Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving.
It's wonderful to gather with you,
to worship God together.
Please turn with me in your Bibles
to Matthew chapter 13.
If you don't have a Bible,
please raise your hand.
We'd love to give you a Bible
that you can have
and you can use
while you're here as well.
We're in Matthew chapter 13,
starting in verse 53,
going to Matthew chapter 14,
verse 12.
Let me pray for the reading
and preaching of God's word.
Heavenly Father,
thank you for your gracious condescension
in sending your Son,
the heir and prince
of the kingdom of heaven,
to earth,
to us,
who are lowly and sinful.
that he might take on our humanity,
that he might redeem us from our sins,
that he might lift us to you,
our God.
Lord, we plead with you.
please,
let that wondrous truth
strike us afresh this morning.
Exalt the name of your Son,
Jesus Christ,
and reveal to us his compassion,
his love,
his mercy,
that we might all draw near to him
in faith.
In his precious name,
in Jesus' name,
we pray.
Amen.
Please stand,
if you are able,
and join me as I read.
Let's honor God
by standing together
as I read from God's word
from Matthew 13,
53 to 14,
12.
And when Jesus had finished
these parables,
he went away from there.
And coming to his hometown,
he taught them in their synagogue
so that they were astonished.
And said,
where did this man
get this wisdom
and these mighty works?
Is not this
the carpenter's son?
Is not his mother
called Mary?
And are not his brothers
James and Joseph
and Simon and Judas?
And are not all his sisters
with us?
Where then
did this man get
all these things?
And they took offense
at him.
But Jesus said to them,
a prophet is not
without honor
except in his hometown
and in his own household.
And he did not do
many mighty works there
because of their unbelief.
At that time,
Herod the Tetrarch
heard about the fame
of Jesus.
And he said to his servants,
this is John the Baptist.
He has been raised
from the dead.
That is why
these miraculous powers
are at work in him.
for Herod
had seized John
and bound him
and put him in prison
for the sake of Herodias,
his brother Philip's wife.
Because John
had been saying to him,
it is not lawful
for you to have her.
And though he wanted
to put him to death,
he feared the people
because they held him
to be a prophet.
But when Herod's birthday came,
the daughter of Herodias
danced before the company
and pleased Herod
so that he promised
with an oath
to give her
whatever she might ask.
Prompted by her mother,
she said,
give me the head
of John the Baptist
here on a platter.
And the king was sorry.
But because of his oaths
and his guests,
he commanded it to be given.
He sent
and had John
beheaded in the prison
and his head
was brought on a platter
and given to the girl.
And she brought it
to her mother.
And his disciples
came and took the body
and buried it.
And they went
and told Jesus.
God's holy
and authoritative word.
Please be seated.
Around the 10th century BC,
the nation of Israel
rejected Yahweh,
the Lord God,
as their king
and instead demanded
a human king
so that they could have
a king
like the pagan nations
around them.
They rejected theocracy
and demanded
a monarchy.
And Prophet Samuel
at that time
warned them
that a human king
would conscript
their sons
to fight and die
in his wars
and that he would
take their daughters
into service
in his palace
and that he warned them
that the king
would tax them
and take the best
of their fields
and vineyards
and olive orchards
and that one day
they would regret
clamoring for a king
when they feel
his heavy hand
upon them.
But they didn't listen
to the prophet.
They demanded a king
and they got one
and after him
they got a long line
of unfaithful,
fickle,
wicked kings
that led the nation
away from God.
Two centuries later,
in the 8th century BC,
when Prophet Isaiah
warned the northern kingdom
of Israel
of their unfaithfulness
to God
and called them
to repent
of their idolatry
that if they didn't
that God would lead
them into exile
but they didn't listen.
Their hearts were dull
and their ears were heavy
and their eyes were blind.
They were deaf
to the pleas
of the prophet Isaiah
and as a result
they were conquered
by the Assyrians
and went into exile
as well.
Two centuries later
in the southern kingdom
of Judah,
Prophet Jeremiah
brought the same message
calling them
to repentance
because the judgment
of God was coming
because of their idolatry.
once again
they brazenly
hardened their faces
like a rock
and refused
to repent.
This is the pattern
we see all throughout
the Old Testament.
A prophet
whose message
is heeded
is the exception
and not the norm
in the Bible.
And there are many reasons
why people don't listen
to prophets.
One obvious reason
is that people
don't like being confronted
about their sins
and idols.
They cling to their idols
tooth and nail.
They lash out
against all those
who seek to take
those idols away
from them.
They like being lords
of their own lives.
They don't want to submit
to the lordship of God.
But there's another reason,
a second reason
people don't often
listen to prophets
is that they despise
the prophets.
Prophets are
ordinary people
entrusted with
an extraordinary
divine message.
And the very
ordinariness
of these prophets
makes people
despise them.
You're no better
than me.
Who made you
a prince
and judge
over us?
That's what the people
of Israel said to Moses
when he came to them.
Who are you
to tell me
what to do?
In the preceding
passages,
we have seen
that Jesus
is the ultimate
prophet
who reveals
to us
the secrets
of the kingdom
of heaven.
And our passage
this morning
shows us
how some
of the people
who heard that
message
responded to Jesus.
And in doing so,
it poses to us
this most important
question,
how will you
respond to Jesus?
That's the main
point of our passage.
We must trust
in Jesus
as the ultimate
prophet
who reveals
the kingdom
of God.
And we're going
to see in the
first passage
that the kingdom
is not found
in Jesus'
household.
And in the
second passage,
that kingdom
is not found
in Herod's
palace either.
Jesus comes
in the first
passage in chapter
13,
53 to 58.
He comes to
his hometown
and he teaches
in the synagogue
in verse 54.
The hometown
is not named
here in this
chapter,
but it was named
earlier in Matthew
in chapter 2
and chapter 4,
so we know
it's Nazareth.
Nazareth was a
small,
obscure town.
so obscure
that it doesn't
get mentioned
even once
in the Old
Testament
or in the
Apocrypha
or in any
of the rabbinic
literature.
It doesn't get
a single mention
in any of those
things.
For these reasons,
up until recent
archaeological discoveries,
many skeptical
scholars doubted
that Nazareth
was even a real
place.
When Philip
tells his friend
Nathaniel that
Jesus of Nazareth
is the promised
Messiah that has
come,
Nathaniel famously
responded in
John 1.45,
can anything
good come
from Nazareth?
Nazareth is
estimated to have
had about 200
residents during
the time of
Jesus.
So it's basically
a village,
not much bigger
than our church.
It's a small
town where
everyone knows
everyone,
so everyone
would have heard
about the
homecoming of
Jesus.
This is Jesus'
only recording
return to his
hometown,
Nazareth,
after his
public ministry
began in
Matthew 4.
And as we can
see in this
passage,
Jesus was already
by this point
quite famous.
We see in
chapter 14,
verse 1,
that Herod the
Tetrarch has
heard about
Jesus' fame.
His reputation
precedes him.
The locals
have already
heard of the
mighty works
that Jesus has
done elsewhere
in Capernaum.
Jesus comes
home as what
we might call
the hometown
hero,
the local
boy makes
good,
the small
town obscure
boy that
grew up and
went into the
big city and
made it.
He comes
home as the
miracle worker
and the
esteemed teacher
acclaimed by
the crowds,
and he takes
his seat,
the honors
seat in the
synagogue,
and he starts
to teach them.
He's the
visiting scholar,
the distinguished
lecturer,
and he's no
stranger.
He's their
own child
that grew
up.
He grew up
and is going
to the
synagogue most
likely.
It's a proud
moment for
the small,
humble town
of Nazareth.
And at
first,
the reception
seems warm.
In verse 54,
it says that the
people at the
synagogue were
astonished by
his teaching.
That's the
same word that
was used to
describe the
reaction of the
crowds who
were favorable
toward Jesus
in chapter 7,
verse 28,
after he preached
the Sermon on
the Mount,
the crowd said
about him,
he teaches as
someone who has
authority,
unlike these
scribes of the
law.
So similarly
here,
the crowds are
marveling,
saying,
where did this
man get this
wisdom and
these mighty
works?
They're amazed.
However,
the sweet
reception soon
turns sour,
as wonder
and marveling
turns into
skepticism,
familiarity
turns into
cynicism,
and celebration
turns into
envy.
If you examine
the structure
of chapter 13,
verse 53 to
58,
you can see
that it's
structured as
a chiasm.
The first
half of the
passage is
mirrored by
repeated words
and phrases
in the second
half of the
passage.
And this
parallel structure
highlights the
change,
the turning
point in the
crowd's response.
First,
Jesus comes to
his hometown,
and teaches.
At the end,
Jesus says,
the prophet has
no honor in
his hometown.
Then he says,
the townspeople
are astonished
by Jesus
in verse 54.
But in verse 57,
it says,
the same townspeople
took offense
at Jesus.
In verse 54,
the people ask,
where did this
man get this
wisdom and
these mighty
works?
Astonishment,
wonder,
marveling.
And then that
turns in verse 56
to where did
this man get
all these things?
to doubt,
to cynicism,
taking offense.
Something fishy
going on here.
He's one of us.
He grew up
in our synagogue.
He didn't
apprentice under
prestigious rabbi.
He didn't have
an elite education.
Where did this
man get
all the wisdom
and power?
It doesn't add up.
He must
be a charlatan.
Aren't we
also prone
to become
envious
of people's
successes?
He's no
better than I.
If I had
the same
opportunities
that he had,
if I had
the connections
he had,
if I had
the platform
that he had,
then I can
be just as
successful.
Why does
she have
so many
friends
and get
so much
attention
and affection
from others?
She's no
better than I.
But envy
is sin.
Envy
occurs
only where
the love
of self
trumps
over the
love of
neighbor.
It is a
failure to
rejoice
with those
who rejoice
and weep
with those
who weep
as God's
word commands
us.
And envy
is not
merely
a horizontal
offense.
It is also
a vertical
offense.
Envy
resents
the sovereignty
of the God
who sovereignly
orders the
affairs of
men.
Envy
doubts
the goodness
and generosity
of God
our Father
toward us.
And the
turn
of the
crowd,
the changing
of the
crowd,
hinges
on verses
55 and
56,
which is
the center
of the
chiasm
that stands
alone.
It's the
lone part
of that
structure
that doesn't
have a
matching
element.
It's meant
to be
highlighted
and focused.
And that's
the center
right here.
Is not
this the
carpenter's
son?
Is not
his mother
called Mary?
And are
not his
brothers,
James and
Joseph and
Simon and
Judas,
and are
not all
his sisters
with us?
These are
questions,
the central
questions that
surround Jesus'
identity,
his humble
origin.
Is not
this the
carpenter's
son?
Notice
that it's
the definite
article,
the carpenter's
son.
The definite
article suggests
familiarity.
Everyone knew
that Jesus'
legal father
was Joseph,
the village
carpenter.
The word
carpenter is a
general term
that means
builder,
and he likely
made wooden
plows and
yokes for
the farmers
in the
village.
He's a
tradesman.
His job,
he has a
blue-collar
profession.
It is an
honest and
respectable
profession to
be sure,
but Joseph
was a
carpenter.
He was
no rabbi.
And that
raises the
question concerning
Jesus that
the people
voiced in
John 7,
15,
how is it
that this
man has
learning when
he has
never studied?
The polemic
against Jesus
continues in
verse 55.
Is not his
mother called
Mary?
It's interesting
that they point
out that she
was called
Mary rather
than simply
saying,
is not his
mother Mary?
Mary.
I think this
might be
because Mary
was one of
the most
common and
ordinary names
in the New
Testament.
Imagine an
ordinary,
everyday,
run-of-the-mill
gal, and that
gal would be
named Mary.
Israeli
historian Tal
Elan compiled
a list of
all-known
names of
Jewish women
living in
Israel and
Palestine
between
330 B.C.
and 200 A.D.
and she
found out that
25% of the
women were
named Mary.
The
commonness of
the name
Mary is borne
out by
biblical evidence.
For example,
in addition to
Mary, the
mother of
Jesus,
mentioned here
in Matthew
13,
55,
in Matthew
27,
56,
it mentions
two other
Marys,
Mary Magdalene
and Mary,
the mother of
James and
Joseph,
who is
most likely
Mary,
the wife
of Clopas,
mentioned in
John 19,
25.
So there's
three already.
And then
there's
Mary of
Bethany,
sister of
Lazarus and
Martha,
who is
consistently
described as
being Mary
of Bethany,
distinguishing her
from Mary
of Magdala,
Mary Magdalene,
even though the
two have
historically been
conflated by
some people.
I don't think
the Bible
intentionally
distinguishes
!
them.
Paul greets
yet another
Mary,
a fifth Mary,
who lived in
Rome in
Romans 16,
16.
In Acts
12,
verse 12,
there's another
Mary who is
called the
mother of
John Mark,
the author of
the Gospel
of Mark.
His mother was
named Mary
also.
So Mary,
there's a lot
of Marys.
We don't have
as many Marys in
our church,
but we do have
lots of
Joshua's and
Daniel's.
So Mary was
the most
common,
ordinary
female name
in those
days,
and that
emphasizes
the townspeople's
point.
Is not
his mother
called
Mary?
His mother
isn't some
exotic,
otherworldly
Persephone
or Cleopatra.
No,
his mother
isn't Queen
Mary or
even Lady
Mary.
No,
it's just
plain old
Mary from
the block,
that Mary
number six.
What can
possibly be so
special about
her son?
And are
not his
brothers James
and Joseph
and Simon
and Judas?
His brothers,
they're our
childhood buddies.
We wrestled
and tussled
with them and
ran around
playing tag
with them.
We played
hopscotch
with them
growing up.
And are
not all his
sisters with
us?
Their
sisters live
among us.
They're
married to
my friends
and my
neighbors.
How can
a man
whose
pedigree,
whose family
tree is so
public and
so ordinary
be someone
so special
and extraordinary?
as Jesus
says in verse
57,
a prophet is
not without
honor except
in his
hometown and
in his own
household.
We have a
similar proverb
in English,
don't we?
Familiarity
breeds
contempt.
We often
assume that
what is near
and what is
familiar
cannot be
special,
cannot be
truly good.
good.
But don't
let your
familiarity
with Jesus
and the
claims of
Christianity
turn that
into contempt.
Maybe you
grew up in
a Christian
family and
you're tempted
to have
contempt for
what you
were taught.
Maybe someone
has told you,
well you're
only a
Christian because
you grew up
in a Christian
home and
because you
grew up in
the Christian
West in the
United States
of America.
If you were
born in Saudi
Arabia,
you'd be
Muslim.
Maybe you
feel the
sting of
that
criticism.
But if you
think about
it,
that's a
logical
sleight of
hand.
You can
say that
about any
worldview.
You're
three times
more likely
to be a
skeptical,
humanistic
atheist if
you're born
in Boston,
Massachusetts,
as opposed
to Boston,
Kentucky.
Yes,
that's a
real town
in Kentucky.
Three times
more likely.
But what
does that
say about
the merits
of atheism?
Nothing.
You have to
weigh the
merits of
the ideas
themselves.
Likewise,
you must
consider the
claims of
Christ on
its own
merit.
So what
do you
make of
Jesus?
This passage
brings into
stark relief
the scandal
of the
incarnation of
the Son of
God.
Today is the
first Sunday
of Advent,
which celebrates
the coming of
Christ to
earth,
into our
world.
And because
as Christians
we know
that Jesus
is the
risen and
ascended and
exalted
Lord,
we can
sometimes forget
the humility
of our
Lord Jesus
Christ in
his coming.
Do you
know that
Jesus learned
a trade?
Is not
this the
carpenter's
son?
Indeed,
Jesus is
himself called
a carpenter
in Mark
chapter 6,
verse 3,
because he
learned that
trade in
his father's
shop.
Do you
know that
Jesus had
a human
mother?
That's a
truly mind-boggling
fact.
Jesus had
an ordinary
human mother
in Mary.
He had a
gestation period
in her womb.
Mary went
into labor
and she gave
birth to
Jesus as a
baby.
Jesus grew
up like any
other boy.
He didn't
come out
of the
womb
running.
No,
He came
out.
He had
to crawl
first and
then cruise
and then
walk and
then run.
Jesus did
not come out
of the womb
speaking fluent
Aramaic.
He had to
learn to
speak.
It says in
Luke chapter 2,
verse 52,
Jesus increased
in wisdom and
in stature and
in favor with
God and man.
Do you
know that
Jesus had
brothers and
sisters?
Some Christian
denominations teach
that Mary is
ever virgin.
They call this the
doctrine of the
perpetual virginity
of Mary, that
she was a virgin
before and
during and
after the
birth of Jesus.
And therefore
they argue,
they insist that
Jesus could not
have had any
siblings.
Their claim is
based on two
biblical arguments.
First, they point
to John 19,
26 to 27.
As Jesus is
dying on the
cross, he
entrusts the
care of his
mother Mary,
not to his
brothers or to
his other
siblings, but
to his
disciple John.
And they
infer from
that that Jesus
could not have
had any
siblings because
if he did,
he would not
have entrusted
the care of
his mother to
his disciple.
That's, I
think, a huge
and a mistaken
assumption.
Can it simply
be the case that
Jesus' siblings
were not on the
scene?
Or that they
no longer
lived in the
same town as
his mother?
It says
explicitly in
John 7, 5
that not even
his brothers
believed in
Jesus.
Can it be that
Jesus wanted to
entrust the care
of his precious
mother not to
his unbelieving
brothers who
think he's a
crazy cook, but
rather because he
wanted to entrust
the care of his
mother to a
trusted disciple,
his beloved
disciple John?
I think that's
far more likely,
especially when
we have a
passage like
ours this
morning that
speaks explicitly
of Jesus'
siblings.
That brings up
the second
argument that
some people
make, that
they argue
that in the
biblical Hebrew
and Aramaic,
the word for
cousin or
relative is
non-existent,
so they use
instead the
word for
brother or
sister to
refer to
relatives and
kinsmen.
That's true.
However, one
major problem
with their
argument is
that the
gospel of
Matthew is
not written
in Hebrew
and Aramaic,
it's written
in Greek.
And in
Greek, there
is a word
for relative.
And in
Greek, there
is a word
for cousin.
And in the
New Testament
Greek, the
word brother
or sister is
never used
to mean
cousin, because
those words
exist.
Colossians 4.10
says that Mark
is the cousin
of Barnabas.
Luke 1.36
refers to
Mary's cousin
Elizabeth as
her relative.
Another word.
And remember
the immediate
context of our
passage here,
which speaks of
Jesus' immediate
family members,
his father and
his mother,
so it's only
natural to assume
that he's speaking
of his actual
brothers and
siblings, his
sisters.
Some argue
that the
perpetual virginity
of Mary, as
did some
denominations argue,
is a historical
doctrine that the
church has always
held.
However, that's
not true.
The doctrine of
the perpetual
virginity of
Mary does not
appear on the
scene until the
fourth century, and
most of that in
the context of
polemical debate
about the
superiority of
celibacy over
marriage.
It's not
dissimilar to
how the
doctrine of
Trinity has
been dragged
into the
debate, the
modern debate
over
complementarianism
and egalitarianism,
for some of you
who are familiar
with that, and
how some
scholars have
unwittingly
walked into
Trinitarian
heresies while
in those
polemical
contexts.
An early
church father
Tertullian from
the second
century, earlier
on, clearly
stated that Jesus
had real
biological
brothers, and
that after giving
birth to Jesus,
Mary did
consummate her
marriage once
for all.
In fact, that's
the clear biblical
implication of
Matthew 1.25,
that Mary did
not remain a
virgin after the
birth of Christ,
because it
says that
Joseph did
not know
his wife
intimately,
conjugally,
until she
had given
birth to
Jesus.
The natural
reading of
the verse
implies that
after Mary
gave birth to
Jesus, Joseph
did have
normal conjugal
relations with
her.
And why
should that
surprise us?
Because the
Bible teaches
it commands
regular conjugal
relations between
husband and
wife in 1
Corinthians 7.
the idea of
the perpetual
virginity of
Mary, that
Jesus had no
siblings, this
lessens the
radical nature of
Jesus' incarnation.
Jesus is the
Son of God,
yes, but he
really took on
human flesh.
He really was
born of woman,
born under the
law.
He really was
the Son of Man
in every way
except for sin.
He was raised
in a bustling
home with
rowdy brothers,
he knows what
it's like for
siblings to be
jerks toward
him, like in
this passage.
Hebrews 2,
14 to 18,
which we read
for our
assurance of
pardon, talks
about the
significance of
the true
humanity of
Christ.
Since
therefore the
children share
in flesh and
blood, he
himself likewise
partook of the
same things,
that through
death he
might destroy
the one who
has the power
of death, that
is the devil,
and deliver
all those who
through fear
of death
were subject
to lifelong
slavery.
For surely it
is not angels
that he helps,
but he helps
the offspring
of Abraham.
Therefore he
had to be made
like his
brothers in
every respect,
so that he
might become
a merciful and
faithful high
priest in the
service of God,
to make
propitiation for
the sins of
the people.
For because he
himself has
suffered when
tempted, he's
able to help
those who are
being tempted.
Jesus had to
be made like
his brothers in
every respect.
If Jesus is
not truly man,
he cannot rightly
represent humanity
as our high
priest.
If Jesus is not
truly man, he
cannot make
atonement for the
sins of man.
If Jesus is not
truly man, he
cannot deliver
mortal men from
the power of
death.
In order to
help man, he
must become a
man.
And Matthew
13, 53 to 58
teaches us that
Jesus indeed
became a man in
every respect.
He lived as a
man, he died as
a man, so that he
might save men and
women like you and
me from sin and
death.
That's the scandal
of the incarnation.
How can the
king of kings
take the form
of a servant?
How can the
creator of the
heavens and the
earth take the
form of a
creature?
How can the
potter become
the clay?
How can the
architect of the
house become the
cornerstone of the
house that he is
building?
How can the
author of the
book become the
protagonist of the
book?
Why should Jesus
endure the
humiliation that he
endures in his
hometown of Nazareth?
He's not this, the
carpenter's son?
Well, do you not
know?
He's also the son
of God.
He's the king, the
prince of peace.
That's how we want
to tell off those
Nazarenes.
But instead, Jesus
willingly endured
that humiliation.
He did come as
the carpenter's son.
He did come as the
son of Mary, as the
brother of James and
Joseph and Judas and
Simon.
And it shows us the
humility of Christ,
our Savior.
Jesus did not go
through life, detached
from the day-to-day
realities of humanity
with a halo around his
head and floating an
inch above the ground
everywhere he went.
He was not an angel.
He was flesh and
blood.
He nursed at his
mother's breast as a
babe.
He was the eldest son
in his father's
carpentry shop.
He knew what it's
like to get sawdust in
his eyes at the shop.
He knew what it's like
to clean up after his
younger siblings.
And most importantly,
Jesus died a humiliating
death on a Roman cross
in our place to save us
from our sins.
Jesus came down to the
miry pit of humanity,
the pit of our squalor
and sin so that he might
lift us up, save us from
sin and death, and bring
us and reconcile us to
God our Father.
Jesus knew the fragility
of human life.
And because Jesus has
been tempted as we are
in every respect and yet
without sin, he's able,
it says, to sympathize
with our weaknesses.
He's able to help us
when we are being
tempted.
Do you know this morning
that Jesus knows and he
understands what you are
feeling and what you are
going through?
Do you know that you
don't have to come to
Jesus by putting on a
face, acting like
everything's perfect?
After you put all your
life together, then you
can finally come to Jesus
and meet him.
That's not what you have
to do.
Because Jesus is the
humble king.
Because he took on our
flesh.
Because he knows our
infirmities.
Because he has become
like his brothers in
every way.
The true humanity of
Jesus has made many
people throughout history
despise him.
He is a man like me.
There's no way he could
have done the miracles
recorded in the Gospels.
He's a man like me.
There's no way he rose
from the dead.
He's a man like me.
There's no way he is a
son of God.
There's no way he can be
the blameless atoning
sacrifice for sin.
But to say such things is
to make the same mistake
as the people of Nazareth
who took offense at Jesus.
So I urge you this morning
don't join the long list of
hapless people who have
perished for not listening to
the prophet of the Lord.
He says in verse 58 that
Jesus did not do many
mighty works there because
of their unbelief.
Unbelief and the
importance of faith are
recurring themes in this
Gospel of Matthew.
Actually all throughout
Scripture we see that
faith is a prerequisite
for the miraculous works
of God.
Jesus says later in
Matthew 21 21
Truly I say to you
if you have faith
and do not doubt
even if you say to this
mountain
be taken up and thrown
into the sea
it will happen.
Jesus does not do
many mighty works
in Nazareth
because of the
townspeople's unbelief.
In a more detailed
account of Jesus' visit
to Nazareth
recorded in Luke chapter 4
the townspeople say to
Jesus
Doubtless
or Jesus says to
all of the townspeople
Doubtless you will
quote to me this
proverb
Physician heal yourself
What we have heard
you did at Capernaum
do here in your
hometown as well.
These people were
demanding that Jesus
perform the same
mighty works that he
did elsewhere in
Capernaum
but Jesus did not
indulge their
prideful unbelief.
Instead he said
to this evil and
unbelieving generation
will be given only the
sign of the prophet
Jonah.
Matthew 12
39
Jesus does
as you see in the
gospel of John
John 10
37 and 38
this is stated explicitly
he does do miracles
and signs
and wonders
to help people
who come to him
with faith
seeking understanding
who believe in him
and want to be
helped.
However
Jesus
steadfastly
refuses to
indulge
the whims of people
who question him
out of their pride
and unbelief.
Jesus will not be
reduced to a genie
in a bottle
or a cheap magician
that does tricks
upon demand.
And I think this is
important because
in order to truly
follow Christ
in order to truly
submit to God
we need humility
we need faith
that takes God
and his word
and submits to him.
only
and if people
say
people who will
only believe in God
on their own terms
if you do this
and this
and you prove this
to me
then I will believe
in you
they'll only
obey God
on their own terms
too.
Well I'll obey you
if I like what
you're saying
if I like what
you're telling me
to do
if it doesn't
cost me
that much
if I don't need
to sacrifice
too much
only those
who believe
God on his
terms
by faith
will obey
God
on his
terms.
So what do you
make of Christ
this morning?
For those who
come to him
with settled
skepticism
and doubt
Jesus offers
only one sign
the sign
of the prophet
Jonah
and that's
the sign
that Jesus
explained
in Matthew
12
40 to 41
for just as
Jonah was
three days
and three nights
in the belly
of the great
fish
so will
the son
of man
be three days
and three nights
in the heart
of the earth.
The man
of Nineveh
will rise
up at
the judgment
with this
generation
and condemn
it for they
repented
at the
preaching
of Jonah
and behold
something
greater
than Jonah
is here.
The sign
of the prophet
Jonah
is Jesus'
death
and resurrection.
He died
on the cross
for our sins
and he was
buried
in the heart
of the earth
in the realm
of the dead
and he was
raised on
the third
day.
That's the
sign
that Jesus
offers
and without
interruption
from the first
century
until now
Christians
have died
proclaiming
that Jesus
is the risen
son of God.
That he did
die
and that he
was raised
on the third
day.
And when
Jonah preached
repentance
as a prophet
in the great
city of Nineveh
the entire
city repented
but this
puny town
of Nazareth
spurned
the greatest
of all prophets
the son
of God.
will you
trust him
as your
savior
and redeemer?
How will
you
how
how you
answer that
question
will determine
your eternal
destiny
whether you
enter the
kingdom of
heaven or
not.
If you
pay attention
in your
Bibles
to the
broader
context
of this
passage
you might
see that
just before
Jesus
began his
third
teaching
discourse
which is
in chapter
13
the parables
of the
kingdom
of God
just
immediately
before he
preached
that he
talked about
how his
family
his
brothers
and sisters
and his
mother
are not
his
biological
mother
and brothers
and sisters
but those
who do
the will
of God
and then
now
right after
right
immediately
after the
third
discourse
Jesus
says
essentially
the exact
same
thing
a prophet
is not
without
honor
except
in his
hometown
and in
his
own
household
Jesus
said
whoever
receives
me
receives
the one
who sent
me
and whoever
receives
a prophet
will receive
a prophet's
reward
if you
receive
Jesus
as the
ultimate
prophet
the
anti-messianic
prophet
then you
receive
God
himself
and have
fellowship
with him
and enter
the kingdom
of heaven
it's not
his biological
family
but all
those who
receive
Jesus
in faith
who will
enter
the kingdom
of heaven
Jesus
intentionally
bookends
the parables
of the kingdom
of heaven
with the
story about
his families
and story
about his
hometown
visit
to redraw
the boundaries
of the
people
of God
people
of God
are not
the Jews
the ethnic
Jews
people of God
are not
those who
are genealogically
close to
Jesus
the people
of God
are all those
who repent
of their sins
and believe
in Jesus
Christ
as some
people have
said
God has
no
grandchildren
children
you cannot
be saved
because your
parents are
Christians
you cannot
be saved
because you
grew up
in church
you can
only be
saved
because you
have yourself
put your
faith in
Jesus Christ
as your
Lord and
Savior
of course
Jesus'
biological
family can
put faith
in him
too
which
his
mother
obviously
has done
at some
point
later in
her life
and as
his
brothers
have
done
Acts
1.14
indicates
that other
siblings of
Jesus
also came
to faith
but most
prominently
we know
Apostle
James
the leader
of the
church
of Jerusalem
was a
brother
of Jesus
later
convert
Apostle
Jude
who
authored
the book
of Jude
was a
brother
of Jesus
according
to church
tradition
the kingdom
of heaven
became theirs
not because
of their
nearness
to Jesus
in their
lineage
but because
of their
faith in
Jesus
then in
chapter 14
the scene
shifts from
Jesus'
hometown
to Herod's
palace
quite the
change
it says
in verse
1
at that
time
Herod the
tetrarch
heard about
the fame
of Jesus
and he
said to
his servants
this is
John the
Baptist
he has
been raised
from the
dead
that is
why
these
miraculous
powers
are at
work
in him
apparently
John the
Baptist
is already
dead
by this
point
but
Matthew
hasn't
yet
told us
of the
fact
that
John
died
so
that
prompts
this
literary
flashback
starting
in verse
3
to
recount
how
John
the
Baptist
died
it says
in verses
3-4
for
Herod
had seized
John
and bound
him
and put
him in
prison
for the
sake
of
Herodias
his brother
Philip's
wife
because
John
had been
saying
to him
it is
not lawful
for you
to have
her
the
Herod
in view
here
is not
Herod
the first
but he
is Herod
the tetrarch
as he's
called in
verse 1
this is
Herod
Antipas
Herod
the first
son
Herod
the first
is the
one that
we saw
in Matthew
chapter 2
who massacred
all the
boys in Bethlehem
under the age
of 2
in an
attempt
to kill
baby
Jesus
Herod
Antipas
is his
son
after
Herod
the first
death
his
kingdom
which was
a client
state
of the
Roman
empire
over
what is
now
modern
day
Israel
was
divided
into
four
tetrarchies
four
regions
and his
three
sons
and his
sister
ruled
over
the
four
areas
and
Herod
Antipas
the one
named
here
was one
of those
rulers
he was
not
technically
a king
even though
he is
called
that
later
in
verse
nine
he was
a
tetrarch
who
desperately
wanted
to be
king
Herod
Antipas
had
jailed
John
the
Baptist
for
the
sake
of
Herodias
his
brother
Philip's
wife
so that
tells
all the
story
doesn't
it
his
brother
Philip's
wife
Herodias
was
Herod's
half
brother
Philip's
wife
but
while
Herod
was
visiting
Philip
his
brother
he fell
in love
with
his
brother's
wife
and the
two
agreed
!
their
respective
spouses
in doing
so not
only did
they commit
adultery
with each
other
they also
committed
incest
according to
biblical
guidelines
in
Leviticus
18
John
the
Baptist
being
a
true
prophet
of
the
Lord
pointed
out
that
what
Herod
Antipas
has
done
is
not
lawful
it
was
not
lawful
for
him
to
have
Herodias
as
his
wife
and
notice
how
Matthew
drives
that
point
home
by
calling
Herodias
not
Herod's
wife
his
brother
Philip's
wife
Herod
wanted
to
kill
John
for
speaking
the
truth
but
he
feared
the
people
who
held
John
to
be
a
prophet
so
he
settled
for
imprisoning
John
instead
but
then
his
birthday
comes
around
in
verse
six
he's
hosting
a
lavish
feast
having
a
birthday
party
the
daughter
of
Herodias
dances
before
him
and
the
company
and
he
is
so
pleased
by
her
he
promises
I'll
give
you
anything
you
ask
he
makes
an
oath
and
prompted
by her
vengeful
mother
Herodias
she
the
young
girl
says
give
me
the
head
of
John
the
Baptist
here
on
the
platter
and
you
could
see
what
kind
of
woman
Herodias
is
she
doesn't
just
want
John
the
Baptist
killed
she
wants
proof
and
she
wants
to
gloat
over
him
as
his
head
is
served
on
a
platter
to
the
banquet
that
she
is
at
like
the
lamb's
head
at
Rosh
Shanna
or
something
like
that
and
Herod
is
sorry
to
have
to
oblige
that
gruesome
request
he says
in
verse
9
at
this
point
of
the
story
Herod
didn't
want
to
kill
John
he
had
already
imprisoned
him
and
effectively
silenced
him
and
he
was
posing
no
threat
to
him
whatsoever
he
was
just
an
interesting
guy
he
can
visit
once
in
a
while
and
talk
to
in
prison
and
so
he
was
content
to
leave
John
to
rot
in
prison
instead
but
because
of
his
oaths
and
his
guests
he
commanded
it
to
be
given
notice
the
underlying
reasons
for
all
of
Herod's
actions
in
this
chapter
why
did
he
put
John
the
Baptist
in
prison
for
the
sake
of
Herodias
he
says
in
verse
3
why
didn't
he
put
John
to
death
initially
when
he
wanted
to
because
he
says
in
verse
5
he
prophet
why
did
Herod
take
such
a
rash
ill
advised
oath
on
his
birthday
because
it
says
in
verse
6
Herodias
daughter
so
pleased
him
with
her
dance
later
on
why
does
Herod
behead
John
even
though
at
that
point
he
doesn't
want
to
because
it
says
in
verse
9
because
of
his
oaths
and
his
guests
everything
Herod
does
in
this
chapter
Herod
does
because
of
other
people
he's
so
concerned
with
what
other
people
will
think
what
other
people
will
say
this
is
what
the
Bible
calls
the
fear
of
man
he's
the
king
but
he
doesn't
act
like
a
king
this
he's
no
true
sovereign
he's
a
ship
that
is
tossed
to
and
throw
by
the
waves
of
people's
opinions
and
whims
he's
a
people
pleaser
manipulated
and controlled
by those
around
him
this
is
starkly
different
from
the
portrait
of
Jesus
that
we
see
in
the
preceding
passage
the
skeptical
and
envious
hometown
crowd
looked
down
upon
Jesus
and
questioned
his
credentials
they
said
to
him
physician
heal
yourself
what
we
have
heard
you
did
at
Capernaum
do
here
in
your
hometown
as
well
but
Jesus
instead
of
embarking
on
a
campaign
to
prove
himself
and
performing
these
extra
miracles
and
saying
see
look
what
I
can
do
I
am
who
they
say
I
am
no
Jesus
doesn't
do
that
he
did
not
do
many
mighty
works
there
because
of
their
unbelief
rather than
indulging
and catering
to their
wicked
unbelief
Jesus
only
offers
the
sign
of
the
prophet
Jonah
in
this
Jesus
models
for
us
what
it
looks
like
for
us
to
seek
to
please
God
rather
than
men
Proverbs
29
25
says
the
fear
of
man
lays
a
snare
but
whoever
trusts
in
the
Lord
is
safe
we
fear
people
and
what
they
might
say
about
us
or
to
us
because
we
mistakenly
think
that
people
can give
us
love
and
acceptance
that
people
can
make
us
safe
and
secure
that
people
can
give
us
make
our
dreams
come
true
but
people
are
fickle
and
they're
unreliable
only
God
can
give
us
unchanging
and
eternal
love
and
acceptance
only
God
can
give
us
true
eternal
safety
and
security
and
for
this
reason
he
who
fears
man
and
tries
to
please
man
lays
a
snare
for
himself
that
will
entrap
him
but
whoever
trusts
in the
Lord
is
safe
it's
important
that we
learn this
lesson
because if
we don't
we cannot
be
faithful
witnesses
do
do you
think it
was easy
for
John
to
tell
Herod
Antipas
that
his
marriage
to
Herodias
was
unlawful
it seems
that
John
had a
personal
acquaintance
he had
a personal
audience
with
Herod
so it's
not like
John
is denouncing
Herod
from his
wilderness
pulpit
he had
an opportunity
to personally
confront
Herod
about his
sin
and in
that moment
John
could have
easily
sidestep
the issue
well
Herod's
not going
to listen
to me
anyway
it's none
of my
business
I'll just
stay in
my lane
but if
you're a
prophet
or a
teacher
of God's
word
you don't
get to
pick
and choose
your
message
you're
not the
sender
or the
author
of the
message
you are
just
the
herald
you are
the
mailman
you convey
the message
of God
you deliver
it
and you
don't get
to sidestep
moral
issues
that the
Bible
clearly
speaks
of
when
your
co-workers
speak
condescendingly
of
Christians
and
mocks
Christian
ethics
will you
hide
your
faith
in
shame
or
will
you
identify
yourself
as a
follower
of
Christ
and
share
the
reproach
of
Christ
that
the
saints
across
the
ages
have
experienced
will
you
take
a
stand
for
your
Christian
convictions
even if
that means
you will
be
reviled
will you
overcome
your
hesitations
and fears
and share
the gospel
with your
neighbors
not knowing
how exactly
they will
respond
what happens
to our
in our passage
to John
the Baptist
here
of course
does not
bode well
for Jesus
because
throughout
the gospel
of Matthew
Matthew
has portrayed
Jesus
as coming
in
and following
in
the
ministry
that
John
the
Baptist
started
in
Matthew
3
verse
2
John
the
Baptist
preached
repent
for the
kingdom
of heaven
is at
hand
and then
when
Jesus
started
his
ministry
in
Matthew
4
17
he
began
with
the
exact
same
message
repent
for the
kingdom
of heaven
is at
hand
this is
because
John
is
Jesus'
forerunner
he is
the harbinger
of the
king
he is
the one
who
as
Matthew
3
said
prepares
the
way
of
the
Lord
and
makes
the
path
of
the
Lord
straight
before
he
comes
he
goes
ahead
he's
the
harbinger
that
goes
on
ahead
of
the
king
to
announce
that
the
king
is
coming
so
then
the
unjust
execution
of
John
the
Baptist
in
this
chapter
foreshadows
how
people
will
ultimately
in
the
end
receive
Jesus
and
treat
him
killing
him
on
the
cross
and
this
passage
serves
as an
illustration
what
did
Jesus
teach
us
in
the
parable
of
the
weeds
that
the
sons
of
the
kingdom
and
the
sons
of
the
evil
one
coexist
until
the
end
they
coexist
there
will
always
be
this
tension
and
conflict
and
persecution
and
suffering
what
did
Jesus
teach
us
in
the
parable
of
the
mustard
seed
and
the
leaven
that
kingdom
of
God
does
not
come
at
once
to
dominate
the
earth
no
it
starts
seed
that
grows
gradually
until
it
becomes
the
largest
seed
and
the
largest
tree
in
the
garden
that
the
kingdom
of
God
grows
almost
imperceptively
it is
hidden
like
leaven
that is
hidden
inside
the
bread
John
the
foremost
prophet
of
God
from
the
old
covenant
summarily
being
beheaded
and
served
on a
platter
like
some
kind
of
animal
does
not
look
like
the
kingdom
of
heaven
has
come
in
power
does
it
Jesus
the
heir
of
the
kingdom
of
heaven
the
prince
being
crucified
does
not
look
like
the
kingdom
of
heaven
has
come
in
power
does
it
and
that's
why
Jesus
tells
this
story
as an
illustration
of the
parables
that he
has
just
told
but
don't
you
doubt
that
the
kingdom
of
God
has
come
in
power
and
one
day
though
you
might
not
see
today
it
will
be
consummated
the
kingdom
of
God
does
not
come
in
ways
that
can
be
observed
Jesus
said
in
Luke
17
20
so
don't
be
disheartened
when you
can't
see
the
kingdom
like
you
want
to
see
when
you
are
facing
sufferings
reviles
revilements
and persecutions
true
messengers
of
God
who
prophesy
and
preach
the
truth
of
God
regardless
of
whether
it
earns
them
the
favor
or
the
ire
of
man
will
be
persecuted
and
when
that
happens
it
might
seem
like
the
hereds
of
this
world
have
all
the
power
it
might
seem
as
though
the
kingdoms
of
this
world
are
the
real
kingdoms
with
lavish
palaces
and
banquets
and
birthday
parties
and
armies
at
their
disposal
but
we
must
not
forget
that
the
reality
that
Jesus
proclaimed
!
life,
death,
and
resurrection
and
ascension
and
he
now
reigns
at the
right
hand
of the
father
far above
all
rule
and
authority
and
power
and
dominion
and
above
every
name
that
is
named
we
might
not
see
it
yet
with
our
own
eyes
but
one
day
we
will
see
every
eye
will
see
every
tongue
will
confess
that
Jesus
is
Lord
and
every
knee
will
bow
before
him
so
let
us
press
on
with
that
day
and
as
witnesses
of
Jesus
Christ
let's
pray
together
Father
teach us
the
humility
of
Christ
that
we
might
not
think
Christ
unapproachable
and distant
rather
that we
might
see
that
Christ
is
humble
he
invites
us
to
come
to
him
and
as
we
come
to
him
we
are
accepted
and
loved
by
him
Lord
embolden
us
to
go out
to
this
world
as
witnesses
of
Jesus
Christ
to
proclaim
to
herald
the
kingdom
of
heaven
that
has
come
knowing
that
Lord
Jesus
King
Jesus
you
are
coming
back
help
us
to
be
faithful
servants
that
discharge
this
duty
of
heralding
the
king
who
has
come
and
the
king
who
is
coming
soon
in
Jesus
name
we
pray
amen