Tag: messianic secret

His Glory Brings Joy

Matt EricksonLeave a comment

This past weekend at Eastbrook, we continued our Advent journey and our new preaching series entitled “‘Tis the Reason.” This second week of the series takes us to one of the most fascinating stories in all the Gospels. In Matthew 17:1-13, Jesus takes Peter, James, and John with him to a mountain where Jesus is transfigured before them and speaks with both Moses and Elijah. What does the transfiguration tell us about glory and what does that mean for our life with God in the everyday?

This message is part of the seventh part of our longer series on Matthew, which includes “Family Tree,” “Power in Preparation,” “Becoming Real,” “The Messiah’s Mission,” “Stories of the Kingdom,” and “Who Do You Say I Am?”

You can find the message video and outline below. You can also view the entire series here. Join us for weekend worship in-person or remotely via Eastbrook at Home.

“While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!’” (Matthew 17:5)

A Vision of Glory (Matthew 17:1-3)

Jesus and the three

Jesus’ transfiguration 

Jesus in conversation with Moses and Elijah (cf. Luke 9:31)

Glory Surpassing Human Comprehension (Matthew 17:4-8)

Peter develops a plan

The divine interruption 

Overwhelmed by the glory of the Lord

Elijah and the Messiah to Come (Matthew 17:9-13)

The Messianic secret

Elijah who is to come and has come

Finding Joy in the Glory of Jesus

Celebrate God’s glory revealed in Jesus

Take joy in God’s glory mingled with love and mercy in JesusWorship with awe before God’s glory that surpasses human understanding 

Dig Deeper:

This week dig deeper in one or more of the following ways:

His Suffering Brings Peace

Matt EricksonLeave a comment

This past weekend at Eastbrook, we began a new preaching series, which also parallels the season of Advent, entitled “‘Tis the Reason.” This first week of the series focuses on Jesus’ first description of His pending suffering in Jerusalem and Peter’s monumental misunderstanding of Jesus’ calling as Messiah as seen in Matthew 16:21-28. Thus begins one of the most dramatic turns in the Gospel of Matthew from Galilee toward Jerusalem, and from Jesus’ Messianic identity being unveiled to His stark mission to suffer and rise again for humanity.

This message is part of the seventh part of our longer series on Matthew, which includes “Family Tree,” “Power in Preparation,” “Becoming Real,” “The Messiah’s Mission,” “Stories of the Kingdom,” and “Who Do You Say I Am?”

You can find the message video and outline below. You can also view the entire series here. Join us for weekend worship in-person or remotely via Eastbrook at Home.

“From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things…and that he must be killed and on the third day raised to life.” (Matthew 16:21)

A Different Sort of Messiah (Matthew 16:21)

“From that time on…”

The suffering Messiah

The resurrected Messiah 

Confusion About the Messiah (Matthew 16:22-23)

Peter’s rebuke

Jesus’ rebuke of Peter’s rebuke

The concerns of God versus the concerns of humanity

A Different Sort of Discipleship (Matthew 16:24-28)

Discipleship is shaped by a Cross
Discipleship loses one’s life in order to find it

Discipleship lives in light of the coming glory of Jesus

A Different Sort of Peace in Jesus

Seeing Jesus as Messiah in His own way

Encountering the Cross of Jesus the Messiah

Living in the Cross of Jesus the Messiah until full glory arrives 

Dig Deeper:

This week dig deeper in one or more of the following ways:

  • Memorize Matthew 16:21 or 16:24
  • Journal, draw, paint, or ink this episode of Jesus’ teaching and His interaction with Peter and the other disciples. As you do this, ask God to help you grow in understanding what He wants to speak to you about your relationship with Christ.
  • Reread the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) in light of Jesus’ description of discipleship here in Matthew 16:24-26. As you read, lay areas of your life down before the Lord, confess sin that God brings to your mind, and invite Jesus to be Lord of your life in new ways.
  • Consider reading further on the topics of this passage with John Stott’s The Cross of Christ or Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s The Cost of Discipleship.

“Naming” Jesus

Matt EricksonLeave a comment

This past weekend at Eastbrook, we concluded our preaching series, “Who Do You Say I Am?”, by finally drawing near to the text from which the title of the series arises: Matthew 16:13-20. In this dramatic turning point in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus asks His disciples a series of questions, including “Who do you say I Am?” Peter’s bold declaration of Jesus’ identity leads to an exchange between them. In a sense, Peter “names” Jesus, but in a deeper and more true way Jesus names Peter.

This message is part of the sixth part of our longer series on Matthew, which includes “Family Tree,” “Power in Preparation,” “Becoming Real,” “The Messiah’s Mission,” and “Stories of the Kingdom.”

You can find the message video and outline below. You can also view the entire series here. Join us for weekend worship in-person or remotely via Eastbrook at Home.

“When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, 
‘Who do people say the Son of Man is?’” (Matthew 16:13)

Jesus’ First Question (Matthew 16:13-14)

“Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

Who Have People Said Jesus Is?

  • John the Baptist (Matthew 14:2)
  • Elijah (11:14)
  • Jeremiah or one of the prophets (12:41)

Jesus’ Second Question (Matthew 16:15)

“But what about you? Who do you say I am?”

How had the disciples previously named Jesus?:

  • Rabbi with authority to teach (4:18-22; 7:28; 13:10-17, 36)
  • Healer and miracle worker (8:14-15; 14:18-21, 25-27)
  • Enigma: “What kind of man is this?” (9:27)
  • Friend of Sinners (9:11-13)
  • Son of David (9:27)
  • Awesome one: “Truly you are the Son of God” (14:33)

Peter “Names” Jesus (Matthew 16:16)

“You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.”

Jesus is the Messiah

Jesus is the Son of the Living God

Jesus Names Peter (Matthew 16:17-20)

Jesus’ naming of Peter: “you are Peter”

An aside about Jesus’ command for silence on the matter

Encountering Jesus Today

Hearing Jesus ask us: “who do you say I am?”

“Naming” Jesus personallyHearing Jesus name us

Dig Deeper:

This week dig deeper in one or more of the following ways:

  • Memorize Matthew 16:15-16
  • Read through the Gospel of Matthew up to this point and note any way that Matthew records or describes titles of Jesus that would answer the question, “Who is Jesus?” Step back to reflect upon all the titles of Jesus given thus far in the Gospel of Matthew.
  • Take some time in stillness to reflect on Jesus’ question: But what about you? Who do you say I am?” How are you answering that right now? How might Peter’s answer or other titles of Christ in Scripture give shape to your answer?
  • Consider reading further on the titles of Jesus with John Stott’s The Incomparable Christ or Michael Scanlan’s Titles of Jesus.

King Coming

Matt EricksonLeave a comment

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This weekend, I concluded our series, “King Coming,” at Eastbrook Church with a message entitled, “King Coming.” Because of my change of plans with the message last week (see “A Response to the Connecticut Tragedy“), I brought together a look at Jesus’ triumphal approach to Jerusalem (Mark 11:1-11) and Jesus’ three declarations of what He would face in Jerusalem (Mark 8:31-33; 9:30-32; 10:32-34).

The central point of my message was that Jesus is the promised king who will give everything so that we can receive everything God has for us.

You can listen to the message at the Eastbrook web-site here. You can also follow the RSS feed for Eastbrook sermons or follower Eastbrook Church on Twitter or Facebook.

The outline for the message is included below:Read More »