This Week\’s Sunday School Lesson, \”Worship The Lord In Spirit And In Truth\”, 12.27/2015

WORSHIP THE LORD IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH

 

Matthew 23:2-12, Mark 12:38-44

 

 

TREAT OTHERS THE WAY YOU WANT TO BE TREATED

Matthew 23:2-12

V:2-3. \” The scribes and the Pharisees have the authority of Moses;

3 All things, then, which they give you orders to do, these do and keep: but do not take

their works as your example, for they say and do not.\”

1. The Scribes and the Pharisees exercised the authority that God gave Moses.
2. God never gave them any authority.
3. The synagogues were established during the Babylonian captivity as a place of

worship and teaching of God\’s law.

1. A number of religious sects were established to teach God\’s Law while

Israel was in captivity. The Pharisees, Sadducees and Scribes became the teachers

of the Law.

1. Since there was no temple in Babylon, no animal sacrifices for atonement of sins

were made.

1. After the seventy year captivity ended and Israel was returned to the promise

land,  the temple was rebuilt.

1. During the post exile period there was a dual system of worship.
2. The Synagogues was the place where the Pharisees and Scribes taught the law.
3. The Chief priests should have been the spiritual arm of God\’s Word.
4. However, The Chief Priest and teachers of the Law were in conflict with

Jesus and His teaching.

1. Jesus instructed His disciples to follow the teaching of the Law, but not the examples

set by the teachers who did not follow God\’s Word.

1. They taught one thing, but did another .
2. They taught the Word. but disobeyed the Word.
3. God made the Law and He made the Law keepers.
4. God allows man to be governed by His Laws.
5. We should obey the laws of our government, as long as they do not violate God\’s

commands.

1. Our laws allows for a divorce, but God says He hates divorce. Matt 19:3-6
2. Our laws allows for same sex marriages, but God says that is sin.

 

V:4. \” They make hard laws and put great weights on men\’s backs; but they themselves

will  not put a finger to them.\”

1. There are some church folk who use the Word of God to condemn others but

do not apply the same standards to them selves.

1. The Pharisees and the Scribes add their traditions to the burden of the Law.
2. For example, \”Remember the Sabbath and Keep it Holy\” is the command
3. The Sabbath was designed as a day of rest for man and his animals.
4. The Law keeper applied unreasonableness to it.
5. The Law keepers saw the disciples of Jesus breaking corn from corn stalk

and eating it on the Sabbath.

1. In there interpretation breaking the corn from the corn stalk was work

and a violation of the Law.   Matt 12:1,2

1. The Pharisees and the Scribes considered healing a person on the Sabbath

a violation of the Law.  Matt 12:10

1. God made the Law for man, not Man for the Law.
2. The Pharisees and the Scribes made up rules to add to the Law to favor their views.
3. They made up a rules that allowed them to lie to the parents to keep from

supporting them.

1. It was the rule of Corban. Mark 7:11-13
2. We should judge ourselves by the same standards we judge others.
3. We should not expect others to do what we are not willing to do.
4. We must remember that all unrighteousness is sin.
5. Even what we consider to be a small sin carries the penalty of death.
6. It is the blood of Jesus that covers our sins.

 

PRIDE IS THE DOWNFALL OF MAN

V:5-7. \” But all their works they do so as to be seen by men: for they make wide their

phylacteries, and the edges of their robes,

6 And the things desired by them are the first places at feasts, and the chief seats in the

Synagogues,

7 And words of respect in the market-places, and to be named by men,\” Teachers

1. There are some who pretend to be religious for pride and prestige ,

rather than service and humbleness.

1. Being a Christian is not about How we look, but about what we are.
2. Outward appearances is no indication of what\’s in the heart.
3. There are some who want to appear religious, but who are rotten on the inside.
4. Clothes don\’t make the man., The man makes the clothes,
5. The Pharisees and the scribes wore pieces of scriptures on their soldiers and

forehead to show the pride of their position and their pretend righteousness.

1. The bigger the piece of scripture, the more religious they felt.
2. The children of Israel was required to put ribband of blue on the borders of their

garments.

1. The Pharisees made theirs larger than the average person to appear more

righteous.

1. The larger the border the more prideful the heart.
2. The Lord hates the proud.
3. Those who pump themselves up, God will bring down.
4. Respect is earned from how you treat people and what we do for others.
5. Words of respect are easy from the mouth.
6. Real respect comes from the heart.
7. You can demand a person to say what you want to hear, but you can\’t demand

truthfulness.

1. The Pharisees demanded respect because they had the backing of the Roman

government.

1. If you are seeking the applause of men, that will be your reward on earth.

 

 

 

ONE TEACHER, JESUS

V:8. \” But you may not be named Teacher: for one is your teacher, and you are all

brothers.\”

1. The truth is, we only have one true teacher and that is Jesus Christ.
2. The Word is the guide to our feet.
3. The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord.
4. Jesus, our elder brother is Lord of us all.
5. All believers are brother through the blood of Jesus Christ.
6. We are adopted sons of the God the Father.

 

ONE FATHER

V:9. \” And give no man the name of father on earth: because one is your Father, who is in

heaven.\”

1. We have earthly biological fathers, but only one heavenly Father.
2. God our Father is the provider.
3. God our Father is the protector.
4. God our Father is our keeper.
5. God our Father is our redeemer.
6. No man on earth can fill the shoes of our heavenly Father.
7. No man on earth deserves the honor of our heavenly Father.
8. No man on earth deserves the praise of our heavenly Father.
9. No man on earth is the truth of our heavenly Father.
10. No man on earth hold our eternal life in his hands.

 

ONE GUIDE, THE WORD

V:10. \” And you may not be named guides: because one is your Guide, even Christ.\”

1. The Word of God is our guide.
2. In the Word is everything we need to know about life.
3. The Word is our comforter in troubled times.
4. The Word never changes. It is the same today as it was yesterday.
5. In the Word is the righteousness of Christ.
6. In the Word is the truth about every situation.
7. In the Word is the solution to every situation.
8. No man on earth can guide us because he does not know the path that

God the Father as set for us.

1. If you going to follow someone, you ought to follow the one who always

knows the end from the beginning.

1. Jesus is the only who can serve as our guide

 

HOW GOD DETERMINES GREATNESS

V:11,12: \” But let the greatest among you be your servant.

12 And whoever makes himself high will be made low, and whoever makes himself low

will be made high.\”

1. The key to being a good steward for Jesus is making yourself servant of others.
2. God has gifted all believers with talents and gifts to be used in the Gospel

of Jesus Christ.

1. I think God puts in our mist things we can do to serve others in need.
2. To serve you have to put the needs of others above your desires.
3. Along this walk with Jesus, He will show us ones in need we can serve.
4. It may be a family member.
5. It may be a stranger.
6. We have see a person in need and take it upon ourselves to help.
7. God does not define greatness in our personal accomplishments.
8. Greatness is defined in our devotion to God and as a result, our devotion

to other believers.

1. To be great we have to humble ourselves and see others as equal children of

God.

 

THE EVIL AMONG US

Mark 12:38-44

V:38,39. \” And in his teaching he said, Be on your watch against the scribes, whose

pleasure it is  to go about in long robes and be respected in the market-places,

39 And to have the chief seats in the Synagogues and the first places at feasts.\”

1. The Word \”scribe\” is like our English word for lawyer.
2. Lawyers know how to persuade others that wrong is right.
3. Lawyers know how use the Law to their advantage and at the same time the

disadvantage of others.

1. Some are like the devil masquerading as an angel of light.
2. The Lawyers should be working for the good of the public.
3. Oftentimes, they are working the public for their personal gain and enrichment.
4. That is why the Lord tells us to beware of the Lawyers because they may look

good while doing you harm.

 

WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND

V:40. \”Who take away the property of widows, and before the eyes of men make long

prayers these will be judged more hardly.\”

1. The evidence of unrighteousness shows up in how we treat others.
2. The Pharisees and the Scribes were enemies to the Cross and to man.
3. They stole from the poor and the helpless and justify it using the Law.
4. They prayed to God as if they have no sin.
5. For show, they made long prayers and were not convicted of their sins.
6. It may appear at times that we get away in our sins.
7. But the truth is, God is always watching.
8. The text indicates that when we know to do right and do wrong, we will be judged

more harshly by God.

1. In other words God is saying that what goes around comes around.
2. What you do to others will revisit you.
3. I have learned, that God does not play fair when it comes to sin.

 

TRUE LOVE

V:41,42.\” And he took a seat by the place where the money was kept, and saw how the

people  put money into the boxes: and a number who had wealth put in much.\”

42 And there came a poor widow, and she put in two little bits of money, which make a

farthing.\”

1. How we treat God with our money is the evidence of our love for God.
2. The Bible says, that love of money is the root of all evil.
3. Everyone can look at themselves and determine if God is more important than

money.

1. Will you give God your money when you have something more pleasurable to do

with it.?

1. Will you follow God\’s commands when it comes to giving in the offering?
2. Notice in the text, God watch what you give to His Church.
3. Jesus keeps track of how much you give.
4. Jesus keeps track of why you give.
5. Jesus knows weather your giving is for show or for love.

 

V:43,44\” And he made his disciples come to him, and said to them, Truly I say to you,

This   poor widow has put in more than all those who are putting money into the box:

44 Because they all put in something out of what they had no need for; but she out of her

need put in all she had, even all her living.\”

1. Jesus identifies the widower as poor and making a life threading sacrifice.
2. The money she gave was all she had.
3. The money she gave she needed to for a meal for herself.
4. The widower valued her love for the Lord more than her life.
5. Her poor offering was truly sacrificial.
6. Jesus valued the poor offering of the widower above all the other offerings

combined because hers was sacrificial and the others were given out of habit or

just following God\’s commands to the letter of the Law.

1. God commands a tithe and an offering.
2. True love gives God all of ones self.
3. I urge you brothers to offer yourself as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God,

which is your reasonable service.  Rom 12:1

 

GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON

 

CAN WE LOVE GOD ENOUGH TO GIVE HIM OUR BEST.

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS

 

Rev. M. Mitchell

Asst Pastor of Greater Macedonia Baptist Church

5510 West Sam Houston Park Way

HoustonTexas