1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:05,640 So I rode my bicycle for a year in 2010 from Canada to Columbia. 2 00:00:05,640 --> 00:00:10,520 And as part of that journey, I discovered that basically a billion people in 3 00:00:10,520 --> 00:00:13,240 the world didn't have access to clean drinking water. 4 00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:17,960 So I began this journey and did some higher level education and 5 00:00:17,960 --> 00:00:21,280 then on a series of trips with my friends in the last six years. 6 00:00:21,280 --> 00:00:26,080 That's all led us to this spot now we've become very interested in 7 00:00:26,080 --> 00:00:30,480 small scale decentralized desalinization projects. 8 00:00:30,480 --> 00:00:31,440 It's really the future. 9 00:00:31,440 --> 00:00:44,560 I'm Ryan and welcome to today's Beach Doc. 10 00:00:44,560 --> 00:00:48,680 I want to help you understand every word of God in the word of God. 11 00:00:48,680 --> 00:00:50,640 God has so many amazing things. 12 00:00:50,640 --> 00:00:54,720 He wants to speak to me and wants to speak to you every single day. 13 00:00:54,720 --> 00:00:57,920 So I'm really glad that you can take the time to be with us today. 14 00:00:57,920 --> 00:01:01,160 And it's my prayer that God speaks to you through these speech talks. 15 00:01:01,160 --> 00:01:02,280 Our objective is simple. 16 00:01:02,280 --> 00:01:06,400 It's disciples making disciples who plant churches that plant churches. 17 00:01:06,400 --> 00:01:10,040 So the movement of Jesus can continue all over the world. 18 00:01:10,040 --> 00:01:14,640 Now, Matthew chapter four verses one and two says that when Jesus was led up by 19 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:17,720 the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 20 00:01:17,720 --> 00:01:22,600 And when he had fasted 40 days and 40 nights afterward, he was hungry. 21 00:01:22,600 --> 00:01:27,160 So after identifying with us through baptism, Jesus then identified with us 22 00:01:27,160 --> 00:01:28,360 through temptation. 23 00:01:28,360 --> 00:01:30,560 This was a necessary part of his ministry. 24 00:01:30,560 --> 00:01:35,240 It was a remarkable contrast between the glory following his baptism and 25 00:01:35,240 --> 00:01:39,360 now the challenge of being tempted by the devil much like our lives. 26 00:01:39,360 --> 00:01:42,560 Jesus did not need to be tempted to help him grow. 27 00:01:42,560 --> 00:01:48,040 Instead, he endured temptation both so that he could identify with us. 28 00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:51,280 Now the Holy Spirit cannot tempt us in James one, but 29 00:01:51,280 --> 00:01:56,120 the Holy Spirit may lead us to a place where we will be tempted. 30 00:01:56,120 --> 00:02:00,200 This is not to prove something to God who knows all things, but 31 00:02:00,200 --> 00:02:05,040 to prove something to us and the spiritual beings watching us. 32 00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:07,800 So temptation is a certainty for everyone. 33 00:02:07,800 --> 00:02:10,280 Yet Jesus's temptation was more severe. 34 00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:14,560 It was more severe because he was directly tempted by the devil while most 35 00:02:14,560 --> 00:02:17,800 of us just contend with his lesser demons. 36 00:02:17,800 --> 00:02:23,360 It was also much more severe in the sense that temptation, because it was relieved. 37 00:02:23,360 --> 00:02:27,440 Temptation can be relieved by giving in, yet Jesus never yielded. 38 00:02:27,440 --> 00:02:33,120 Therefore, he bore levels of temptation most of us will never experience. 39 00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:38,760 Now, a lot of commentators believe it's improper in this section 40 00:02:38,760 --> 00:02:43,960 to refer to his temptation because the word perrazzo here is more often a more 41 00:02:43,960 --> 00:02:48,560 accurately translated testing instead of temptation. 42 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:51,400 This word here has a different element in its meaning. 43 00:02:51,400 --> 00:02:56,360 It means to test far more than it means to tempt in our sense of the word. 44 00:02:56,360 --> 00:02:59,040 So more like Jesus is the great test. 45 00:02:59,040 --> 00:03:02,800 Now, Martin Luther said, prayer, meditation, and 46 00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:07,720 temptation are the three best instructors of a minister. 47 00:03:07,720 --> 00:03:11,760 So Jesus had fasted 40 days and 40 nights, and afterwards he was really hungry. 48 00:03:11,760 --> 00:03:16,800 Matthew points out the barren desert and Jesus's severe physical condition after 49 00:03:16,800 --> 00:03:21,960 such a fast, when the hunger pains return, 50 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:24,840 often time that can be a sign of someone starving to death. 51 00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:29,080 So it was a miracle evident in the life of Moses and Elijah. 52 00:03:29,080 --> 00:03:34,240 It was supernatural, but not beyond human capacity when enabled by the spirit of God. 53 00:03:35,720 --> 00:03:40,240 Now, 40 days and 40 nights, this is a familiar period of testing in the Bible, 54 00:03:40,240 --> 00:03:45,520 both in the days of Noah and in Israel as they went through the wilderness, 55 00:03:45,520 --> 00:03:47,480 and also for Jesus. 56 00:03:47,480 --> 00:03:51,600 This wasn't self-denial just for the sake of self-denial, or 57 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:56,000 worse yet, for the sake of building spiritual pride. 58 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:58,840 This was a period of forced dependence upon God. 59 00:03:58,840 --> 00:04:02,520 Now, we remember he learned obedience through the things which he suffered, 60 00:04:02,520 --> 00:04:04,160 according to Hebrews 5. 61 00:04:04,160 --> 00:04:07,600 Now, verses three and four here says, now when the tempter came to him, he said, 62 00:04:07,600 --> 00:04:12,880 if you're the son of God, command that these stones become bread. 63 00:04:12,880 --> 00:04:16,960 But he answered and said, it is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but 64 00:04:16,960 --> 00:04:21,480 by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. 65 00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:26,080 Now, in our lives, it's not a question of when the tempter will come, 66 00:04:26,080 --> 00:04:30,240 but, or if he will come, but when he will come. 67 00:04:30,240 --> 00:04:32,440 Temptation will be with us until we go to heaven. 68 00:04:32,440 --> 00:04:36,800 Now, we should consider the circumstances of Jesus's temptation. 69 00:04:36,800 --> 00:04:39,760 He was in an especially devout frame of mind. 70 00:04:39,760 --> 00:04:44,440 He was engaged in an act of public obedience to God. 71 00:04:44,440 --> 00:04:49,240 He was in an exceedingly humble frame of mind before his temptation. 72 00:04:49,240 --> 00:04:54,200 He was blessed by a heavenly assurance of God before this. 73 00:04:54,200 --> 00:04:57,320 God had said to him, this is my son, in whom I'm well pleased. 74 00:04:57,320 --> 00:05:01,600 He was completely separated from the world before his temptation. 75 00:05:01,600 --> 00:05:05,680 The question asked by Satan is more literally, since you are the son of God, 76 00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:07,720 instead of if you are the son of God. 77 00:05:07,720 --> 00:05:10,440 Now, Satan did not question Jesus's deity. 78 00:05:10,440 --> 00:05:15,240 He challenged him to prove it or demonstrate it through miracles. 79 00:05:16,280 --> 00:05:22,600 So this was a temptation to use God's gift for selfish purposes. 80 00:05:22,600 --> 00:05:27,240 So Satan suggested that Jesus uses miraculous powers to provide food for 81 00:05:27,240 --> 00:05:27,960 himself. 82 00:05:27,960 --> 00:05:33,440 Now, we might say Jesus was being tested through his strength, through his gifts. 83 00:05:33,440 --> 00:05:39,280 Would he allow his strengths to become traps, just like us? 84 00:05:39,280 --> 00:05:41,880 Now, Jesus didn't silently disagree with Satan. 85 00:05:41,880 --> 00:05:45,320 He answered him, and he answered him from the word of God. 86 00:05:45,320 --> 00:05:50,520 When Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 8.3, Jesus shows that every word that proceeds from 87 00:05:50,520 --> 00:05:55,080 the mouth of God should be more precious to us than food itself. 88 00:05:55,080 --> 00:05:57,560 I really struggle with this one personally. 89 00:05:57,560 --> 00:06:01,960 Satan suggested, why starve yourself to death? 90 00:06:01,960 --> 00:06:05,440 But what is written makes even more sense. 91 00:06:05,440 --> 00:06:09,120 It isn't that Jesus refused supernatural help in feeding himself. 92 00:06:09,120 --> 00:06:12,040 He was more than happy to eat what the angels brought him when the time of 93 00:06:12,040 --> 00:06:13,800 testing was over, Matthew 4. 94 00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:16,280 It wasn't a matter of refusing supernatural help. 95 00:06:16,280 --> 00:06:21,480 It was a matter of submitting to God's timing and will in all things. 96 00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:24,920 Now, it is written by relying on the power and truth of God's word. 97 00:06:24,920 --> 00:06:28,160 Jesus was willing to fight this battle as a man. 98 00:06:28,160 --> 00:06:31,520 He could have easily rebuked Satan into another galaxy. 99 00:06:31,520 --> 00:06:35,680 But resisted him in a way that we can imitate and identify with. 100 00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:39,640 Jesus used scripture to battle Satan's temptation, 101 00:06:39,640 --> 00:06:44,040 not some elaborate spiritual power inaccessible to us. 102 00:06:44,040 --> 00:06:46,880 Jesus fought this battle as fully man, and 103 00:06:46,880 --> 00:06:50,760 he drew on no special resources that aren't available to us. 104 00:06:50,760 --> 00:06:55,000 He could have stood against Satan with a display of his own glory. 105 00:06:55,000 --> 00:06:59,240 He could have stood against Satan with logic and reason. 106 00:06:59,240 --> 00:07:05,080 Instead, Jesus used the word of God as a weapon against Satan and temptation. 107 00:07:05,080 --> 00:07:09,320 So we effectively resist temptation in the same way that Jesus did by 108 00:07:09,320 --> 00:07:14,360 countering Satan's seductive lies by shining the light of God's truth on it. 109 00:07:14,360 --> 00:07:17,720 Now, if we're ignorant of God's truth, the word of God, and 110 00:07:17,720 --> 00:07:20,920 we're poorly armed, we'll lose this fight against temptation. 111 00:07:20,920 --> 00:07:24,640 In verses five and seven, it says the devil took him up to a holy city, 112 00:07:24,640 --> 00:07:27,800 put him on a pinnacle, and said, if you're the son of God, 113 00:07:27,800 --> 00:07:33,760 throw yourself down, for it is written, he shall give his angels charge over you. 114 00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:35,960 Now in their hands, they'll bear you up so 115 00:07:35,960 --> 00:07:38,400 that you don't put your foot against a stone. 116 00:07:38,400 --> 00:07:43,280 And Jesus said to him, it is written again, you shall not tempt the Lord your God. 117 00:07:43,280 --> 00:07:48,120 Satan tempted Jesus to force the Father into a supernatural event. 118 00:07:48,120 --> 00:07:53,120 Jesus appealed to the desire within every man to sense approval from God and 119 00:07:53,120 --> 00:07:56,640 to have that approval be publicly demonstrated. 120 00:07:56,640 --> 00:08:01,000 Now this pinnacle of the temple arose at 200 feet from the floor of the Kidron 121 00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:04,840 Valley, a leap from there in the appearance of angelic protection would 122 00:08:04,840 --> 00:08:06,960 have been a remarkable thing to see. 123 00:08:06,960 --> 00:08:12,360 But Jesus had this kind of spectacular demonstration at John's baptism right 124 00:08:12,360 --> 00:08:17,560 before this, and that must have seemed far away after 40 days of nights of fasting and 125 00:08:17,560 --> 00:08:18,560 not eating food. 126 00:08:18,560 --> 00:08:22,560 Jesus was modeling that we don't live from one high to the next. 127 00:08:22,560 --> 00:08:25,240 For it is written, the devil can use that phrase also, 128 00:08:25,240 --> 00:08:29,880 we can trust that the devil has memorized the Bible himself as an expert 129 00:08:29,880 --> 00:08:33,000 at quoting it out of context to defeat us. 130 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:37,760 I hear the devil quoted Psalm 91, took it out of context, basically to say, 131 00:08:37,760 --> 00:08:42,760 go ahead Jesus, if you do this, the Bible promises that God will just help you out 132 00:08:42,760 --> 00:08:45,760 of this situation, and won't that be great? 133 00:08:47,760 --> 00:08:52,240 Charles Spurgeon said, Satan borrowed our Lord's weapon. 134 00:08:52,240 --> 00:08:57,240 It is written, but he did not use the sword lawfully, he left out the necessary 135 00:08:57,240 --> 00:08:59,240 words, in all thy ways. 136 00:08:59,240 --> 00:09:03,240 Thus he made the promise say what in truth it never suggested. 137 00:09:04,240 --> 00:09:08,240 Jesus understood from his knowledge of the whole counsel of God in Acts 20, 138 00:09:08,240 --> 00:09:12,240 that Satan was twisting this passage from Psalm 91. 139 00:09:12,240 --> 00:09:17,240 Jesus knew how to rightly divide the word of truth, 2 Timothy chapter 2. 140 00:09:17,240 --> 00:09:21,240 Sadly, many of us are willing to believe anyone who is not a 141 00:09:21,240 --> 00:09:25,240 Christian, anyone who quotes from the Bible today. 142 00:09:26,240 --> 00:09:30,240 Anybody can say pretty much whatever they want, because we can cherry pick 143 00:09:30,240 --> 00:09:35,240 parts of the Bible to support what we already want, that's called proof texting. 144 00:09:35,240 --> 00:09:39,240 Now, it's important for each of us to know the Bible for ourselves, 145 00:09:39,240 --> 00:09:43,240 and to not be deceived by someone who quotes the Bible, but not accurately, 146 00:09:43,240 --> 00:09:46,240 or with the correct application. 147 00:09:46,240 --> 00:09:48,240 He said, you shall not tempt the Lord your God. 148 00:09:48,240 --> 00:09:51,240 Jesus replied with scripture, but applied it correctly. 149 00:09:51,240 --> 00:09:56,240 He knew that attempting to force or manipulate God, to force such a 150 00:09:56,240 --> 00:10:00,240 demonstration would tempt God, which the scriptures forbid. 151 00:10:01,240 --> 00:10:06,240 Now this warns us against demanding something spectacular from God, 152 00:10:06,240 --> 00:10:11,240 to prove his love, or concern, or anointing, or favor on us. 153 00:10:12,240 --> 00:10:14,240 He loves us, and he showed that on the cross. 154 00:10:14,240 --> 00:10:19,240 He can't do anything more spectacular than dying on a cross for us. 155 00:10:19,240 --> 00:10:22,240 Romans 8 and 10, I'm sorry, verses 8 and 10 says, 156 00:10:22,240 --> 00:10:25,240 again the devil took him up on an exceedingly high mountain, 157 00:10:25,240 --> 00:10:28,240 and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, 158 00:10:28,240 --> 00:10:35,240 and he said to him, all these things I will give you if you'll fall down and worship. 159 00:10:35,240 --> 00:10:39,240 Then Jesus said to him, away with you Satan, for it is written, 160 00:10:39,240 --> 00:10:42,240 you shall not worship the Lord your God. 161 00:10:42,240 --> 00:10:44,240 And you should serve him only. 162 00:10:44,240 --> 00:10:49,240 Essentially, this vision invited Jesus to take a shortcut around the cross. 163 00:10:49,240 --> 00:10:52,240 Jesus came to win all the kingdoms of the world, 164 00:10:52,240 --> 00:10:55,240 and their glory back from Satan's domain. 165 00:10:55,240 --> 00:11:00,240 And Satan offers them to Jesus, if he'll only fall down and worship him. 166 00:11:00,240 --> 00:11:03,240 This was called a demonic shortcut. 167 00:11:03,240 --> 00:11:08,240 Evidently, Satan had authority over the world and its governments, like he does now. 168 00:11:08,240 --> 00:11:12,240 The temptation could not have been revealed unless there was a real sense 169 00:11:12,240 --> 00:11:16,240 that Satan does possess all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 170 00:11:16,240 --> 00:11:19,240 Of course, ultimately, all things belong to God. 171 00:11:19,240 --> 00:11:25,240 But God allows Satan to be the god of the sage in 2 Corinthians 4, tells us this. 172 00:11:25,240 --> 00:11:28,240 This is why the fallen world is in the mess that it is. 173 00:11:28,240 --> 00:11:30,240 He says, away with you Satan, for it is written, 174 00:11:30,240 --> 00:11:34,240 Jesus replied with the scripture again, and commanded the devil to leave. 175 00:11:34,240 --> 00:11:39,240 In the same way, we can resist the devil and he will flee from us, according to James 4. 176 00:11:39,240 --> 00:11:42,240 Now, it worked for Jesus and it will work for us. 177 00:11:42,240 --> 00:11:46,240 Now, the temptations of Jesus remind us that it's not a sin to be tempted 178 00:11:46,240 --> 00:11:50,240 as long as the temptation is resisted, even if it's horrible. 179 00:11:50,240 --> 00:11:54,240 Jesus was tempted to worship the devil, but he didn't do it. 180 00:11:55,240 --> 00:12:01,240 Now, verse 11 says, the devil left him and behold, angels came and ministered to him. 181 00:12:01,240 --> 00:12:03,240 This means Jesus won. 182 00:12:03,240 --> 00:12:10,240 Now, he won because he recognized Satan's mode of attack, lies and deception. 183 00:12:10,240 --> 00:12:13,240 Always lies, always deception. 184 00:12:13,240 --> 00:12:20,240 But because Jesus had disarmed the demonic powers according to Colossians 2, 185 00:12:20,240 --> 00:12:24,240 but deception is extremely effective at leading us into sin 186 00:12:24,240 --> 00:12:28,240 and causing us to live lives of fear and unbelief. 187 00:12:28,240 --> 00:12:35,240 Now, Jesus showed the only effective counter to deception, it's God's truth, not man's wisdom. 188 00:12:35,240 --> 00:12:38,240 First, we must see temptation for what it is, the lie. 189 00:12:38,240 --> 00:12:41,240 Then we must combat the temptation with God's word. 190 00:12:41,240 --> 00:12:46,240 Then we must always build ourselves up in the truth and have it in our heart. 191 00:12:47,240 --> 00:12:55,240 Now, each passage Jesus quoted back to Satan in this section comes from Deuteronomy 6-8. 192 00:12:55,240 --> 00:13:00,240 It's not unreasonable to suppose that Jesus was meditating on those very passages 193 00:13:00,240 --> 00:13:05,240 and he fought Satan with the fresh bread that he was feeding on in his heart. 194 00:13:05,240 --> 00:13:10,240 We should always make sure that we have some fresh bread from God and his word. 195 00:13:10,240 --> 00:13:15,240 Now, God never forsakes those who endure through temptation. 196 00:13:15,240 --> 00:13:18,240 Even as angels came and ministered to Jesus, 197 00:13:18,240 --> 00:13:25,240 God will find a way to minister to us and meet our needs as we endure temptation. 198 00:13:25,240 --> 00:13:30,240 Verses 12 and 16 says that now when Jesus had heard that John had been put in prison, 199 00:13:30,240 --> 00:13:35,240 he departed from Galilee and leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, 200 00:13:35,240 --> 00:13:38,240 which is by the sea, like the ocean behind me. 201 00:13:38,240 --> 00:13:43,240 In the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, then it might be fulfilled, 202 00:13:43,240 --> 00:13:45,240 which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet saying, 203 00:13:45,240 --> 00:13:51,240 The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, 204 00:13:51,240 --> 00:13:58,240 the Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, 205 00:13:58,240 --> 00:14:03,240 and upon those who sat in the region, in shadow of death, light is dawned. 206 00:14:03,240 --> 00:14:07,240 Now, when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, 207 00:14:07,240 --> 00:14:11,240 he went to Galilee to begin his ministry in that region. 208 00:14:11,240 --> 00:14:15,240 Now, from John's gospel, records an early ministry in Galilee and Judea 209 00:14:15,240 --> 00:14:18,240 before Jesus went to Galilee, as mentioned there. 210 00:14:18,240 --> 00:14:22,240 This early Judean ministry included the earliest call of the disciples 211 00:14:22,240 --> 00:14:26,240 and the wedding at Canaan and the first cleansing of the temple, 212 00:14:26,240 --> 00:14:29,240 followed by his interview with Nicodemus in Judea. 213 00:14:29,240 --> 00:14:32,240 Then John tells us what happened. 214 00:14:32,240 --> 00:14:38,240 Jesus traveled north to Galilee through Samaria and met a Samaritan woman at a well. 215 00:14:38,240 --> 00:14:45,240 Now, the region of Galilee was a fertile, progressive, highly populated region, like California. 216 00:14:45,240 --> 00:14:48,240 According to figures from the Jewish historian Josephus, 217 00:14:48,240 --> 00:14:51,240 there were some three million people populating Galilee, 218 00:14:51,240 --> 00:14:54,240 an area smaller than the state of Connecticut. 219 00:14:54,240 --> 00:14:57,240 But Galilee was predominantly Gentile in its population, 220 00:14:57,240 --> 00:15:00,240 but with a large number of Jewish cities and citizens. 221 00:15:00,240 --> 00:15:05,240 Also, Galilee was known as an incredibly fertile place, 222 00:15:05,240 --> 00:15:08,240 with a lot of farms and a lot of agriculture over there. 223 00:15:08,240 --> 00:15:09,240 It had great soil. 224 00:15:09,240 --> 00:15:12,240 Now, leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum. 225 00:15:12,240 --> 00:15:18,240 This was because the people rejected Jesus in his hometown, according to Luke 4. 226 00:15:18,240 --> 00:15:23,240 Now, this is significant that Jesus made his home in Capernaum and not in Nazareth. 227 00:15:23,240 --> 00:15:30,240 So, going to Jerusalem would have seemed like the smarter for career planning for the Messiah, 228 00:15:30,240 --> 00:15:32,240 but Jesus dwelt in Capernaum. 229 00:15:32,240 --> 00:15:38,240 As was his custom, Matthew sees Jesus' ministry in Galilee as a fulfillment of prophecy. 230 00:15:38,240 --> 00:15:43,240 Light has come to this region, largely populated by Gentiles, in Isaiah chapter 9, 231 00:15:43,240 --> 00:15:46,240 predicted this of the ministry of the Messiah. 232 00:15:46,240 --> 00:15:51,240 Now, verse 17, from that time, Jesus began a preaching to say, 233 00:15:51,240 --> 00:15:55,240 Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 234 00:15:55,240 --> 00:16:00,240 Now, one might say that this was the main occupation of Jesus. 235 00:16:00,240 --> 00:16:03,240 He did heal and minister to many miraculously, 236 00:16:03,240 --> 00:16:08,240 but on the whole, it seems fair to say, that Jesus was a preacher and a teacher 237 00:16:08,240 --> 00:16:13,240 who healed more than a healer who also preached and taught. 238 00:16:13,240 --> 00:16:17,240 This was the priority of Jesus' ministry, as stated in Matthew 4. 239 00:16:17,240 --> 00:16:20,240 Now, preach, the word in Greek is kerosene, 240 00:16:20,240 --> 00:16:25,240 which is the word for a herald's proclamation for a king. 241 00:16:25,240 --> 00:16:28,240 Now, kero in Greek is the word for herald, 242 00:16:28,240 --> 00:16:33,240 and the herald was the man who brought a direct message from the king. 243 00:16:33,240 --> 00:16:39,240 Now, the gospel Jesus began preached the same place that the gospel John preached began, 244 00:16:39,240 --> 00:16:41,240 with a call to repentance. 245 00:16:41,240 --> 00:16:45,240 In fact, since Jesus waited until John had been put in prison, 246 00:16:45,240 --> 00:16:49,240 he probably saw himself as picking up where John left off, 247 00:16:49,240 --> 00:16:52,240 because Jesus would go further than John ever did, 248 00:16:52,240 --> 00:16:57,240 because John announced the coming of the Messiah. 249 00:16:57,240 --> 00:16:59,240 And Jesus is the Messiah. 250 00:16:59,240 --> 00:17:02,240 So, for the kingdom of heaven is a hand, 251 00:17:02,240 --> 00:17:09,240 now some people make distinctions between the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God. 252 00:17:09,240 --> 00:17:13,240 There actually seems to be no differences at all, 253 00:17:13,240 --> 00:17:18,240 especially in light of the Jewish custom of often not even naming God directly, 254 00:17:18,240 --> 00:17:21,240 but referring to him by the place where he lives in heaven, 255 00:17:21,240 --> 00:17:26,240 a custom that Matthew, a Jew writing to Jews, instituted in his writings. 256 00:17:26,240 --> 00:17:30,240 So, verses 18 and 20, Jesus was walking by the sea of Galilee. 257 00:17:30,240 --> 00:17:34,240 He saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and Andrew his brother, 258 00:17:34,240 --> 00:17:37,240 casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 259 00:17:37,240 --> 00:17:41,240 Then he said to them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. 260 00:17:41,240 --> 00:17:44,240 They immediately left their nets and followed him. 261 00:17:44,240 --> 00:17:49,240 Going on from there, he saw two brothers, James the son of Zebedee, 262 00:17:49,240 --> 00:17:53,240 and John his brother in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. 263 00:17:53,240 --> 00:17:59,240 He called them and immediately they left the boat and their father followed him. 264 00:17:59,240 --> 00:18:05,240 Jesus called them to leave their professions and follow him with a full-time commitment, 265 00:18:05,240 --> 00:18:07,240 just like he does with us. 266 00:18:07,240 --> 00:18:13,240 Now, the fishing industry was prosperous and fishermen were not necessarily poor. 267 00:18:13,240 --> 00:18:14,240 These men had wealth. 268 00:18:14,240 --> 00:18:18,240 God usually calls people as they're busy doing something. 269 00:18:18,240 --> 00:18:22,240 He called them as they were casting their nets into the sea. 270 00:18:22,240 --> 00:18:25,240 David was keeping his father's sheep. 271 00:18:25,240 --> 00:18:27,240 He had a job. 272 00:18:27,240 --> 00:18:30,240 The shepherds were guarding their flocks. 273 00:18:30,240 --> 00:18:31,240 They had a job. 274 00:18:31,240 --> 00:18:34,240 Amos was farming. 275 00:18:34,240 --> 00:18:39,240 Matthew was working as a tax collector with the tax collector's table. 276 00:18:39,240 --> 00:18:43,240 Moses was tending his father-in-law's flock. 277 00:18:43,240 --> 00:18:46,240 Gideon was threshing wheat. 278 00:18:46,240 --> 00:18:50,240 So, oftentimes, God will call us in the middle of one who are already busy. 279 00:18:50,240 --> 00:18:53,240 Now, it was customary at that time for a rabbi to have disciples. 280 00:18:53,240 --> 00:18:59,240 There was nothing cult-like about Jesus asking these people to be with him constantly and to learn from him. 281 00:18:59,240 --> 00:19:03,240 Now, in some aspects, Jesus offered them a traditional education at the feet of a rabbi. 282 00:19:03,240 --> 00:19:09,240 In other aspects, this was very different from a normal rabbinical education, 283 00:19:09,240 --> 00:19:11,240 but there was room for that. 284 00:19:11,240 --> 00:19:16,240 Follow Me would immediately suggest the disciples of a rabbi 285 00:19:16,240 --> 00:19:20,240 who literally followed him around to absorb his teaching, 286 00:19:20,240 --> 00:19:22,240 though this was by their own choice. 287 00:19:22,240 --> 00:19:24,240 It wasn't forced. 288 00:19:24,240 --> 00:19:31,240 They immediately left their nets, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed them. 289 00:19:31,240 --> 00:19:37,240 The immediate response of these disciples is a great example to us. 290 00:19:37,240 --> 00:19:41,240 Then the first disciples did what all disciples of Jesus should do. 291 00:19:41,240 --> 00:19:45,240 They followed Jesus wherever he went. 292 00:19:45,240 --> 00:19:50,240 Now, following Jesus means leaving some things behind us. 293 00:19:50,240 --> 00:19:52,240 That's what it means for us today. 294 00:19:52,240 --> 00:19:54,240 Now, verses 23 and 25, 295 00:19:54,240 --> 00:19:57,240 Jesus went about Galilee teaching in their synagogues, 296 00:19:57,240 --> 00:19:59,240 preaching the gospel of the kingdom, 297 00:19:59,240 --> 00:20:03,240 and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. 298 00:20:03,240 --> 00:20:06,240 Then his fame went throughout all Syria, 299 00:20:06,240 --> 00:20:11,240 and they brought to him the sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, 300 00:20:11,240 --> 00:20:18,240 and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, paralytics, and he healed them. 301 00:20:18,240 --> 00:20:22,240 Great multitudes followed him from Galilee and from the Decapolis, 302 00:20:22,240 --> 00:20:25,240 Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan. 303 00:20:25,240 --> 00:20:28,240 Word got out that there was this teacher and this healer. 304 00:20:28,240 --> 00:20:33,240 Now, the customs of the synagogue in the day gave Jesus many opportunities to teach, 305 00:20:33,240 --> 00:20:39,240 because they would often give a visitor, especially a distinguished one, a chance to speak. 306 00:20:39,240 --> 00:20:42,240 Jesus took opportunity of this cultural distinction. 307 00:20:42,240 --> 00:20:49,240 Now, the difference between teaching and preaching is one of emphasis and manner, not content. 308 00:20:49,240 --> 00:20:51,240 William Barclay points this out. 309 00:20:51,240 --> 00:20:57,240 He says that preaching is the uncompromising proclamation of certainties. 310 00:20:57,240 --> 00:21:02,240 Teaching is the explanation and meaning and significance of them. 311 00:21:02,240 --> 00:21:06,240 Now, Jesus' ability to heal those with all kinds of disease, 312 00:21:06,240 --> 00:21:14,240 different kinds of diseases demonstrates he has an authentic power over the damage done by the fall of man. 313 00:21:14,240 --> 00:21:25,240 His authority over demons and those who were demon-possessed shows he has authentic power over all of creation and great compassion. 314 00:21:25,240 --> 00:21:27,240 It says that great multitudes followed him. 315 00:21:27,240 --> 00:21:33,240 Jesus had a purpose for allowing such dramatic miracles to attract great multitudes. 316 00:21:33,240 --> 00:21:38,240 He wanted to teach the multitudes, not simply impress them with miracles. 317 00:21:38,240 --> 00:21:41,240 So this wraps up our time today looking at Matthew 4. 318 00:21:41,240 --> 00:21:46,240 You know, maybe God's spoken to you through this today, and you'd like to pray. 319 00:21:46,240 --> 00:21:51,240 You'd like to say, hey, God, I would like to follow you the way these early disciples did, 320 00:21:51,240 --> 00:21:54,240 meaning that wherever you went, I went. 321 00:21:54,240 --> 00:21:56,240 Maybe you'd like to pray that right now. Let's pray together. 322 00:21:56,240 --> 00:22:05,240 Just say, God, would you help me to follow you no matter where that means I end up? 323 00:22:05,240 --> 00:22:08,240 In Jesus' name, Amen. 324 00:22:08,240 --> 00:22:12,240 Now, I hope you'll join us tomorrow for the next chapter of Matthew. 325 00:22:12,240 --> 00:22:14,240 And as always, I hope you have a great day. 326 00:22:17,240 --> 00:22:19,240 Thank you for your time. We would love to partner with you. 327 00:22:19,240 --> 00:22:25,240 Water is a global problem. It's going to take as many partners as we can to help solve this problem. 328 00:22:25,240 --> 00:22:30,240 We'd love for you to partner with us. You can go to our website at www.oceanwater.com. 329 00:22:30,240 --> 00:22:58,240 That's O-C-N-W-T-R dot com. We'd love that. Thanks a lot.