This morning it's good to be with you as we continue study in the book of Matthew. In our coverage of Matthew we skipped over verses 15 to 21. This was because thematically verses 15 and 21 seemed better suited to couple them with the final paragraph in the chapter. which we're gonna cover today as well, starting at verse 46. Most of chapter 12 chronicled the increasing hostility between Jesus and the religious leaders. The two sections we cover today speak more about who Jesus' friends were, not who his enemies were. So who did have the allegiance of Jesus? Who did he consider his closest companions? A theme for today, the allegiance of Jesus lies not in national ties, not in familial ties, but in spiritual ties. starting at verse 14 where the brewing hostility of the Pharisees was alluded to. The Pharisees went out and plotted against him how they might destroy him. Jesus was not afraid to tangle with the Pharisees, but in this case he withdrew from the conflict. Verse 15, but when Jesus knew it, he withdrew from there, and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all. Although the religious leaders despised him, the crowds did not. Never has there been a more magnetic man than the Son of God. He could have used his popularity to his advantage in a political kind of way. But Jesus really worked on tamping down that popularity and that celebrity that was coming his way. Verse 16, yet he warned them not to make him known. Matthew stated that the attitude that Jesus had of anonymity was predicted in the Old Testament by the prophet Isaiah. Notably, verse 19, he will not quarrel nor cry out nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets. This is not to suggest that Jesus never raised his voice. And it's certainly not to suggest that he was afraid to get in a quarrel with the religious leaders because clearly he did. His description, Isaiah's description points out the gentleness of Jesus and the way that he cared for people. Jesus didn't seek fame by overwhelming personality. He didn't seek fame with great swelling speech. Jesus was not like a politician on the stump. He didn't solicit fame, he actually tried to quell the rising fame. Now one reason that Jesus warned people not to make him known was because he was waiting on his father's timing. The crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus were on the father's timetable. The expression, his hour had not yet come, alludes to this, for example, in John 7, 30, therefore they sought to take him. The religious leaders were going to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him because his hour had not yet come. But people in their zeal would have taken Jesus before the father's timetable and tried to do what they felt was best. Those who were against Jesus, the zealous against Jesus would have taken him and crucified him before the father's time. Those that were zealous for him would have taken and made him a king prior to the father's timetable to make him king after the second coming. In verse 18, we see a statement about the allegiance of Jesus. Behold, my servant, whom I have chosen my beloved and whom my soul is well pleased, I will put my spirit upon him and he will declare justice to the Gentiles. Now, let's be clear, that doesn't mean all Gentiles. Not all Gentiles are going to be in heaven. Verse 21, and in his name, the Gentiles will trust. So those Gentiles who put their trust in him have the allegiance of Jesus. So Jesus was opening the door of salvation to the Gentiles, those that would put their trust in him. This was a hard concept for the disciples and the Jewish people, because they felt they were exclusively God's chosen people. But Isaiah predicted that Jesus would open the door wide for the Gentile nations to come to salvation. There were Gentile believers in the Old Testament. You know a few of the names, Rahab the Canaanite, Ruth the Moabitess. But by and large, the Israelites were the chosen people of the Old Testament. But part of the beauty of the New Testament church was Jews and Gentiles cooperating and working together and praying together and worshiping together, caring for each other. Prior to Jesus, there was mostly mutual antipathy between the Jews and the Gentiles, but the love of Christ was poured out into the hearts of these believers. who at one time were political enemies and now they became beloved brothers and sisters. Jesus the servant, behold my servant whom I have chosen. Now Jesus, when he came to open the doors of salvation wide to the whole world, came as a servant. for even a son of man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many, Mark 10, 45. He was the chosen servant. He was chosen by God exclusively. God didn't choose Muhammad. He didn't choose Confucius. Jesus alone was chosen by God, and Jesus is beloved of God. Behold my servant, whom I have chosen, my beloved. And when God sent Jesus to earth, he clearly knew the path that Jesus would be taking to Calvary, the kangaroo court, and the trial that he would endure. That makes the magnitude of the love of God for humanity come into better focus. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. Here's a verse about the love of God. This comes from the Apostle Paul. He says, Paul says that you may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and the length and the depth and the height to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge. Because apparently Paul understood that our view of the love of God would constantly be too restricted. We are incapable of actually understanding the breadth of his love. And so he prayed that we would understand the magnitude of God's love. Yet, we doubt the love of God, don't we? I do sometimes. Now, Jesus, of course, was in agreement with salvation's plan. The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and give his life a ransom for many. And so Jesus came to earth, the servant already knowing what his job would be, his duty would be, to suffer and to die. Was Jesus a good servant? Also verse 18, my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased. Everything about Jesus pleased the Father. Everything he did, everything he said, all the attitudes he had, he was without sin. And that message was repeated by the audible voice of God. For example, when Jesus was baptized by John, the Baptist in the Jordan River. And suddenly a voice came from heaven saying, this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. That's Matthew 3.17. How Jesus stated that part of the reason for the father's great love for him was because Jesus as the servant was willing to lay down his life. John 10, 17, and 18. Therefore, my father loves me, Jesus said. Why, Jesus? Why does your father love you? Because I lay down my life, that I may take it again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. Now, that verse tells us a lot about the character of the father. Here's what the Father loves. He loves it when people are willing to serve others, even at great expense to themselves. The Father loved Jesus because Jesus laid down his life for us. God notices and rewards even the smallest acts of service. Jesus said, the smallest acts of service will be rewarded. Whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward, Matthew 10, 42, which we covered a few weeks ago. Jesus was the chosen servant. He was beloved of God. He was well-pleasing to God, and he was empowered by the Holy Spirit. I will put my spirit upon him. And John the Baptist again testified to seeing this, the Holy Spirit descend on Jesus. I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and he remained on him. And so the ministry that Jesus carried out in his death on the cross and especially his resurrection was done through the power of the Holy Spirit. Now the last phrase in verse 13 tells us the role that Jesus was given as servant. He will declare justice to the Gentiles. Here the gospel is spoken of as justice. The only path to be right with God or just in God's sight is through belief in the sacrificial death of Jesus on the sinner's behalf. Isaiah predicted that many Gentiles would end up believing in Jesus as a means of salvation, and in his name Gentiles will trust. But in that service that Jesus laid out for the world, for the Gentiles, and for everyone. How would he approach that work? With what attitude, with what tone would Jesus come in bringing salvation to us? It's noted in verse 20, a bruised reed he will not break. and smoking flax, he will not quench till he sends forth justice to victory. This is a beautiful picture of the character of Jesus. Now, Isaiah here used two brief metaphors to describe Jesus' interactions with people. People are sometimes bruised wreaths or smoking flax. Both speak to human frailty, and they speak to Jesus' care to heal, not destroy the frail. The reed is a fragile plant to begin with, and then if it gets bruised, if it gets bent, if it gets crushed as though by someone walking over it, the death of the plant is virtually assured, but not with Jesus. The bruised person, the one who has endured many blows in life, the one who has given up hope, the one overwhelmed by guilt and defeats, the one who's endured many injustices at the hands of others, Jesus comes along and supports. and nurses that person back to health with consummate gentleness. Like the woman caught in adultery, the picture that you see there, woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you? She said, no one, Lord. And Jesus said to her, neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more. Now, Flax. was sometimes used as a wick for the lamp. If the flax runs out of oil, it dims and then it flickers. And then for the briefest second, it smokes until it's completely extinguished. This is how it is with the spiritual life of people through sin, through the devil, through life circumstances, The wick, which is supposed to be burning brightly and giving light all around it, sometimes has lost its flame and it appears to be nearly completely extinguished. Beyond recovery from any human help, but not beyond the touch of Jesus. Jesus can provide the needed oil. He can fan the smoking whip back into flame. The thief on the cross would serve as an example here. Death was imminent. Hell was reaching for his very soul. The wicked life that he lived was deserving of judgment. He had no way of escape. He had no time left to amend any of the wrongs of his life. Truly he was smoking flax at the very point of his eternal hope being extinguished forever. But his fortune was to be hung beside Jesus. And he had the wherewithal to say to Jesus, hey, you remember me when you come into your kingdom? And Jesus said, today you will be with me in paradise. And that man's smoldering wick flashed into flame and continues to burn in heaven today. We are all bruised reeds or smoking flax at times. The earthly hopes fade. Our soul is about to be extinguished. Then Jesus comes to nurse the bruises and fends the flame of the smoking wick. Sometimes we feel that God deals roughly with us. He deals roughly with our failures. He deals roughly with our weaknesses. Actually, the opposite is true. Jesus is there to help you and your loved ones when they're experiencing profound frailty. to recover from being severely bruised and to fan into flame your spiritual life. Your job is to trust him. In his name, Gentiles will trust. As long as you have breath, you have hope, because with a skilled way, Jesus deals with frail people. Now, a word about what verses 15 through 21 say about allegiances that Jesus develops with people. His allegiance is not national. Jesus didn't gather the Jews together, you know, we gotta stick together. His allegiance was with those who trusted in him, including the Gentiles. It's okay to love your country, I hope you do. but your allegiance is not primarily national, it's with those who trust in the name of Jesus. Your allegiance is not primarily to a denomination either, Presbyterian, Catholic. Your first allegiance after God, of course, is with the saints. By this, the world will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another," John 13, 35. Jesus' allegiance was not primarily national, and it was not familial. Now I'm reading Matthew chapter 12, verses 46 to 50. If you want to get your Bible there, that will be the second passage we cover today. While he was still talking to the multitudes, behold, his mother and brothers stood outside seeking to speak with him. Then one said to him, look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside seeking to speak with you. But he answered and said to the one who told him, who is my mother and who are my brothers? And he stretched out his hand toward his disciples and said, here are my mother and my brothers for whoever does the will of my father in heaven is my brother. and sister and mother. So the allegiance of Jesus was to those who were obedient to him. Whoever does the will of my father in heaven. whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother." Jesus considered his primary family, those who submit to the will of his Father. Now, some of the words that Jesus said about nuclear family can be upsetting, and we're going to look at a passage like that in a moment. But I want you to understand here that Jesus is not belittling family. Family is the design of God in the first place. Genesis 1, 28, then God blessed them, Adam and Eve, and God said to them, be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it, have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on earth. So God cares very much for family. He cares about nuclear family. He's given many commands to ensure the safe and happy function within family. Some commands he gave to you children, Children obey your parents and the Lord for this is right, Ephesians 6.1. Some commands are given to parents. You fathers do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord, Ephesians 6.4. Some are given to spouses. Nevertheless, let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself and let the wife see that she respects her husband, Ephesians 5.33. So the words of Jesus here in Matthew 12 and in the other passage we'll look at are not to undermine or disparage family. Not to belittle, but to set proper priorities. Family is precious because God ordained it, but obedience to God is the top priority. Actually, When we are obedient to God as our top priority, our treatment of our family will become much better and much more loving. Because when we're committed to God, he pours his love out into our lives so that that love then can go to God. our family and our brothers and sisters in Christ. We might say, we might suggest that love for God is the top priority because of the first and great commandment. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind, with all thy strength. But obedience and love end up being one in the same thing. If you love me, keep my commandments, Jesus said, John 14, 15. All right, let's look at the text. Verse 46, while he was still talking to the multitudes. The confrontation Jesus had with the scribes and Pharisees happened out in front of the multitudes, it was public. If we look back a few verses, if you have your Bible open to Matthew 12, you can see the nature of that confrontation. If you look at verse 39, but he answered and said to them, an evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign. No sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah or verse 45. Then he goes, and there's the demon that's been cast out of a man, then He goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last day of that man is worse than the first. So it shall also be with this wicked generation." Jesus called the scribes and the Pharisees and evil, adulterous, and wicked generation. He did so openly in front of the multitudes. Now, with a bit of imagination, we might make an intelligent guess about what kind of news came back to Mary and the brothers of Jesus about Jesus. He's going to get himself killed. Can't we calm him down a little bit? If they had been thinking that way, there was a reason for it. Back in verse 14, then the Pharisees went out and plotted against him how they might destroy him, which Jim read this morning. But the truth is, we don't know exactly what Mary and the brothers of Jesus wanted to talk to Jesus about, but Jesus knew. And because he knows the thoughts of men, We read in various places such as Luke 5.22, but when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered and said to them, why are you reasoning in your hearts? So when somebody said to Jesus, look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside seeking to speak with you, Jesus knew their agenda. He knew what it was they were coming to talk to him about. Now, we can't tell from scripture whether or not Jesus actually went out and talked to them. I'd like to think that he did, maybe. But I find it interesting that Jesus said anything at all in response to, hey, you know, your mom and your brothers are out. They want to talk with you. You know, he wouldn't have had to have said anything. Oh, thanks for letting me know. But Jesus felt compelled to make this statement about who his true mother and brothers were. I wonder whose benefit that was for. Everything Jesus did was intentional. What was his intention in saying what he said? Was it, was the benefit for his mother and brothers? It seems unlikely since his answer, you know, being given to Mary and his brothers might have felt like a slap in the face. Was it for the sake of the listening followers? Very possibly. A way to encourage them about the deep care that Jesus has for them. Or was it for the sake of the 12, including Matthew? Very likely. since Jesus knew his words would become part of holy writ as we are reading it this morning as recorded by Matthew. Now, if you're fortunate, your earthly family and your spiritual family will intersect substantially. And what a blessing it is to have members in your nuclear family who are trusting in Jesus Christ, and you can fellowship together as brothers and sisters, even in your nuclear family. Some of you, that is the case, but not all of you. Some of you stand alone in your family as the only God-fearing believer. I cannot take away the pain of knowing that your family members are estranged from God. I can only tell you that you're part of Jesus' family, and that's the family that's closest to his heart. Now, some application possibly for us. Here's a verse from Psalm 68, five and six. The father of the fatherless, a defender of widows is God in his holy habitation. God sets the solitary in families. How do you suppose God sets the solitary in families today? It's through the church. The solitary, it seems to me, are those who live day in and day out with unbelievers. The solitary person in Psalm 68 refers not only to the widow, not only to those whose nuclear family had largely passed away, but it refers to those who find little or no fellowship in those people closest to them. So we ask ourselves how much of a home Are we providing to those solitary persons who don't have the benefit of a great deal of Christian encouragement in their nuclear family? Do they come here and find a home? Or do they come here and find more loneliness? I trust that is not the case. It is biblical to provide for our own nuclear families, 1 Timothy 5, 8, but if anyone does not provide for his own and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. However, We cannot get so caught up caring for our own family that we ignore the solitary. that are in our church family. We should consider ways in which to support those in our midst who don't have a strong Christian presence in their particular family. At minimum, at very minimum, we should be greeting them and talking to them and welcoming them at church services. We should take an interest in their lives. We should be praying for them and checking back in with them in regard to our praying for them and what they need prayer for. We can encourage them to attend additional meetings. We have prayer meetings, Bible studies, social functions. We can, as appropriate, invite them to other activities, a dinner at home, golfing, shopping, attending a concert, so on and so forth. There's many other ways, I'm sure. I leave that to your imagination. God cares for the fatherless, the widow, and the solitary, and we should, too. Now, reading on, again, now I'm reading verses 48 to 50 once more. But Jesus answered and said to the one who told him, Who is my mother and who are my brethren? And he stretched out his hand toward his disciples and said, here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother. The allegiance of Jesus was toward his followers, his disciples, not the 12 in particular. certainly to them, but all the men and women who were in that multitude who dedicated themselves to his leadership. Here's something in these verses which is critically important. I would say Jesus is dedicated to those who do, not to those who talk. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother. Therefore by their fruits he will know them." Matthew 7, 20. God's not fooled by verbal puffery. Have you ever talked a better spiritual line than the reality of your life? I would hate to consider how many times I have. Words are important as we learned a few weeks ago, verse 34, brood of vipers, how can you being evil speak good things for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks? The reason words are so important is because eventually words and life intersect. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. People can be quite good at disguising their life with grandiose words, but be assured people recognize authenticity when they see it. And be assured they recognize inauthenticity when they see it too, if that's a word. How often does my life fall short of the pretense I create with my words? If your life falls short of your words, confess it to God and commit to genuineness and authenticity. Stop trying to convince people that you are somebody you are not. Even if you could fool all the people all the time, even if you could fool all the people all the time, how would that benefit you? since God cannot be fooled, and given the shortness of this life, and given that eternity is long. Okay, we're gonna look at that other passage where Jesus has some seemingly difficult words about family. You have it listed, I think, in your bulletin, Luke 14, starting at verse 25. if you wanna turn there, Luke 14, verse 25. Verse 25, now great multitudes went with him and he turned and said to them, see here's Jesus, all kinds of people following him. You know, here's Jesus walking, and oh, these people following him, and what's his message to those people following him? If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, in his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. Wow. What a way to encourage a big following. Now, let's first acknowledge Jesus is not advocating hatred, not as in loathing, not as in detestation, not as in abhorring, not as in mercurial anger, because Jesus elsewhere commands us to even love our enemies. Jesus is saying that our love for him must be stronger than our love even for family. And he said to those, if you're following me, here I'm walking and you're traipsing after me, I want you to know something. Your family comes second. Verse 27, and whoever does not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple, no casual disciples. casual follower can't be Jesus' disciple, Jesus won't have him. Verse 28, for which of you intending to build a tower does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he hasn't left the finish at last, after he has laid the foundation and is not able to finish. All who see it began to mock him saying, this man began to build and was not able to finish. Or What king going to make war against another king does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with 10,000 to meet him who comes against him with 20,000. Or else while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. So likewise, whoever of you, those of you traipsing after me, Whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be my disciple. He cannot be my disciple. Why? Can't I call myself a disciple of Jesus even if I make my career the most important thing? Can't I call myself a disciple even if I put my children in front of Jesus? Of course I can. And people often do. I can call myself a casual disciple. When Jesus said he cannot be my disciple, Jesus meant that he will not accept as a disciple anyone who doesn't yield their whole life to him. Jesus said something similar back in Matthew 7. Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, cast out demons in your name, and done many wonders in your name? These people assign themselves the title of disciple. But what did Jesus say? Then I will declare to them, I never knew you. Depart from me, you who practice lawlessness. Jesus decides who his disciples are. In that sense, we decide if we want to respond to Jesus in faith, and then Jesus will decide if he accepts us. But the criteria is given to us. Lay down everything else. Take up your cross and you will be accepted by me, even giving up your family. Do you give up your priorities to Jesus? Notably, we have to do it day by day because we give everything, then we take it back, then we give it, we take it back, we give it, we take it back. Give him control, we take it back. And so it's a process. The two parables in Luke 14, Jesus is the great builder building a tower. Jesus is the great general leading the great war against the devil. And he says, I'll take this disciple to build with, I'll take this disciple in the war against the devil, but not that one. He's not fully dedicated. He hasn't committed everything to me. God said, thou shalt have no other gods before me. And gods can be terrible, immoral things like sexual perversions. They can also be harmless and good things like our children. It's been said there are acceptable idols in the Christian church. Our own children become acceptable idols. As hard as that is for me to say. But I don't have to say it, Jesus did. If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. Again, not hatred is an abhorring, detesting, vicious anger. Only that love for Jesus has to surpass our love, even for family. It's a hard message to say, even to say it. Because I want you to love your family, and you will love your family if you love God supremely. But love for God is first. Okay, so we see what Jesus said about family needing to be second and priority to him. But how would misplaced loyalty look in real life. Let's suppose that in real life, I actually love my family more than I love Jesus. What would that look like? Let me suggest just a couple of examples, and these center around the word compromise. What happens when your son or daughter believes it's okay to be sexually active before they're married? Or what happens when your son or daughter comes out as gay? Will you compromise your beliefs so you can maintain friendship with them? Or will you say, this is wrong. The Bible states it's wrong. I love you, but I cannot and I will not bless this behavior. But then perhaps your son or your daughter, maybe even your whole family will be angry at you. Maybe they'll talk behind your back. Maybe they'll even say you're a terrible Christian and a terrible, hateful person. Maybe they'll spread rumors about you. Maybe they'll exclude you from events. Then what? Then do you begin to compromise what you say so that you can fit in? Do you evade opportunities to witness about the gospel of Jesus because they might be upset? compromise because you loved your family more than you loved God. Take up your cross and come after me. Jesus never compromised. With a bit of compromise, Jesus could have avoided crucifixion. It was completely within his control to avoid Calvary, but he didn't. Therefore, we have hope for our souls. And he calls you and me to have the same dedication he had, even as it pertains to family. Whoever does the will of my father in heaven is my brother and my sister and my mother. Not what mom wants, not what the brothers advise me to do. What's the will of a father? The will of God transcends all. Now, one application of this passage is that allegiance to God must transcend allegiances to family members. But there is a happier application to the words of Jesus here. And that is, even though your family may forsake you and your family could slander you, Jesus will not. because his dedication is to his spiritual family, his children, his brothers and sisters. His dedication is placed on you. When my mother and my father forsake me, then the Lord will care for me, Psalm 2710. I will never leave you nor forsake you. And I trust also. that your brothers and sisters here at Bethel Christian Church will care for you too, when you are doing the will of the Father, but not being appreciated for it by family or by friends or by neighbors or by coworkers. And that was life in the early church, under constant harassment from the synagogue, under constant harassment from the Roman government. under threat of death, under pain of having property taken away and never returned. And the believers met together in these little bands and prayed for each other and cared for each other and encouraged each other. And they continued daily with one accord in the temple and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, Acts 2, 46. It was a great time to be a Christian. But today's a great time to be a Christian too. Obey God and you will do well. And we'll be here for you. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, you truly gave all for us. We find it so hard to yield our lives to you, so help us, we pray. We come confessing that we've fallen short in this matter, and we ask your forgiveness and we ask your strength to move forward. taking up our cross and following you. I thank you for this group of people, and I ask that you would be with us as we continue to worship this morning. Father, I pray these things in Jesus' name, amen.