Listen To Me

Listen To Me

Steve W. Reeves

INTRODUCTION:

A. An older couple was having difficulty communicating. The man was convinced that

    his wife was becoming hard of hearing so he decided to try an experiment. One

    evening as she was standing across the room with her back turned he asked, “Can

    you hear me?” There was no reply. He moved closer and said, “Can you hear me

    now?” Again, he heard no reply. He moved closer. “Can you hear me?” he said.

    Finally he edged up right behind her and said in a loud voice, “Do you hear me?”

    Quickly she snapped, “For the fourth time, yes!”

B. Do you ever have trouble hearing God?

    1. The Jews of the first century had not heard from God in approximately 400 years

       when the concluding book of the Old Testament (Malachi) was written.

    2. Their lives had been filled with political and social unrest. The Persian Empire had

       given way to Greece and finally to Rome. Their culture was changing. Their religion

       had suffered from division and the heavy burdens of human traditions (Matthew

       15:7-9). 

    3. When Jesus came He said:

       a “Come to me” (Matthew 11:28).

       b. “Follow me.” (Matthew 4:19).

       c. “Learn from me” (Matthew 5:1-2).

C. As the Sermon on the Mount progressed according to Matthew 5 Jesus repeatedly

    used the phrase, “I say to you.” This is found nine times from verses 17-48.  

    1. Vs. 18 – “I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or

       stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.”

    2. Vs. 20 - “I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses

       that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”

    3. Vs. 22 – “But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother

       shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-

       nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’

       shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.”

    4. Vs. 26 – “Truly I say to you, you will not come out of

       there until you have paid up the last cent.

    5 Vs. 28 - You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit

       adultery’; but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her

       has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

    6. Vs. 32 – “But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except

       for the reason of unchastity, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a

       divorced woman commits adultery.”

    7. Vs. 34 – “But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for

       it is the throne of God,  or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by

       Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor shall you make an oath by your

       head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your statement be,

       ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is of evil.”

    8. Vs. 39 – “But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but

       whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone

       wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. Whoever

       forces you to go one mile, go with him two.”

    9. Vs. 44 - “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for

       those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in

       heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain

       on the righteous and the unrighteous.”:

D. These words of Jesus are timeless. They transcend the boundaries of time and

    culture with a message that is relevant for us today. How can we be sure to hear the

    voice of Jesus in our lives?

I. WE MUST BE READY

    A. It can be extremely difficult to hear Jesus above the noise of our busy lives.

       1. We live with such crowded schedules and full agendas.

       2. Stress is a huge factor in our lives. One survey estimates that more than 80$ of

           Americans suffer from “Chronic Stress Syndrome” at some point in life. Another

           survey says that up to 75% of visits to Primary Care physicians are stress

           related.

    B. The challenge we face is described by David in Psalm 46:10. “Be still and know

       that I am God.”

       1. The instruction of God is seldom accompanied by fanfare.

       2. Elijah fled to Mount Horeb to escape Jezebel’s wicked wrath (1 Kings 19). As he

           waited on a word from the Lord there was a tremendous wind, an earthquake

           and a ravaging fire. God was in none of those things. Suddenly, an a soft, still

           voice God reassured Elijah that there were 7000 men in Israel who had not

           bowed their knew to Baal. Elijah had to be still to hear those reassuring words.

    C. Hebrews 1:1-2 says, “God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets

       in many portions and in many ways, ² in these last days has spoken to us in His

       Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.”

       1. Jesus says, “Listen to me.”

       2. The question is not, “Does God speak? It is, “Are we ready to receive what Jesus

           says?”    

II. WE MUST RECEIVE THE MESSAGE

    A. In the early 1950’s my parents bought their first television. My dad was in his

       thirties at the time. He told me how it occurred to him all of the pictures and sounds

       were being transmitted through the air but they did him no good unless he had a

       receiver. When I was a boy there was no cable or satellite TV. We had an antenna

       mounted on the roof of our house. Occasionally the picture on the TV would

       become blurry and my dad would climb up on the roof to adjust the antenna so

       proper reception could occur.

    B. In John 1:11-13 the Bible says, “He came to His own, and those who were His own

       did not receive Him. ¹² But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to

       become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, ¹³ who were born,

       not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”

       1. Notice the two groups of people described in these verses.

       2. Those who did not receive Him (vs. 11) and those who did receive Him who are

           given the right to become children of God (vs. 12).

    C. When Jesus says, “Listen to me,” He invites every man and woman to be His

       disciple. We have a decision to make.

       1. Some choose to reject Christ.

           a. The rich young ruler in Matthew 19.

           b. Felix in Acts 24.

           c. Agrippa in Acts 26.

       2. Thankfully, many hear Jesus and receive Him through obedient faith.

    D. Jennifer Johnson was driving through a large city when she became lost in a run

    down, dangerous warehouse district late at night. Suddenly she ran out of gas. She

    had no cell phone and was terrified of her surroundings. She decided it would be best

    to lock the doors and stay in the car until a policeman came along. As she waited her

    worst fear was soon realized. A large, rough looking man appeared and began

    beating on her window. She screamed, blew he horn and turned on her lights to get

    attending. The man finally left. Suddenly he appeared again with a crowbar. She

    began screaming again. He broke the rear door glass, reached in and unlocked the

    door, opened the door and grabbed her. He jerked her out of the car ran with her a

    few steps and threw her to the ground. Suddenly the ground began to shake, there

    was a blaring noise and a bright light. Jennifer did not realize it but her car had stalled

    across a railroad track. The man she had been resisting so forcefully had come to

    save her life. Jesus died so you might live. He came to save your soul. Will you

    receive Him?

III. WE MUST RESPOND TO THE MESSAGE

    A. Look at the end of the Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew 7:28-29, “When Jesus

       had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; ²⁹ for He was

       teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.”

       1. It was obvious to these people that Jesus was genuine.

       2. Jesus said, “Listen to me.” What He said demanded a response.

    B. In Willie Cato’s biography of Marshal Keeble he tells about the evangelist in his

       later years being asked to speak to a large gathering of people in the Nashville

       Civic Auditorium. Before he spoke one of the organizers of the event said, “Brother

       Keeble, just close your message with prayer. We are not going to offer the

       invitation.” Catp wrote that Brother Keeble honored that request but when he got in

       the car to go home there were tears in his eyes. He prayed, “Father, forgive me for

       not giving people an opportunity to respond to the Gospel.”

       1. Each of us responds to the Gospel in some way. Jimmy Allen used to say that

           preaching should make people “glad, sad or mad.”

       2. Even if you choose to stay where you are and make no changes in your life you

           have still responded.

CONCLUSION:

A. A familiar song says, “I heard the voice of Jesus say, Come unto me and rest. Lay

    down, O weary one, lay down your head upon my breast.” I came to Jesus as I was,

    so weary, worn, and sad; I found him in a resting place, and he has made me glad.”

B. Jesus speaks to your heart today. Are you listening? We invite you to come to Him

    right now!

      

     

      

Learn From Me

Learn From Me

Steve W. Reeves

 INTRODUCTION:

A. Do you remember your favorite school teacher?

    1. In the third grade I had a teacher named Geraldine Aldy. She was tough and hard. One day she

       snatched me up by the collar and took me to the principal’s office where I received a paddling

       because I wasn’t paying attention. She called my parents. They, too, got my attention! Mrs. Aldy

       was tough but she became one of my favorite teachers because she cared.

    2. Jesus was a tough teacher. He taught things that go against the grain of human nature. The

       world was his classroom. Everyday life was his blackboard/whiteboard.  The word of God was his

       textbook.

    3. Jesus did more than lecture. He lived. He did more than teach. He practiced. He did more than

       tell. He demonstrated.

    4. To everyone who responded to His invitation, “Come unto me,” he said, “learn from me”

       (Matthew 11:29).

B. There is one passage of Scripture that provides us with a broad view of the curriculum Jesus used.

    This passage is the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7.

    1. The Sermon on the Mount is universally recognized as one of the greatest pieces of literature

       ever written.

    2. President Harry Truman said there were few problems in the world that could not be solved if

       people would abide by the teachings of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount.

    3. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus taught about attitudes (5:3-12); Influence (5:13-16); Motives

       of our hearts (5:17-48); Prayer and giving (6:1-13); Forgiveness (6:14-15); Fasting (6:16-18);

       Treasure in life (6:19-34); Judging others (7:1-6); Asking God for what we need (7:4-11);

       Obedience to God (7:12-23).

    4. Why did Jesus teach these things?  Notice the end of the message in Matthew 7:24-28.

       “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a

       wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds

       blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock.

       ²⁶ Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man

       who built his house on the sand. ²⁷ The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and

       slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.”

    5. Jesus taught these things so we can know how to build our house (life).

C. Matthew 5 begins with 8 statements commonly known as the “Beatitudes.”

    1. The word “beatitude” means – “blessed.” Some people have said it means “happy.” (Robert

       Schuller wrote a book entitled, The Be-Happy Attitudes). The word means much more than

       superficial happiness. It means deep, fulfilling joy. In Matthew 4:17 Jesus began preaching,

       “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” These verses describe the characteristics of that

       kingdom.

    2. What are these attitudes?

I. HUMILITY

    A. “Blessed are the poor in spirit.”

       1. It seems odd to find the words “Blessed” and “poor” in the same sentence.

       2. According to William Barclay this phrase underwent three stages of development.

           a. Originally it meant poor from a materialistic standpoint.

           b. Then it came to refer to a person who was without prestige because of their poverty.

           c. Finally it came to mean a person who does not place their trust in anything of this life but is

               wholly dependent upon God.

    B. There is a vivid contrast between the humility Jesus teaches and the pride and arrogance of the

       Pharisees, Sadducees and religious leaders of His day.      

       1. In Matthew 23:5-7 Jesus said,” But they do all their deeds to be noticed by men; for they

           broaden their phylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments. ⁶ They love the place of

           honor at banquets and the chief seats in the synagogues, ⁷ and respectful greetings in the

           market places, and being called Rabbi by men.”

       2. To the contrary James wrote, “Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will

           exalt you” (James 4:10).

       3. Peter wrote, “Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the

           proud, but gives grace to the humble.⁶ Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of

           God, that He may exalt you at the proper time.”

II. BROKENNESS

    A. When Jesus said, “Blessed are those who mourn,” He had more in His mind than the grief we

       experience in a time of loss.

       1. It is true that God does provide great comfort when we experience loss in our lives. Jesus    

           traveled to Bethany when Lazarus died so that He might bring hope and comfort to Mary and

           Martha.      

       2. Paul wrote that God, “comforts us in our tribulations so that we may comfort one another with

           the comfort we receive from God” (2 Cor. 3:4). 

    B. The ultimate comfort comes to those whose hearts have been broken by sin and the realization

       of how much they need God.   

       1. When David had sinned he cried out, “Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your

           lovingkindness; According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my        

           transgressions” (Psalm 51:1). Later he would write, “A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You

           will not despise” (Psalm 51:17).

       2. It is only when our hearts are broken by sin, (the Bible calls this “Godly sorrow” in 2

           Corinthians 7:1), that we surrender ourselves to Him and repent.

       3. When our hearts are broken and we turn to God in the heartfelt obedience of faith, repentance

           and baptism we can experience comfort that is greater than anything the world offers.

       4. First there must be the spirit of brokenness – mourning for our sinfulness. Before we can

           accept the “Good News” of Christ we must recognize the “Bad News” of our own sin.

III. GENTLENESS

    A. Gentleness is also described as “meekness.”

    B. Gentleness is not:

       a. Weakness.

       b. Lack of resolve or conviction.

       c. Lack of courage or strength.

    C. The word, “prautes” means “controlled strength.”

       1. Originally it meant the domestication of a wild animal. A wild horse that had been tamed was

           “gentle.”

       2. An ointment that took the sting out of a wound was referred to as “gentle.”

    D. The kingdom of God is not made up of weaklings but of strong people who possess great

       courage.

IV. PASSION

    A. If you were to ask me to use one word to describe what is lacking in most churches and

       Christians today I would use the word “passion.”  

       1. Jesus pronounced blessing on those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.

       2. These are two of the basic needs every human being has. 

       3. The writer of Hebrews uses “food” language in referring to spiritual growth in Hebrews 5:12,

           “you have come to need milk and not solid food.”

       4. Peter also use this imagery in 1 Peter 2:1-2, “Putting aside all malice and all deceit and

           hypocrisy and envy and all slander, ² like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word,

           so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation.”

    B. The story is told of a young man who went to the Greek philosopher Socrates and asked, “What

       must I do to become educated.” Socrates took him to the town fountain, grabbed him by the neck

       and plunged his head under the water. Eventually the young man broke free and came up

       gasping for air. “What was the one thing you wanted more than anything else when you were

       under the water?” asked Socrates.  “Air,” came the young man’s reply. “When you desire  

       knowledge as a drowning man longs for air you will be on the road to being an educated man.”

       The same is true of righteousness. It must be passionately pursued!

    C. When we have this passion God will completely satisfy us. The word, “filled” referred to a cow or

       sheep that had eaten all it could. Too many of us are trying to fill our lives with things that cannot

       satisfy. Passion for God leads to fulfillment.

V. MERCY

    A. Do you want to receive mercy? Jesus said you must be merciful.

    B. Mercy means to put yourself in the place of another person.

       1. Luke 6:38 – “Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—

           pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be

           measured to you in return.”

       2. James 2:13 – “For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy

           triumphs over judgment.”

    C. This is a kingdom characteristic because the kingdom is made up of imperfect people.

       1. I do not think people get upset about the church because we are imperfect. Such is obvious.

       2. People become upset because we wear masks of perfection and when someone stumbles

           rather than extending mercy we render judgment. Are we, as someone once said, “an army

           that shoots its wounded?”

VI. PURITY

    A. Do you have a clean heart?

       1. In the spring of 2010 the “Deep Water Horizons” oil rig, owned by BP, exploded in the Gulf of

           Mexico. For five months it spewed crude oil into the gulf. Before it was sealed in September of

           2010 it is estimated that 2.9 million barrels of oil (210 million gallons) were discharged into the

           water.

       2. There was such an outcry about the oil polluting the waters and beaches of the Gulf of Mexixo.

       3. Where is the outcry in our society about the threats to our moral and spiritual purity?

    B. Jesus wants us to be wholly committed to Him. He does not want us to have divided loyaty.

       Later in the Sermon on the Mount He said, ““No one can serve two masters; for either he will

       hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot

       serve God and wealth” (Matthew 6:24).

    C. David’s plea, following his catastrophic sin (1 Samuel 11), was, “Create in me a clean heart, O

       God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10).

VII. PEACE

    A. Why is this an important kingdom characteristic of the kingdom? It is because this

       is what Jesus did. According to Ephesians 2:12-14 – “Remember that you were at

       that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and

       strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the

       world. ¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought

       near by the blood of Christ. ¹⁴ For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups

       into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall.”   

    B. Jimmy Carter is perhaps better known for bringing a peace treaty between Israel

       and Egypt than anything he did during his presidency. Jesus is talking about

       something greater. Bringing the peace that can only come from the Prince of Peace

       to the hearts and lives of people.

 VIII. FORTITUDE

    A. Jesus knew that people who possess these characteristics are going to stand out

       in the world. The world will not approve.

       1. The world will accuse you.

       2. The world will speak evil of you.

       3. The world will oppose you.

B. The blessing is for the person who stands firm in the midst of this persecution.

CONCLUSION:

A. The beatitudes are a stepladder to the spiritual maturity of Christ. They are the characteristics of

    the kingdom of God. They are the building blocks for life.

B. May I ask you, “Who are you following today?” Who is your teacher? From what source are you

    learning life’s greatest lessons? Jesus is saying to you, “Come, learn from me.”

C. May we assist you with a spiritual need in your life?