biblestudy: Matthew (Part 14)
Matthew 18 Leavening of the Pharisees and Sadducees
John W. Ritenbaugh
Given 10-Mar-82; Tape #BS-MA14
Description: In this fourteenth installment expounding the book of Matthew, John Ritenbaugh reiterates that to have the Pharisees and Sadducees band together against a ‘common enemy’ (namely Jesus) would be tantamount to have the Republicans and Democrats (Conservatives and Liberals) align themselves together against a common enemy--an extremely rare occasion. Jesus challenged both groups that they were unable to discern the signs of the times. As physical Israel was divorced by God Almighty for spiritual adultery, we, as the espoused Bride of Christ (the Israel of God), have to assiduously avoid spiritual fornication. In order to avoid spiritual fornication, we need to come out of the world, dropping the ways of thinking and acting as we have been long accustomed. Even things permitted by God, like eating and drinking, if done to excess (gluttony and drunkenness--practices often encouraged or condoned by the world) do not glorify God, but constitute a form of spiritual fornication. As it is wrong to yoke an ox and an ass together, we cannot become yoked together unequally. Any time we allow ourselves to become influenced by the ungodly ways of the world, we become unequally yoked. Unless we admit we have been wrong, very little change will take place. The leavening of the Pharisees constitutes a false belief or doctrine that takes root within the mind of a person having a deadly effect on the outside, somewhat analogous to a consuming cancer. The Pharisees doctrines or practices consisted of legal system of external rituals. The Sadducees attempted to alter the political structure. Neither the practices of the Pharisees nor that of the Sadducees can change, cleanse, or purify the internal spiritual state of an individual. Changing a person’s external environment does not change the carnality within. Our special calling consists of an internal change in which God’s Holy Spirit actually allows us to know Christ, causing us to believe Him, obey Him, yielding to His purpose for our lives. Only the Spirit of God can empower one to do this seemingly impossible task. Peter’s recognition of Christ’s true identity had to come from revelation. The true foundation of the Church is the living Christ. The study concludes with a discussion of the principles of binding and loosing, only allowing decisions consistent with principle already contained within God’s law. [NB: This series of Bible Studies from 1981-82 is incomplete.] (85 minutes)
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Sermons in the Matthew series:
Matthew (Part 1)
Matthew's Emphasis on Jesus' Kingship and Jewish Roots
Matthew (Part 2)
Matthew 4-5 Beatitudes as a Compendium of Christ's Teaching
Matthew (Part 5)
Matthew 7 Discerning False Teachers and Prophets: Developing a Love for the Truth
Matthew (Part 6)
Matthew 7 (Review) The Consequences of Rejecting God's Word
Matthew (Part 8)
Matthew 9 Matthew's Unique Qualifications as Apostle
Matthew (Part 9)
Matthew 10 Instructions About Enduring Persecutions
Matthew (Part 10)
Matthew 10-11 Adaptibility to the Yoke of Christ
Matthew (Part 11)
Matthew 12 Jesus' Courageous Response to Persecution from the Pharisees
Matthew (Part 12)
Matthew 12-13 Third Resurrection and Parable of the Sower
Matthew (Part 13)
Matthew 13-14 Spiritual Gifts Intended to Edify All
Matthew (Part 15)
Matthew 17-18 Relationships with God and Man
Matthew (Part 16)
Matthew 18 Attitudes Christ Encouraged To Preserve Unity Among Brethren
Matthew (Part 17)
Matthew 19 God’s Ideal in Marriage; Conditions for Divorce / Children and Rich young man
Matthew (Part 18)
Matthew 20-21 Servant Leadership/ Jesus' Bold Entry into Jerusalem
Matthew (Part 14)
Matthew 18 Leavening of the Pharisees and Sadducees
Matthew (Part 19)
Matthew 21 Episode of Money Changers / Lessons from Cursing of fig tree/ Parable of Two Sons
Matthew (Part 20)
Matthew 21 Parable of the wicked vinedressers/ Wedding Feast/ Rendering unto Caesar/ Resurrection
Matthew (Part 21)
Matthew 21 Assorted Questions from Members/ Avoiding Sin does not equate to Doing Good
Matthew (Part 23)
Matthew 26 - End
Matthew (Part 29)
Matthew 23 Assorted Questions from Members/ Avoiding Sin does not equate to Doing Good
Matthew (Part 30)
Matthew 24-25 Terrifying Cosmic Signs and the Day of the Lord
Matthew (Part 31)
Matthew 26-end Jesus Christ's Betrayal and Last Passover as a Man
