Latest / Word Radio / Outloud Bible Podcast - Matthew 18-19: Are your priorities like Jesus' priorities?

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Outloud Bible Podcast - Matthew 18-19: Are your priorities like Jesus' priorities? · Word Radio

• 0:11
  SPEAKER_00: This is the Out Loud Bible Podcast, and I'm Mike.
• 0:15
  SPEAKER_00: We're reading through the book of Matthew, and Matthew contains some of Jesus' greatest sermons and messages.
• 0:21
  SPEAKER_00: That's really one of Matthew's focuses here as he writes his account of Jesus' life.
• 0:26
  SPEAKER_00: And probably the most famous sermon of Jesus is the Sermon on the Mount.
• 0:30
  SPEAKER_00: That's in Matthew 5, 6, and 7.
• 0:32
  SPEAKER_00: But we have today another major chunk of teachings.
• 0:37
  SPEAKER_00: And I think this is just something to pay attention to.
• 0:40
  SPEAKER_00: You know, you want to know Jesus, then we got to know what he says.
• 0:44
  SPEAKER_00: If we want to obey him, then we got to know what he says so that we can do it, right?
• 0:48
  SPEAKER_00: And uh there is, just like in the Sermon on the Mount, some very practical things to do from this message of Jesus.
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_00: Jesus is sharing a lot of his priorities and teaching us what our priorities should be and how to go about them in the kingdom way.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_00: I think we'll see that kind of a running theme today as we read Matthew 18 and 19 today in the New English Translation.
• 1:14
  SPEAKER_00: Let's check it out.
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_00: At that time the disciples came to Jesus saying, Who's the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
• 1:24
  SPEAKER_00: He called a child, had him stand among them, and said, I tell you the truth, unless you turn around and become like little children, you'll never enter the kingdom of heaven.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_00: Whoever then humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, and whoever welcomes a child like this in my name welcomes me.
• 1:50
  SPEAKER_00: But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a huge millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the open sea.
• 2:04
  SPEAKER_00: Woe to the world because of stumbling blocks.
• 2:08
  SPEAKER_00: It's necessary that stumbling blocks come, but woe to the person through whom they come.
• 2:14
  SPEAKER_00: If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off, throw it away.
• 2:21
  SPEAKER_00: It's better for you to enter life crippled or lame than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire.
• 2:29
  SPEAKER_00: And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out, throw it away.
• 2:34
  SPEAKER_00: It's better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into fiery hell.
• 2:43
  SPEAKER_00: See that you do not disdain one of these little ones.
• 2:47
  SPEAKER_00: For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my father in heaven.
• 2:55
  SPEAKER_00: What do you think?
• 2:56
  SPEAKER_00: If someone owns a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go look for the one that went astray?
• 3:07
  SPEAKER_00: And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he'll rejoice more over it than over the ninety-nine that didn't go astray.
• 3:14
  SPEAKER_00: And in the same way, your father in heaven's not willing that one of these little ones be lost.
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_00: If your brother sins, go and show him his fault when the two of you are alone.
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_00: And if he listens to you, you've regained a brother.
• 3:33
  SPEAKER_00: But if he doesn't listen, take one or two others with you so that at the testimony of two or three witnesses every matter may be established, and if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church.
• 3:46
  SPEAKER_00: If he refuses to listen to the church, treat him like a Gentile or a tax collector.
• 3:55
  SPEAKER_00: I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you release on earth will have been released in heaven.
• 4:04
  SPEAKER_00: Again, I tell you the truth, if two of you on earth agree about what you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you.
• 4:12
  SPEAKER_00: For where two or three are assembled in my name, I'm there among them.
• 4:17
  SPEAKER_00: And then Peter came to him and said, Lord, how many times must I forgive my brother who sins against me?
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_00: As many as seven times?
• 4:27
  SPEAKER_00: Jesus said to him, not seven times, I tell you, but uh seventy seven times.
• 4:35
  SPEAKER_00: For this reason, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his slaves.
• 4:42
  SPEAKER_00: And as he began to settle his accounts, a man who owed ten thousand talents was brought to him.
• 4:50
  SPEAKER_00: Because he wasn't able to repay it, the Lord ordered him to be sold, along with his wife, children, and whatever he possessed, and repayment to be made.
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_00: Then the slave threw himself to the ground before him, saying, Please be patient with me and I'll repay you everything.
• 5:07
  SPEAKER_00: The Lord had compassion on that slave and released him and forgave him the debt.
• 5:14
  SPEAKER_00: After he went out, that same slave found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred silver coins.
• 5:23
  SPEAKER_00: And so he grabbed him by the throat and started to choke him, saying, Pay back what you owe me.
• 5:30
  SPEAKER_00: Then his fellow slave threw himself down and begged him, Be patient with me, and I'll repay you.
• 5:37
  SPEAKER_00: But he refused.
• 5:39
  SPEAKER_00: And instead he went out and threw him in prison until he repaid the debt.
• 5:44
  SPEAKER_00: And when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were very upset and went and told their lord everything that had taken place.
• 5:53
  SPEAKER_00: Then his lord called the first slave and said to him, Evil slave, I forgave you all that debt because you begged me.
• 6:04
  SPEAKER_00: Shouldn't you not have shown mercy to your fellow slave just as I showed it to you?
• 6:09
  SPEAKER_00: And in anger his lord turned him over to the prison guards to torture him until he repaid all he owed.
• 6:16
  SPEAKER_00: So also my heavenly Father will do to you if each of you does not forgive your brother from your heart.
• 6:26
  SPEAKER_00: Now, when Jesus finished these sayings, he left Galilee and went to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan River, and large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.
• 6:37
  SPEAKER_00: Then some Pharisees came to him in order to test him.
• 6:40
  SPEAKER_00: They asked, Is it lawful to divorce a wife for any cause?
• 6:47
  SPEAKER_00: He answered, Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator made them male and female?
• 6:55
  SPEAKER_00: And said, For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and will be united with his wife, and the two will become one flesh.
• 7:06
  SPEAKER_00: So they're no longer two, but one flesh.
• 7:10
  SPEAKER_00: Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.
• 7:15
  SPEAKER_00: They said to him, Well, then why did Moses command us to give a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her?
• 7:23
  SPEAKER_00: Jesus said to them, Well, Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because of your hard hearts, but from the beginning it was not this way.
• 7:32
  SPEAKER_00: Now I say to you that whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality and marries another, commits adultery.
• 7:42
  SPEAKER_00: The disciples said to him, I if this is the case of a husband and wife, it's it's better not to marry.
• 7:49
  SPEAKER_00: He said to them, Not everyone can accept this statement, except those to whom it's been given.
• 7:56
  SPEAKER_00: For there are some eunuchs who were that way from birth, and some who were made eunuchs by others, and some who became eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven.
• 8:06
  SPEAKER_00: The one who's able to accept this should accept it.
• 8:11
  SPEAKER_00: And then the little children were brought to him for him to lay his hands on them and pray, but the disciples scolded those who brought them.
• 8:19
  SPEAKER_00: But Jesus said, Let the little children come to me.
• 8:22
  SPEAKER_00: Don't try to stop them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.
• 8:28
  SPEAKER_00: And he placed his hands on them and went on his way.
• 8:32
  SPEAKER_00: Now someone came up to him and said, Teacher, what good thing must I do to gain eternal life?
• 8:39
  SPEAKER_00: And he said to him, Why do you ask me about what is good?
• 8:44
  SPEAKER_00: There's only one who is good.
• 8:46
  SPEAKER_00: But if you want to enter life, keep the commandments.
• 8:52
  SPEAKER_00: Which ones?
• 8:53
  SPEAKER_00: he asked.
• 8:54
  SPEAKER_00: Jesus replied, Well, Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.
• 9:08
  SPEAKER_00: Well the young man said to him, I I've wholeheartedly obeyed all these laws, so I w what do I still lack?
• 9:14
  SPEAKER_00: And Jesus said to him, If you wish to be perfect, go sell your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you'll have treasure in heaven.
• 9:26
  SPEAKER_00: And then come, follow me.
• 9:29
  SPEAKER_00: But when the young man heard this, he went away sorrowful, for he was very rich.
• 9:38
  SPEAKER_00: Then Jesus said to his disciples, I tell you the truth, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven.
• 9:48
  SPEAKER_00: Again, I say it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter into the kingdom of God.
• 9:59
  SPEAKER_00: The disciples were greatly astonished when they heard this and said, Well then who who can be saved?
• 10:05
  SPEAKER_00: And Jesus looked at them and replied, Well, it's impossible for mere humans.
• 10:11
  SPEAKER_00: But for God all things are possible.
• 10:15
  SPEAKER_00: And then Peter said to him, Well, look, we we've left everything to follow you.
• 10:20
  SPEAKER_00: And then what then will there be for us?
• 10:23
  SPEAKER_00: Jesus said to them, I tell you the truth, in the age when all things are renewed, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
• 10:42
  SPEAKER_00: And whoever has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.
• 10:59
  SPEAKER_00: But many who are first will be last, and the last first.
• 11:06
  SPEAKER_00: Alright, so we have a lot of Jesus' teachings here.
• 11:10
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm, you know, today I'm I'm not going to pull out any one particular thing.
• 11:14
  SPEAKER_00: I just want to ask you a question that I've been asking a lot lately, and I think it's really good for us to get in the habit of asking ourselves these sorts of questions.
• 11:22
  SPEAKER_00: What stuck out to you today?
• 11:24
  SPEAKER_00: Anything stick out to you as like a, ooh, haven't heard that before?
• 11:28
  SPEAKER_00: Or, ooh, yeah, I don't think I heard it like that before.
• 11:32
  SPEAKER_00: We covered a lot of ground, I know.
• 11:33
  SPEAKER_00: Questions about who's the greatest in the kingdom and the parable of the lost sheep and Matthew 18, a very famous passage about restoring Christian relationships, people who have offended you or you have offended, and and how do we resolve that?
• 11:47
  SPEAKER_00: We talked about forgiveness on a related note and and unforgiveness, divorce, and Jesus' view of children, and Jesus' view of wealth when it comes to the kingdom.
• 12:01
  SPEAKER_00: A lot here.
• 12:02
  SPEAKER_00: What jumped out to you?
• 12:03
  SPEAKER_00: Any particular saying or teaching?
• 12:06
  SPEAKER_00: What'd you like about it?
• 12:08
  SPEAKER_00: Something that just made you kind of nod in your soul.
• 12:11
  SPEAKER_00: It's like, ooh, that's good.
• 12:12
  SPEAKER_00: What didn't you like?
• 12:14
  SPEAKER_00: Did he say something that was like, ooh, that makes me uncomfortable?
• 12:17
  SPEAKER_00: I I think I think if we're honest, I okay, I'll speak for myself.
• 12:21
  SPEAKER_00: There's actually quite a few things in just these two short chapters that I'm like, ooh, I ooh, I don't know if I like that.
• 12:28
  SPEAKER_00: Let's just be honest.
• 12:31
  SPEAKER_00: What do we learn about God?
• 12:33
  SPEAKER_00: Or what do we learn about ourselves?
• 12:37
  SPEAKER_00: And then what is there for us to do about it?
• 12:41
  SPEAKER_00: What can we do to take a step, even if it's a prayer to go to God with?
• 12:48
  SPEAKER_00: Or maybe you don't need to pray about it and you just need to do it because you already know what God's answer is, or was, or is going to be.
• 12:54
  SPEAKER_00: And we just gotta take a scary step.
• 12:57
  SPEAKER_00: It's a very dense couple chapters here, and if you got the time, I think it'd be wise to go back and listen to it again and maybe just pray going into it.
• 13:05
  SPEAKER_00: God, now that I've heard it once, I want to go through it again.
• 13:08
  SPEAKER_00: What do you want me to get out of this?
• 13:11
  SPEAKER_00: Can you make something jump out to me and and uh and help me to know how you want me to respond to your word?
• 13:18
  SPEAKER_00: I think that would be a good thing to do.
• 13:20
  SPEAKER_00: Jesus wasn't just teaching in order to give Matthew something to write about.
• 13:24
  SPEAKER_00: He wasn't teaching to hear his own voice or to make the Bible longer than it needed to be.
• 13:30
  SPEAKER_00: He taught for a reason, and that reason is for us to listen and obey.
• 13:35
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for joining me here again on the Out Loud Bible Podcast.
• 13:39
  SPEAKER_00: Join me next time.
• 13:40
  SPEAKER_00: We're going to keep reading through the book of Matthew, and we'll see you then.