Matthew 22:1-22 Parable of Wedding Banquet & Render to God what is God's by Tiong Tung Hui dated 11.9.16

The context of this sermon was the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.  It took place a few days before Jesus went to the Cross, so you can imagine the importance of this occasion and the events that followed.

September 11 is a significant day because it was 15 years ago this day when two planes crashed into the Twin Towers in New York where more than 3000 people died and more than 300 firemen died rescuing others.

What is a parable?

It is a story that Jesus used to tell heavenly story for earthly gains.  Some said it was to reveal as well as to conceal the meaning of a story.

Jesus told the parable of the wedding banquet.  In the wedding banquet God invited the people to attend.  It is like inviting all of us to attend.  Jesus also spoke about the kingdom of heaven,

Mark 1:15“The time has come, the kingdom of God is nearRepent and believe the good news”. God invited people to come to the banquet, but the people refused to come.  The central of His teaching, to repent and enter the kingdom of heaven. 

Vs 1-3 Invitation to the banquet

2 Peter 3:9 ….He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.  God is patient with us and He does not want anyone to perish.  He loves every one of us.

Messianic feast of the last day
“On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples; a banquet of aged wine – the best of meats and finest of wines…” Isaiah 25:6-8.  Here we consider the character of God.  He wants everyone to participate in the feast and does not want anyone to perish.

“Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come,…”
Revelation 19:7-9

When we enter God’s presence it will be a great feast of celebration.  The King invited the people.  What was their response?  People do not want to come.  Who are the servants ? We are the servants.  We are empowered by God to invite people to His Kingdom.  We must obey, of course some with ignore you e.g the Middle East.

Response to the invitation

Verse 7: “The King was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.”

The King was angry as no one wants to come.

Verse 9-10:         Invitation to everyone from the street

Verse 11:             Wedding garments

                Righteousness of Jesus

Isa 64:6 Our righteous acts are like filthy rags

Isa 61:10, Psalm 132:16 – the wedding garments represented the righteousness of God.  People who attend weddings have to wear these garments.  Our own garments are like filthy rags.   The invitation to all of us reflected the character of God.  Whether good or bad He invited all.  There is no discrimination.  Salvation is for all. God heart’s for all who are down cast.  Our own righteousness will get us no way, only God’s righteousness will do.  If we do not put on the righteousness of God we will be thrown out V. 13.

Verse 14:For many are invited (called), but feware chosen

Joshua 24:15      As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord

Matt 7:13-14      The narrow gate

Psalm 139:23      Search me O God, and know my heart;

Matthew 22:15-22
Render to God what is God’s

Pharisees and Herodians
Paying taxes to Caesar
 The religious leaders wanted to trap Jesus and asked Him whether they should pay tax to Caesar.  He asked for a coin bearing the image of Caesar, and said pay to Caesar what is due to him.

Similarly give to God what is due to God.  Where is Christ in all our resources?  Let us think about these.  We are to offer our bodies as living sacrifices to God.

Matthew Chapter 21:28-46 Are you the good son? Do you bear fruits? By Ho King Swee dated 4.9.16

Jesus faced conflicts with the religious members such as Sadducees, Pharisees, Scribes and elders of the Jews.  The religious people assumed they were the holders of God’s authority and who will instruct the Jewish people.  However, Jesus seemed to usurp their authority thus creating conflicts with them.

Conflict with the chief priests and elders

1. The question of Jesus' authority 21:23-27

2. The parable of the two sons 21:28-32

3. The parable of the wicked tenants (vinedressers) 21:33-46

1. The question of Jesus’ authority 21:23-27

Question by the chief priests and elders:

“By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?”

What authority? To preach, heal, cast out demons, cleanse the temple?  The religious people assumed that Jesus’ power was from the devil that was why He could perform miracles and heal the sick.  They were also angry that he cleansed the temple of traders and money changers which were their source of income.

“Who gave you this authority ?”Who gave you? 3 sources of authority: 

God, human and devil. Jesus did not answer them but instead asked them a question of where John the Baptist got his power.  If they answer from God, Jesus will ask them why they did not believe.  If they said from man, people will stone them as they know John was from God.

The chief priests and elders - were wicked to trap righteous men - feared men and did things against their conscience.

2. The parable of the two sons 21:28-32

The use of parable was to reveal as well as to conceal.  The meaning was revealed to those who are from God and conceal to those who did not believe.

(a)1st son, `I will not'; but afterward he repented and went.

(b) 2nd son, `I go, sir,' but did not go.

(i) Who is doing the will of the father?

(ii) We are not perfect especially in word or speech

(iii) We must repent once we realize we are wrong

 (iv) We need to obey –be doers of the words

(iv) We need not have all the full knowledge – we obey what we know

3. The parable of the wicked tenants (vinedressers) 21:33-46

Who are the evil tenants?

35: and the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another.

39: And they took him (the son) and cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him.

The tenants were the general population and God had given the fruitful land to them, but they rejected the giver.  The son sent to the tenants was Jesus, and like we read in the Bible, He was rejected and crucified.  Jesus used this parable to talk about himself.

Who are the evil tenants?

Act 7:52  “Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered”

Mat 21:43  Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits.

Are you producing fruit?

Application

     1.       Always fear God and not men

     2.       Be humble to repent

     3.       Abide always in the Lord (obey) to bear fruit

Matthew 20: The Upside Down Kingdom by Dr. Thomas Chung dated 14.8.16

Introduction

This sermon is based on Matthew Chapter 20.  Interesting the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard was only recorded in Gospel of Matthew, the others did not record it.  John ony recorded it parabolicaly.  God used earthly story to explain what He wanted to say.  There are two aspects of a parable: 

              a) conceal – cannot be seen

              b) reveal  – can be seen

In chapter 20: 1-16 God had conceal and reveal about the meaning of the parable.

There are 4 parts to chapter 20:1-16:

      1)      Speaking to the individual

      2)      Speaking to the church

      3)      The emphasis on the Cross

      4)      Compassion of Jesus

The Upside down Kingdom

God’s kingdom is different from the worldly Kingdom and sometimes things in God’s kingdom are upside down as compared to the worldly kingdom.  In God’s kingdom, Christian leadership rested upon humility and servant hood.  The labourers in the vineyard considered God being not fair to them.  The world talks about fairness, but the Bible spoke of being just.  Being just is living by the Law, where as being fair is about equality.  This Parable deals with justice as well as equality.

vs 4. Worker was paid what was “right”.  The payment was the same regardless of how many hours of work.  The workers said it was unfair to pay the same amount for different hours of work.  But how dare one question God?  Jesus said He did no wrong for He paid one denarius as agreed by the workers.

vs.16 “so the last will be first, and the first will be last” – upside down kingdom that’s opposite to worldly kingdom.

Parables do not lay down laws unlike commandment.  They were not taught to obey any commandment.  Parables are pictorial illustrations like paintings.  Two aspects of parable: a) person of God B) work of God.

Character of God :

      1)      God is sovereign, He knows what He is doing, He is in charge no matter what happens in this world.

      2)      God is just.  The parable did not go against the justice of God. He is just and He will always do the right things.

      3)      Man looks on the outside, God looks at the heart.

      4)      Man is more concerned with quantity, God is concerned about quality.

      5)      Parable showed the length of time in work was less important than how one did the work.

      6)      Commendations for those who did good.

      7)      God is a generous God.  Like Luke 6:38  “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”  The generosity of God is not haphazard and not unfair.  The parable of the workers in the vineyard is about God’s grace.

Conclusion

God did not underpay those who work longer in the fields.  He paid as agreed “on the day’s wage”.  He is always just.  He gave us a great gift of salvation with eternal life.  God is generous and full of grace.  God is just, He is gracious, He is truth.  Whatever He does is of love.

Matthew 16 by Dr. Thomas Chung dated 17.7.2016

Introduction

During this time, the scenario was that Jesus was facing three type of people:

           a)       The Romans

           b)      Herodians who were placed there by Caesar

           c)       Jewish shariah courts – they were the Pharisees and Sadducees

The Scribes who were mostly Pharisees were religious professionals.

Usually the Pharisees and Sadducees were opponents who were at odds with each other, however, they had an alliance to confront Jesus.  In fact, the Pharisees, Sadducees, the Priests, the Scribes, the Herodians formed alliance to get rid of Jesus.  They had no power from God, but they had religious power and using this power to attack Jesus and to bring benefits to themselves.

Jesus was walking in many minefields.  How can He avoid these minefields?

In Matthew chapter 6:1 the Jews demanded a sign from heaven.  In Vs 2, 3, 4 Jesus said there was only the sign of Jonah.  If the Jews knew what he was talking about they would have known the answers.  Jesus used this parable to a) concealed the truth to those who did not want to understand b) revealed the truth to those who understood.  The disciples were concerned with not bringing the bread in Vs. 5.  But Jesus rebuked them saying didn’t they witnessed the feeding of the 5,000 and 4,000 with a few loaves and a few fishes?  They were concerned with the physical whereas Jesus was concerned with the spiritual.  Vs. 11 Jesus warned about the yeasts of the Pharisees and Sadducees.  Jesus was actually talking about the teaching of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.  Vs.14 to Vs.16. Jesus asked the disciples who they though He was.  Simon said He is the Christ, the Son of the living God.  Jesus replied that God gave him the knowledge.  Vs.21 Jesus said preaching and teaching to the people was more important than miraculous signs.  For many had seen signs and wonders and yet did not believe in God.

The Parable of Jonah – representing Jesus dying for 3 days and 3 nights before being resurrected.  Peter that this could not happened, but Jesus rebuked him saying, “Satan get behind me”. Vs. 24 the Cross is central to the Gospel.  The work of the Cross is important.  It is suffering which is the mark of the Cross.  We are to take up our Crosses daily.  We are to suffer when we follow Jesus.

We are saved by faith but we are rewarded by our works.

Christianity and Politics

Politics and religion had an unholy alliance in this scenario.  The Jews asked Jesus to show signs from heaven because they wanted to trap Him.  The two groups of religious people, that is the Pharisees and Sadducees had conflicted beliefs.  The Sadducees did not believe in the Resurrection whereas the Pharisees were religious fundamentalists who kept strict rules and laws.  In a way, the Sadducees were not so strict in their beliefs.  However, laws and rules were not as important as the message from God.  To the Pharisees following strict rules and laws were more important to them.  The actions were more important than the spirit of the actions.  They were majoring on the minor so to speak.  The Pharisees and Sadducees avoided each other.  The Sadducees were political elites.  The Pharisees were religious elites.

 

Significance of signs and wonders

There are two types a) signs of physical wonders e.g the weather where sky may turned red etc b) spiritual significant.

Jesus was interested in the spiritual signs, those were signs of building our faith in God.  Jesus used the sign of Jonah as He was preaching to those who wanted to hear and understand.  Those who did not want to hear they have to move on.  The sign of Jonah was the sign of the Cross.  The Cross is planted into the heart of evangelism, the Gospel and Salvation.  The first person to gain from the Cross was the thief who begged Jesus to save him.

Pre-occupation of the disciples

The disciples were interested in the physical state saying “we brought no bread”. Jesus addressed this issue in parabolic manner.  In other example, like the woman at the well.  She was talking about physical thirst but Jesus addressed her spiritual thirst and that He could give her spring of water so she will never thirst again.

Power of recall

The disciples were easy to forget that Jesus had fed the 5,000 and 4,000 with few loaves and fishes.  Why talked about not bringing bread?  We usually do not connect physical things with spiritual things.

Leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees

Leaven in the yeasts initials a chemical reaction in the bread that makes it to expand.  Leaven signified evil. 

          a)       Leaven of the Pharisees – dead religion.  It kills through spirituality.  Jesus said they were going through the motion rather than worshipping God.

          b)      Leaven of the Sadducees – liberal theology.  E,g did not believe in the Resurrection.  Watered down theology, cut away parts of the Scripture that did not conformed to what they wanted.  We need parallel truth – faith and work.  They are on both strips of a railway track.  Grace balance by obedience to God.  Son-ship balanced by servant hood.  Christ centred Christianity.  Revealetion is the heart of faith as revealed by the Holy Spirit.

Good intentions doe not serve God.  E.g Peter’s good intention when he said Jesus should not die.  But Jesus’ intentions were always God’s intentions.  E.g at the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus cried “Your will be done”.

Christian discipleship

To follow Jesus, we must deny ourselves.  We are to follow Him with passion.  We should not gamble our salvation.  Work out our salvation with fear and trembling. 

We are saved by faith, but we will be rewarded by how we live, serve and follow Jesus.