Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev19970209.htm

MATTHEW: JESUS AS ISRAEL'S MESSIAH AND HIS MESSIANIC KINGDOM
Part XI. The Crisis Of The Messiah's Offer Of The Kingdom
A. The Absence Of Room For Complacency In Trusting Christ And Obeying His Word
(Matthew 21:1-22)
  1. Introduction
    1. When an individual makes a decision to believe and obey or not to believe and obey God and His Word, whether or not he may know it at the time, that decision produces incredibly contrasting results in his life.
    2. This truth is clarified in Christ's triumphal entry and bears a motivating lesson for us today:
  2. The Absence Of Room For Complacency In Trusting Christ And Obeying His Word, Matt. 21:1-22.
    1. When Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey to present himself as Israel's Messianic King, He came offering great blessing for those who would believe in Him and obey Him:
      1. Christ's choice of a donkey as His mount pictured peace being offered to Israel, B.K.C., N.T., p. 67.
        1. Kings normally rode on horses to reveal their power over the people around them, Ibid.
        2. However, Jesus sought to reveal peace and salvation by use of a donkey as His mount, Ibid., Zechariah 9:9: (a) instead of revealing Himself as a dominating ruler, Jesus sought to reve al Himself as a non-threatening Messiah of meekness; (b) instead of coming to harm, He sought to save!
      2. In reaching the temple, He expressed Isaiah's call that the Messianic Temple be graciously opened up for even saved Gentiles to use as a house of prayer to the Father, Mtt. 21:13 with Isaiah 56:7.
      3. At the temple, Jesus graciously healed the suffering blind and the lame who came to Him, fulfilling the gracious promise of Isaiah 35:5-6 regarding His Messianic ministry. Keep in mind that to have such a physical malady usually meant the person had sinned and was under the Deuteronomy 28 divine curse.
      4. When Jesus reached the temple complex, He accepted the praise of little children who addressed Him as the Messiah, Mtt. 21:15f. He claimed that God had perfected praise from them in fulfillment of Ps. 8:2.
      5. When His disciples noted how soon the fig tree Jesus had cursed then withered away, Jesus sought to encourage His believers that if they really trusted God, they could graciously achieve such mighty things by God's grace and even move mountains to the sea, Mtt. 21:21-22.
    2. However, when entering Jerusalem as Israel's Messianic King, Christ delivered great condemnation and judgment for those who did not believe on Him or obey His Word:
      1. Though He came gentle and meek on the donkey, when Jesus found moneychangers extorting funds in changing money in the temple, violating the Lord's intent of the temple worship, He furiously condemned and whipped the wrongdoers, Mtt. 21:12-13.
      2. When the religious leaders objected to the temple children referring to Jesus as Messiah, He exposed how these rulers did not have the insight these mere babes possessed, Mtt. 21:15-16. Then, having verbally deflated them in this condemning rebuke, Jesus left without blessing these leaders, 21:17.
      3. Jesus cursed a fruitless fig tree as a picture of His judgment on Israel for rejecting Him, Mtt. 21:18-19. The fact that it withered away so dramatically and so quickly revealed the intensity of divine wrath and judgment that was metered against unbelieving Israel, Mtt. 21:20!
Lesson: (1) Not only can it be said that one cannot ride the fence regarding what he does with believing in Christ for salvation, but the RESULTS in one's life due to his choice to trust and obey His Word are equally great! There is no room for complacency re: trusting and obeying Christ!

Application: (1) Know that Christ is always desirous of pouring out His most lavish kindness and blessing upon us all who come to Him in faith and obedience. (2) However, if we ever resist trusting or obeying Him, or become COMPLACENT abou t heeding His Word, we are NOT due a more MODERATE blessing, but incredibly PAINFUL DISCIPLINE! In view of this great CONTRAST between the blessing and discipline on how we respond to God's Son and His Word, we must never become carelessly COMPLACENT about heeding Him or it -- the cost is simply not worth it!!