Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Good evening and welcome back!

Tonight if you would start turning in your Bibles to .

We are going to pick up with our Journey Through Matthew, looking tonight at “The Greatest of All Time” and some humbling instruction that Jesus gave his disciples.

And if you are keeping up you will notice that last week we looked at , and the apparent lack of real and truth faith on the part of the disciples.

However, there is a little bit of Scripture between where we left off last week and where we will be picking up tonight.

The first thing was verses 22-23 that tell us . . .

So, again Jesus is reiterating the point to them that he is nearing the end of his ministry, not because he is retiring but because he is going to be killed.

And naturally the disciples were filled with grief concerning this news, but they completely miss the point that Jesus says that on the third day he will be raised to life.

That just completely goes over their head.

Which to be honest, we do the same thing when we hear bad and good news mixed in together.

We hear the bad news loud and clear, but the good news sort of skips right over us.

So, that is the first bit of news, which sort of drives the focus of the conversation that takes place in our passage for tonight.

The second has to do with taxes.

Starting in verse 24, Matthew writes . . .

Matthew 17:24-

Now, this wasn’t the tax to the Roman government, but what was known as a “Temple Tax” that every Jew age 20 and over was required to pay for the support of the temple.

It was a half a sheckel or two-dracma as the Scripture points out and was supposed to be paid every year that was equal to about two days wages.

We would equate it with a mandatory donation or tithe.

And apparently Peter and Jesus had not paid their tax for the year and the leaders were there waiting on them asking for it.

Now, we know the miracle in it was that Jesus sent Peter fishing to get the needed money to pay the tax, not from selling fish, but just to get the coins out of a fish’s mouth.

The point though that Jesus is making in his discussion though with Peter is that just like earthy kings and their children are exempt from paying taxes to the kingdom, He as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords is also technically exempt from paying taxes to the temple (his Father’s House), and all of his children are as well.

However, as a matter of not offending the Jews, he would pay the tax and so should they.

In the end it is just money and inconsequential in the grand scheme of things.

Which is the second thing that prompts the conversation in our text.

Jesus is talking to his disciples about being royalty and heirs to thrones, and it gets their attention and gets them thinking about some things.

Which brings us to our Scripture for tonight.

So, if you have found in your Bibles, I’d invite you to stand if you are able.

Matthew writes this . . .

Scripture Focus

Greatness in God’s Kingdom (vs 1-5)

So, now here it is.

They are concerned over who would be the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Now, our text in Matthew starts out like . . .

However, there is more to it than just them coming to Jesus and asking him a question over greatness.

In , it says . . .

Luke 9:

And in , it says . . .

In , it says . . .

Mark 9:33

So, it wasn’t just as innocent as them wanting to know something.

They had actually been arguing along the way about which one of them would be the greatest in Jesus’ kingdom.

And even before they ever came and asked Jesus the question, after he calls them out on their argument . . .

They kept quiet because they knew that they were arguing over something they had no business arguing about.

Because Jesus had taught them to be humble, to be servants, to help others.

And they were still wrapped up in this worldly mindset of power, fame, and fortune.

They couldn’t focus on helping anyone else because all they had on their mind at that point was helping themselves.

In their minds they had this great opportunity and they were going to do whatever they needed to do to get it, even if that meant stepping on top of one another.

Which we see play out every single day.

People afraid that somebody will get “ahead” of them.

We call it “keeping up with the Jones.”

If they have one car we have to have two.

If they have a 20 ft camper we have to buy a 40 ft one.

If they have a two story house we have to build a 3 story house.

And we don’t care who gets hurt along they way.

But it is all earthly stuff that is going to fade away.

Every bit of it is temporary.

And Jesus’ disciples are stuck in this mindset.

And we had better be careful or we will end up in the exact same place, if we are not already there.

So, Jesus calls them out on their behavior . . .

And back to . . .

Matthew 18:2

And back to . . .

And in Luke . . .

Luke 9:

And I hope we get the point here.

First, we have to become like little children.

And he is talking about our innocence and our faith.

We have to follow Jesus and trust Jesus, as a child follows and trusts what their parents say.

We have enter heaven clean and innocent.

And most importantly we have to humble ourselves and put others first.

We have to live to serve and help others, not ourselves.

That is what leads to greatness in God’s kingdom.

It is how we love God and love others that matter, not how much power or influence over others we have in this life.

Dealing with Sin (vs 6-9)

Which also brings Jesus to another point that he needs to make with his disciples.

Get Rid of What is Causing Sin (vs 7-9)

This one regarding the worst little three letter word in human language…S-I-N.

Jesus says . . .

And you all have heard all of the descriptions over the years about how big mill stones were and the analogy of being tied to one and thrown in the ocean.

The mob used to do a similar thing by tying people up and then tying cement blocks to them and throwing them into the ocean.

Of course they would sink to the bottom and drown, which they say is one of the worst ways a person could die.

And Jesus is saying that you would be better off in that situation than if you caused one of His children to sin.

Which, can in itself take many forms.

Doing things that you know is a temptation for the person around them.

Doing things to that person that would cause them to sin either through temptation or through anger.

And one of the biggest is leading them astray through false teaching and false hope.

This “it’s okay, God will let it slide” mentality.

Afraid to tell someone the truth out of a fear that you may offend them.

However, there is a big difference between loving someone and enabling them.

Loving them means telling them the truth because you care.

Enabling them means just accepting their behavior because you are afraid not to.

Many times when we enable, we also unknowingly approve of the sin.

And we can’t do that.

There is a fine line, but you have to walk it under the power and control of the Holy Spirit.

So, we have to be very careful about leading others into sin, but what about our own personal sin?

Jesus says this . . .

Matthew 18:

Now, we get to the root of just how dangerous sin is.

Jesus knows that humans are fallen creatures and knows that sin abounds in our world.