King of Kings: Jesus According to Matthew - Silence Breaker
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Sermon Notes
Jesus’ “king credibility” problem…
He was born into a working-class family, not a royal one.
The neighborhood in which He grew up had a poor reputation.
He didn’t live with a normal king temperament.
Matthew 3:1-6
In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” 3 This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’” 4 John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. 6 Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
Silence Breaking Moments
The angelic announcement to Zechariah breaks 400 years of silence between God and Israel.
Jesus’ birth breaks God’s 4000-year physical withdrawal from mankind.
And with John the Baptist’s spoken words to open chapter 3 God breaks the 400 years of apostolic silence.
Isaiah 40:3-8
A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4 Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. 5 And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
Repentance is a change of direction induced by a change of heart.
Matthew 3:11
“I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
Matthew 3:13-17
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. 16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
Matthew 9:9-13
9 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. 10 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Tax Collectors were on the same social plane as prostitutes.
Jewish Tax Collectors were considered ceremonial unclean and were forbidden to enter the synagogue.
A Jewish Tax Collector had turned their back on their family and their faith for money.
Jesus’ words aren’t the story in chapter 3, His very presence is. Chapter 3 leaves no doubt that…
Jesus is the Promised Messiah King. John the Baptist announces it, God confirms it and Matthew experiences it.
With Jesus, God’s silence was forever shattered and His presence forever established.
With Matthew’s conversion there is no place too far removed from His presence or freeing power.