Arguing With God, the Final Authority - Matthew 22

Matthew 22 is a mix of parables Jesus spoke against the Jews who rejected Him, the failed attempts of the Pharisees and Sadducees to trap Him, and some of Jesus’ strongest words of condemnation that He ever spoke while He walked the earth.

The most educated, religious and political leaders in Jerusalem were too proud to receive Jesus and in turn, rejected the God they professed to believe in. How different are things today?

Many people saw the miraculous things Jesus did and heard about countless more which were verified by eye-witnesses, but they were blinded from recognizing Him as the Messiah. What can we take away from Matthew 22?
Jesus first invited the Jews to repent and come to Him and when they ignored His call, He extended His offer to the Gentiles; a pattern the Apostle Paul followed and mentioned a few times in the book of Acts.
Though we’re all sinners in need of God’s grace and salvation, some will receive and believe Jesus and confess Him as Lord while others will ignore or reject Him.
Regarding the Church today, it is often religious leaders who twist God’s Word toward their own interpretation, add their own traditions, water down Scripture, or act self-righteously. Once a person goes down this road the result is often legalism or hypocrisy
The Apostle John said Jesus came to His own people but they did not recognize Him as God; He was with God in the beginning, the Word made flesh and lived among us (John 1). Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith; the only true, living GOD! In Colossians chapter 1, Jesus was before all things and by Him all things were created.

SCRIPTURES referenced:
MATTHEW 7:29, 9:6, 28:18; Matthew 21:12-14, Matthew 21:23, 31, 42-45. Matthew 22, esp. vs. 15 – 46. Revelation 22:12-16

Special guest speaker, author David Fiorazo, fills in and continues the series on the gospel of Matthew. This message was from Sunday August 21, 2016 at Crosspoint Church in DePere, WI (crosspointgb.com)

Aug 26, 2016