Jesus Exhibits The Extent Of His Kingship

Matthew Series | Matthew 17:14-27 | Pastor Duane Smets

This week is an exegetical sermon on Matthew 17:14-27 where we see a clashing of worlds between the divine Jesus who was just blazing in brilliant light and a world which doesn’t recognize or realize who he is. The stories and words of Jesus in this passage declare and demonstrate Jesus’ power of demons, death and denarii. This sermon was originally preached on August 1st, 2010 at The Resolved Church in San Diego, CA.

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The Resolved Church
Pastor Duane Smets
August 1st, 2010

Jesus Exhibits The Extent Of His Kingship
Matthew 17:14-27

I. Jesus Rules Over Demons: A Faith For A Fallen World (v14-21)
II. Jesus Rules Over Death: A Promise Built For Grief (v22-23)
III. Jesus Rules Over Denarii: – A Security Beyond Wealth (v24-27)

Introduction

We’re back in Matthew this morning carrying along in our study through the book…if Matthew were arranged in a strict time chronology we’re probably in the last stage of Jesus ministry in the final months before he enters into Jerusalem for the great climax of the whole book when he dies on the cross and rises again.

We are coming off a week last week, last Sunday where through Matthew’s words we watched Jesus take three of his disciples high up on a mountain and he pulled back the veil allowing them to see a glimpse of who he really was in all of his fully glory. Jesus is a fully a man, but he is also fully God and he lets them see that and when he does his face and his clothes all lit up like the sun and a voice spoke from heaven saying, “This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased, listen to him.”

The scene is nothing short of phenomenal and breathtaking. This week follows up that story with Jesus coming down from the mountain, meeting up with the other disciples and when he does there’s a crowds of people and we see and hear three more scenes. Really, in each of the three scenes were going to look at today, what we’re seeing is this clashing of worlds between this divine Jesus we just saw blazing in brilliant light and a world which doesn’t recognize or realize who he is.

This is what we’re going to see Jesus point out for us today, so I’ve titled my message, “Jesus Exhibits The Extent of His Kingship.” Let’s read the text and pray over it, Matthew 17:12-27.

I. Jesus Rules Over Demons: A Faith For A Fallen World (v14-21)

Alright, our first point for this morning “Jesus Rules Over Demons.” What we’ve got here is a dad, who obviously loves his son, somewhere along the way he has heard about Jesus and the miracles and the healings he and even his disciples were doing, he brings his son to the disciples while Jesus is up on the mountain but they couldn’t heal him…then he see’s Jesus and when he does he runs up to him, kneels before him and begs, “Lord, have mercy on my son.”

At this point, so far this is nothing new for us. We’ve seen several people run up to Jesus who need a miracle of some kind and they beg Jesus to heal him. What really makes this story unique, besides some weird details about demons (which we’ll talk about in a second), is how Jesus responds.

Check it out with me, verse 17, here’s how Jesus answers, “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.” Does this sound like a odd response from Jesus to you? I mean he sounds frustrated and almost annoyed doesn’t he? Being with them is burdensome? I thought Jesus liked healing people? Isn’t that kind of his thing? What is going on here? Why is he upset?

To make matters worse, later when the disciples ask him to clarify this is what he says, verse 19-20, “‘Why could we not cast it out?’ He said to them because of your little faith.” What is going on here? This sound like insult to injury. Do you guys feel the tension here? What we’re dealing with here is a colliding of worlds.

Let me explain to you what I mean. First, let’s talk about demons. This isn’t just our normal run of the mill blind dude or sick person who needs healing. Verse 15, says he’s an epileptic, nice clinical term…the guy has seizures. Only when he has a seizure, he ends up either convulsing in a fire or drowning in water. Most likely, the fire is a fireplace in their house and the water, a water basin out in the courtyard. But apparently, Jesus doesn’t just see a medical condition here because he moves immediately to casting a demon out of the dude.

Now for us, our western, American, scientific, psychology inundated mindset has an especially hard time with this one. Maybe somehow we can accept some of these other strange healings and miracles Jesus did but demons, really? Isn’t that just a little far fetched? I mean we all know those ghost hunter tv reality shows are a big hoax…and we all love a scary movie every once and awhile but we know none of that is real, right?

I mean we’re talking epilepsy here. You can get medicine for that, well for most cases. I mean just because someone has to wear one of those little silver bracelets that say “epileptic” on them doesn’t mean they have a demon.

The interesting thing is that according to several journals of medicine, 30% of epileptic cases are incurable and usually co-diagnosed as having some form of schizophrenia produced by unknown neurological causes. Here’s the thing, we know our emotional and spiritual health can have a direct effect on our physical well-being. Ask any doctor. They will tell you the more sleep and less stress you are experiencing the better your body will be. So if there is actually a real spiritual world with such things as demons, it’s not too crazy to think they can cause cases of epilepsy.

Now, whether demons or real or all this technical stuff about epilepsy is really beside the point. The Bible’s view is that there is a real, largly unseen, spiritual world going on where Satan and his demons are working and fighting hard to get us to fall into sin and temptation which is ultimately going to be spiritually and physically destructive to us. Ephesians 6:12 says, “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. “

Here is the real point. Where did Jesus just come from? The mountain. And what just happened there? The divine power and glory of the son of God was exposed! Jesus is the source of light and life itself! Jesus has all authority over sin, sickness and Satan! Do you think a measly case of demonic epilepsy is too big of a thing for him to handle? No way!

Jesus is frustrated at crowd and the disciples because of their failure to recognize the fullness of who he is and why he was there. There are worlds colliding in this text. Jesus comes from the father into to the world, to be with men…and faithless me who do not recognize him are weary some. Jesus in his incarnation put up with a host of things he simply just had to bear with.

I think this particular demon maybe got a little extra whipping from Jesus because Jesus sounds almost downright angry when he heals the boy. Verse 18 says he “rebuked him” and the demon came out of him and the boy was healed instantly. The story and the scene shines with the power and authority of Jesus over evil and wickedness.

But the disciples weren’t getting it. Like us, they fail so often to see Jesus right in the middle of where he is at work. The disciples are focused on themselves and what they are doing or not doing right. They’re sitting there wondering…why couldn’t we cast it out…maybe we didn’t say the right words, or maybe we weren’t mean enough to the demon…they’re focused on themselves and their own ability and power rather than Jesus.

Which is why Jesus tells them look, if you have even the slightest faith in me, the grain of a mustard seed (the smallest one), there is nothing I can’t do…nothing is impossible. It’s amazing that even with Jesus‘ words here, which are meant for us to focus on Jesus, have even been so abused. People have taken his words here to mean, “Oh, since we’re Christians we can just name and claim whatever we want because we have faith in Jesus…if we just well up enough spiritual confidence we can make things happen.”

Let me quote my old professor Michael Wilkins here, “(Faith) is not a gift of magic that can be manipulated at will. Rather faith is confidence that we can do what God calls us to do…faith is either existent or non-existent…Jesus (here) is getting them to look at the real nature of faith. It is not the amount of faith that is in question but rather its focus.”

There’s so much for us to learn here. First, do you realize that really everything is spiritual? Or do you compartmentalize your world and see some things as spiritual and some things not. There really is no distinction. I mean we don’t have to get all crazy and start casting demons out of one another, unless we need to…but ask yourself really, where can you see demonic forces attempting to wreck havoc in your life?

Here’s a sure fire way to recognize them…any place or way that pulls your focus and confidence off Jesus. Satan and his demons’ number one goal is to get you to look away from Jesus and look to yourself. How often we, like the disciples here, get so focused on our own performance…how we’re feeling, how we’re well we’re doing, and we fail to focus on Jesus…we’re just relying on our own ability and our own identity rather than Jesus.

Let me be really bold here. Living our lives legalistically, just purely according to a set of morals, treating Christianity as though it were a religion…rather than living day to day with a focus and a faith and trust on Jesus is downright demonic.

That is what Jesus is calling for here…rather than being faithless and twisting things up…he is calling us to have him as the center of our lives. Then we are not a burden he must bear with! Then we become delights because we praise his name! Oh that Jesus might grant that to us and in increasing measure. May he give us the faith of a mustard seed in the Lord of the mountain.

II. Jesus Rules Over Death: A Promise Built For Grief (v22-23)

Well, the next little section is short and sweet but I think there is a special nugget in it. It’s in verses 22-23, our second point for today, “Jesus Rules Over Death.” This is the third prediction Jesus gives that he is going to die and rise. He doesn’t really say anything new in it but there is a new reaction.

Let me re-read it with you, “As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.” And they were greatly distressed.” So we get the same basic facts from this personal prophecy from Jesus about himself: he’ll be killed and he will be raised three days later.

What is different this time is the disciples’ reaction. Verse 23 says, “they were greatly distressed.” The English word “distressed” here actually isn’t the best translation because the Greek word behind it is “lup-e-o” which mainly means “to make sorrowful” “affect sadness” or “cause grief.” That’s significant. Here’s why…

The first time Jesus told the disciples he was going to die and rise was in chapter 16 and Peter straight out rebuked Jesus telling him, he wouldn’t let Jesus die and was ready to fight for him to make sure it didn’t happen. That didn’t go to well for Peter because Jesus turned around and told him that to keep him from going to the cross was from Satan.

The second time Jesus told the disciples he was going to die and rise was last week in chapter 17 when he was talking with them right after he was transfigured on the mountain. That time when Jesus told them, they were simply confused and started to try and piece together how it fit prophecies about Elijah.

So here, in this third time it seems the disciples have at least somewhat moved to acceptance that Jesus is in fact going to die and they are sad, they have grief. At first they fought against the idea. Then they were confused about the idea, not sure if that’s what he really meant. Now they realize, Jesus means it, he is really going to die…they’ve been with him already for at least two years and come to love him and are learning massive things from him and now he’s going to die. So they find themselves overwhelmed with grief.

Now here’s why I point it out. On one hand it’s good, they’re slowly making progress. On the other hand, there is something that doesn’t fit for me. When I read Jesus words about himself, “they will kill him and he will be raised on the third day” and then immediately hear that the disciples’ response is that they are grieved…it seems at least a little bit out of place to me. Do you see why? Do you know what I am getting at?

Grief is a completely understandable response. Jesus is going to die. That’s sad. But…there’s doesn’t seem to be any taking into account of the second part of Jesus’ prophecy here that “he will be raised on the third day.” It’s almost as if the disciples only hear the first part of the prophecy and then tuned out…completely missing out on great promise Jesus just held out to them which overcomes all grief…he will rise!

So here is what I want to say about it…the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is the crowning piece of our faith. If Jesus did not rise from the dead then my preaching today, according to 1 Corinthians 15:14, my preaching today is in vain…if Jesus did not rise from the dead nothing I am saying to you is of any value. None it will help you. And you are all fools for listening to me!

But if Jesus really and truly did rise from the dead then that changes everything. Here’s how. Grief is real. Suffering is real. And it is painful. A major burden of my heart and what I pray will be part of the legacy I leave to this church when I am dead and gone is to teach you how to suffer well.

We have a long way to go in that…and that’s okay. But there is nothing in all of the Christian faith, there is nothing in all the religions or the philosophies of the world that is better built to handle suffering and grief then the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead!

We will grieve. We live in a fallen world subject to death and decay. We, like the disciples ,will face the death and suffering of ones we love. Without Jesus, that experience is an one we as human beings are not built to cope with…it only leads to despair. If when we die, we die and that’s just the end. Suffering and death is an extremely hopeless and bitter knife to the soul. But if Jesus rose from the dead then our grief gets tempered with hope and joy for those who know and love him.

So what I want to say today is if you or someone you know and love is grieving right now, for whatever the reason…hear me say this today, “My Redeemer lives…and there is hope beyond grief and the grave. Look to Jesus and you will see it and know it. Allow him to comfort and minister to your soul. Neither death nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Jesus rules over death and in him we have a promise that is built for grief like no other.

III. Jesus Rules Over Denarii: – A Security Beyond Wealth (v24-27)

Well, let’s move on to our third and final point for this morning, “Jesus Rules Over Denarii.” This is a third scene we’re including today which seems to be set in contrast to the picture of Jesus seen when he was transfigured on the mountain…neither demons nor death is any match for him and now we’ll see that denarii or money is no problem for him either.

It’s been awhile now since we read this part at the beginning of the sermon so let me re-read it and get it fresh in our heads once again. Beginning at verse 24. “When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax went up to Peter and said, ‘Does your teacher not pay the tax?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, ‘What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tax? From their sons or from others?’ And when he said, ‘From others,’ Jesus said to him, ‘Then the sons are free. However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.’”

Okay, so here’s what’s going on here. The “two-drachma” tax, which was about two days worth of wages (so you can do the math), was a yearly tax which every male over 20 years old, except ordained rabbis, was supposed to pay once a year for maintenance on the Jewish temple.

So once again we’ve got these corrupt religious leaders who are coming try and trap Jesus one way or another…hopefully either catching him not paying, because he’s poor, but then he looks like an unlawful dude when he’s supposed to be all holy…or catch him saying he’s a rabbi so he doesn’t have to pay, in which case they would condemn him for claiming that status when he wasn’t officially ordained as a rabbi for its privileges.

In classic Jesus fashion he takes things to a whole new and unexpected level in how he responds. He asks a question to which everyone knows the answer…”From whom do the kings of the earth take toll or tax? From their sons or from others?” Everyone knows that no king who own and rules over and runs a land ever would charge his sons tax. I mean think about it this way…have any of your ever borrowed money from your parents? I bet if you did none of your parents charged you tax on what you borrowed…because they’re your parents and they’re trying to help you out.

Jesus asks the question who kings charge tax to and the answer is everyone but the sons, the sons go free. What do you think Jesus is implying, what’s his argument? That he is not just a rabbi, he is prince and his father is the king over all the earth who owns everything, so he goes free! It’s amazing and astounding logic isn’t it. I mean Jesus just has guts here. It’s another very direct claim of Jesus to deity.

Then what’s he do? He proves it. He doesn’t want to start an actual physical brawl so he tells Peter to go cast out a line with a fishing pole and tells him he is going to catch a fish and that fish is going to have a coin in it which will be the exact amount to pay for both his and Peter’s temple tax.

This is insane. In the first story Jesus demonstrated his omnipotence, his divine power over demons and devils, he is all-powerful. In this story Jesus demonstrates his omniscience, his divine knowledge of everything in all of his creation…even before it happens, he is all-knowing. He really is the prince king over all the earth and owns all the money.

When my daughter first started saying that word every parent hates to hear, “mine” we tried to curb it by telling her nothing was hers and that Jesus owned everything. It kind of worked for awhile until she would go to other kids houses and take their toys…when they got upset she would tell them it was okay because it was “Jesus’s.”

Here’s where I think this one hits home with us…in our sense of security and hope. You see for Jews in Israel at this time, the temple was the central focus of everything. The temple stood as the ultimate hope of God’s redemption and forgiveness. The thought in the land was if they could just have the temple restored to it’s former glory then they would be able to gain deliverance from Rome and be a powerful and happy nation.

How often do we buy into these same gospels? We think if we we’re just financially prosperous enough, if we made enough money or keep making enough then we will feel secure and okay. Or we think if government, our political temple, if it just went right then things would be good. But is it ever good? No one’s ever really happy with politicians and congress.

Again Jesus calls attention to himself and points to himself and being the source for financial security and the hope for the earth. He says and shows that he owns all the money and he rules over all the land. So the smartest thing is to trust him because those who are with him go free.

Isn’t that what we are really so often longing for…to be free? Free from the worry and burden of money. Free from the worry and burden of the economy and our land and our family. Don’t we all just want to be free?

And that’s exactly what the gospel provides for us and we have a beautiful picture of it here. Through the gospel we get adopted into Jesus’ family and become co-heirs, co-sons along with him and we go free too gaining all of his provision. It’s exactly what Jesus does with Peter here. He includes Peter and gets a coin to cover his tax too, so he can be free, because Peter is with him and he’s the Son of God.

For some of you the worry over money looms over your head and weighs down on your shoulders. Hear Jesus words today, “the sons are free.” Look to Jesus, he owns all the money and doesn’t mean for you to bear that burden and look to wealth for your security. If you’re faithful and responsible and you look to Jesus, he will provide for you.

Others of you do well financially and you worry that you have to keep doing well to be okay or your overconfident in your wealth for your security. If that’s you, then recognize the implications of Jesus’ words today…all you have come from him. Whether it’s in a fish’s mouth or your bank account he put it there and can extract it at any time he chooses, so trust in him and not yourself or your money.

Conclusion

Well, let’s conclude this morning. We’ve looked at three areas today where Jesus, who shines like the sun stands in direct contrast and opposition to…demonic forces, grief and depression, and the material hope of money.

We’re going to receive the Lord’s Supper and go to the table and spend some time before Jesus in a minute. As you do ask yourself and your heart about each of these areas and allow Jesus to work in and minister to you.

Are there areas where you know there are things which are not of God, which in the big picture are probably demonic, which are fighting against what you know God wants to do in your life? On the cross Jesus defeated Satan once and for all. Go to the table and have Jesus cleanse you and empower you to fight against sin and tempation. Put your faith, the mighty faith of a mustard seed in him.

Are you sorrowful today and especially need the grace of the savior to minister to wounds in your heart where there is grief? Look to the arms of Jesus, the bread and the wine are piercing reminders that in Jesus you have a savior who knows what your going through and suffered immensely for you and he rose again. Go to Jesus and find healing and hope.

Lastly, does money have a grip on you? Do you feel like money is controlling your life? Go to Jesus today. Though he was rich he became poor in order to set us free. And he paid the highest price to do it in giving up his life. Jesus owns and rules over all the money anyway, so go to him, relinquish control and have him minister to your soul.

The gospel is the good news that though we have sinned and failed God has had mercy. Where we failed Jesus succeeded and he gave up his life paying the penalty we deserve in our place and then rose again. And that has changed and is changing us as we continually put our faith in him. Let’s go to him in worship, thanks and love.

Let’s pray.