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Matthew--The King Has Come!

CONNIE: How would you like to be invited to sit in the dugout with your favorite team at the World Series? Wouldn't it be great to be included in something like that? Well--you are included in something even better!

Giving God's trumpet a Certain Sound for more than 70 years, this is the Voice of Prophecy.

CONNIE: Hello, I'm Connie Jeffery,

LONNIE: and I'm Lonnie Melashenko. Connie, I think we all know what it feels like to be excluded--left out of a party or, celebration we would have liked to attend.

CONNIE: You know, there was a program on TV recently--hosted by John Stossel I think--all about peer pressure and what it's like for most kids in high school. There was some expert on there who was saying that all of us--as adults--still carry some baggage with us from when we were 16 and in high school.

LONNIE: And often it's not that positive.

CONNIE: Most of us went through those awkward years when we weren't quite popular enough--or couldn't get in with the "in" crowd.

LONNIE: Today as we look at the book of Matthew, one of the themes that's going to come up is Jesus' acceptance of all kinds of people. And He didn't just accept them--He invited all of us to be a part of His kingdom.

CONNIE: Matthew himself was one of those who were excluded from a lot of life. Because he had chosen the profession of tax collector, he no doubt often found himself on the outside looking in.

LONNIE: But Jesus invited Him "in." And He did that for a lot of other people, too, as our interview guest today, Madelyn Jones-Haldeman pointed out in her conversation with Ken Wade.

KEN: Madelyn Jones-Haldeman, thank you for being on our program with us today.

MADELYN: I'm happy to here with you.

KEN: Dr. Jones-Haldeman, I understand that you taught in the New Testament department at La Sierra University for 33 years. You have retired now, but you haven't quit teaching. You're teaching at your church now, class on Tuesday evenings, and what's the topic of that class?

MADELYN: The gospel of Matthew.

KEN: Yes that is a favorite topic of ours today as well, since that's the book we are dealing with. Dr. Jones-Haldeman as you think of the book of Matthew, why do you think that Matthew wrote this? What's the theme? What's the point of this particular gospel?

MADELYN: The point of the gospel is found in chapter 1, and in chapter 28. It's what we call a literary device, and in chapter on it talks about his name shall be called Emmanuel, God with us. And it chapter 28 Jesus says, Lo I am with you always unto the end of the world. So when you have the repetition of that idea of God with us, you have a giant inclusio, which means the whole book is like that. Ok God with us, and then you have to figure out what does that mean to have God with us? So as you go through the book you begin the realize what that means.

KEN: Very good! I really appreciate that insight. So what we're seeing here is Jesus living with us, showing God to us. Is that what you would say?

MADELYN: Yes in a sense I suppose, but its much more than that. Because the vertical or the social structure of the first century was vertical, meaning that there was always someone higher than you on that structure, and it was very oppressive. So when it says God with us it means that Jesus Christ came down and joined the human race in a way in which it is horizontal rather than vertical. So that no one is above and no one in below. That means then that you can't oppress people when you are on a horizontal level. You only oppress people when you are on a vertical level. So to be horizontal is to show compassion and mercy, because you become inclusive. So the whole agenda of Matthew is inclusivity

KEN: Matthew speaks a great deal about the kingdom, and he is illustrating that is he the way the kingdom works.

MADELYN: Yes, and you find the kingdom in the beatitudes that's where it is first stated, blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom. So the kingdom is in the present the way you treat one another.

KEN: I was really intrigued this time reading through Matthew to notice that after the sermon on the mount, Jesus comes down off the mountain and immediately begins to touch people, and to reach out to people in need.

MADELYN: Yes, but it is more than just people, it was people on a certain social level.

KEN: The leper for instance.
MADELYN: Yes, so he is trying to show that all people are included. The leper that was down at the bottom of the social structure, and the centurion who was up above. The scribes who were up above, and the women who was down at the bottom. So Jesus is demonstrating what inclusivity means, that you don't only care and show compassion to people that are in your group, but that you go outside of your group.

KEN: This comes up in Matthew 25 also doesn't it?

MADELYN: Yes, in Matthew 25 there are three parables there and the last one is about the sheep and the goats, and those who do little deeds of kindness for which you would get no honor or prestige in the first century. These are things that people who are compassionate and merciful do. So it closes by saying as much of these things that you've done to the least of these, you've done unto me. So Jesus is showing the inclusivity agenda here--that how we treat one another is how we really treat Jesus Christ.

KEN: And that really comes up at the end of the book where it strikes me as well because he says, go therefore and make disciples of all nations, everybody is included in His kingdom.

MADELYN: That's right! And to make a disciple is to teach these teachings of Jesus Christ. That's what it's about.

KEN: Well that gives I think a wonderful insight into the message of Jesus, and particularly the message that Matthew the tax-collector picked up as he walked and talked with Jesus. Thank you very much Dr. Jones Haldeman, I really appreciate that insight.

MADELYN: You're welcome I was very happy to be here with you.

CONNIE: Inclusiveness--I like that word--the idea that Jesus came to proclaim a kingdom that everyone could be a part of.

And that's a theme that's picked up in our first song today. The Loma Linda Men's Chorus sings "Crown Him Lord of All."

CONNIE: Jesus came to bring the kingdom of God to all the earth, and when He returns, every knee will bow to Him, and crown Him Lord of ALL!

LONNIE: That's right, Connie. In Philippians, chapter 2, the apostle Paul describes how Jesus came to earth and humbled Himself to be the servant of all, but then in the conclusion of that great passage He goes on to say that there will come a time when "at the name of Jesus every knee [will] bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue [will] confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:9-10, NKJV).

CONNIE: In our program today, as we look at the book of Matthew, we focus mostly on Jesus' ministry while He was on earth, and how He treated people--how He invited them to be a part of His kingdom. But Matthew's Gospel also has quite a lot to say about the Second Coming of Jesus.

LONNIE: A theme that's very important to us here at Voice of Prophecy. And in fact, we have a book here that's written by our writer/producer Ken Wade, on that very topic. It's called Jesus for a New Millennium, and in it Ken tackles some of the hard questions about just when we should expect Jesus to return.

CONNIE: In fact, he starts out by asking the question--are Christians just a bunch of silly dupes to still be expecting Jesus to return after so many years have gone by? And he looks at prophecies and things that are happening in our world right now, and finds evidence for why Jesus is still waiting to return.

LONNIE: But not only that--good evidence that makes us believe that the delay won't be much longer!

CONNIE: We'd like to send you a copy of this book. We do ask, though, that if you request it, you do include a donation--and we'll leave the size of that donation up to you.

LONNIE: You can request your copy of Jesus for a New Millennium by calling us at 1-800-872-0055, or by writing to us this week.

CONNIE: We'll give our mailing address at the end of the program, but right now let's listen to Lonnie's message for today, "The King Has Come!"

Matthew--The King Has Come!

Matthew was a man who had sold out. Sold his soul to the devil, as the rabbis might say.

He was a tax collector, serving those abominable heathen overlords.
He'd taken stock of the situation. Looked at his options. And decided to cast his lot with the Romans rather than his own countrymen.

In today's terms, he might be called an American Taliban or something like that--he was looked upon by his countrymen as a turncoat who had deliberately chosen to serve the enemy.

But worse than that, his choice had placed him on the opposite side from his countrymen on the spiritual level. He had abandoned hope that the God of Israel could ever overthrow the mighty Roman Empire, and had taken the "If you can't lick 'em, join 'em" way out, becoming a loyal enforcer of Roman law against his own relatives and townsmen.

But then one day, as he sat in his tollbooth, waiting for the next donkey convoy to come down the road and fill his coffers with transit taxes, he looked up and saw a Man standing in front of him. Not a merchant arguing the unimaginably low value of the silks he's transporting to Jerusalem and proffering a pittance in place of the rightful duty. Not a fisherman begrudgingly bringing him a portion of the proceeds from his night's catch. No, this Man seemed to have a different mission in mind. The look in His eyes was different from the hatred and disdain Matthew usually experienced from those compelled to stop at his booth.

Can you picture how Jesus must have looked at Matthew?

Somehow Jesus must have been able to look past the gruff, devil-may-care, man-of-the-world exterior and see down into the heart of the turncoat tax collector. Because when Jesus looked at Matthew, He didn't see him for what he was--but for what he could become.

The eyes seemed to look right through Matthew, and to recognize a yearning deep inside for something better. Sure, Matthew had caved in, abandoned his boyhood religion, and gone over to the "other side." But maybe it was just because he was an honest-hearted seeker.

Many years later, when he told the story of that encounter, Matthew recorded only two words that Jesus spoke to him: " 'Follow Me' " (Matt. 9:9). But that's all it took. Something in those words resonated with a need in Matthew's soul, and he stood up from his tax table, left his employment with the most powerful government ever to rule the earth, and set out to follow Jesus.

He left his sedentary, secure life collecting taxes for Caesar and took up the life of a homeless, itinerant, collector of souls for the kingdom of heaven.
It seems a strange thing to do. Something that would set the whole neighborhood talking.

And maybe that's why, thirty or more years later, Matthew sat down to tell the story--as his explanation--addressed to his Jewish neighbors--of why he abandoned everything to follow Jesus. Was it a wise move? Did he have any regrets? Would he do it all over again?

Matthew introduces us to Jesus with details about the Man he followed--things he couldn't have known that day when he stood up and left his old life behind. But his story of Jesus--his Gospel--unveils a time of excitement. A time of opportunity and crisis unparalleled in all of history up to that time.
He begins his story by mentioning Abraham . . . .

Abraham. The man who stood up one day and left everything behind to follow God's call.

Interesting, isn't it? I think Matthew probably identified with Abraham in a very special way. And so he begins his Gospel by giving Jesus' genealogy, starting with Abraham (Luke, incidentally, takes the genealogy clear back to Adam!)
Reviewing Jesus' family background, Matthew begins to state his thesis--his reason for writing about Jesus: This Man whom he followed that day in Capernaum, was a very special Man.

The very time of His birth was significant--coming at just the right point in a long line of important births. Matthew adds the information that
His birth was predicted by an angel.

His birth happened in Bethlehem--the very place where the prophet Micah had said the birth of Israel's new leader would happen.

His birth attracted international attention--wise men from distant lands came to do homage to Him.

The events surrounding His birth got all Jerusalem, and even King Herod, stirred up.

When it was time for Jesus to begin His ministry, God sent a prophet to point people to Him.

Satan was so disturbed by the arrival of Jesus that the tempter came and attacked Him personally when He was at His physically weakest point, after fasting in the wilderness for 40 days.

Matthew wants us to know: the Man I followed was no ordinary Man. He was of royal lineage. He was spoken of by prophets and angels. And He had a special mission. Here's how Matthew introduces Jesus' ministry:

" 'The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.' From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand' " (Matthew 4:16-17 NKJV).

Jesus came to deliver light to those who were living in darkness, and to announce the coming of the kingdom of heaven.
So, you see, Matthew didn't abandon his lucrative position in the Roman government for anything. He abandoned it to take up a place in an even more important kingdom. The kingdom of heaven.

And his whole Gospel centers on the proclamation of the coming of this New Kingdom. This is what Matthew wants us to know: That everything changed when Jesus came.

Jesus proclaimed the principles of His New Kingdom in the passage we call the Sermon on the Mount (chapters 5-7). Then He showed how things would work in His kingdom, by coming down from the mountain and reaching out and touching a leper. Making him whole, speaking the word and healing the centurion's servant many miles away, calming a storm, casting out demons, forgiving and healing a paralytic, raising a little girl from the dead, giving sight to the blind, and speech to the dumb. In short, showing His compassion for all who would come to Him. Matthew summarizes it this way:

"Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd" (Matt 9:35-36, NIV).

The kingdom that Jesus proclaimed is described by the stories Matthew relays to us in chapter 13. Many of them center around agricultural illustrations--the kingdom grows like tiny seeds, flourishing where it is welcomed by fertile soil, but withering where it meets lack of interest. It is a kingdom that is worth everything--like a pearl of great price that a merchant would sell all to attain, for instance.

But it's not all a simple things. For instance, Matthew describes in telling detail the struggles of the disciples to come to genuine faith in the Man they were following. He also describes the negative reaction of many of the religious leaders to Jesus' teaching. But through it all, we see Jesus triumphing over foes of every kind.

Until . . .

Well, it doesn't come as a surprise, really, when it comes.
Matthew assures us that the apparent defeat of Jesus didn't take the Savior Himself by surprise. Long before the trip to Jerusalem, He warned His disciples

"that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day" (Matt. 16:21, NKJV).

It is, nonetheless, shocking when it comes. You would expect that the King who has taught so many wonderful things about His coming kingdom would continue to triumph until we would see Him uplifted and seated on His throne, ruling the nations.

But that wasn't the kind of kingdom He came to bring at that time--oh yes, it would come later. But not now. Jesus had to make sure His disciples understood that, so He

"called them to Himself and said, 'You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant' " (Matt 20:25-26 NKJV).

That was the kind of kingdom He was setting up.

Oh, Jesus would be lifted up all right. But lifted up on a cross. That all the world might see--not just the power of God, but the compassion of God: the willingness of God to do everything possible to bring people into His righteous kingdom. To sacrifice everything in order to win men's and women's hearts.
To establish a kingdom founded on compassion and forgiveness, not on passion and vengeance.

A very different kingdom from what people expected.

And when Matthew's Gospel ends, we realize that there's still something to be done to bring this kingdom to power.

In Matthew's Gospel there's no mention of Jesus' ascension to heaven. No hint of His establishment on a throne next to the right hand of God. It's in Luke, Acts, Revelation, and the writings of Paul that we learn about those aspects of Jesus' ministry.

Matthew's Gospel ends much less satisfactorily in some ways. The tax-collector-turned-apostle simply tells us that Jesus rose from the dead, and that the disciples went to Galilee to meet Him on a mountaintop. And the Gospel ends there with these words:

"And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.' Amen" (Matthew 28:18-20 NKJV).
In other words, the story isn't over. Matthew has left all to follow Jesus and to establish His kingdom. But there is still much to be done. The kingdom has not yet arrived in full power. It is still coming.

And Matthew reminds us that every one of us has a part to play in bringing in this kingdom. It is our privilege now, to do as he has done: To give the kingdom highest priority in our lives. To leave all other things behind, and to reach out and touch others, proclaiming: The kingdom of heaven is at hand!
Because one day soon, the King will return to set up His kingdom for all eternity!