Real Life Selkirk
**June 7** Dynamis (Matthew 13:54-14:12)
  • Holy Forever
  • Agnus Dei
  • Cast My Cares
  • Goodness Of God

  • Sermon

    Key Passage

    Matthew 13:54–14:12 NIV
    Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked. “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town and in his own home.” And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith. At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus, and he said to his attendants, “This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.” Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, for John had been saying to him: “It is not lawful for you to have her.” Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered John a prophet. On Herod’s birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for the guests and pleased Herod so much that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted and had John beheaded in the prison. His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother. John’s disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus.

    Prayer

    Introduction

    I want to introduce everyone to a new word today:
    Dynamis
    Say it, repeat it, do we have it? Good.
    This is one of those sermons we need to learn a new language to grasp, so I’ll be handing out exam papers at the door.
    As you can see by saying this word a few times, there are some of our common words that are rooted in this Greek word
    Words like:
    Dynamite-
    Quick story again from my childhood. When I was in my early teen years, I lived in Post Falls.
    Field behind my house and there would always be a big red ant pile.
    Those things would bite and it would hurt!
    Every day of the summer, my friends and I would work to avoid the ant pile. But on one day in the summer we would look for that ant pile.
    The 4th of July. Not only was it my birthday, but it would also be the day we would get our fireworks and light them off on top of the ant pile.
    Every year, the ants would pack up their uhaul trucks and move to a different location in our field, but we would find it and have our 4th of July celebration.
    If you are a person who loves red ants and feel sorry for them, you’ve probably never had boys.
    When I think of dynamite, I think of that.
    I know we didn’t have dynamite, but 13 year old Jared would have sure loved to have found a stick around the 4th of July.
    Here is the thing with dynamite. It doesn’t play well with others.
    There will always be “Before Dynamite” and “After Dynamite”
    Dynamic
    When I think of the word ‘dynamic’ I think about school.
    There were teachers who took a topic like Chemistry and made it fun and interesting.
    There were also teachers who took a topic and made it so that I never wanted to learn anything about it again.
    I would argue that both of those teachers were dynamic in their own ways.
    One was dynamic because they made the class something more than it was
    The other was dynamic because they made it something less than it was.
    Both of them changed the topic to my eyes.
    I’m sure there are other words, but those are the biggies in my mind.
    Dynamis defined
    When we look at the word ‘dynamis’ in the Greek language, it is used in a broad sense, but has a powerful core of meaning.
    Dynamis simply defined is something that has power.
    Not just like a 9 volt battery power, but something that drastically changes things.
    That kind of power.
    It is the power of a wildfire that doesn’t just warm a part of the forest. It destroys it.
    It is the power of a river that over time can carve a canyon.
    It is the power of love that can completely change and redefine your life.
    Dynamis-
    Power, strength, might, force
    The ability to change and redefine whatever it touches.
    The idea of ‘dynamis’ is seen in Jesus’ parables leading up to our passages today.
    Does yeast have dynamis?
    Does it have the power to change or redefine what it touches?
    Does a mustard seed have dynamis?
    Does it change and redefine the garden?
    Does a treasure in a field have dynamis?
    It causes him to sell everything he has.
    Does the Gospel have dynamis in our lives?
    This is the theme of what the Kingdom of Heaven is like.
    In every one of these parables that Jesus has told in Matthew 13, we see the idea of “dynamis” show up.
    This is why we exist as a church.
    Not to spread a religion, rather so that the world will see and experience the dynamis of a good, holy and loving God.
    And the dynamis of His Gospel.
    We exist to reach the world for Jesus, one person at a time
    This is built on the dynamis of Jesus. He doesn’t just occupy a passive part of our lives. He dynamites our life and it is forever changed by Him.
    We don’t just exist for religion
    We exist so hearts can experience the dynamis of the Gospel, grow and know the love of God and share that dynamis with the world that needs to see a dynamic Jesus.
    Our text today may seem like two very different stories, but both stories tie together one common principle: the dynamis of Jesus

    Question for Today

    I would like to navigate today’s passage and see different responses to the dynamis of Jesus.
    This will lead us to one question:
    “How have I responded to the dynamis of Jesus?”

    Preaching the Text

    Nazareth

    Matthew 13:54 NIV
    Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked.
    The first response we see in Jesus comes from his hometown.
    We have to go all the way back to Matthew 11 to see where Jesus has been. Matthew 11:1 says that Jesus began to go through the towns in the region of Galilee.
    Galilee was like a county in northern Israel. There were a number of towns and villages in this area. Jesus was going through these towns teaching, doing miracles, and dusting up some arguments with the religious elite in that area.
    After this tour, Jesus returned to his hometown of Nazareth and He went to the local church and began teaching.
    After a few sermons, the people came away amazed.
    Now the word, “amazed” can mean a few different things
    The obvious and first implication can be like when I watch my kids do things that God has wired them to do.
    My daughter graduates from Central Washington University next week.
    When I watch her get into an airplane and start flying, I am amazed and proud
    I’m amazed and proud of my son who is a loyal friend and is always willing to drop everything and lend a hand wherever he needs.
    But being amazed isn’t always the same feeling
    Every one of my kids has also offered me a sense of amazement when I open the door and look at the condition of their room.
    How can such a mess exist in such a small space!
    AMAZING!
    But it doesn’t lead to pride and joy. It leads to a Ward Cleaver lecture and correction.
    The people from Nazareth heard the sermons of Jesus and likely heard about the journey he had been on and they came to this conclusion.
    “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?”
    Two things stood out to the people of Jesus’ hometown.
    First was his wisdom.
    Jesus exhibited a Biblical and Godly wisdom.
    Second, is a word that the English translations of the Bible don’t really grasp.
    This word “miraculous powers” would seem to imply that Jesus was doing miracles.
    Jesus WAS doing miracles, but this isn’t the direct meaning of this phrase.
    This is the word DYNAMIS
    They listened to Jesus and saw that He had wisdom, but He also had:
    Dynamis-
    Power, strength, might, force
    The ability to change and redefine whatever it touches.
    His power was not of the Arnold Schwarzenegger, Chuck Norris variety.
    His dynamis was from God.
    It was miraculous, supernatural, and foreign to these people.
    They came face to face with the dynamis of God.
    Literally, God showed up and preached to them.
    It wasn’t implied that this was the power of God
    Jesus demonstrated the literal power of God and didn’t shy away from it.
    The next verses will reveal how the people of Nazareth would respond to the dynamis of Jesus.
    Would they be transformed?
    Matthew 13:55–56 NIV
    “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?”
    They look at Jesus Christ who is standing before them.
    He is fully God and fully man
    They identify the part that they see and know
    This is Joseph’s kid. This is Mary’s son.
    We know his brothers and sisters.
    Yes, we believe he is fully man.
    But no, we don’t believe he is God.
    Do you see the question they ask?
    “Where then did this man get all these things?”
    They saw the dynamis of God in Jesus Christ. They stood in the presence of God in the flesh. The dynamis that if it is set in the soil of their lives would redefine their very identity.
    And they denied God in the face of it.
    “Where did this MAN get these things?”
    It wasn’t simply rejection. It was offense.
    Matthew 13:57 NIV
    And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town and in his own home.”
    You are just a man. How and why would you think that you could demonstrate the dynamis of the Almighty God.
    They denied the power and identity of God in Jesus and they were offended.
    You are not going to walk into our town and claim to be God and change everything here.
    Here is the thing about a hometown. No one wants their hometown to change.
    I told a story last week about playing wiffle ball in a field across the street from my house.
    Do you know that the city of Coeur d’Alene has changed since I was a kid?
    Some people with the dynamis of wealth came to my hometown and built a resort. Yes I remember Coeur d’Alene before the resort was there.
    They brought tourists. They shut down sawmills. The changed my hometown with the dynamis of money.
    Now the house I grew up in is a parking lot. The wiffle ball field across the street is now a grassy drainage area between two parking lots.
    Literally every house on my block was torn down to make parking lots. Not one house on either side of the street that I grew up on is still there.
    So when I think of the guy who came to Coeur d’Alene with they dynamis of his money, do you think I was amazed and overjoyed by the prospect of what he would bring?
    Or do you think I take offense at his dynamis?
    It destroyed everything I remember about my hometown.
    But, most people now would look at the city of CDA and say, “What a beautiful city. What a great boardwalk. What extensive medical facilities...that now use parking on my old house.”
    Do you see how dynamis doesn’t just add to the community. It completely destroys it and rebuilds it.
    And not everyone wants this dynamis.
    The people of Nazareth heard this and basically said, “We see your dynamis, but we want no part of it and we want no part of what it brings with it. We are fine the way we are. We built this city and we are going to continue to do so as we see fit. Not you.”
    So Jesus responds by saying, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town and in his own home.”
    This is an interesting thing to say. Jesus says, “A prophet is honored everywhere. But when he goes home, they only see the kid running around playing wiffle ball, not the man who is speaking under the authority of God.”
    I want to explore this briefly because we don’t have the time to fully break this down.
    Jesus called Himself a prophet.
    In our world, we often say things like, “Jesus wasn’t a prophet. He was the Son of God.”
    But Jesus WAS a prophet. But not only a prophet. He was a PROPHET, PRIEST AND KING.
    The prophet was someone sent by God to give the message of God.
    Not their interpretation of the message. But literally, the words of God.
    Was Jesus sent by the Father? Yes
    Did Jesus speak the words of God? Yes
    Jesus was a prophet.
    But He was also the King of Kings, the High Priest of all high priests, and He is God in the flesh.
    It isn’t yes to one of them. It is yes to all of them.
    Matthew 13:58 NIV
    And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.
    I need to explore this for a moment because people take this verse and interpret it in a way that distorts its intent.
    When some people read this verse they read it and then jump to the inverse as a formula
    Jesus didn’t do many miracles because they lacked faith.
    Therefore, if I can muster up enough faith, I can get Jesus to do all sorts of miracles.
    So we have people in our world that start to build teachings about how to muster up enough faith to get Jesus to do the miracles we want in our lives.
    People build up fervency, intensity, and deep levels of intent within them. They try to remove any possibility of doubt in their hearts. Because, somehow doubt nullifies faith.
    Do you see the line of teaching that comes from this?
    It is a dangerous line because there are points of truth, but enough that misses the target to lead people astray.
    Our faith will not manipulate God
    If you have a loved one who is sick and they pass away, it isn’t because you lacked faith. Or you couldn’t get rid of enough doubt. And somehow, if you had worked this verse backwards well enough, you loved one would still be here.
    God does not take His marching orders from us, from our wishes, or from the most fervently held intentions we have for him.
    God is God. He is the authority.
    His DYNAMIS doesn’t need permission from our faith.
    Our faith is in God, not in our will
    When we place our faith in God, there is a surrender to His will. His purposes and His ways.
    We align ourselves with Him. We don’t demand that He aligns Himself with us, our purposes and our ways.
    So why do we pray? Should I even make prayer requests?
    Yes! Pray without ceasing! Bring your requests to the throne of God.
    But do so in a posture of humility and surrender to His will, not authority over His activity.
    So what is this verse saying?
    This isn’t a verse that gives us a formula. This isn’t a prescriptive verse. It is a descriptive verse.
    Using the context of the rest of chapter 13 as our roadmap, we see Jesus seeing the lack of faith of the Pharisees, so Jesus stopped speaking to them and started speaking in parables.
    We see that this was both to conceal the truth of God from some, but also to reveal the truth to others.
    Jesus is doing the same thing here. If you do not acknowledge the dynamis of God in your presence, the dynamis of God will be concealed in your life.

    Herod and JTB

    We will quickly move to the next passage of our text.
    This is the longest part and written in an odd manner. We will fly through this fairly quickly and get back to our point.
    Matthew 14:1–2 NIV
    At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus, and he said to his attendants, “This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”
    This is the point that we are going to explore today. So keep your eye on verses 1 & 2, but we need to navigate the rest of the passage.
    The rest of this passage tells why Herod came to the conclusion that he does in verses 1 & 2.
    Herod heard about the reports of Jesus
    Immediately, he concludes that this is a guy named John the Baptists that has resurrected from the dead.
    That may seem like an odd conclusion to land on, but the rest of the text about Herod and JTB tell us why.
    Before we go into the rest of the teaching about this event, I feel we need to take a journey back to one of our introductory services in this series and get a brief snapshot of Herod, who he is and why he plays the role he plays here.
    Herod
    We are going to roll back to a time before the birth of Jesus
    Herod the Great
    Came to Julius Caesars aid in Egypt, so Caesar gifted him authority over the region of Israel on behalf of the Roman empire
    Herod the Great was not Jewish, nor was he Roman. But he was given the title “King Herod” in Israel because he had been given that authority by Julius Caesar. He still submitted to Caesar’s Roman authority.
    Birth of Jesus
    Jesus was born in Bethlehem and after a little while a few guys came into town riding camels from the east saying, “Where is the King of the Jews?”
    King Herod considered himself the king of the Jews, so he took note of the birth of Jesus as a potential threat.
    After the Magi left, he ordered to have all of the children in that area killed, hoping to catch Jesus.
    But Jesus, Mary and Joseph escaped to Egypt.
    Herod the Great’s death
    Divided Israel into four regions and divided them among his three sons.
    Herod Archelaeus
    SW Israel (Jerusalem/Bethlehem region)
    Ruthless
    The people complained about taxes, so he killed the complainers
    Caesar heard about this and had him placed into exile and replaced him with a friend of Caesar named Pontius Pilate
    We’ll hear more about him later
    Herod Archelaus had a daughter named Herodias
    Herod Philip
    NE Israel
    He was a wicked guy and saw his niece Herodias and took her to be his wife.
    Philip and Herodias had a daughter named Solome
    Herod Antipas
    Two regions— SE & NW Israel
    SE Israel is where he spent most of his time
    JTB came from the wilderness in southern Israel and began baptizing at the Jordan River and preaching repentance because the Kingdom of Heaven was near.
    Herod Antipas stole his niece Herodias from his brother and took her as his live-in girlfriend, while she was still married to Philip.
    JTB condemned this wicked act
    He called for holiness and righteousness. Herod was wicked, but Herodias was pure evil.
    She hated JTB.
    This is the setting for the rest of our text today:
    Matthew 14:3–5 NIV
    Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, for John had been saying to him: “It is not lawful for you to have her.” Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered John a prophet.
    Again we see the word “prophet”
    I want to be clear about this. John was a prophet.
    He was a man sent by God to speak the words of God to the people in that place and time.
    But he was just a prophet.
    Jesus wasn’t just a prophet. JTB was.
    Matthew 14:6–11 NIV
    On Herod’s birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for the guests and pleased Herod so much that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted and had John beheaded in the prison. His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother.
    This is a side note to the point that Matthew is bringing in our text today, but it brings a conclusion to the life of JTB.
    The Mathew brings to us by telling this story is that the people considered JTB a prophet. A man sent by God and under the authority of God.
    Herod was distressed. But Herodias so hated the convicting words of holiness that she demanded he be killed.
    In the end, Herod relented and took JTB’s life
    At this point, I believe that Herod came face to face with how wicked his life had become.
    This was pure evil. The killing of a good man, a righteous man, a man of God.
    Matthew 14:1–2 NIV
    At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus, and he said to his attendants, “This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”
    Miraculous Powers = Dynamis
    So when Herod heard about the DYNAMIS of a man of God in the other region he controlled in NW Israel, his conscience immediately led him to one conclusion.
    God raised JTB from the dead.
    There is no other way to interpret this other than, JTB was a prophet of God and now God has raised him from the dead.
    Herod came face to face with the dynamis of God. And he rightly concluded that this was the work of God.
    His sin, and the evil that he had allowed to exist in his life and in his family immediately came to the surface in his mind.
    Herod experienced the conviction of his sin because of the dynamis of Jesus Christ.
    He didn’t know who Jesus was, but in the face of the dynamis of Jesus, his sin came immediately to his attention.
    Herod had a choice. How would he respond to the dynamis of Jesus? I believe the answer we see here is guilt and fear, but clearly not repentance.
    We will see Herod again in the trial of Jesus before his crucifixion.
    He will try to convince Jesus to perform dynamis.
    But like the people from Nazareth, there was no faith. The dynamis of God would be concealed from his unrepentant and non-surrendered heart.
    There is one verse left that we did not cover. One more response to Jesus hidden in this last verse:
    Matthew 14:12 NIV
    John’s disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus.
    There is a response here that I want to share.
    It is a humble response to Jesus
    JTB’s disciples had left their lives and devoted them to JTB.
    He was God’s prophet. He was holy and good. He spoke the truth unashamed.
    God would certainly take care of him, right.
    God would not give JTB more trouble and struggles than he could handle, right?
    Wrong.
    God allowed JTB to be murdered by an evil man and an even more evil woman.
    JTB’s disciples must have been devastated.
    Is God real?
    Is God still in control?
    Even though it was too late, they still honored the body of a godly man.
    Then then went to Jesus.
    God in the flesh. The God who allowed the death of their rabbi.
    It wasn’t in anger, or resentment, or disillusionment.
    They were confused, hurt, and broken, but they still went to Jesus.
    This is the response of a heart that can be changed by the dynamis of Jesus.

    Teaching

    Here is what we see in our text today, and truly, what we see in the text of all of chapter 13.
    Every single one of us has come to a crossroads today.
    The Gospel, the Message about the Kingdom, the God/Man/Priest/King/Prophet Jesus Christ is presented to you today.
    Every person in this room will respond.
    You see, here is the problem with the dynamis of the Kingdom.
    It won’t fit into your life.
    As you look at the life you have built, every one of us will say, “This is where and how Jesus can best fit into my life.”
    I want you to know that the dynamite of Jesus cannot, nor will He fit where you want Him to fit into your life.
    There is no making room for Jesus in your life.
    Either there is bread or crackers. The difference is the dynamis of yeast
    Either the Gospel wrecks your life, or you haven’t responded to the Gospel.
    I want to share with you a snapshot of how the dynamis of the Gospel looked in the early church:
    Acts 2:22–24 NIV
    “Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles (dynamis), wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.
    Acts 2:32–33 NIV
    God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.
    Acts 2:36–38 NIV
    “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
    Acts 2:40–41 NIV
    With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
    This is the Gospel
    Save yourself from this wicked and corrupt generation.
    A generation that sees the dynamis of Jesus Christ, sees His miracles, hears His Gospel and deny Him.
    They deny the dynamis and say, “He’s just a man.”
    A generation that sees their sin and does not respond with repentance, but with anger and vitriol.
    They deny the dynamis of the Gospel with anger and hatred.
    Their destination is hell.
    We cannot merely make room for the Gospel in our hearts.
    The dynamis of the Gospel wants to rewrite our hearts
    That is repentance
    I am no longer building on what I’ve built
    I am no longer making room. I’m giving the house to you.
    Every part of my life that I have built is yours
    It is yours to be used for your kingdom, your glory, your Gospel.
    God use your church!

    Conclusion

    We’ve seen three responses to the dynamis of Jesus today.
    Nazareth made the power of God common. They tried to shrink Jesus down until He fit into their categories.
    Herod responded with fear. He felt conviction, but he refused surrender.
    John’s disciples came to Jesus with humble, wounded trust. They didn’t understand everything, but they brought their grief, their confusion, and their lives to Him.
    And now it’s our turn.
    Because the dynamis of Jesus is here. Not the idea of Jesus. Not the memory of Jesus. Not the religion of Jesus. The power of Jesus.
    And His power does not politely fit into the life you’ve built. It does not ask for a corner of your schedule. It does not negotiate for a drawer in your heart.
    The dynamis of Jesus takes over whatever it touches.
    So here is the question the Spirit is asking today:
    Where have you tried to “make room” for Jesus instead of surrendering rule to Jesus?
    Where have you said:
    “Jesus, You can have this part, but not that part.”
    “You can influence me, but You can’t redefine me.”
    The bible isn’t motivational quotes for life. It is the transformative dynamis truth of the almighty God.
    “You can bless my life, but You can’t rebuild my life.”
    Friend, that is Nazareth. That is Herod. That is resistance to the dynamis of God.
    So here is the simple action step today:

    Lay down the part of your life you’ve been trying to control.

    Name it. Release it. Surrender it.**
    What part of your life are pleading with Jesus to influence?
    Stop. It is time to surrender it.
    And surrender myself to God’s will regarding it.
    Not “make room.” Not “fit Jesus in.” Not “add Him to what you’ve built.”
    Give Him the house. Give Him the keys. Give Him the deed.
    Give Him your relationships
    Give Him your fear
    Give Him your worries
    Because the Gospel doesn’t renovate your life — it resurrects your life.
    And resurrection only happens on surrendered ground.

      • Matthew 13:54–14:12NIV2011

      • Matthew 13:54NIV2011

      • Matthew 13:55–56NIV2011

      • Matthew 13:57NIV2011

      • Matthew 13:58NIV2011

      • Matthew 14:1–2NIV2011

      • Matthew 14:3–5NIV2011

      • Matthew 14:6–11NIV2011

      • Matthew 14:1–2NIV2011

      • Matthew 14:12NIV2011

      • Acts 2:22–24NIV2011

      • Acts 2:32–33NIV2011

      • Acts 2:36–38NIV2011

      • Acts 2:40–41NIV2011

  • You've Already Won
Real Life Selkirk
11 members • 2 followers