Matthew Chapter 11

Matthew 11:1 ~ The Purpose and Effects of Preaching and Teaching

When an unsaved person receives the Lord at the preaching of His word, a division and separation takes place between that person and all other nonbelievers.  It is a spiritual separation.  When you become a child of God, you are born of the Spirit of God.  You become part of the family of God.  Here is what makes it difficult.  Spiritually you are part of the family of God, but humanly you are part of your human family.  There is a conflict now because you and I are constantly being tempted to compromise our relationship with Christ in order to satisfy the unsaved people around us.  When you make a decision to be obedient to Christ, a separation takes place.  As he said in Matthew chapter 10, people will hate you.  People will think you do not love them anymore.   And Jesus saw this as a major problem.  

Matthew 11:2-3 ~ The Condition of Blessing Part 1

I find—and I know that you do too, because it is just natural—that just not understanding God's ways and being fearful of the future interferes with me experiencing the fullness of Christ in my life. He is there in His fullness and that never goes away. But in my mind, I get distracted with fear and lack of understanding, and that cuts me off. It is almost as if I am saying, “Lord, I know You are there in Your fullness, but I have some things to worry about. I will get back to You later.” But that is what trust is. He is God of every situation we find ourselves in. He has planned it. He has appointed it, and He already has an answer for it in His timing. I cannot change it or do anything about it. I am along for the ride. And I get to experience the fullness of Christ while I am along for the ride if I do not let the fears and the anxieties of life interfere and occupy the attention of my mind.

Matthew 11:4-5 ~ The Condition of Blessing Part 2a

The blind are receiving sight, and the lame are walking; lepers are being cleansed, and the deaf are hearing; the dead are being raised, and the poor are being evangelized.  That last part, the poor are being evangelized or are having the gospel preached to them, the poor.  Now that it is discriminatory!  What happened to everybody?  What happened to the rich, the religious, the politicians?  But it is just the poor.  The word “poor” does not just mean not having money or material things but somebody living in lowly humble conditions.  The people who are the most receptive to the gospel are not entangled with the money and activity of this earthly life.  The people who are most receptive to the gospel are not caught up mentally or physically in their daily life with serving to try to get from the world.  So, it is not just poor in money but lowly and humble circumstances.  

Matthew 11:5-6 ~ The Condition of Blessing Part 2b

What if Jesus were to tell you, “I am not going to heal you.  I am not going to change your circumstances or change anything about you.  The only thing I can tell you is that I am going to be with you to take you through everything.”  If that is all He did for you, would you still surrender your life to Christ?  If He did nothing for you in the human but just provided His presence and His faithfulness would that be enough?  For many people today it is not enough.  And that is why a lot of people who seemingly are involved in the church or with the things the Lord eventually leave.  They get frustrated and do not like that God does not provide for them the way they think He should.  They disagree with Him.  So, they leave.

Job said, “Though He slay me, yet I will praise Him."  There is only one reason for surrendering my life to Jesus Christ, and that is because He is worthy.  Period.

Matthew 11:7-15 ~ The Principle of Hearing Part 1

The command is, “The one having ears to hear, hear.”  The Lord is actually activating a person's hearing system who already has a heart to hear.  There is a difference between hearing and listening.  Most people that go to church are listening, but they are not all hearing.  A person cannot hear the word of the Lord unless the Lord, by His Spirit, gives that person the ability to hear it and receive it. 

Why would the Lord not activate a person's hearing to hear?  It is because they initially do not have a desire to hear.  Why does the Lord not draw people to Christian Fellowship on Sunday morning to hear His word?  Why would He allow them to make choices to do other things?  Because they have no desire to be there.  They have a desire to do something else.  So, He lets them go.  You and I are at the mercy of God.  

Matthew 11:16-20 ~ The Principle of Hearing Part 2

Repentance is what is lacking in the gospel message from our pulpits today. You very rarely hear about calling on people to repent. There is a call to join the church, to believe on Jesus, but not repent. Without repentance, there is no salvation. Belief is not enough.

There will be thousands, if not millions of people standing at the gates of heaven saying, “I went to church and believed that Jesus died on the cross for me, and they told me I was saved.” Well, you were told wrong. Because of what Jesus did for you on the cross you can be saved. You do not have to pay anything. But did you ever repent? See that is what people get stuck on. I have to give up myself. I have to give up my own way of life. I have to give up what I want out of life. I have to give up the direction of my life. I have to give up everything and let Jesus be the Lord.

Matthew 11:21-27 ~ The Principle of Hearing Part 3

The strongest position for a person to be in whether they are Christians or not Christians, whether they are saved or not saved is to know my total dependency is upon the Lord. I cry out to Him, “Lord! Give me the ability to hear! Give me the ability to know you! Lord, reveal Yourself to me.” See, as a human being I confess I do not have the ability to find Him. I do not have the ability to understand Him. I do not have the human ability to know Him. It comes from Him. And that is the lowest position you can get to, which spiritually is the highest, to confess our inability and our total dependency upon Christ.

Matthew 11:28-30 ~ The Description of a Relationship with Christ

Jesus presented Himself saying, "You saw the miracles I performed, those were a sign as to who I am. You must repent and come to Me for a personal relationship." When Jesus ministered He did not create revival. He created opposition and rejection. There are very few people who are looking for life, because it is only found in the person of Jesus Christ.