The Gospel According to Matthew Volume 2

By Dr. Stanford E. Murrell

The Gospel of Matthew presents Jesus Christ as the triumphant King who came to establish His kingdom within the hearts of those who receive Him as Lord and Savior. Individuals are invited to come into the kingdom of God and live an ethical and eternal life. From the days of His humiliation to the moment of His glorious resurrection and ascension into heaven, King Jesus is set forth by Matthew. This Volume covers chapters 17-28.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Jun 25, 2014
• ISBN: 9781312303102

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The Gospel According to Matthew Volume 2

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW VOLUME 2

CHAPTERS 16-22

DR. STANFORD E. MURRELL

A Sign from Heaven: Matthew 16:1-4

The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven. 2 He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. 3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather today: for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times? 4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.

Once again Jesus was talking to the Pharisees and the Sadducees who had come to tempt Him, and to test Him, by asking for a sign. The union of these two groups was in itself very unusual. In almost every way the two groups were opposite. Dr. William Barclay explains.

The Pharisees lived life according to the minutiae of the oral and the scribal law; the Sadducees rejected the oral and the scribal law completely, and accepted only the written words of the Bible as their Law of life.

The Pharisees believed in angels and in the resurrection of the body and the Sadducees did not, an opposition which Paul made use of when he was on trial before the Sanhedrin (Acts 23:6-10).

And--in this case most important of all—the Pharisees were not a political party and were prepared to live under any government which would allow them to observe their own religious principles; the Sadducees were the small, wealthy aristocracy, who were the collaborationist party and were quite prepared to serve and co-operate with the Roman government, in order to retain their wealth and their privileges.

Further, the Pharisees looked for and longed for the Messiah; the Sadducees did not.

It would have been well-nigh impossible to find two more different sects and parties; and yet they came together in their envenomed desire to eliminate Jesus. All error has this in common—that it is hostile to Christ. Uniting together the Pharisees and the Sadducees demanded a sign from Jesus. They wanted some extra ordinary sign from Christ in order to authenticate His message. The Lord became angry enough at this request to call the people an evil and adulterous generation. The evil was that the religious leaders rejected the good they saw and heard in the Person of Christ in order to doubt and question His integrity. Why should the people have an external sign when they have the embodiment of the Godhead? Besides, what sign could Christ have given to authenticate His deity? The questions of the scribes and Pharisees were godless and morally evil. Look to Jonah, said Jesus, for that is the only sign you shall have.

When we examine Jonah we find that there was only the man and his message. Jonah did not perform even the miracles that Jesus did. But He did have a message. Yet forty days and Nineveh shall be destroyed. In like manner Jesus had a message. Except ye repent, ye shall likewise perish!

In cryptic form the Lord was referring to His resurrection. You want a sign? Watch the tomb. As the watery grave could not hold Jonah, neither shall the Roman seal hold me. With these words Jesus turned and walked away from the religious leaders and left them to remember.

The Lord is not pleased with all of the interest in physical signs. He wants people to believe in Him. His word is enough. His message is plain. It is not necessary to look for signs.

The Lord is the final word to man. In Christ, God the Father has spoken. This is my beloved Son, hear ye Him is still the Divine mandate. Hebrews 1:1-2 reminds us that God who at sundry times and in divers manner spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds. As the Pharisees and the Sadducees did not want to honor Christ as the Son of God many years ago, so many people do not want to honor Him today. Still, the message goes forward.

The Messiah has come. God's last prophet has come, and His name is Jesus. Let Jesus Christ be God's final word to man. The Christian church needs no other sign than that of the Cross. That is why we sing a song of faith.

"On a hill far away, stood an

old rugged Cross, The emblem

of suffering and shame."

A Belief that Will Destroy: Matthew 16:5-12

And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. 6 Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. 7 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread. 8 Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread? 9 Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? 10 Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? 11 How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees? 12 Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

Following the encounter with the scribes and the Pharisees, Matthew records a small incident that provided Jesus with an opportunity to teach an important lesson. As the text explains, Jesus took the disciples from the western shore of the Sea of Galilee to the eastern side.

Having started out, someone realized that food had forgotten to be brought. One solitary bread cake was all that 13 men had to divide among themselves. As Jesus watched the waves of the water, and thought about the latest verbal exchange with the Pharisees, His spirit was stirred, and the Lord was moved to say, Peter, James, John. Listen all of you. Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

Immediately the disciples felt rebuked. Their minds were pre-occupied with where their next meal was coming from. They thought the Lord was upset with them for not buying bread. As soon as Jesus realized what His words communicated to the disciples, He did rebuke them gently, for lack of faith. Did the disciples forget already the feeding of the five thousand, and the feeding of the four thousand, with such a small portion of food? Was it possible to feed the masses and not provide for thirteen individuals?

No, the Lord would supply their needs. What Jesus really wanted, was for His disciples to be aware of the leaven, or the doctrinal teachings of the Pharisees and the Sadducees who had so much influence over the people. In many ways the Pharisees believed that which was good.

First, they believed in the immortality of the soul. They taught that every soul is imperishable, but that only those of the righteous pass into another body. The soul of the wicked are punished with eternal torment.

Second, the Pharisees believed in angels. They taught the existence of angels and spirits while the Sadducees denied this (Acts 23:8).

Third, the Pharisees taught the doctrine of predestination. They believed that everything that happens takes place through God's providence. Had the Pharisees stopped with these beliefs they would have done well. But they went much further in their teachings.

First, the Pharisees proudly pretended they could keep the Law of Moses perfectly. Worse yet, some actually believed they were keeping the Law of God, such as the rich young ruler.

Second, the Pharisees burdened the people by multiplying minute precepts and distinctions to such an extent that the true law was lost sight of.

Third, the Pharisees sought to attract attention to their beliefs by their religious zeal.

Perhaps the most serious aspect of the leaven of the Pharisees was in the area of salvation, for they taught eternal redemption by human merit. There are Pharisees in every generation in the sense that men are constantly trying to earn salvation by what they can do. William Culbertson said, Every religion of the earth that I know about says, 'Something in my hand I bring' and it approaches God. Jesus Christ came to challenge that belief. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me. Anyone who desires eternal life and heaven must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. In describing His conversion, Charles Spurgeon said, I looked at Him, and He—Christ—looked at me and we became one forever!

Who is Jesus Christ? Matthew 16:13-20

When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? 14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. 15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 20 Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.

Sometimes, after an emotional encounter, it is good to be able to go somewhere to think. Life can become very stressful when people disagree over an important matter. A pleasant conversation can suddenly take on a very unpleasant atmosphere when words that wound are spoken. Some of the most stressful conversations are those in which a person's course of action is challenged or called into question. It is not pleasant to try and defend one's position. We all want others to simply re-affirm what we say and what we do. We do not like probing inquires in a course of conduct. Jesus had just been through a stressful situation with His encounter of the Pharisees and the Sadducees. These religious leaders had not come to re-affirm the Lord, but to seek a sign of Him from heaven. No ordinary sign would do. They wanted the clouds to bring sudden rain. They wanted the stars to fall from the skies. They wanted the sun to stand still as it did for Joshua.

But Jesus refused to give the religious leaders any sign except that of the prophet Jonah, and He went away. Still, the time spent in this encounter was emotional, and it was electrifying. The Lord was so disturbed by it that later in the day, He brought up the situation again in order to instruct His disciples (16:4-12). If difficult conversations cannot be resolved, at least a spiritual lesson should be learned from them. And the disciples learned to beware of the doctrine of the Pharisees and the Sadducees. Now that the confrontation had ended, Jesus wanted to go away and be alone with His friends. A man is very fortunate in life if he can find even ONE truly faithful person to stand with him, and by him, in times of controversy. For the moment at least, Jesus had twelve friends. He sought comfort from them, and He sought comfort for them, as they all moved towards the district of Caesarea Philippi.

Philip the tetrarch had enlarged and beautified the place to which Jesus and His disciples went. The area had been named in honor of Caesar Augustus. A beautiful Temple had been built to the pagan god Pan. In the background of the Temple, rising 9,232 feet high, was the majestic, snow capped, Mt. Hermon. In this place of beauty and serenity, Jesus would closely question His disciples to see if they at least comprehended what the Pharisees and Sadducees did not. The Lord began His search for understanding with a general question.

Whom do men say that I, the Son of man, am? By calling Himself the Son of man, the Lord was referring to His state of humiliation. There was a time when Jesus dwelt with the Father in heaven. He was once high and lifted up and His glory filled the temple. He knew about the mansions there. He knew what it was like to walk on the clouds and ride the wind as a chariot. The Lord enjoyed the worship and the service of the angels. He called the stars by name. And He gave all that up, and more, in order to dwell on earth as the Son of man. In His state of humiliation Jesus had no permanent dwelling place (Matt. 8:20). He would be subjected to cruel suffering (17:2). Finally, after betrayal, the Lord would be put to death (26:24), and buried (12:40). In light of this, Jesus wanted to know whether or not the disciples could realize in Him something unique. He asked the question, Whom do men say that I, the Son of man am?

For a moment, a hush fell over the disciples. The question was not all that easy to answer. The disciples knew that some harsh and unkind things had been spoken about the Master. It was said of Him that He was Beelzebub, the Lord of the Flies. Only a few really believed that, but it had been reported widely.

Finally, one of the disciples replied almost timidly. Lord, some people say you are John the Baptist. One person in particular, who believed that, was Herod Antipas (Matt. 14:1). Herod believed that Jesus was really John the Baptist risen from the dead. For Herod, there was something familiar about the way that Jesus spoke and acted. The guilty conscience of Herod made him cringe when he heard Jesus preaching, just like John, saying, Repent! For the kingdom of heaven is at hand. It is not easy for anyone to repent. It is not easy for a person to say they are sorry and have made a mistake and sinned. But it must be done. Somebody has said that the six most important words are, I admit I made a mistake. More times than I care to remember I have made this confession to God and to men. The Bible tells us that if we try to conceal a matter, it will be exposed anyway. Proverbs 28:13 says, He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whosoever confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. Had Herod Antipas confessed his sins, he would not have been alarmed at the preaching of Jesus.

Another disciple spoke up. Lord, some say you are Elijah. You remember Elijah. Like John the Baptist, Elijah was a rugged individual. He wore a garment of hair, and a leather belt (2 Kings 1:8). He liked to tuck his cloak into his belt and outrun chariots (1 Kings 18:46). Elijah was able to go for 40 days and 40 nights on very little food. He lived in caves (1 Kings 17:3; 19:9).

But most important of all, Elijah preached a message of uncompromising loyalty to the Lord. In a day when belief in many gods was normal, Elijah called upon Israel to be faithful to the One true God, Jehovah. Elijah's call to holiness and faithfulness caused conflict. That was not his intention, but conflict comes when bad behavior is challenged. Elijah challenged the false prophets of Baal to a duel on Mt. Carmel. Once there, he mocked them, and finally, he put them out of the land forever.

In Christ, many people discerned something of the spirit of Elijah. The Lord challenged the behavior of the Pharisees, scribes, and the Herodians. And the Lord's message included an uncompromising call to love God with all one's heart and soul. As some thought that Jesus might be John the Baptist or Elijah, others thought He might be Jeremiah.

Jeremiah was the major prophet during the decline and fall of the southern kingdom of Judah.

His ministry began about the year 627 BC under King Josiah.

Jeremiah was a reluctant prophet (Jer. 1:6). He claimed that he was too young to preach, and too inexperienced. But God had put His word in Jeremiah's mouth (1:9).

His ministry was not popular. Jeremiah was to tear down, and to rebuild what was torn down (1:10).

The prophet was forbidden to marry (Jer. 16:1-13).

A prophet cannot be a happy man. Jeremiah was not a happy man. Tears filled his eyes as he preached of the judgment to come (Jer. 20:7).

At times, Jeremiah tried to hold back from preaching (20:9). But because of his love for God, and for the people of God, he could not keep silent.

Just as the prophet predicted, Jerusalem was torn down. The nation was sent into captivity in 586 BC.

In Christ, many Jews saw a reflection of the prophet Jeremiah. The Lord came with words of warning and tears in His eyes. As interesting as all of this was, the greater question for the disciples was more particular. Jesus asked the most personal of all questions. But whom say Ye that I am? Of every man, woman, and child, this question will be asked. WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM?

We must be able to answer. Other people may have an opinion, but we,as individuals, must respond as well. Salvation is personal. All of the disciples were asked this question by Christ, including Judas Iscariot. Not surprisingly, it was Peter who first answered the inquiry, saying Lord, thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God.

By declaring that Jesus was the Son of the Living God, Peter was stating, that in a unique way, Jesus was the Living One. All other, so called gods, were dead. Christ alone is the way of eternal life. But how did Peter know these things? There is only one way, and that is through divine revelation. GOD THE FATHER revealed to Peter spiritual knowledge. It is important to understand this. God the Father must reveal His Son to the soul directly. Any other form of knowledge will be superficial and short lived.

Have you ever known someone who has turned away from the church? Perhaps they were a Sunday school teacher. They might have been a preacher, but now they are gone out of the ministry. Perhaps they grew up in church, but no longer attend. What is wrong? It is possible that the Father has never revealed to them a true saving knowledge of Christ. Such people are more like Judas than Peter. And like Judas, eternity will prove that they are of their father the devil, and the lust of their father they will do. They may, like Judas, be religious. They may be intimately associated with the things of Christ, but the Father has not revealed Christ to them directly. They are so close, and yet so far away from the Saviour, and eternal life.

When we ask our evangelistic questions of others, let us also ask ourselves, What do we think of Christ? Has the Father revealed Him to us so that we love the Lord, and believe on Him? What do you think of Christ?

How Christ is Building His Church: Matthew 16:13-20

When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? 14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. 15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 20 Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.

Acts 2:41-44

Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. 42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. 44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;

Having declared that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, Jesus responded to Peter with a blessing, and said Blessed art thou Simon Bar Jonah for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my Father which is in heaven. The usage of the word revealed, by Jesus, is a very important term. It teaches several things. First, the word teaches that there is a body of spiritual truth that goes beyond historical inquiry, scientific investigation, and philosophical speculation. Protestant theology, historically, has understood there to be such a thing as Divine revelation, by which God acted so as to communicate to men knowledge of Himself and His will. The reason for this Divine initiative is simple. Men have always sought to know God. Every culture, no matter how primitive, or how sophisticated, has it’s religion. Sometimes the religion that is embraced is harsh, and cruel, demanding human sacrifices, and all sorts of appeasements.

The Old Testament god, Molech, demanded child sacrifice. In more modern times, the Aztec Indians offered the heart of a young virgin to the Sun god. Secular Humanism demands the lives of the unborn as its bloody sacrifice. Sometimes the religion that is embraced offers no moral restraints. But no matter what form religion takes, souls are searching for something, or Someone.

This groping of man after the Unknown, this quest of man to find God, is but a dim reflection of the time when man once walked with God in a garden called Eden. Because of sin, man's understanding has been darkened. If man is now to find God, the way, the truth, and the light must be revealed to him, for flesh and blood, as such, will never be able to properly discern Divine truth. There is something else in this passage. The word of Jesus to Peter speaks of Divine election. My Father, said Jesus, Has revealed ultimate truth to you.

Judas was not able to say what Peter said. Neither the Pharisees nor the Sadducees would ever be able to say what Peter said. And, apart from Divine grace and mercy being shown in a special way to Peter, even he, as Simon Bar Jona, would have died in his trespasses and sin. But God had mercy upon him. And God will have mercy upon every soul that seeks after Him, and will follow Christ, as Peter did. Jesus continued to tell Peter something else. On Peter, would be built the New Testament expression of the church, which is the called out assembly of the elect. To Peter, would be given the keys to the kingdom. It was true. Jesus did build His church upon Peter. Turning to the book of Acts we observe.

It was Peter who preached the sermon at Pentecost, and 3000 souls were converted (Acts 2:41).

It was Peter who spoke again in Acts 4, and 2000 more souls were added to the membership of the redeemed.

It was Peter who took charge of the election of Matthias to replace Judas (Acts 1:15-22).

In the lists of the Twelve, it is Peter whose name is listed first.

As Peter was given the keys to the kingdom, or the authority to allow people entrance into the kingdom, so he, as an apostle, was also given the power and authority to bind souls on earth to spiritual decisions with eternal repercussions.

The concept of binding souls on earth brings us the issue of church discipline. In the New Testament, we read that church discipline took place, illustrated in Acts 5:1-10. The end result of this binding of evil by Peter was that great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things. Godly fear is a wonderful deterrent to spiritual sins. The local church must once more come to believe in the proper place of personal accountability, not in principle alone, but also in practice. The objective is not to hurt anyone, but to hold everyone to a higher standard of behavior. Naturally, nobody wants anything to do with discipline if they can help it. BUT THE DISCIPLE MUST ACCEPT THE DISCIPLINE.

Spiritual accountability is one way that Christ will build His Church. It is a happy day when God's people are able to say, We want accountability. We want controls. We want boundaries. Many Christian men are coming to this position within the church at large. A new organization has arisen, called Promise Keepers. A central element of Promise Keepers is to be accountable to someone (note Eccl. 4:9-10). There are other principles and practices that Christ has used, and will use to build His Church, as we learn from the book of Acts (2:41-44). Notice eight signs of a New Testament church. Each one is essential. They are: BAPTISM, DOCTRINE, FELLOWSHIP, COMMUNION, PRAYER, FEAR, MIRACLES, SHARING.

The importance of baptism cannot be overstated. In the book of Acts we find that baptism immediately followed the act of receiving Christ as Saviour through the preaching of the gospel. Our passage states, Then they that gladly received his word were baptized (Acts 2:41). In all the New Testament, there is no example of an unbaptized Christian, with the single exception of the thief on the Cross. There is no doubt, but had he been freed from the Cross, he would have headed for the waters of baptism.

Baptism is the first act of obedience in faith. Three thousand souls were saved at Pentecost, and immediately received baptism. The Ethiopian eunuch was baptized in the same hour of his salvation. The Philippian jailer received baptism in the middle of the night, following his conversion. Baptism was administered in the heart of Judaism, which opposed Christ, and crucified Him. Baptism was administered in the catacombs of Rome, when the angry Beast sought to devour those washed in the blood of the Lamb.

Baptism was received by the young and the old, the weak and the strong, the rich and the poor, the educated and the uneducated. Those in the court of Nero and those in the outskirts of Jerusalem, all agreed to obey the known will of Christ. By going down into the waters of baptism, the believer is identified with the death of Christ. It was a dark and lonely death. It was full of pain and sorrow.

And yet Jesus paid it all. By coming up out of the water, the believer is identified with the glorious resurrection of Jesus. As Christ arose from among the dead, our baptism symbolizes our belief that one day we too shall come out of the grave. Because of these things, every believer should be obedient to the will of the Lord, by going down into, and coming up out of the beautiful waters of baptism. Christ is building His church on baptized believers.

The Lord is building His church on the apostle's doctrine. The apostle’s doctrine is summarized in the apostle's creed. We would have no BIBLE, without the apostle's doctrine. We would have no church GOVERNMENT, without the apostle's doctrine. We would have no EXAMPLE, without the apostle's doctrine. We would have no TRUTH to believe, without the apostle's doctrine. The apostle's doctrine has given stability to shipwrecked churches.

It has given comfort to those in pain, hope for the future, courage for the fainthearted, a vision of a new world order, and practical advice in times of pressure and trial. Christ is building His church on the apostle's doctrine. In addition to baptism and doctrine, Christ is building His church upon the fellowship of the saints. The song says,

"There's a sweet, sweet spirit in this place,

And I know that it is the Spirit of the Lord.

There are sweet expressions on each face,

And I know that it is the Spirit of the Lord".

Some years ago, a London newspaper offered a cash prize for the answer to an essay. The question was this: Which is the shortest way to London? The answer that won the prize, was, The shortest way to London is with good company.

Anyone who has travelled, knows that this is true. In the midst of good company, time flies, miles slip past, and the end is reached almost before one is aware of it. The journey to heaven is very much shortened, and the road is made easier when we enjoy the fellowship of the saints. Christ is building His church on baptism, doctrine, and the fellowship of the saints. Are you part of the Church that Christ is building? If not, why not?

How Christ is Building His Church Continued: Matthew 16:13-20 * Acts 2:41-44

From the gospel of Matthew: 16, the great question arises, How is Christ building His church? We have seen that Christ has ordained that His church should be built upon the apostle Peter. It is true. There is a sense in which Jesus did build His church upon Peter, but not on Peter alone, for the great apostle took his stand with the eleven (Acts 2:14). The authority entrusted to Peter was also given to the Twelve, according to Matthew 18:18. Never was Peter considered the primary foundation. 1 Corinthians 3:11 is plain. For other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Only in a subordinate sense, is it proper to speak of Peter, and the apostles, as the church's foundation (Ephesians 2:20 and Revelation 21:14). The emphasis must always be upon Jesus, saying, I will build MY church.

With these qualifying concepts in mind, we can see how Christ's prophecy, regarding Peter, was fulfilled, for it was Peter who opened the door to the Gentiles, and it was Peter who preached also to the Samaritans. What was first entrusted to Peter is now entrusted to the church at large. As a vital part of building His church, Christ has given to us the power to preach the gospel and invite others into the kingdom. I hope we do this. I hope we look each day for opportunities to witness. Those who come into the kingdom must have order and structure in the spiritual life. To this end the Lord has also given to the church the power to provide discipline, which produces godly discipleship (Matt. 16:19b).

More and more of God's people are seeing the need for discipline in their lives. Books are being written on this subject. More and more Christians are asking for discipline, and for good reason. The results are impressive, and rewarding. The need for a disciplined life in the church should not be a surprising concept. Discipline exists everywhere. The student must accept the discipline of study that the university imposes on him, before he can graduate. The intern must accept the discipline of the medical program, before he can practice medicine. The warrior must accept the discipline of combat training.

So the Christian must accept the discipline of discipleship. Not everyone is ready to do that, which is why Jesus said, If anyone will follow Me, let Him first sit down and count the cost. It costs something to follow Christ. The price is discipline. As a Christian, the commandments come to us little by little. We are to grow in grace and knowledge. We are to manifest good works. We are to forsake our sins. We are to repent. We are to confess Christ to others. We are to be an active part of the Church. We are to be baptized. We are to make restitution, and be reconciled to others.

In these things, we begin to discern that salvation is not child's play! Salvation is not security from hell alone. Salvation is a commitment to the Person and work of Jesus Christ. Salvation is a forsaking of this world, for a world to come. Salvation is a conscious choice to be different, and to act differently. Salvation is the disciple accepting the discipline of the church. Salvation is picking up a cross daily. Now do you want to follow me? asks Christ. The true Christians always say, Yes, Lord. I will follow you, and I will accept the discipline of the church.

That the Church body has a responsibility to its individual members to provide Spiritual discipline is made clear from specific passages. I call your attention to the following passages. Romans 16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. 1 Corinthians 5:9, I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: 1 Timothy 5:20 Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.

By accepting Church discipline, the disciple of Christ is protected from great sins that will damn the soul forever. By accepting Church discipline, the disciple of Christ, is most like Christ, who all of His life lived under the authority of His Father. I do nothing, said Jesus, but what my Father tells me to do. From Matthew's gospel ,we turn to the book of Acts (2:41- 44), to discover other foundational principles upon which Christ is building His church, such as BAPTISM, THE APOSTLE'S DOCTRINE, and THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE SAINTS. Concerning the fellowship of the saints, several things can be said.

First, it was SINCERE, not superficial. It is possible to greet others with a smile on the lips, but hatred, and hostility, and resentment in the heart. That is not sincere fellowship, but superficial. It will not be long before Satan gains the advantage over such a spirit without love. The only proof of our love for God is love for the brethren. How can we prove that we love? By walking in the light. By being honest with each other. By dropping the mask.

Second, the fellowship of the saints in the early church was primarily SPIRITUAL in nature. The basis of the early church fellowship is declared in 2 John 1 to be a common love for Christ, and for the doctrines of Christ that were taught, learned and practiced. The Elder unto the Elect lady and her children whom I love in the truth, and not only I, but also all they that have known the truth.

Third, the fellowship of the saints was cemented in blood, for each had the best interest of others in their heart. The saints needed such commitment to each other because the early church was despised by the Jews, persecuted by the Romans, ridiculed by the Gentiles, misunderstood by all. The Christians were accused of great evils. It was said that the Christians were cannibals, for they ate flesh, and drank the blood of their Saviour. It is said they were immoral, for they enjoyed loved feasts. It was said they were unpatriotic, for they refused to give incense to Caesar. It was said they were lawless, for they were replacing the Laws of Moses with the teachings of Christ and the apostles. It was said they were anti-intellectual, for they spoke of faith.

The fellowship of the saints was not a social event. It was a life event that included a voluntary giving of time to each other. A vital part of the fellowship of the saints was communion, called the breaking of bread. It was the custom of the early church to take communion with a whole loaf of bread. The leader would break it, as Christ did, and