THE TAX MAN

 

The Tax Man Cometh – Nov 25 – Mark 2:13-17

 

Matthew is Called: (Matt 9:9-13, Mark 2:13-17, Luke 5:27-32

             As Jesus walking down by the Sea of Galilee, He saw a man named Matthew or Levi sitting in his office or tax booth.  He saw Matthew and asked Him to follow Him.  Matthew did right away and that night he had a meal prepared for Jesus and His disciples.

Some Pharisees saw this and they criticized Jesus for eating with publicans and sinners.  Jesus replied that He had come to heal the sick and not the healthy.

 

1. Jesus was willing to call the lowest of people.  In Matthew’s case He saw not what Matthew was but what he would become.  God does the same with us.
2. God looks at the heart when He does His calling.  He is not concerned about the exterior but the interior.
3. Jesus is the helper of the ordinary man.  He comes to heal the broken hearted and those that need His touch.  It is the sick that need a doctor not the healthy.
4. Man will always find something to complain and criticize about.
5. Jesus brought out here that mercy is more important than sacrifice.  This is the greatest factor that let God to send His Son Jesus Christ to death on the cross.
6. Jesus came to die for the sins of the world.  He came to deal with the sinner and not the religious people of the world.

 

 

    

QUOTES FOR JUNE 1, 2026

 

TEMPTATION OF JESUS

 

The Temptation of Jesus Christ

Matt 4:1-11, Mark 1:12-13 & Luke 4:1-13

               Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.  This was a confrontation and conflict between the two heavy weights of human history.  The two individuals who have had the most impact on the human race.  Jesus was tempted three times and He used the Word of God to defeat the devil, an example for every Christian to follow.  It was the big fight between good and evil and good won.

 

1.       Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the desert and this was Jesus’ first time of testing.  The desert is where all the great characters of the Bible have been tested, refined and processed for eternal purposes.

2.      Jesus fasted for forty days and He was a man who was willing to sacrifice for God.  Fasting is the providential discipline to which great power and breakthrough come as a result of this practice.

3.      Jesus was tempted to use His power for self to be fed.  Jesus used scripture to defeat the devil.  He revealed that man does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

4.      The devil is the tempter and he will use scripture out of context as a tool to tempt.

5.      Jesus was tempted to use His power to save His life.  He was tempted to put God to a foolish test.  Jesus refused to do this.

6.      It is revealed here that one of the functions of angels is to protect the child of God.

7.      The devil has authority over the kingdoms of this world.  His greatest desire is to have people worship him.  Jesus refused and told the devil that God is the only one worthy to be worshipped.

8.      The temptations show that the devil to be a liar and defeated by the Son of God.  1 John 3:8 states that Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil.

9.      Jesus was full of the Holy Spirit when He was sent into the desert.

10.   The kingdoms of this world can be given to anyone the devil wishes, which he will do for the anti-christ.

11.   The devil left Jesus but he was looking for a more opportune time which he never found.

 

TRUE LOVE

 

The True Value of Love – Feb 16, 2014

 

1.      Paul has revealed through this chapter what love is all about.  First that if a person does not love the way God loves or wants us to love.  Three things happen.

 

1. We receive nothing of real value.
2. We produce nothing of real value.
3. We are of no real value.

 

2.     Fifteen attributes of love.  Love is first is longsuffering, kind, does not envy, is not conceited or puffed up.  It is not rude or seeks its own, not easily provoked, thinks no evil and does not rejoice in sin. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things.  Love never fails.

 

3.      What we know in part and prophesy in part will be done away because that which is perfect will come.  It is Jesus Christ. 

4.      Paul then says when he was a child he thought and acted as a child but now that he is a man he has put away childish things.

5.     Verse 12, says that we see through a glass darkly but one day we shall see Him face to face.  What a promise.  I will know in part but then I will know and be known.  You will see, know and become all that God intended when Jesus comes back.  

 

Part 2

 

1. Paul then focuses on the way of love.  Faith and hope are based in love. 
2. Your faith is based in the love of God which was given you by His grace when He extended His mercy to you.  Faith is a gift given to you by God and is built by the word of God.

 

a.      Faith has been given to every person.  There is natural faith that allows us to believe in people, nature and the world around us.  Then there is saving faith that allows us to connect with the eternal God.  This faith is the one that believes that God exists and that is the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.  Faith is the substance of things hope for and the evidence of things not seen.  Faith in its simplest form is trusting God for your present and eternity.  Faith is an expression of love. 

b.      Hope is the belief that you have a future. When you know that God is on your side and working on your behalf you have hope.  You know God will never leave you or forsake you have hope, you know that all things work together for those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose you have hope.  God has good thoughts for you.  He has given you a hope and a future.  All this is based in the fact that you know God loves you.  Hope is a manifestation of love’s belief in the future. 

c.      God is love.  He loves you. He loved you so much that He sent Jesus Christ to die in your place.  Jesus loved you so much that He was willing to die for you and the Holy Spirit loves you so much that He drew you to Christ, empowered you and regenerated you to get saved.  You know that love is the most excellent way.  Love is the mark of a true believer.  The mark of a true Christian is because we have learned the excellent way and that is love. 

1.       The true value of love is knowing that only through love will you receive, produce and be of   

        value.  You give without expecting anything to receive.  It is in your nature to love because God   

        first love you. 

2.       You display the 15 attributes of love.  Gifts and knowledge will fail when Jesus comes and we see

3.       Him face to face.  You shall see Him as He is and we shall be like Him.  You may see things darkly right now but one day you will know all things. 

4.       Walk in faith which is the way of love and hope which is the manifestation of love.  We all need to be loved.  It meets our need for significance, self worth and security.  Jesus gives us significance, He completes our self worth and He is our security.   

        

THE UPPER ROOM

 The Upper Room – Luke 22:14-30

 

            What is amazing that in the midst of the most meaningful moments of Jesus life a dispute rose among His disciples about who was the greatest among them.  Jesus stopped them and once again taught them about the rules of advancement in the Kingdom of God.

1. The greatest among us must become a servant.  You are not like the Kings of the earth.

2. If you want to be great in God’s kingdom you have to be the servant of all.  If you want to be first, you have to learn to be last.

3. Jesus came as a servant.  He came too served not to be served.

4. Jesus then said that He has a table in which the disciples will eat and drink later.  Their reward for service will be that they will judge the twelve tribes of Israel.

QUOTES FOR MAY 31, 2026

 

THE WITHERED HAND

 

The Withered Hand or Raise Your hand if You are Sure!

Matt 12:9-14, Mark 3:1-6 and Luke 6:6-11

 

 

Intro:  On another Sabbath Jesus was teaching in the local House of the Lord when He saw a man with a withered hand.  The Pharisees were looking for something to accuse Jesus on concerning the Sabbath.   Jesus knew what they were thinking.

            He had the man with the withered hand stand up in front of everyone and then He asked the Pharisees if it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath.  He then asked them if it was right to save a life.  They did not answer so He healed the man.  They were furious and so they wanted to kill Jesus even more.

 

1. Paul were always trying to tap Jesus, they asked Him once if it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath.
2. Jesus put the question back at them by asking if they would get a sheep out of pit on the Sabbath?  Jesus said a man was more valuable than a sheep.
3. It is lawful to do good on the Sabbath?  Jesus is not concerned about man made rules when it comes to helping a person.
4. Jesus is distressed with the stubbornness and hardness of men’s hearts.