The Passion of Ministry
Matthew 15:29-39
December 18, 2011
As you know we have been studying through Matthew’s gospel
And recently have seen Matthew give several examples
Of how people respond to Jesus.
We’ve seen examples of weedy hearts, rocky hearts, hardened hearts,
And even fertile hearts.
But one thing that also seems evident as we have studied
Is that Jesus has really been doing some very important
Instructing on the disciples.
In the great commission that Jesus gave, we read:
Matthew 28:18-20 “And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
We know all about the call to missions and the command of our Lord
To take the gospel to the ends of the earth.
But aside from the call of evangelism is also the call of discipleship.
We are called to make full blown disciples of Jesus.
This is done by “teaching them to observe all that I commanded you”
And the best role model for doing that is of course Himself.
No one was a better teacher than Jesus.
During those moments when He sat down to teach
Our minds are literally blown away at the depth of truth.
We literally marvel over and over at the Sermon on the Mount,
Or the Olivet Discourse, or the Upper Room discourse.
But the times that marvel me even greater than those
Are the little every day teaching moments that Jesus gave.
When you read through the gospels,
It is obvious that Jesus was always teaching.
Every moment was a teaching moment.
Deuteronomy 6:6-7 “These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. “You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.”
Jesus was the Master at that.
He constantly found teaching points in the daily lives of the disciples.
There was always something to address,
There was always something to correct.
And that has also been going on in Matthew’s gospel.
Let me back track with you a moment and show you what I mean.
FIRST Jesus taught the disciples the PRIORITY OF MINISTRY
Remember the feeding of the 5,000?
• John had just died, Jesus wanted to be alone and so He departed.
• The disciples expected a nice little getaway.
• But the crowd found them.
After healing their diseases, the disciples had a great solution.
Matthew 14:15 “When it was evening, the disciples came to Him and said, “This place is desolate and the hour is already late; so send the crowds away, that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.”
Jesus saw a teaching opportunity.
Matthew 14:16 “But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away; you give them something to eat!”
And there Jesus taught the priority of ministry.
WHY ELSE DO YOU THINK YOU ARE HERE?
You can’t schedule time to witness or minister or teach or encourage,
You must be willing and ready when the opportunity presents itself.
That is why you must take up your cross daily.
You must be ready at all times.
And so that great miracle was also a valuable lesson for the disciples.
SECOND they learned the PREDICAMENTS OF MINISTRY
Jesus sent them out in a boat.
• He purposely sent them out into a storm; alone.
• After He let them strain at the oars a while He came to them, and the sermon was simple.
Matthew 14:27 “But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”
There are times when ministry is not only inconvenient, but even scary.
We are called to take the gospel to the corners of the world,
And that includes the dark and scary places.
We can’t just be committed to reaching
Young to middle age couples
With middle to upper class incomes.
The truth is sometimes ministry puts you in danger and in scary situations, but it is then YOU HAVE TO TRUST GOD.
Jesus used a storm to teach the disciples not to fear.
THIRD they learned the PURPOSE OF MINISTRY
The Pharisees
Remember there was a little confrontation with the Pharisees
Because Jesus’ disciples didn’t wash their hands before they ate.
This led to a rebuke by Jesus in regard to their legalistic
And tradition oriented religion that actually offended God.
But remember the disciples were shocked by Jesus’ rebuke.
Matthew 15:12-14 “Then the disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this statement?” But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant shall be uprooted. “Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”
Jesus message to the disciples was to
Stay away from those legalistic Pharisees.
And then came yet another teaching point.
Matthew 15:15-20 “Peter said to Him, “Explain the parable to us.” Jesus said, “Are you still lacking in understanding also? “Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is eliminated? “But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders. “These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man.”
Jesus taught the purpose of ministry,
And that is to effect the heart, not the hands.
As ministers of the gospel we aren’t just trying to
Make dirty people clean or bad people good.
We are trying to make sinful people righteous.
We are concerned about the heart,
Because God is concerned about the heart.
The purpose of ministry is to make men right before God.
Jesus taught that to the disciples there.
FOURTH they learned the POWER OF MINISTRY
The Canaanite Woman
• Her daughter was cruelly demon-possessed
• She came to Jesus for help.
When Jesus ignored her, the disciples actually begged Him to
Send her away so she would quit shouting at them.
But after a brief dialogue Jesus simply revealed that this woman had “great faith” and that her great faith was extremely powerful.
Matthew 15:28 “Then Jesus said to her, “O woman, your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed at once.”
We must believe and have faith that endures.
And so you can see that Jesus isn’t just reaching people
He is also training the 12.
This morning we see another teaching point.
This morning we learn THE PASSION OF MINISTRY
We learn about the driving force in our ministry
That keeps us going when we are tired or scared or discouraged.
And that driving force is COMPASSION
You and I are well aware that God is extremely compassionate.
Psalms 103:13 “Just as a father has compassion on his children, So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.”
Lamentations 3:22 “The LORD’S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail.”
And who can forget the great lesson that God taught to Jonah?
Jonah 4:10-11 “Then the LORD said, “You had compassion on the plant for which you did not work and which you did not cause to grow, which came up overnight and perished overnight. “Should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the difference between their right and left hand, as well as many animals?”
God is extremely compassionate.
He is not willing that any should perish.
It is His desire that all me be saved.
That is why Peter wrote:
1 Peter 5:6-7 “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.”
We know God cares for us.
We know He is compassionate.
And we know that Jesus is extremely compassionate as well.
Matthew 9:36 “Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.”
And even know in His High Priestly role He maintains great compassion.
Hebrews 2:17-18 “Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.”
Hebrews 4:15-16 “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
We know God is compassionate.
And this morning we see that God wishes for us to join Him
In His great compassionate work.
So let’s look at our text this morning.
There are three things I want you to see.
#1 THE SCENE
Matthew 15:29-31
Now first we notice that Jesus is leaving the region of Tyre and Sidon
Where the woman dwelt.
“Departing from there, Jesus went along by the Sea of Galilee, and having gone up on the mountain, He was sitting there.”
So Jesus is heading back towards Israel.
Mark indicates where He went.
Mark 7:31 “Again He went out from the region of Tyre, and came through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, within the region of Decapolis.”
This was a Greek pagan area known for idolatry and paganism.
It was known for its ten cities (Decapolis)
And this means that He is about to show compassion to people
That His disciples would deem less than worthy to receive it.
So Jesus is still in a Gentile region, and because He has just climbed a mountain, He is sitting down, presumably to rest.
(30) “And large crowds came to Him, bringing with them those were lame, crippled, blind, mute, and many others, and they laid them down at His feet;”
So again, Jesus can’t get away.
He is swamped by Jews, He is swamped by Sidonians,
He is swamped by Greeks.
And they have come and laid their sick down at His feet.
And, because Jesus is compassionate, “He healed them.”
And because Matthew was specific about the illnesses
We know what kind of healings occurred.
The lame began to walk.
The crippled had their missing limbs restored.
The blind began to see.
The mute began to speak.
And many other things occurred.
And that only makes the next statement obvious.
(31) “So the crowd marveled as they saw the mute speaking, the crippled restored, and the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.”
So we could quickly point out the obvious compassion of Jesus there.
He was moved by their sick and broken bodies and He healed them.
And His compassion was well-received for these pagan Greeks
Determined to start worshiping Israel’s God.
Now certainly that is compassion, but it is not yet the teaching point.
That was all Jesus.
Here comes the part where the disciples are included.
(Jesus didn’t ask the disciples to do it all, nor does He ask that of us)
There are still some things that only He can do.
But there are some things He has allotted to us,
And that is where our compassion steps in.
First, The Scene
#2 THE SERMON
Matthew 15:32-34
Now, there is no doubt that Jesus preached to this crowd.
HOW DO I KNOW?
They stayed with Him for three days.
But nothing of what He said to the crowd is recorded here.
The only words recorded are the words that Jesus spoke to the twelve.
“And Jesus called His disciples to Him, and said, “I feel compassion for the people, because they have remained with Me now three days and have nothing to eat; and I do not want to send them away hungry, for they might faint on the way.”
There is the compassion.
We could probably say a little about the resilience of this crowd
That was willing to endure three days without food
Just to hear the preaching and teaching of Jesus.
(Very similar to the faith of the Canaanite woman)
But the focal point of Matthew
Is that Jesus seeks to be compassionate to the people.
• He wants to feed them.
• He wants to do more than they asked.
• He is not only concerned about their illness, but also their stomach.
But notice HOW Jesus made the statement.
He did not tell the disciples what to do,
Rather He presented the dilemma to them.
WHY?
Should they not have already learned this lesson?
Matthew 14:15-16 “When it was evening, the disciples came to Him and said, “This place is desolate and the hour is already late; so send the crowds away, that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away; you give them something to eat!”
This is an opportunity for the disciples
To apply truths they have already been taught.
Jesus said, “I sure would like to feed them”
And then left it for the disciples to ponder.
But, as you will notice the disciples still missed it.
(33-34) “The disciples said to Him, “Where would we get so many loaves in this desolate place to satisfy such a large crowd?” And Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” And they said, “Seven, and a few small fish.”
We learned earlier that the disciples did not gain any insight from the incident of the feeding the 5,000, that is obviously true here.
They still aren’t sure about feeding the crowd.
That is too much, it is impossible.
It’s fine that You want to help Jesus, but it can’t be done.
BUT YOU SEE TRUE COMPASSION DOESN’T JUST WANT TO HELP A NEED, TRUE COMPASSION HELPS IT.
James 2:14-17 “What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.”
Compassion must take the next step.
And so Jesus is about to re-teach a lesson
They failed to fully grasp the first time.
The Scene The Sermon
#3 THE SATISFACTION
Matthew 15:35-39
So Jesus has the people to sit and once again He blesses the food.
(36) “and He took the seven loaves and the fish; and giving thanks, He broke them and started giving them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.”
And again this is so important.
The compassion we are to have is God’s compassion,
And God fully supplies for His compassion.
Jesus was teaching the disciples about compassion.
He didn’t give the food to the people,
He gave it to the disciples so they could give it to the people.
2 Corinthians 9:8-11 “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; as it is written, “HE SCATTERED ABROAD, HE GAVE TO THE POOR, HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS ENDURES FOREVER.” Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness; you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God.”
And so Jesus is allowing the disciples to exercise His compassion.
(37) “And they all ate and were satisfied”
This is the sufficiency of God’s compassion.
He meets people’s needs.
And think about this for a moment.
This was 4,000 men, not counting women and children
And they hadn’t eaten for 3 days.
And yet with just seven loaves and a few fish
Jesus fully satisfied their hunger.
In fact notice the surplus.
“and they picked up what was left over of the broken pieces, seven large baskets full.”
Now this is important.
When Jesus fed the 5,000 Matthew said there were 12 baskets left over.
But the word Matthew used there was KOPHINOS
That was small Jewish container, similar to a lunch box.
It was a private basket for personal use.
But that is not the word Matthew uses here for these 7 baskets.
The word he uses here is SPURIDAS
This was a Gentile basket and it was big.
Acts 9:23-25 “When many days had elapsed, the Jews plotted together to do away with him, but their plot became known to Saul. They were also watching the gates day and night so that they might put him to death; but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a large basket.”
The baskets the disciples filled here were big enough to hold a man.
In our language today:
• After feeding the 5,000 they filled 12 lunch boxes with crumbs.
• After feeding the 4,000 they filled 7 barrels with leftovers.
WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT?
Because Jesus was teaching the disciples about compassion.
When He tells you to give, then give.
And don’t fret that if you give there won’t be any left for you.
Not only did the crowd and the disciples eat,
But they had 7 barrels of leftovers.
There was so much left the disciples
Couldn’t even have eaten all the leftovers.
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.”
You don’t have to fret being compassionate.
My sister used to get money from my parents and then give it to people in need, then she would go back for more money.
People would say, “That Alaina sure is generous.”
You would be too with someone else’s money.
BUT THAT’S POINT
IT IS SOMEONE ELSE’S MONEY
God is actually telling us to go and share,
He’ll provide, but BE COMPASSIONATE!
(38-39) “And those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children. And sending away the crowds, Jesus got into the boat and came to the region of Magadan.”
This is another teaching lesson by Jesus.
And it quickly applies to us.
• We must learn the PRIORITY of ministry, that people never need help at opportune times, we must be ready at all times.
• We must learn the PREDICAMENTS of ministry and know that hardships and scary times will arise, but even then we must trust Christ and go forward.
• We must learn the PURPOSE of ministry, that while we help with external things, it is still all about the heart.
• We must learn the POWER of ministry, which is the faith which motivates God to respond.
• We must learn the PASSION of ministry, which is of course the great compassion of God.
God loves people.
God cares about people.
And He has sent us into the world to care about them too.
I’ll leave you with one illustration this morning.
TURN TO: LUKE 10:25-37
Be compassionate.
Help people.
Give and give again.
