Sermon # 19 Series: Matthew

 

            Title:              “WHAT A WONDERFUL SAVIOR!”
            Text:              Matthew 9:14-26
            Subject:        The Wisdom, Goodness, and Power of Christ.

            Scripture Reading:  Office – B. Daughtery Aud. B. Poncer

            Date:             Tuesday Evening – November 8, 1994
            Tape:            # Q-65

 

Introduction:

 

            Let’s read Matthew 9:14-26.

 

            When I read those verses, as I began to prepare for tonight’s service, my heart’s response to this display of our Savior’s wisdom, goodness, and power, was “What A Wonderful Savior!” I am certain that Matthew was inspired by God the Holy Spirit to record these events as he did, without any interpretive comment, so that we might see in these things something of the grandeur, greatness, and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Proposition:

 

The man of whom Matthew speaks, the man who said and did these things is God; and this great God-man is our Savior.

 

            In this text of Holy Scripture, I want to show you five things that clearly demonstrate what a wonderful Savior the Lord Jesus Christ is.

 

I.  He is a wonderful Savior indeed who is longsuffering, patient, gentle, and kind to such sinful disciples as all his disciples are in this world.

 

            It is a painful and shameful fact, but it is a fact that all the Lord’s people in this world are sinners still. And being sinners as often behave as such. Nothing more betrays the evil that remains in us than the strife and division that exists among true believers. All too often, throughout the history of God’s church, those who truly are brethren behave as though they were enemies!

 

            Illus: Rowland Hill’s attacks upon William Huntington!

                        Paul and Barnabas!

                        Abraham and Lot!

 

Here in verse 14, the disciples of John the Baptist, who were also the disciples of the Lord Jesus, came to the Lord Jesus with a word of reproof because they presumed that he and his disciples did not fast – (v. 14).

 

A.  While there is much in their behavior that is reprehensible, it must be acknowledged that these disciples of John did behave with integrity.

 

            They did not murmur and gossip like the scribes and Pharisees. They had a problem that greatly concerned them; but rather than sitting around in a stew, talking about it, they came directly to the Master with it. One of their number must have said, “Wait a minute fellos. If we’ve got a problem with what appears to be a matter of grave error, there must be some explanation for it. Let’s go talk to the Master.”

 

NOTE: Much evil could be avoided if men and women would behave like this!

 

B.  Yet, as I said, there is much in the conduct of these men that is reprehensible.

 

1.      Like the Pharisees, they proclaimed their own goodness (Pro. 20:6).

2.      They judged their brethren by the yardstick of their own rules – Fasting was one of the Customs of the Pharisees!

3.      They presumed that because they did not see the disciples fasting they did not fast.

4.      They appear to have cast a slur upon the Lord Jesus because of the presumed bad conduct of his disciples.

 

C.   However, neither Matthew, Mark, nor Luke indicate that the Lord Jesus was angry or upset with these men – “For he knoweth our frame: He remembereth that we are dust” – (Ps. 103:14).

 

Lessons:

 

1.           We must not set ourselves up as judges of our brethren – Especially regarding matters of indifference!

2.           Quarrels are best settled at the throne of grace – When taken directly to the Master (Heb. 4:16) – They are never settled by saving discord.

3.           Our Lord’s grace is immutable (I John 2:12).

 

II.  In verse 15 – The Lord Jesus Graciously and Tenderly Identifies Himself with His Disciples.

 

            Rather than getting into a dispute with these men about a matter of insignificance, our Lord seized the opportunity to identify himself with us in one of the most tender, intimate, and suggestive ways imaginable. He calls himself the Bridegroom – (Compare John 3:29).

 

A.  In Bible times marriages were arranged things; and the marriage of the Lord Jesus Christ was an arranged thing.

 

1.       The marriage was arranged and the bride was chosen by God the Father in eternal election.

2.       The bride chosen is the church of God (Eph. 5:25-27).

3.       The children of the Bridechamber, the Friends of the Bridegroom, are God’s servants, all true gospel preachers.

4.       In those days of old the center of attention in a wedding was not the bride but the bridegroom; and our Lord Jesus is our Bridegroom! – Let him have all the attention and adulation!

 

B.  What the bridegroom is to the bride the Lord Jesus Christ is to every sinner who trusts him.

 

1.      He loves us with deep, everlasting, unchangeable love.

2.      He has taken us into an indissolvable union with himself – (Eph. 4:30).

3.      He has paid all our debts – Redemption!

4.      He supplies all our needs.

5.      He sympathizes with us in all our troubles.

6.      He bears all our affronts, sins, and horrible thoughts and acts of unfaithfulness to him – With this Bridegroom there is no putting away!

7.      All the glory that he has received from his Father he will one day give to his bride, the church – the Lamb’s wife (Rev. 19:7).

 

III.  In verses 16-17 – Our Lord Jesus shows himself to be a tender Master and teaches us how to deal with young disciples.

 

            In the family of God there are “little children,” “young men,” and “fathers” (I John 2:12-14). Little children are not to be dealt with as young men, or fathers, but as little children. Sometimes, those who should be fathers are still just little children and must be dealt with as such (Heb. 5:12-14).

 

            Just as a seamstress would never put raw, unshrunken into and old pair of trousers to patch them, so we must not expect from babes the maturity of fathers and must not put them in the place of fathers – If we do, we are sure to regret it.

 

            Illus: “Not a Novice!”

 

Just as a Winemaker would never put new wine in an old bottle, lest it burst, so we must not impose upon young converts the rigid discipline we ought to impose upon ourselves, lest we do them great harm. We must not impose upon men what they are not able to bear.

 

A.  We must never neglect the doctrines of the gospel.

 

B.  We must not fail to teach the ordinances of the gospel.

 

C.  We must take care to train young believers in the way of Christ.

 

D.  But we must be patient with the Lord’s little children – They are usually…

 

1.      More Harsh and Hasty in their Judgments.

2.      More Strict and Unbending in their Discipline of Others.

3.      More Highly Opinionated.

4.      More Susceptible to Error.

5.      More Rash and Erratic in their Behavior.

II Timothy 3:24-25

 

IV.  In verses 18-22 – Matthew shows us two examples of the Lord honoring faith.

 

            Faith honors God and God honors faith.

            Illus: “Lord, either lessen my work, or increase my strength, or give me a horse.” – Huntington

 

A.  The Lord Jesus honored the ruler’s strong faith by doing what he desired (vv. 18-19).

 

B.  The Lord also honored the woman’s weaker faith, doing for her what she desired (vv. 18-19).

 

·        “She came trembling.”

 

C.  It is not the measure of our faith, but the Object of our faith that saves us!

 

·        Christ is my Savior, not my faith!

 

V.  In verses 23-26 – We see a display of the omnipotence and life-giving power of the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

            Without question, the man who did this is the omnipotent, almighty God! All power is his – (Matt. 28:18-20; John 17:2). I cannot sufficiently stress the omnipotence of Christ. Just in proportion to our confidence in his omnipotence is our peace – Jesus Christ has absolute power.

 

A.  Over All Flesh! (John 17:2).

 

B.  Over All Events! (Rom. 8:28).

 

C.  Over Death Itself!

 

·        Spiritual Death.

·        Sickness.

·        Physical Death.

 

D.  Over Satan Too!

 

Application: John 11:25

 

            Someone once describe the funeral of a believer as a crowd of grieving caterpillars, all wearing black suits. As they crawl along, mourning their dead brother carrying his cocoon to its final resting place. There is a beautiful butterfly fluttering above them, who looks down with astonishment!