Jesus Pure and Simple – Session5 -When Jesus is Truth
Matthew 15:10-20 Read
As we continue to look at Jesus Pure and Simple through the book of Matthew we see in Chapter 13 that Jesus continues his use of parables to teach those that are listening.
v. 10 Jesus is telling the crowd Listen and understand. Listen and understand.
How many times as mothers, wives, employees do we utter those words, Listen and understand?
As I was reading through the Chapters this week, I was fascinated at the lack of listening that the disciples did.
You see each time Jesus told a parable, it was not someone in the crowd that was asking for an explanation…it was those closest to him- his disciples. From Matthew 13-15 you can see the disciples ask Jesus not once but, four times to explain what he just said. Jesus has more patience than me- I hate to explain myself once in a conversation let alone four times.
Matthew 13:10 Jesus is explaining the parable of the fours soils because the disciples asked him to.
Matthew 13:11 Jesus explains why he speaks in parables. Read v11-13.
Do you ever walk out of a service and you are all excited about what God revealed to you and then you talk to your spouse or friend that was in the same services- And they are like “Yeah not a good service today?” You are confused. You are devasted, can’t believe they did not hear the Holy Spirit in that message!!!
You are like the disciples when Jesus was speaking.
Jesus clearly states that those who have been given knowledge will be given more.
So Jesus goes on to explain to the disciples that the message if it is not understood, Satan will destroy any little root they have. V. 23 Jesus says but the seed that falls on Good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.
There is a big difference in listening to the word understanding the word of God.
Listen- to give attention to with the ear
Hear-to be told or informed of; to perceive
Understand-to perceive the intended meaning of words
We can give attention to the words and not understand the meaning of the words. That is what Jesus was talking about here in the scriptures when he was explaining why he used parables.
But Jesus, you got to love our Savior. In Chapter 15, He was tired of them listening and not understanding. He said in Matthew 15:16- Are you still so dull? After Peter asked them to explain once again what he meant.
Let me ask you a question: How many times does Jesus have to explain himself to you before you get it?
The Disciples had access to the truth, they listened to the messiah speak and teach in the crowds and yet they did not understand His truth. They saw him perform miracles of healing and yet did not understand truth- they saw him as provider and yet did not understand truth.
We are often like the disciples. We will go from preacher to preacher listening for the truth and yet not realizing the Truth is Jesus. I am fascinated at how people wage their level of growth as a Christian on the preacher in the church.
If the disciples did that, they would be no different than the crowd following the religious leaders in the synagogues. But they followed Jesus- Truth and Light of the world-
Our growth starts with Jesus- Pure and Simple.
Stop trying to listen and understand based on the “in preacher” or the “current Christian movement”. Last year it was “Awakening”, this year it is “Restored”, and next year- folks we don’t need a theme to understand the word of God.
Don’t get me wrong, I love revival movements and I love when congregations get fired up about Christ- but let it be about Christ and not the preacher preaching Christ or the movement moving you- Amen.
When you know your purpose- pure and simple you stay the course and you seek the truth.
What happens when we have works but not truth?
There was a girl by the name of Agnes. She had heard from God when she was 10 years old to go and serve the poor.
Her family at times had taken in the poor for dinner and she knew what it was like to give by watching her parents give to those in need. Her family was not wealthy but there needs were met so they helped others around them.
Agnes mother did not want Agnes to answer the call on her life and had Agnes to wait until she was 18 to answer the call if it was still there. Agnes sought the Lord and heard him still saying to go and care for the poor.
Agnes left her mother at 18 never to see her again. She went to a far away country and decided to help the poor. She petitioned those in charge of her to let her sleep in the community with the poor so that she could better serve their needs. She heard God saying you are to serve the poorest of the poor.
Agnes had training as a teacher, so with no money, she went to the streets and begin to teach the poor. She gave them soap as a reward for learning but also as a way to ward off sickness and disease. She soon had 46 children who would come daily to hear her lessons.
Agnes was determined to continue her work, so she petitioned the highest order to allow her Missionaries of Charity order of nuns to continue their work in India.
Agnes or as many of us know her Mother Teresa, listened and understood what God had called her to do. Mother Teresa was known to get up early, to read and pray, before helping the sick, the dying, the leprors, the poorest of the poor in India.
Mother Teresa was not looking for fame or fortune, she was looking to help the poorest of poor.
Mother Teresa’s humanitarian efforts were respectable, commendable, and undoubtedly could have been and could still be used today by God in His perfect will. When it comes to entering heaven, however, her sincere works could never get her there. “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8–9, NASB).
You see even Mother Teresa, even in her own writing, questioned her relationship with God. She felt empty at times and the distractions of service did not assure her salvation. She would need the truth of Jesus in order to get into Heaven.
Jesus was warning his disciples, in order to see the kingdom of heaven you must seek truth pure and simple.
Wayne talks about seeking the truth by using the SOAP method on page 87
Scripture – pick a scripture and read it several times
Observation- ponder the message God has highlighted for you
Application- how do you plan to put this in action
Prayer- ask God to help you apply what you’ve just learned
Wayne answers a very important question in this Chapter- how do we focus on the truth with so many distractions? Jesus showed us how in Matthew 15
- Read the bible daily. If you are seeking to understand what God is saying to you, you have to be in His word. The disciples listened to the teachings of Jesus daily.
- Regularly take time for solitude- Matthew 14:23- After he had dismissed them he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray.
Jesus took time to get away as he served, as He sought to model the need to “recharge on purpose”. Retreats are a wonderful way to do this, but it can be as simple as scheduling a day off, go to the park with your Bible, journal and pen- and listen to God as you read His word. He will meet you in the quiet place.
- Immerse yourself in gratefulness. Psalm 100:4-5 Enter His gates with thankgiving and His courts with praise for the lord is good I can tell when I am feeling off- it is time for me to get back to thanking God for all the good in my life.- the very fact that I have breath today- amen.
- Regularly take time for reflection. We learn from our experiences when we reflect on them. Ask God to show you through your experiences where you need to grow. Learn from your past. I am constantly being shown as I serve, as I work, as I live each day, where God is mending and molding me.
In closing turn to Matthew 13:47-51
Jesus is asking us to understand truth pure and simple. Amen
Let us pray….
Ladies I do not want you to leave Bible study without an opportunity to know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior.
First you have to admit you are a sinner and the Believe that God sent Jesus to die on the cross for our sins and finally Commit yourself to His righteousness by confessing Jesus as Lord and Savior
Let us all bow our heads and if you have never prayed this prayer you can say it with me:
Father in Heaven, I’m sorry for the things I have done that are wrong, I am a sinner, forgive me. Thank you for loving me and sending your Son, Jesus, to pay the penalty for my sin. Holy Spirit come into my heart, Jesus be my Lord and Savior. I give you my life Amen.
If you prayed that prayer for the first time, I ask that you let your table facilitator know-
Jesus came that we might be saved. Pure and simple.