The Ministry of Jesus : Lesson 3

Text: Matthew 8:18-27
21 August 2016

 

MOVING FROM THE MULTITUDES

  1. Seeing the great multitudes     (Matthew 8:18)

 a) Many are drawn to multitudes
 b) Jesus withdrew from them
  1. A command to depart to the other side    (Matthew 8:18)

 a) Deliberate
 b) Instructive
 c) Significant

TWO WOULD-BE DISCIPLES

  1. A scribe

 a) Expression of desire to follow the Lord Jesus    (Matthew 8:19)
 b) The response of Jesus
 i) Foxes have holes
 ii) Birds have nests
iii) The Son of Man has nowhere to lay His Head
  1. An unknown disciple

a) “Lord, let me first go and bury my father”    (Matthew 8:21)
i) Not that the Lord forbade attending the funeral of the departed father
ii) Serving the Lord must take first place in our heart/ mind
b) The response of Jesus
i) Follow Me
ii) Let the dead bury their own dead    (Matthew 8:22)
  1. Significance of the recording of these two incidents

a) A sample of the type of people following the Lord
b) Many did not understand what it means to follow
c) Many did not understand the challenges of following the Lord
d) Assumption that the heart’s desire to follow the Lord is sufficient

 THE ANSWERS OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

  1. Thought-provoking

  1. Insightful

  1. Warrants checking of our heart and mind concerning following the Lord Jesus Christ

  1. The challenge of following the Lord Jesus today