Well, we continue our studies
in Matthew. Our studies that we've titled,
Simon Peter, an Apostle of Christ. Studies that we've been going
through the book of Matthew, looking at the different places
where our Lord refers to His disciples or Peter personally. We're looking at how our Lord
has taught Peter throughout the time that they walked together.
Peter might be able to know what to write and how to write when
he got to the time where he penned his two epistles, 1 Peter and
2 Peter. So we want to look at the timeline
that leads up to that and then eventually we'll get to the books
of Peter and spend some time looking at those epistles. In
our last study we finished chapter 15 of Matthew, considering the
great miracle of feeding the multitude with so little. And
then such a wonder that there was so much left over, seven
baskets full. Now one of the points that we
did not consider last week was the picture that we have of these
leftovers. In Psalms 23.5 we read, Thou
preparest a table for me in the presence of mine enemies. Thou
anointest my head with oil, my cup runneth over." Oh, what a
picture we have of our cups running over. The people, the multitude
were fed with such little, but yet afterwards there was so much
more still to go. When the Lord of all glory takes
up residence in a chosen blood-bought child of God, our cup runs over
with the blessings that we see of Him. We are awed with His
mercy toward us. For we see the just reward of
our flesh, which is death, of which He has taken for us.
We are amazed at the grace that He has for His chosen people,
those who once shook their fist in His face and said, I'll not
have this one to rule over me. And every one of us have been
in that very boat at one time or another, because we're all
born into that very condemnation. What an amazing grace that he
has for his chosen people. The sacrificing of himself for
our debt, the love that he has for those for whom the father
has given him. This is grace, unmerited favor. You can't earn it. There's nothing
you can do. In fact, just the opposite. We
have earned the condemnation of death by sinning in our flesh. That's what we have earned. But
yet, unmerited favor, the Lord shows grace upon His people. The grace of unmerited favor
that one would lay down his life for a wretch like me. And as
we consider the great love wherewith He loved us, His sacrifice overfills
our lives. Think of it. Do we not consider
that every Sunday and every message? Oh, for the grace of God, look
how much we have. No matter what our trials are
in this life, no matter what is going on in the world around
us, we know that our Lord works all things out for our good,
do we not? And when we see that, is that
not overwhelming? Filling our cup with the joy
of the love the Lord Jesus has for us? His grace overfills our lives.
Can anything separate me from the love that He has for me?
I think not. If it could, then He wouldn't
be God, would He? To be called God, He must be ruler of everything,
including men's so-called free will. Everything. Every little
thing our Lord works out for His pleasure and by His own counsel.
So let's look at chapter 16 of this book of Matthew beginning
at verse 1, shall we? The Pharisees also, beginning
at verse 1, the Pharisees also with the Sadducees came and tempting
desired Him that He would show them a sign from heaven. He just
fed 5,000 people on a mountain. They know that, but yet they
come saying, show us a sign. Show us a sign from heaven. And He answered and He said unto
them, When it is evening, you say it will be fair weather,
for the sky is red. And in the morning, it will be
foul weather. Today, for the sky is red and lowering. Oh,
you hypocrites. You can discern the face of the
sky, but can you not discern the signs of the times? A wicked
and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign, and there shall
no sign be given unto it but the sign of the prophet Jonas.
And he left them and departed. Since the beginning of time,
unbelieving men and women have always demanded signs to corroborate
the Word of God. If you'll just prove to me that
you're the Lord by coming down off of that cross, or by coming
down off of that tall building, isn't that what the devil said
to him? If you just prove yourself to be God, what does the Word
say? Thou shalt not tempt the Lord
thy God. When we ask the Lord for a sign of whether He is in
our lives or not, or if He be God, are we not doing that very
thing? We're tempting God, saying, prove to us that you are God. Men and women have always been
looking to corroborate the Word of God before he will believe.
God, the unregenerated, unbelieving man, wants signs and evidence
to convince him of what God says, that His Word is true. The rich
man in hell foolishly imagined that his brothers could hear
a preacher who was risen from the dead and that they would
believe God. But God says this in Luke 16.31,
if they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be
persuaded, though one arose from the dead. When Christ arose from
the dead, did anyone believe Him? Only those that the Lord
had done a work in the hearts to believe. Our Lord Jesus Christ
preached Christ everywhere he went, and nobody believed him. In fact, as the two-headed sword
works out, there were those who did believe, but those who didn't
crucified him. They hated him without a cause. God oftentimes confirms his word
to those who believe him by special providential occurrences. Even
as he once confirmed it to his people by special miracles, he
showed Noah the sign of his covenant by putting a rainbow in the sky.
He showed Gideon a sign using the fleece Gideon had spread
before him. He showed Elijah a sign on Mount Carmel, and our
Lord performed many miracles Himself, and by His disciples,
called signs and wonders, as we read in Hebrews 2.4, by which
He confirmed to us that He is the Christ. But any faith that
is built upon signs or miracles or evidences is a false faith.
Our Lord tells us in John 2, 23 and 24, now when he was in
Jerusalem at the Passover, in the feast day, many believed
in his name when they saw the miracles which he did. But Jesus
did not commit himself unto them because he knew all men. Our
faith must be based upon the word of God alone, not upon signs,
not upon miracles, not upon scientific evidence, or human reasoning,
or learning, or even our own emotions and experiences. Martin
Luther puts it this way, he says, feelings come and feelings go,
and feelings are deceiving. I trust the word of God alone,
not else is worth believing. false religionists, lost people,
as well as scoffing blasphemers, have always demanded what God
will never give them, a convincing sign from heaven, a carnal sign
to conceive their carnal minds that his word is true. That is exactly what we have
before us here in these verses, a bunch of self-righteous religionists
mocking this man whose claim to be was manifested over and
over again through His miracles. Our Lord was not secretive on
who He is. He spoke plainly as He does in
His Word. In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word
was manifest in the flesh. He was never secretive about
who he was. He plainly went about declaring himself to be the Messiah,
yet they could not hear the truth, even when it was spoken with
an audible voice. Hold your place right here for just a moment.
Turn over to the book of John, if you would. John chapter 10. Then came the Jews in verse 24. John 10 verse 24, Then came the
Jews that round about him and said unto him, How long dost
thou make us to doubt? Look who they're blaming. They
couldn't see the miracles with their own eyes. They couldn't
see it with their heart. How long do you make us to doubt
who you are? If thou be the Christ, tell us
plainly. Jesus answered and He says, I told you and you believed
not. The works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness
of me. But ye believe not, because ye
are not of my sheep. As I have said unto you, my sheep
hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And I give
unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall
any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father which gave them
Me is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out
of My Father's hand. And just in case that's not enough
evidence for you, get this next one. I and My Father are one. Our Lord was very clear about
who He is. There's no doubt in my mind of
who He is by His Word right here. I and My Father are one. One
God. Three separate persons, but yet
one God. To worship the Father, we must
worship the Son. To worship the Son, we must worship
the Father. But look what goes next in verse
31. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. And Jesus
answered him, he says, many good works have I showed you from
my father. For which of those works do you
stone me? What have I done except for heal the sick? What have
I done except for feed the poor? What have I done to your religious
beliefs rather than saying, I am the one who rules over all of
that? I am the one who's fulfilled all the prophecies. It is my
works that salvation is based upon. And the Jews answered him, saying,
for good work we stone thee not, but for the blasphemy, and because
thou, being a man, makest thyself God. Could it be any more open
and clear than that? Notice what the Holy Spirit describes
and sets before us with this wicked alliance that the Pharisees
and the Sadducees have. Go back to our text in Matthew
16. In verse 1, we read, the Pharisees
also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that
he would show them a sign from heaven. The Pharisees and the
Sadducees hated each other. Normally, they would have nothing
to do with each other. You see, the Pharisees were conservatives.
They were fundamentalists who would never consider working
with the Sadducees, for they were free-thinking liberals.
Does it sound like today's world at all? That's the division between these
two, but yet they came together, looking and tempting, desiring
Him that He would show them a sign. And the Sadducees were just as
adamant about their hatred of the Pharisees, but both the Pharisees
and the Sadducees so thoroughly despised Christ and the gospel
of God's free grace in Him, that in order to oppose it and persecute
him, they laid aside their differences and they formed an unholy alliance,
which you see this very thing in today's religious world around
us. Oh, how many will gather despite their differences and
stand against the true and living God, sovereign ruler, When we speak up against free
will, the whole religious nation around us will deny us, will
put us down for it. Don't you take my free will away
from me. I can earn my way into heaven.
All I have to do is make a decision, and it's my decision to make. They may have different things
that one must do to be saved, but all it comes down to is the
very same thing. Mankind rules over his own destiny. Free will. Free will is mankind saying,
I will be the most high. Think about that. When you say
it's my will to be saved, you're telling God it's not yours. It's
mine. Therefore, I am above you. Is that right? That's what the devil said. That's what the devil said. I
will be the most high. This is what our Lord is teaching
His disciples. This is the lesson Peter must
learn. Look at verses 5 through 12 of our text in Matthew chapter
16. And when his disciples come together, come to the other side,
they had forgotten to take bread. Then Jesus said unto them, take
heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees. Beware of these ones who have
come together against me because they want to put themselves above
everything that I am. And His disciples, they reasoned
among themselves saying, is it because we forgot and we've taken
no bread? Which is when Jesus perceived
it and He said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye
among yourselves because ye have brought no bread? Do you not
understand, neither remember the five loaves and the 5,000
and how many baskets he took up? Neither the seven loaves
or the 4,000 and how many baskets he took up? How is it that you
do not understand that I speak it not to you concerning bread,
that you should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the
Sadducees? Then they understood. Then understood
they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of the bread,
but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees." Don Fortner
wrote this, he says, if you will read the four gospels carefully,
paying attention to what our Savior taught, you cannot miss
the fact that he warned us more often against false religion
and false prophets than anything else. Nothing else is so dangerous
to your soul. Nothing is so deadly. So let
us be wise and hear what the Savior says. What I find interesting
here is the response of the men who have been walking with the
Lord of glory, yet they could not help themselves as they reasoned
in the flesh. God was speaking to me in that
very word, O ye of little faith, John. Put me in a trial and see how
quick my faith becomes weak. In Matthew 16, 7, And they reasoned
among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread.
I can relate to that. I can see myself doing the very
thing. Turning from the very trust that
I should have. to dwelling in the weakness of
my flesh." Notice to whom this warning is given. There were many people around
our Lord at that time. Then Jesus said unto them. The them. The us. the we, the chosen, the elect,
the predestinated. That's who he's talking to. He's talking to his disciples.
He says, take heed and beware. You who are mine, beware of what's
coming around the corner. This is a warning given to the
apostles themselves. If these men needed warning,
how much more do you and I need it? What is the danger against which
the Son of God warns us about here? He warns us about the doctrine
of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. The warning goes beyond the spirit
of hypocrisy, self-righteousness, and ritualism in the Pharisees.
It goes beyond the spirit of freethinking, compromising, infidel
intellectualism and rationalism of the Sadducees. Our Lord warns
us to take heed and beware of their doctrine, of their teachings. A little bit of leaven can ruin
the whole lump. We let just a little bit of leaven
come into our midst and it will grow. We must watch that. You must watch me. I'm accountable to you folks, but I'm also in the flesh. You must watch me. And when I
strand off, if the Lord allows me to, into something that we
call works, stop me right away. Bring it to my attention. Just
as I will bring it to anybody's attention who wants to work a
little bit of works into it from wherever, even just a conversation
or whatever. Beware of their doctrine. The Holy Spirit calls it the
doctrine. Notice that. Not the doctrines. These were two different people.
Two different religions. Not the doctrines, but he calls
it the doctrine. The leaven of foolish religions
are all the same thing. It's always about I. I must walk
down the aisle. I must pray this. I must get
baptized. I must worship on Saturday. I,
I, I, I. That's the leaven of foolish
religions. And when you turn from the one true God, just as
Peter had turned his eyes from Christ when he was walking on
the sea, we will begin to sink. But here's the good news. He always gives us good news
with that little bit of what you might do over here, but God. But God, at that very point of
His love as the ones for whom He laid down His life, we may
stumble, we may step in it, but we can never fall into condemnation.
What did the Lord Jesus do when Peter began to speak? We just
read this in one of our last lessons. He reached down and
grabbed him. This one's mine. You're His. You can never fall. Stumble, yes. fall, no. In Romans 8, 1, there is therefore
now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus. In Matthew
14, 31, and immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand and
caught him, speaking of Peter, and said unto him, O thou of
little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? Their reasoning, these Sadducees,
or these men of God, when they reasoned unto themselves was
carnal. They reasoned among themselves. Such reasoning is always carnal
and it leads to error. The poor disciples had forgotten
their past experiences just a moment ago. It was their lack of faith
that caused them to misunderstand the Savior's words. Spurgeon
wrote this, he says, if it were not for our wretched little faith
and our reasoning among ourselves, the memory of our former deliverances
would lift us up beyond all tendency to mistrust our Lord and God.
How many times can we look into our past and see where our Lord
has held us up? But oh, how fast we'll forget
that when we begin to reason with the flesh. Our Lord, Spurgeon goes on to
say, is always better to us than our fears. We have a gracious
and faithful Savior and Teacher, who mercifully causes us to understand
His Word. Just as the Lord mercifully spoke
to these men, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves,
because you have brought no bread? Do you not understand, neither
remember the five loaves which just happened, and the five thousand,
and how many baskets ye took up? How is it that you do not
understand that I spake not unto you concerning the bread, and
that you should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of
the Sadducees? We should always look for an
obvious personal and spiritual application as we read and study
the Holy Scriptures, not merely the facts that are contained
in the letter of the word. Our Lord says in Romans 5, 15,
for whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our
learning. that we, through patience and
comfort of the scriptures, might have hope. I invite you to stick
around for this morning's message. We're going to talk a lot about
hope. Let us ever keep in memory the
wondrous works of our God on our behalf and review them often
so that we may learn to trust him implicitly That which he
has done, he will do. He will always care and provide
for his own. Amen.