"Little-Faiths" (The Disciples & the Epileptic Boy)

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Speaker: Steve Estes
Scripture: Matthew 17:14-20
March 26, 2023

Matthew 17:14-20: And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and, kneeling before him, said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he has seizures and he suffers terribly. For often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him.” And Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.” And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”

Sermon Outline

1. The awful situation

2. Who Matthew focuses on

• Like other gospels, Matthew records Christ's frustration with an "unbelieving generation."

• Unlike other gospels, Matthew focuses on Jesus' disciples in this regard.

3. Jesus' reply: "You of little faith"

• Common theme in the gospels.

4. Lack of faith is no small matter

• The disciples' unbelief caused Jesus frustration while he walked the earth.

• Unbelief shows that one is affected by one's culture rather than by God's promises.

• Unbelief hinders our usefulness in God's kingdom.

• Thus, unbelief is perverse.

5. How Christ sought to stir their faith

• Jesus taught how much can be accomplished when we believe.

• Jesus taught how little faith it takes to move mountains

Elijah Must Come First

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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

The Transfiguration

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Speaker: Steve Estes
Scripture: Matthew 17:1-8
March 5, 2023

Matthew 17:1-8: And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son,with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.” And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.

Sermon Outline

1. Emotional state of the disciples

2. What the disciples saw and heard

• Jesus transfigured

• Brief comment: How to read Bible stories

• Two visitors appear

• Something else unexpected appears

• The voice of the Father from the cloud

3. How Jesus comforted them

4. What we learn

• Ecstatic spiritual experiences are not the norm

• A glimpse into life after death for believers

• The Old Testament God is the same as the New Testament God

• Jesus Christ has no equals

• The need to listen