The Courageous Shepherd | Matthew 20:17-19

Scripture

• Matthew 20:17–19

About this sermon

Introduction: There is a very sad reality on display in our world — every day. People who make use of the words of Jesus, but clearly demonstrate that they have not grasped the meaning of those words. They know many of the words of Jesus, but they don’t reflect the heart of Jesus — the character taught by Jesus. In their understanding and application of the words of Christ there is something defective. Some of those people are STRANGERS to Jesus. Judas heard Jesus preach. Judas could have repeated much of what he had heard. Indeed, Judas could SOUND very pious. ESV John 12:1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. 3 Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, 5 "Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?" 6 He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it. He knew how to talk like a man who cared about what God would want. He knew how to talk like a man concerned about the poor, when in truth, he was concerned about himself and robbed from others. BUT IT’S NOT JUST STANGERS TO JESUS WHO CAN MISS THE MEANING OF CHRIST’S WORDS One example of late — something gaining ascendency in the awareness and discussion of modern evangelicalism — is notable along these lines. Many people — some of whom are probably believers — are teaching things about manhood that have an appearance of godliness but deny the power of it. A distortion of masculinity that is much more like the spirit of the age than like Christ. A teaching about manhood and home leadership that is oppressive and proud and self-serving. In a reaction to the sexual confusion of our age, and a false Christianity that rejects biblical complementarity, there are men teaching things that claim to be the correction, but in fact, represent a misunderstanding of Scripture that produce chaos. It claims to be biblical but many of the things emphasized in Scripture are ignored (I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER THAT ERROR IS OFTEN RECOGNIZED BY WHAT IT WILL NOT SAY) and what is emphasized is a distortion of biblical truths that gives permission to be selfish, and harsh, and proud, and self-willed — in the name of being a man. THE WORDS OF SCRIPTURE ARE THERE, BUT THE ACCURATE MEANING OF THE WORDS ARE ABSENT. THE WORDS OF CHRIST ARE THERE, BUT THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS ABSENT. The power of God that changes proud men into humble men, selfish men into loving men, self-willed men into submissive men (submissive to Christ, to His church, and to His Word), is not evident in such a movement. Instead what is emphasized is a kind of strength that men can find in themselves naturally if they just choose it. BUT THAT’S JUST ONE EXAMPLE. I bring this up, however, because something similar is going on in our verses. Jesus is reminding His disciples, FOR THE THIRD TIME, what awaits them in Jerusalem. They have heard Jesus. They have talked about what Jesus says. But, as we will see this morning, they don’t really grasp the meaning of His words. THIS MORNING WE LOOK AT OUR SAVIOR AND WE CONSIDER WHAT WE SEE HERE UNDER TWO HEADINGS. (1) ALWAYS THE SHEPHERD (2) ALWAYS COURAGEOUS • ALWAYS THE SHEPHERD (vs.17-20) You’ll remember that starting in Matthew 13 Jesus turned His attention to His own disciples. His ministry in Galilee has now drawn to a close. He has made His way south, bypassing Samaria, traveling on the east side of the Jordan river. ESV Matthew 19:1 Now when Jesus had finished these sayings, he went away from Galilee and entered the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. He crosses over to Jericho, and from there He will go up to Jerusalem (20:29). As He is making His way to Jerusalem, Matthew tells us that Jesus speaks with His disciples privately. There are others following Him, but Jesus wants to say something to the twelve. He wants them to know what awaits them in Jerusalem. This is the 3rd time, and the final time, that Jesus prepares His disciples with the prophetic truth of what they will face in Jerusalem. THE PREVIOUS INSTRUCTION: ESV Matthew 16:21 From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. ESV Matthew 17:22 As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them,

Topics

• Leadership
• Victory Over Fear