Breaking Through To Freedom Part 6 “Missed Opportunities” Matthew 12:38-50

Breaking Through To Breaking Through To FreedomFreedom

Part 6Part 6

““Missed Opportunities”Missed Opportunities”Matthew 12:38-50Matthew 12:38-50

The privileged seek The privileged seek experiencesexperiences to to compensate for their compensate for their inadequaciesinadequacies

• Then some of the Pharisees and teachers Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a miraculous sign from you.” - to see a miraculous sign from you.” - Matthew 12:38 (NIV)Matthew 12:38 (NIV)

• The Pharisees begin this part of their The Pharisees begin this part of their attack against Jesus with attack against Jesus with sarcasmsarcasm..

The privileged will be The privileged will be condemnedcondemned because they were because they were privileged and did not privileged and did not believebelieve

He answered, “A wicked and adulterous He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. – Matthew 12:39 (NIV)prophet Jonah. – Matthew 12:39 (NIV)


• Jesus did not Jesus did not denydeny their request – He told their request – He told them they already had their sign – but them they already had their sign – but they they rejectedrejected it. it.


• The people of Nineveh, when they saw The people of Nineveh, when they saw Jonah and heard his message Jonah and heard his message believedbelieved and and repentedrepented..

For as Jonah was three days and three For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, nights in the belly of a huge fish,



so the Son of Man will be three days and so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. three nights in the heart of the earth.



The men of Nineveh will stand up at the The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and judgment with this generation and condemn it; condemn it;



for they repented at the preaching of for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here. – Matthew 12:40-41 (NIV)here. – Matthew 12:40-41 (NIV)


• The Queen of Sheba, when she heard The Queen of Sheba, when she heard about God wisdom traveled a distance to about God wisdom traveled a distance to listenlisten..

The Queen of the South will rise at the The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and judgment with this generation and condemn it; condemn it;



for she came from the ends of the earth to for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, listen to Solomon’s wisdom,



and now one greater than Solomon is and now one greater than Solomon is here. – Matthew 12:42 (NIV)here. – Matthew 12:42 (NIV)



• ““All the people were astonished and said, All the people were astonished and said, “Could this be the Son of David?”“Could this be the Son of David?” (v.23) (v.23)

The privileged never The privileged never enjoyed their privilege because they enjoyed their privilege because they

refusedrefused to to repentrepent

The privileged never The privileged never enjoyed their privilege because enjoyed their privilege because

they they refusedrefused to to repentrepent““When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. in order.

The privileged never The privileged never enjoyed their privilege because enjoyed their privilege because

they they refusedrefused to to repentrepentThen it goes and takes with it seven other Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first. That is that man is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked how it will be with this wicked generation.”generation.” – Matthew 12:43-45 (NIV) – Matthew 12:43-45 (NIV)

Jesus Jesus redefinesredefines “family”. “family”.

While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. Someone told wanting to speak to him. Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to standing outside, wanting to speak to you.”you.”

Jesus Jesus redefinesredefines “family”. “family”.

He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” Pointing to his who are my brothers?” Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” and sister and mother.”

– – Matthew 12:46-50 (NIV)Matthew 12:46-50 (NIV)

Jesus Jesus redefinesredefines “family” “family”

• And when his family heard it, they went And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, "He out to seize him, for they were saying, "He is out of his mind."is out of his mind." – Mark 3:21 (ESV) – Mark 3:21 (ESV)

• Jesus is Jesus is insideinside, and His family is , and His family is outsideoutside..• HumanHuman kinship does not take kinship does not take prioritypriority over over

spiritualspiritual kinship” kinship”

Bottom Line:Bottom Line:

• The truly privileged are those who can The truly privileged are those who can walk away from walk away from everythingeverything to follow God! to follow God!

• What does it mean to “do the will of What does it mean to “do the will of God”?God”?

For the “Not Yet Followers” checking For the “Not Yet Followers” checking out the Christian faith:out the Christian faith:

• There are There are eternaleternal dangers for dangers for rejectingrejecting the the reality of Jesus Christ!reality of Jesus Christ!

For the Jesus followers trying to live a For the Jesus followers trying to live a Jesus-centered life:Jesus-centered life:

• Recognize that Christ Recognize that Christ is the answer for is the answer for your your inadequaciesinadequacies..

For the Jesus followers trying to For the Jesus followers trying to live a Jesus-centered life:live a Jesus-centered life:

• Recognize that Christ is the answer for Recognize that Christ is the answer for your your inadequaciesinadequacies..


• Recognize that Christ is the answer for Recognize that Christ is the answer for your your inadequaciesinadequacies..


• Recognize that Christ Recognize that Christ is the answer for is the answer for your your inadequaciesinadequacies..


• Jesus-centered Jesus-centered living requires living requires repentancerepentance of of your sins! your sins!

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Breaking Through To Freedom Part 6 “Missed Opportunities” Matthew 12:38-50