The Gospel According To Matthew

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The Gospel According To Matthew
Class 14, Matthew 112 30
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• INTRODUCTION
• At the height of His earthly ministry, Jesus was
  approached by disciples of John the
• Baptist - Mt 111-6
• a. John was in prison, and had sent disciples
  to Jesus
• b. Perhaps troubled by his own imprisonment,
  he wanted affirmation
• that Jesus was indeed the Messiah, the
  Coming One
• c. Jesus pointed to His works, and spoke of
  the blessedness of those
• not offended because of Him
• 2. Jesus used this opportunity to tell the
  multitudes about John the Baptist - Mt 117-10
• a. That he was not some easily shaken reed or
  man in soft clothing,
• but a prophet
• b. Indeed, he was the prophet foretold by
  Isaiah and Malachi - Isa
• 403 Mal 31 45

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3. But then Jesus made two remarkable statements
- Mt 1111 a. First, that no one had been
greater than John the Baptist b. Second, that
one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is
greater than he! 4. It is the second
statement that has perplexed many... a. For
the kingdom of heaven is the church that was
about to be established b. And in the
church there are many people who do not seem to
measure up to a man like John the Baptist!
-- How can any of us be greater than he?
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I. THE GREATNESS OF JOHN THE BAPTIST A. HE
WAS GREAT AS A MAN... 1. Enduring a life of
austerity, with voluntary simplicity - Lk 180
Mt 34 2. He showed courage before king
Herod, condemning his unlawful marriage - Mt
143-4 3. He possessed humility,
showing deference at the height of his own
ministry to a New Comer - Jn
119-37 322-30 B. HE WAS GREAT AS A
PROPHET... 1. His influence brought people
throughout Judea into the desert - Mt 31-2,5
2. They were moved to be baptized and confess
their sins - Mt 66 3. And he did not
weaken his message to accommodate his audience
- Mt 67-8
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C. HE WAS GREAT IN PREPARING THE WAY FOR
CHRIST... 1. Such was his particular
mission - Mt 33 119-10 2. And when Jesus
came, he pointed people to Him - Jn 129,34-36
330,36
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II. THE GREATNESS OF THOSE IN THE KINGDOM A.
WE ENJOY GREATER KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST... 1.
John's limited knowledge of Christ is implied by
his question - Mt 112-3 a. He
had not seen what Jesus' disciples had seen
b. He had not heard what Jesus' disciples had
heard - cf. Mt 1316-17 2.
Through the further teaching of Christ and His
apostles... a. We know the wonderful
story of the cross! b. We know the
nature of the kingdom, its establishment, its
future glory! c. We know "many
things" which even Jesus Himself had not
taught His apostles until after the Holy
Spirit was sent! - Jn 1612-13
-- Even "he who is least in the kingdom" knows
things about Jesus and His church that
John did not know!
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II. THE GREATNESS OF THOSE IN THE KINGDOM B. WE
ENJOY A GREATER STATION IN THIS LIFE... 1.
John was not in the kingdom of heaven (or church)
during his life a. He proclaimed it was
"at hand" - Mt 31-2 b. Jesus and His
apostles were still preaching it as being
"at hand" - Mt 107 c. Jesus would
later speak of building His church - Mt 1618
2. But with the establishment of the church,
those who are in it... a. Have been
translated into the kingdom of God's Son Col.
113 Rev. 19 b. Have been made a royal
priesthood and holy nation - 1 Pet. 29 --
John lived under the Old Covenant even "he who
is least in the kingdom" lives under the New
Covenant with its better sacrifice, hope, and
promises - He 79 86
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C. WE ENJOY GREATER PRIVILEGES... 1. John
certainly enjoyed wonderful privileges
a. He was filled with the Spirit from his
mother's womb - Lk 115 b. Who certainly
helped him fulfill his mission 2. But Jesus
offers things which John did not have e.g...
a. A gift (or measure) of the Spirit that
was not given until after Jesus was glorified
- Jn 737-39 1) Something other
than inspiration or miraculous powers, for many
had enjoyed that before Jesus was glorified
(ascended to heaven) 2) Because of
the outpouring of the Spirit on Pentecost, all
who are saved have experienced "the washing of
regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit"
- Tim 35-7 3) John was born of
woman, but those in the kingdom are "born of the
Spirit" - Jn 35 a) We
therefore receive "the gift of the Spirit" Acts
238 b) A gift that helps deliver
one from the power of sin - Rom 811-13
c) A gift not enjoyed by those under the Old
Covenant - Ro 714-84
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b. The fellowship of the church, the body of
Christ - Ro 125 1) Remember that
John spent his life in the desert, and then in
prison 2) He did not enjoy the
blessings of fellowship available to the "least"
in the kingdom 3) As promised by
Jesus, we have a "hundred-fold" family members in
this life, something John never had - Mk
1028-30 all of which are
enjoyed today by "he who is least in the kingdom"
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CONCLUSION 1. In at least three ways, then, we
are "greater" than John the Baptist... a. In
our knowledge of Jesus Christ b. In our
station of life by being in Christ c. In our
privileges offered by Jesus Christ 2. As per
J. W. McGarvey "We find from this passage that
all true greatness arises from association,
relation and contact with Jesus Christ" (The
Fourfold Gospel) a. As the forerunner of
Christ, John was as great as any other teacher,
prophet, priest, lawgiver, and king b. As the
beneficiaries of Christ, even the least of those
in His kingdom are greater than he
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Danville Church of Christ
The Gospel According To Matthew
Lesson 14 Text 112-30
Review Questions

• Describe Jesus main point in Matthew 118-15.
• John the baptist was a great man, even in the
  eyes of Jesus
• In Matthew 1118, Jesus says, yet wisdom is
  vindicated by her deeds. Describe what this
  means in our own words.
• The works (deeds) of Jesus prove out (vindicate)
  out His claims of who He was
• Matthew 1114 mentions both John the Baptist and
  Elijah. Is this there some other reason for John
  being referred to by Jesus, or is this a
  transfiguration of John the Baptist?
• Luke 117
• "It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him
  in the spirit and power of Elijah, TO TURN THE
  HEARTS OF THE FATHERS BACK TO THE CHILDREN, and
  the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous,
  so as to make ready a people prepared for the
  Lord."
• List all of the comments of praise that Jesus has
  for the cities of Chorazin and Bethsaida.
• None checking to see if youre really reading
• What is the impact to all of mankind as a result
  of what Jesus revealed in Matthew 1127?

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Memory work from the book of Matthew