Theme: " A Portrait of the King "
Title: " The King's Itinerant Ministry Chronicled "
Text: Matthew Chapters 8 - 25
INTRO: *** Chapter 15 ***
I. The King's Controversy with the Pharisees Over
Tradition
15:1-9
A. The Interruptions of the Spirit Quenchers -- the Fault
Finders
Verses 1 & 2 c/f I Thessalonians 5:19
1. They Interrupted the Life Changing Work of the
Spirit of God through Jesus Christ in Order to Criti-
cize and Find Fault.
c/f 14:34-36 with 15:1 & 2
2. What Audacity, What Arrogance they Manifested to
Break Up the Demonstration of the Glory & Power
of God with their Ignorant Criticisms.
c/f 14:34-36 with 15:1-2 & 15:21
3. The Pharisees are Still with Us Today -- the Fault
Finders.
4. We Need to Guard Ourselves & Our Assembly To-
day Lest the Critics be Allowed to Quench the Spirit in
Our Midst as Well.
B. The Root Cause of the Pharisees Problem
Verses 2 & 3
*** They Had Lifted Up their Traditions to a Place of
Higher Esteem than the Word of God .
C. The Master's Question & Response
Verses 3-6
D. The Judge's Condemnation & Reproof
Verses 7-9
II. The King's Counsel on the Subject of Inner Defile-
ment
15:10-20
A. The Master's Instructions to the Multitute are Given .
Verses 10 & 11
B. The Disciples' Question & Caution Concerning the
Pharisees
Verse 12
C. The Lord's Response to His Disciples' Concerns
Verses 13 & 14
D. Peter's Request for Additional Understanding
Verse 15
E. The Master's Question, Further Explanation, & Con-
clusion on the Matter
Verses 16-20
III. The King's Testing of a Woman's Faith
15:21-28
A. The Woman's Call for Help
Verses 21 & 22
B. The Lord's Unusual Responses
Verses 23a , 24 , & 26
C. The Woman's Humility & Importunate Faith
Verses 22 , 23b , 25 , & 27
D. The Lord's Marvelling Reply & Granting of Her Desire
Verse 28
IV. The King's Glory is Revealed.
15:29-31
A. Jesus Again Brings Healing to the Lives of Hurting
People .
Verses 29 & 30
B. The People's Response is One of Wonder &
Amazement , & they Gave God the Glory.
Verse 31 c/f Matthew 5:16
V. The King's Compassion is Once Again Demonstra-
ted.
15:32-39
A. The Story Here is Nearly an Exact Repeat of the Earlier
Feeding of the Multitude in the Wilderness.
c/f Verses 32-39 with Verses 15-21
B. Consider the Disciples' Spiritual Dullness .
Verse 33
C. It's Amazing Sometimes How Slow We Can Be to
" Catch On " to the Truths God Wants Us to See.
D. Notice that the Same Procedure was Followed Here
that was Followed Earlier to Feed the Hungry Multitude.
1. The Disciples Brought what they Had to Jesus for
Him to Bless & Multiply.
2. Jesus Pronounced the Blessing & Broke the Pro-
vision for it's Multiplication.
3. Jesus Gave the Provisions Back to His Disciples .
4. The Disciples Served & Fed the Multitude .