Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev19960825.htm

MATTHEW: JESUS AS ISRAEL'S MESSIAH AND HIS MESSIANIC KINGDOM
Part X. Christ's Messianic Kingdom Postponed
B. Missing God's Blessings By Evaluating God's Servant On The Natural Plane
(Matthew 13:53-58)
  1. Introduction
    1. When Jesus came unto His own people, they did not believe on Him, so He postponed the Messianic Kingdom due to that unbelief, John 1:11 with Matthew 12:31-32; 13:1-52.
    2. Perhaps most vividly was this truth displayed when Jesus returned to His hometown of Nazareth and His own people took offense at Him instead of believing on Him as the Messiah and Lord, Mtt. 13:54,57a.
    3. If we examine that interaction between Jesus and His hometown acquaintances, we can note some dynamics of missing or of gaining God 's blessings by how well we evaluate those in ministry.
  2. Missing God's Blessings By Evaluating God's Servant On The Natural Plane, Matthew 13:53-58.
    1. When Jesus returned to His earthly hometown of Nazareth after an extensive ministry elsewhere, the hometown folk were amazed at His outstanding wisdom and works in ministry, Mtt. 13:54.
    2. However, instead of taking these achievements as signals of God's leading so as to believe in Jesus, the hometown folk carnally compared themselves to Jesus so as to take offense at Him, Mtt. 13:55-57a:
      1. It is a very natural and carnal thing to compete with another on one's gifts or abilities, cf. 2 Cor. 10:12. It is just the OPPOSITE to see what abilities we have as coming from GOD so as to use these talents to serve Him to HIS glory, 2 Cor. 10:13,17.
      2. When faced with His great wisdom and supernatural works, and when they responded by comparing themselves with Jesus, the hometown people were carnal in relating to Jesus:
        1. Being carnal, these competitive people found they could not measure up of Jesus' wisdom and works as they lacked such supernatural powers.
        2. However, they recalled when Jesus was living among them and growing up, before He ever performed miracles or displayed such wisdom, that then He seemed to be no brighter or gifted than they were: thus, they focused on His ordinary roots of ordinary family members in His mother, earthly father and brothers and sisters, Mtt. 13:55-56.
      3. Since it hurt too much from the carnal viewpoint to admit that Jesus was more gifted and enlightened than they were, the hometown people felt jealousy over Jesus' current wisdom and works to focus on His ordinary roots from His ordinary family as grounds for them to reject Him, Mtt. 13:57a.
    3. This rejection caused Christ's hometown people to miss God's blessing through Him to them, 13:57b-58.
      1. Jesus noted a proverb that applies today: due to carnal jealousy, one's familiar friends or family often do not honor so as to believe God's work through His servant to their own harm, Mtt. 13:57b.
      2. Consequently, as in Jesus' day, this lack of faith produced a lack of blessing for these people as Jesus could not do many miraculous healings for their benefit due to their unbelief, Mtt. 13:58.
Lesson: There is a wrong and a right way to view the ministries of God's servant, and the way we view him makes all the difference as to whether we get blessed through their ministries: (1) If we view God's servant carnally, seeking to compare our human abilities and track record with his, we get caught up in petty jealousies or low esteem or pride that cause us to miss God's input and guidance through that servant to us. (2) Conversely, if we note an unusual wisdom or achievement in God's servant, and see it not as a human ability, but as God's gift, and heed the input of that party's ministry, we get God's rich blessing through him. (3) The same goes for how we view ourselves in ministry also: (a) if we compare ourselves with others in Christian se rvice only on the carnal plane, we will fall into the trap of carnal effort and either quit serving as we think we are not good enough, or become proud and miss the Spirit's power in our ministries; (b) conversely if we look beyond our human limitations or abilities to see the supernatural gift God has given, and serve on that plane, we miss both the low self esteem that chokes us from sustained service and also the pride that disqualifies our service, and we thereby become productive for God!