Measurements and Authority {Matthew 7-8}

September 4, 2018

The measure you give will be given back to you.  Did you catch that?  It’s your move first.

What you receive in terms of judgment, mercy, condemnation and anything else, is determined by what you do first.

Judge not and you will not be judged.  Condemn not and you will not be condemned.  Both of these statements say that it is what you do first that will determine what is dispensed out to you.

Do you want to receive all that is good?  Then do good to others.  Give when you are able and when you have the opportunity, and you will be blessed.

We were given a good description of this is Psalm 37:21, “The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously.”

Be righteous and be a giver, not a taker.  Then you will receive the blessing as described in verse 22 of the same Psalm; “those the Lord blesses will inherit the land, but those that He curses will be destroyed.”

The measure you get back will far outweigh the measure you give when you give in accordance with God’s way.

These two chapters were very difficult to narrow down to just one or two areas to discuss.  We have so much to learn from the Sermon on the Mount, but it’s what we read in the last two verses of chapter 7 that made me dig a bit deeper.

We find large crowds gathering as Jesus began His teachings, but we never find Him interested in these large crowds.  He doesn’t need that kind of acclaim.  Fame and popularity are just a fleeting moment.  As we end chapter 8, we see this come true as the large crowds decide to tell Jesus to leave.

Jesus doesn’t care about our degrees, or the number of likes we receive on social media.  He does not care about whether we have a degree in theology or have attended seminary.  What qualifies any one of us is our heart condition.

 “This is true mature love – when all other affections have been completely abandoned for the love of the Son of God and the delight of doing His will.”  Bob Sorge

We see here that Matthew teaches us that Jesus isn’t teaching on the authority of another person.  He is teaching on His own authority.  This is why Jesus has power over disease, nature, the supernatural, sin and death.

As much as we like to share quotes from famous theologians, there is no one greater to quote than Jesus.  When Jesus did quote others, it was to correct improper theology, and He only quoted scripture.  That’s why the magnitudes were so amazed.  Jesus spoke on His own authority.  Just go back and read the Beatitudes – they are factual statements that Jesus proclaims on His own authority. 

Here’s an example from 7:22-23, “On judgment day many will tell me, ‘Lord, Lord, we prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles.  But I will reply, ‘I never knew you.  Go away, the things you did were not authorized.”

Jesus said that those who heard His words and acted upon them were like a wise man who built his house on a rock.  We should have so much joy to have the Holy Spirit develop the characteristics of the Beatitudes in us, to be used by God as salt and light, to have joy even in persecution, to live life on a different plane than the world.  To commune with the Father in prayer, and not be anxious about the things of the world, because God meets our needs, to have a house that will stand the storms of life. 

The teaching of Jesus amazed those who heard because He spoke with authority.  You cannot ignore what He says without paying a terrible price, but you will not hear and heed what Jesus says unless you heart is in the right place. 

I would like to close by sharing the words of a song by John Sherbourg.

Where Your Heart Is

I guess it all comes down to where your heart is, 
It’s there your thoughts and feelings all begin.

And if you never give your heart to Jesus,
You never really have a part with Him.

If your treasures up in Heaven, Then your heart will be there too,
And the things you say and do will show Christ’s love.

But if your treasures here on earth, Then tell me where your life will be,
You’ll never really have a part in things above.

Chorus

If your mind’s set on the Spirit, And you’re walking in God’s love,
Then the watching world will see God’s love in you.

But if your mind is set on earthly things, Then earthly things you’ll do,
In poverty you’ll live your whole life through.

Chorus

For a man looks on the outside, Only outward things he sees,
He can never look down deep inside your heart.

Only God knows what you think and feel, His eyes are just and fair,
He sees you as you’ve been right from the start.

Chorus