who or What are you: Depending on; Trusting in; Trying to impress; Nervous about; Real honest with; Intimidated by?...

Admit

Repent

Create change

Temptation

Matt Fisher ·

Message: Temptation  

Text: Genesis 1-2  

 

Genesis:  

2:8  

2:15-17  

 

A steward: to maintain and improve.

3:1-5  

 

Tempted by what God has not given you.

3:1, 6  

 

Alone time.

Two Declarations

Matt Fisher ·

Message: The Gospel According to Matthew  

Text: Matthew 7:21-23  

 

Two Declarations  

 

The issue is never the good things we have done, but the bad things we have done.  

 

Genesis 3:4-6  

 

Satanic deception is making the bad look good.  

 

Romans 3:23  

Romans 6:23  

Romans 5:8  

Romans 10:9  

 

Two men went to the temple to pray…  

Luke 18:10-14

Two Trees

Matt Fisher ·

Message: The Gospel According to Matthew  

Text: Matthew 7:15-20  

Two Trees  

 

2 Corinthians 11:13-15

 

Life and Message

 

Patience. Fruit only comes one season per year, wait for it.

 

The inward can be hidden until people begin to do something, to produce something, then it can be seen.

 

Beware of pretending. Imitating a Spirit filled, fruitful life.

 

To produce good fruit a tree must give of itself. Selfishness and self-centeredness are key to being unfruitful.

 

Oswald Chambers, “Pious pretense is a desperately sincere effort to be right when we know we are not.”

Two Gates

Matt Fisher ·

Message: The Gospel According to Matthew  

Text: Matthew 7:13-14  

Two Gates  

2 gates  

2 paths  

2 destinations  

2 crowds  

John 10:9  

1 Timothy 2:5  

It is not hard to find Jesus, it is hard to lose ourselves.  

Christian in Pilgrim’s Progress, “I remember what my mother told me: that going to hell is like walking down a gentle slope and that going to heaven is like climbing a ladder. I think I will keep climbing.”

Do

Matt Fisher ·

Message: The Gospel According to Matthew

Text: Matthew 7:12

Do

Others have taught what may seem close to what Jesus taught, can you see the difference?

Socrates, “What stirs your anger when done to you by others, that do not to others.”

Confucius, “What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.”

2 Timothy 1:7

Matthew 28:19

You go first!

Humility

Matt Fisher ·

Message: The Gospel According to Matthew  

Text: Matthew 7:7-11  

Humility  

Ask:  

You do not have what you need and/or you do not know the answer.  

Seek:  

You do not see the way, you do not know how.  

Knock:  

You cannot open the door, Someone must open it for you.  

Psalm 139:7-12  

Acts 17:27