Matthew 12:1-14
Will It Be Legalism or Gospel? Introduction: Every year since I have been back in Wichita we have done an Advent series in December, but having preached almost every Christmas text I know in previous years, I decided we would continue in our series on the Life of Christ from Matthew. We have, of course, focused on Advent in our musical worship, with the Advent candle, and with our choir programs. Also, next Lord’s Day our youth pastor Josh Black will preach on a…
Matthew 12:15-21
There Is Hope for Bruised Reeds and Smoldering Wicks Introduction: People are hurting, the church is a hospital, and Jesus is the chief physician. That’s my message in a sentence this morning. There are scads of bruised and broken people out in the world who have yet to meet the Savior, and the church should be a triage center for them. What an assignment! Most of them don’t even know we are a hospital, and they wouldn’t think to come here for treatment, so we…
Matthew 12:22-32
The Only Sin that Cannot Be Forgiven Introduction: I trust every one of you had a delightful Christmas. We were in Oklahoma last weekend to visit my mom and to attend a funeral on Saturday afternoon, and because of the snow we couldn’t get back until just before Josh’s sermon, but I was so glad I got back for that. He did a great job and the church was packed. I encourage you to listen to that message on the web, especially if…
Matthew 12:38-50
Are You Looking for Miracles, Reformation, or a Relationship? Introduction: Few people would argue with the assertion that we live in a thoroughly messed-up culture and society. Even the church is full of confused people. Recently religious market researcher and pollster George Barna surveyed hundreds of people with the following statement: “The idea that God helps those who help themselves is taken directly from the Bible. Do you agree strongly, agree somewhat, disagree somewhat, or disagree strongly with that statement?” Among those who claimed to be…
Matthew 13:1-23
The Parable of the Sower Introduction: Spirituality is much in vogue today. I Googled the term on Wednesday and discovered there were 82,100,000 entries. After checking each one I am convinced that the term “spirituality” can mean just about anything you want it to mean. And the people who talk about it the most seem to be the most confused. Spirituality is a regular topic on Oprah and on Dr. Phil. Political candidates feel compelled to let the voters know how spiritual they are, and sometimes…
Matthew 13:24-43
Don’t Be a Weed Puller! Introduction: My sermon title this morning is taken from the first of three parables in the middle of Matthew 13, all of which provide us clues about the Kingdom of Heaven. One of the parables talks about weeds, another about mustard seed, and the third about yeast. Jesus takes each of these items found in everyday life in the first century and uses it to reveal something about the Kingdom. Three times in this passage we read the words: “The…
Matthew 14:13-21, 15:29-39
The Feeding of the Nine Thousand (or Food Stamps and Faith) Introduction: We come this morning to two of the best known and best loved stories in the Bible–the feeding of the 5,000 and the feeding of the 4,000, found in two successive chapters of Matthew. Thus, the title of my sermon, but I could just as well have called it “The Feeding of the Twenty-seven Thousand,” because in both stories Matthew goes out of his way to tell us that he…
Matthew 14:22-36
Truly You Are the Son of God! Introduction: In our journey through the Gospel of Matthew we come today to another of those amazing miracles which are so well-known to Bible students and even children–Jesus walking on the Sea of Galilee. Sometimes these stories are so well known that familiarity can breed contempt; we may even yawn when we hear about them. But these were real events with profound truth behind them. May God help us to have ears to hear what He wants…
Matthew 15:1-20
Hand Washing Can Get Out of Hand Note: This sermon was preached at First Free Wichita in 2021. Introduction: It was ten years ago today, August 1, 2011, that I retired as Lead Pastor here at First Free. Which also means that today is Pastor Josh’s tenth anniversary as our pastor. He is still on study leave but I am sure he would be encouraged to receive notes of gratitude from many of you for the fine ministry he has carried on over this…
Matthew 15:21-28
Shocking Words from the Lips of Jesus Introduction: I doubt if anyone will argue with my sermon title this morning after we read our Scripture text from Matthew 15:21-28: Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession.” Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged…
Matthew 16:13-20
Who’s Got the Keys to the Kingdom? Introduction: We are skipping several portions of Matthew as we come this morning to chapter 16, verse 13. Each of the sections we are passing over from 15:29 to 16:12 has a close parallel with one of the passages we have recently wrestled with, so I am going to move this morning to chapter 16, verse 13, which addresses the critical question of “Who is Jesus?” and the related question of “Who’s Got the Keys to…
Matthew 17:1-8
The Transfiguration of Christ: Preview of the Resurrection Introduction: On this beautiful Easter morning I want to ask you to turn in your Bibles to Matthew 17:1-8, or you can follow along on the screen as I read aloud: After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as…