Elijah Must Come First

Matthew
Written By Steve Estes

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Speaker: Steve Estes
Scripture: Matthew 17:9-13
March 12, 2023

Matthew 17:9-13: Jesus replied, "To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands." Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.

Sermon Outline

1. The hard thing Jesus commanded

2. The problems raised by His words (Malachi 4:5-6)

  • Malachi predicted: Elijah would precede the Messiah

  • Malachi predicted: Elijah would bring restoration to the world

3. How Jesus addresses these problems

  • Regarding Elijah coming before the Messiah

  • Regarding Elijah restoring all things

  • Regarding the disciples' view that Jesus' death was incompatible with Elijah coming

  • How this applies to Jesus as the Messiah

4. Lessons

  • The reliability of Scripture is not tied to our understanding it

  • Not all interpretation is literal

  • Jesus and his followers bring salvation through suffering

Steve Estes

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