Danger!!!

Matthew 16:1-12

Sit up and take notice! That’s what everyone should do when the smartest man in the world warns about something. Teacher, we’re listening…

Be careful…Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Oh, is that all? We expected something really menacing. Ok, relax everybody! It’s just a little yeast.

Nothing serious, is it? Yeast is just a microbial fungi that gets into something and then... gradually takes over THE WHOLE THING!

Uh oh! Jesus is warning against something that permeates and totally spoils everything it touches. The teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees!

Ok, I’m on the edge of my seat again. What’s their poison? Pride, self-righteousness, arrogance, a narrow condemning spirit? Probably not! These are results of their yeast or maybe the condition of heart that predisposed them to its work.

Then what’s the specific teaching?

It doesn’t matter. The Teacher doesn’t say. Because it’s any teaching that doesn’t change hearts, focuses instead on outward piety and performance. Ends up as evil in a religious costume!

Notice the Teacher called them wicked! There’s the key! The yeast is any system of teaching or approach to God that – in the end – doesn’t make a better person.

Danger! Beware there is religion that makes people worse. By their fruits you will know them!

Only the Teacher can change hearts. Make bad men good.

Another 4,000

Matthew 15:29-39

I’m a little surprised Matthew includes this story. He just wrote about Jesus feeding 5,000 with five loaves and two fishes.

Matthew certainly can’t include everything Jesus said or did. He has to pick and choose. So why repeat a similar story so close to the first?

I’m guessing Matthew isn’t trying to overwhelm us. Rack up the numbers – 5,000 to 9,000! I suspect he understood most people would be convinced of Jesus’ power over the elements after the 5,000 miracle.

Look closer. Maybe the story isn’t about the miracle so much as the disciples’ reaction. Did you notice their question – Where could we get enough bread in this remote place to feed such a crowd?

Did we hear them right? Did they really ask - Where?

Hmmm… on second thought, maybe we do need another miracle dinner to remind us Jesus can take care of anything. The disciples seem to have temporarily forgotten. Or did they?

Let’s be fair to them. Jesus’ first option for dinner every night wasn’t to call in a miracle. By definition, a miracle is not something that happens all the time. It’s unusual!

So perhaps it’s understandable for Jesus’ students to think as they usually did - Where could we get enough bread to feed such a crowd?

But this is an unusual circumstance. The people hadn’t eaten in three days and Jesus is worried they will faint from hunger on the way home. This calls for another life-saver!

What’s your best guess why Matthew included these two similar stories so close together?

Foreign Classic

Matthew 15:21-28

This is not an easy storyline. It doesn’t seem to fit in with all the others. Starting with the fact Jesus is in Phoenicia!

It’s still about another desperate person! But this woman seems to be all wrong for the part - wrong ethnically and religiously!

And even Jesus seems cast differently at first. Uncharacteristically, He seems to be playing along with the prevailing cultural stereotypes as He interacts with this Canaanite woman.

But don’t forget. Jesus purposely went into her country. He’s directing this foreign classic on purpose and for a purpose.

I’m no critic, but I think the Teacher wants to explore some familiar themes in a new context. Permit us see something from a different angle in the interplay between Himself and this foreigner - her and the disciples.

It’s about persistence in over-coming barriers. It is also about being patient in ministry with difficult people.

The main topic?

Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.

In fact, we absolutely must see it now. Anyone anywhere can come to Jesus by faith!

Squeaky Clean

Matthew 15:10-20

Growing up, this was always the rule for hands before eating and faces and ears before school. My room was given up as a lost cause!

But cleanliness is also a religious question – the question really!

How can we who are unclean come near to God?

Not hand-washing for sure! Here Jesus trivializes it along with the religious leaders who promoted it. Called them – Blind Guides!

Their hands were squeaky clean, but their hearts remained untouched.

The Teacher says our journey to God starts from the inside!

He begins with a brilliant diagnosis of the root cause of our problems –

For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.

Today, much of what passes for religion is still just hand-washing. Ritual, religious ceremony, it's all about how things look on the outside! Almost by habit we go to church, but our hearts remain the same.

The Teacher always focuses attention inward – to our hearts. It’s there He wants to begin His work of cleansing and life transformation.

Lip Service

Matthew 15:1-9

These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules made by man.

The Teacher is judging a religion that looks and sounds right, but has no heart - no real concern - for what God wants.

Jesus accuses them of paying lip service to the command to honor their parents. By a clever legal maneuver – dedicating all their money to God - they evaded responsibility for aged parents.

Conveniently, under the terms of the gift, they could still freely spend money on themselves. They were only forbidden to aid anyone else.

Thus, in the name of religion, they set aside God’s command to honor parents. And all the while appearing very religious. You can almost hear them – All our money is going to God’s temple after we die!

Why do such things happen? Perhaps, because not everything God asks of us is easy. Some things require sacrifice, effort, or even pain.

No problem! Create a loop-hole! A little theological slight of hand and all the difficult things magically disappear.

Unfortunately, what’s left is only a pretense of pleasing God.

The Teacher says - That’s lip service.

Out Of The Boat

Matthew 14:22-33

The wind was fierce! But Peter and the other students were in the safety of the boat when Jesus comes…walking on the Water!

This is what we remember about this incident. This and the part where Peter sinks beneath the waves and Jesus saves Him.

But don’t miss this!

For a while at least, Peter walked on water too!

Why does Peter even think it’s possible?

The answer to this question is the essence of what it means to be a serious Student of Jesus. Peter actually believes he can become like his Teacher! Do what He sees Him doing.

He wants to be like his Teacher in every way – even water walking! That’s why Peter says - Lord, if it's you, tell me to come to you on the water.

Jesus must have been pleased when he saw His student step out of the boat.

Here we see into the heart of the Teacher. He has faith in His students. In fact, He believes in us more than we do in Him!

Jesus has no doubt Peter can walk on water. And for one brief and sterling moment, Peter believes it too!

Jesus is still calling us to leave the safety of the boat! Do what we see Him doing! That’s what being His student is all about…

What’s that He’s saying?

Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.

You Feed Them

Matthew 14: 15-21

When Jesus heard about John’s death, He tried to be alone. Not a chance! Yet, He had compassion on the crowds that found Him and He healed their sick.

Soon it was late and they were all hungry. Jesus’ students had a solution – Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.

A reasonable suggestion which Jesus promptly rejected with these words - They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat!

My first thought would have been - Impossible!

But when Jesus said the people didn’t need to go away, it was another way of saying - with God all things are possible!

And yet, here’s our problem. There’s a big difference between believing God can do something and trusting that God will do it.

One is purely hypothetical! The other is living faith. Such a faith tells 5,000 people to sit down on the grass and get ready to eat when there are only five loaves and two fishes!

And isn’t it remarkable Jesus tells his students – You feed them! How does that work? What did the Teacher want them to learn?

It started with giving Jesus what they had. In this case a few loaves and fishes. It ended with food for 5000 in their hands.

Did you notice the students actually fed the people just as the Teacher commanded?

When it seems impossible, trust God will, and place what you have into Jesus’ hands.