Matthew's Gospel: The King and His Kingdom (Part 3)

As a church, we have taken our time to cover Matthew’s experience as a disciple of the Lord Jesus. This final section starts and finishes on a mountain top. On both occasions those present are both challenged and blessed. The transfiguration of Jesus was clearly a terrifying experience (Matthew 17:6), but it was an experience that would live with them forever.  On the last mountain top, his disciples are commissioned to make disciples in and of all nations.

 

However, Christian discipleship is not all mountain tops, and Matthew takes us through the valley between, hiding nothing.  We are told again of demons, the reality of broken relationships, failed marriages, and selfishness.  Before Matthew recounts the betrayal, death and resurrection of the King, he recounts all the King told us of the Kingdom and its coming.

 

May we too, like the first disciples, be blessed as well as challenged on the mountain tops. May we also be helped and encouraged through the very real difficulties to be found on the valley floor in order to live for Jesus today.                           

Matthew 17: 1-13 - The Transfiguration - David Knowles (Audio Only)
Morning Service, Sunday, January 3, 2021
What a moment to treasure for the three disciples Peter James and John, given the unique privilege of seeing Jesus in his heavenly glory. The moment they wished could have lasted longer but it was fleeting but would influence their apostolic message and ministry and through them we too have the blessing of knowing that Jesus was human but also divine.
Matthew 17: 14-20 - Faith of a Mustard Seed - Christiaan Hofstra (Audio Only)
Morning Service, Sunday, January 10, 2021
From the wonderful mountain top of the transfiguration, Matthew 17:14-20 takes us back down to the valley below where Jesus is confronted with sickness, unbelief, and his own disciples ineffective faith. Away from the crowd, Jesus privately explains how faith, at least as a mustard seed, is powerful and effective. "Nothing will be impossible for you." Such faith is possible when we remember that while we may live in the valley, Jesus is still King! For after His death and resurrection He permanently ascended a mountain to be at the right hand of the Father till He returns to take us home. 
Matthew 18: 21-35 - Forgiveness - Adrian Armstrong (Audio Only)
Morning Service, Sunday, January 17, 2021
In Matthew 18 Jesus says that our forgiveness, like God’s forgiveness of us, should be limitless. Whether we are new to the Christian faith and just exploring it, or whether we have been on the Christian path for a lifetime, what Jesus has to say will challenge us. Because forgiveness is hard. Sin fundamentally damages our relationships. And in a world in which our relationships with God and others are essential to our humanity, this is a very serious problem indeed. Sin is a reality in our lives – we are wounded by what others do and say, and we wound others with what we do and say. Yet the good news is that faced with our wrong doing, God, in an astonishing act of grace, takes pity on us, cancels our debt – forgives us – and sets us free. This is the key to restoring our broken and lost humanity. Jesus teaches that, because we have been forgiven, we too should forgive others. Forgiving others also allows us to be set free.
Marriage and Divorce - Matthew 19: 1-12 - George Campbell (Audio Only)
Morning Service, Sunday, January 24, 2021
In this passage we hear the Lord Jesus teach on marriage and divorce. In this message George Campbell reflects on the Lord Jesus as the one who speaks: the Creator of the world who takes sin seriously but is gentle and lowly and heart as we come to Him. We will hear of marriage as part of God’s creation plan and God’s “sad concession” to our sinfulness in permitting divorce in exceptional circumstances. However, when we fall short of God’s standard the Bible shows us God’s love and grace in giving us a second chance through the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus.
Matthew 19: 16-30 - Entering God's Kingdom - Bob Akroyd (Audio Only)
Morning Service, Sunday, January 31, 2021
Matthew captures this key encounter between Jesus and a potential follower. This man has much going for him – he’s religious, he is young, he is wealthy and he is recognised as a leader in his community. He comes to Jesus with a question about eternal life. With all these advantages and after such a promising start, he realises that there is something still missing. In the end, this young man walks away sad because there is something more important in his life than following Jesus. If you want to find out more, read these verses from Matthew and listen to the sermon about ‘Entering God’s Kingdom.’
Matthew 20: 1-28 - Serving God's Kingdom - Christiaan Hofstra (Audio Only)
Morning Service, Sunday, February 7, 2021
In the parable of the labourers in the vineyard, Jesus responds to Peter’s question: “We have left everything and followed you. What then will we have” (19:27). Jesus explains that the life of a Christian is a call to serving Gods vineyard. However our service does not go towards earning those rewards or more. All is grace. Peter’s question, as much as the labourers complaints, suggest how hard it is to grasp that God promises rewards to those who obey without thought of reward.
Stirring the City - Wayne Sutton (Audio Only)
Morning Service, Sunday, February 14, 2021
The divine calendar of humanity reads just under one week until the greatest redemptive event in the history of the world. Jesus of Nazareth has lived the last three years of His life loving, caring, teaching, training and suffering as the Son of God and is now about to become the Lamb of God. It is the final week of His life and a massive groundswell of interest has grown to engulf His world and His ministry as He mounts His steed and rides triumphally into the great city of Jerusalem. However, opinion is divided and even many of those who are victoriously shouting “Hosanna in the highest'' will soon bay for His blood when their own human expectations are dashed and surrendered to the more infinite and eternal plan of Almighty God for the salvation of the world.
Matthew 22: 1-14 - Invited to Come - David Knowles (Audio Only)
Morning Service, Sunday, February 21, 2021
Jesus is in his final week on earth and each day we will find him teaching in the temple.  Using parables Jesus would teach important truths that he wanted to stick in the minds of those who heard them.  Here he describes a wedding, not just any wedding a Royal wedding.  It's a wedding to which the King has invited guests to come, sadly these guests all have an excuse for why they cant come and so they miss out.  But the wedding must go ahead and so in a remarkable turn of events the King fills the wedding with people who weren't just not invited they would never have been invited, they were sinners.  Jesus point is that those who respond tyo his invitation are blessed with his eternal presence, it is a serious thing to reject the invitation of the King.
Matthew 22: 34-40 - The Greatest Commandment - Christiaan Hofstra (Audio Only)
Morning Service, Sunday, February 28, 2021
Matthew 24 - Signs of His Coming - Part 1 - David Knowles (Audio Only)
Morning Service, Sunday, March 7, 2021
Matthew 24 contains what Jesus said in answer to questions his disciples had about the end of the age.  In an uncertain and insecure world people have often wondered when and how things might end.  The wonderful truths Jesus taught that day was not a clear timetable of events, but a reassurance that God was in control and the world would end in a powerful and unmistakable way in the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Matthew 24 - Signs of His Coming - Part 2 - David Knowles (Audio Only)
Evening Service, Sunday, March 7, 2021
As Christians we believe in the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, it is a part of our orthodoxy.  However, how many of us give it any thought in our day to day life?.  Jesus teaching that day was not aimed at answering detailed questions on times and dates but to give a very clear warning that we need to live always ready for his return, a readiness that is f is hastening his return by our faithful service.
Matthew 25: 14-30 - Taking the risk with God's blessing - Christiaan Hofstra (Video)
Morning Service, Sunday, March 14, 2021
The parable of the talents continues Jesus’ extensive teaching on his future return. On the one hand a wonderful prospect of entering into the Masters joy. On the other hand frighteningly scary as the only other option is to be cast out into the outer darkness, rejected by God. So how do we enter and not be cast out at Jesus second coming? What does persevering faith look like? Jesus parable teaches us that our waiting is to be an active waiting. We persevere by faithful service.
Matthew 26: 6-35 - Anointed, Betrayed and Denied - Alex Warren (Video)
Morning Service, Sunday, March 21, 2021
Matthew 27: 11-55 - Arrested and Crucified - Christiaan Hofstra (Video)
Morning Service, Sunday, March 28, 2021
The way Matthew describes the events leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus and his death itself, leads us to see the meaning of what happened that day. From his 'trial' before Pilate it's clear Jesus is truly innocent. Though without guilt, he becomes Barabbas's substitute revealing the profound truth that he became our substitute too. When at Jesus' death the temple curtain is torn in two and graves are opened, it also becomes clear Jesus was the King after all. Jeered by so many, this Jesus was the sacrifice for our sin as well as its conqueror.
Matthew 27:62 - 28:15 - He is Risen - Christiaan Hofstra (Video)
Morning Service, Sunday, April 4, 2021
The great meaning of Easter is that Christ has risen, that our sin is paid for, that the grave is empty, and death defeated. Like the women on that first day of the week we too can encounter Jesus as Lord and king. They could come to him because he met them. When they did, they bend the knee and worshiped the risen one. This is the only right response to Jesus. Anything less means we think less of Him.
Matthew 28: 16-20 - The Great Commission - David Knowles (Video)
Morning Service, Sunday, April 11, 2021
Matthew concludes his account of the life of Jesus with what has become known as the Great Commission. Jesus tells his disciples then and now to make disciples as they are going about their lives. In fulfilling his command they will know his presence with them and carry the assurance of his authority