CHRISTIAN ACADEMY FOR LEADERSHIP STUDIES

THE MISSIONARY PRINCIPLES OF MATTHEW

Copyrighted by Roger L. Peterson, Th.D.

THE MISSIONARY PRINCIPLES OF MATTHEW

INTRODUCTION TO THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

The Bridge Book. Matthew is the bridge book between the Old and New Testaments. It is related to the Old Testament by reciting more than fifty clear quotations from it. Many of these quotations prove that Jesus Christ is the Messiah that God had promised to send to the Jewish people. It is related to the New Testament by recounting the life and ministry of Jesus Christ and by presenting His death and resurrection, which fulfilled God’s plan of redemption for all people.

The Old Testament reveals how Satan usurped control of the earth and how God plans to regain control of it, so that His will is done on earth as it is in heaven. God created Adam and entrusted him with the duty of ruling the earth for Him. To prove his obedience God told him not to eat of the fruit of the forbidden tree. Adam proved unfaithful and yielded to Satan’s temptation to eat of that tree.  When Adam ate, Satan ruled over him and took his kingdom. Now Satan ruled the earth for himself. The rest of the Old Testament is a progressive revelation of God’s plan to defeat Satan and put an obedient Man over the earth to rule it for Him. This Man would be His own Son, Jesus Christ. The Old Testament tells how God chose Israel to be the channel to send His Son to earth to rule the world from Jerusalem and restore righteousness to the earth. The Old Testament gives an abundant number of prophecies about God’s Son. Israel easily could have identified Him when He came the first time, but instead she rejected Jesus as God’s Son and refused to make Him her King. So God postponed His plan to use Israel as His agency to regain control of the earth.

The New Testament reveals a new aspect of God’s plan to end Satan’s sinful rule of death on the earth by His Son. When Israel rejected His Son as her King, God temporarily rejected Israel and chose the Church to build His Son’s kingdom. Jesus told His disciples, “I will build My Church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” [Mt 16:18]. “Hell” refers to death. Jesus’ resurrection is proof that His Church will not be conquered by death. From Pentecost to the Rapture Jesus will build His Church by the message of His death and resurrection.  By preaching this message, people of all nations, who believe it, will be delivered from death and Satan’s kingdom and transferred to the Kingdom of God’s dear Son [Col 1:13].  When members are added to His Church, they become citizens of His kingdom in heaven. In Phil 3:20, “conversation” (KJV) should be translated “citizenship.” He is using His Church to build His kingdom in heaven.

The Tribulation will begin when the Father gives His Son permission to rule the earth [Dan 7:13-14; Rev 5; cf Ps 2], The scroll that the Son receives from His Father officially authorizes Him to rule the earth. When He opens the first seal on the scroll, the Tribulation will begin and Satan’s rule of the earth will end seven years later. The Tribulation will weaken Satan’s control of the earth and it will cause many in Israel to repent of their rebellion and receive Jesus as their Messiah. When Christ returns to earth to set up His kingdom, He will rule over all nations through Israel with Jerusalem as His capital city. It will include all believers from Adam to those who live through the Tribulation. The Bible clearly says the Church saints will be joint heirs with Christ in His kingdom [Rom 8:16-17; Rev 2:26-27; 3:21].

Matthew briefly considers the Old Testament program of God through Israel first.  He claims that Jesus is the Son of David, the Son of Abraham, the Messiah foretold in the Old Testament. He wrote his Gospel to the Jews to prove Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah by giving an account of His genealogy, baptism, victory over Satan, messages, miracles, brilliant answers to His enemies and gracious love for all people.  He is Israel’s promised Messiah. Since Israel rejected Jesus as her Messiah-King, God postponed His Old Testament program with Israel.   However, He will reinstate it after the Tribulation, when Israel receives His Son as her King.

Then Matthew reveals God’s New Testament program through the Church.  Matthew is the only Gospel writer who speaks about the Church and he does it twice [Mt 16:18 and 18:17].  When the Jewish leaders rejected Jesus as their Messiah and said that He was casting out demons by the power of Satan [Mt 9 and12], Jesus sternly rebukes them  and rejects them.  Immediately after He rejects Israel [Mt 12], He gives the parables about the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven [Mt 13].  A “mystery” in the New Testament is a new truth that God had not revealed earlier.  So the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven are new conditions that will exist on earth among God’s people until Israel accepts Jesus as her Messiah-King.  During this time, Christ will add citizens to His future kingdom through the Church and later through the believers during the seven-year period known as the Great Tribulation.  After the Great Tribulation He will return with His Bride, the Church, and set up His Davidic kingdom on earth.

Right after Matthew states Jesus’ promise to build His Church [Mt 16], he records the first clear prediction made by Christ that He would die and rise again [Mt 16:21].  Later, Matthew records two more predictions made by Christ regarding His coming death and resurrection [17:22-23; 20:17-19].  The death of Christ and His resurrection make up the foundation of the Church. Jesus’ death paid for the sins of the whole world, but it is only effective for those who believe. His resurrection proves His redemptive work was complete and allows Him to share His life with believers. And someday He will return in His resurrected body to rule the whole world for His Father. Jesus foretold His death and resurrection to His disciples to prepare them with the message that would defeat Satan and build His Church.

 Author.  The early Church, without exception, attributed this Gospel to Matthew, the disciple of Jesus.  Matthew was known to others as Levi [Mk 2:14; Lk 5:27], but he chose to be called Matthew, “Gift of the Lord.”  It was a gift of love when Jesus called him to be His disciple, because most Jews hated him for his business as a tax collector.  He accepted Jesus’ call, quickly left his tax tables and prepared a great feast in his own house so all of his former associates could meet Jesus [Lk 5:27-29]. One of the interesting features of this book is Matthew’s many references to money. Matthew shows a proficiency in money terms, referring to money 44 times, while Mark only mentions money six times and Luke 22 times (nine times in one parable).  Luke, the physician, in contrast, is most proficient in using medical terms.

Date and Place.  There is no agreement about the date when Matthew wrote this Gospel account.  Since there is no mention that Jerusalem and the Temple had been destroyed, it probably was written before they were destroyed in A. D. 70.  Furthermore, the words, “until this day” show that a number of years had elapsed since the events around the crucifixion took place [28:15; cf. 27:8].  From these parameters Matthew was probably written between A. D. 50 and 65.

The place where Matthew wrote this Gospel is uncertain. Some say it was in Palestine, but due to his many references to Gentiles as well as Jews, it seems he wrote it in a place where a great number of Jews and Gentiles lived.  Antioch of Syria seems more likely, and this is where many Jewish and Gentile Christians resided.  There are several reasons for considering Antioch as the place where Matthew wrote his Gospel.

1. There are more references to “Gentiles” in this Jewish Gospel than in any of the other Gospels [Mt (8); Mk (2); Lk (5); Jn (2)].

2. The missionary emphasis of Matthew is to all nations and it agrees with the missionary emphasis of the church at Antioch. This was the first church to send out missionaries. It sent Paul and Barnabas to work in Cyprus and Asia Minor, and later sent Paul and Silas to Europe [Acts 12:1-18:23]. Matthew refers to the “nations” as many times as Luke (4) and more than Mark (2) and John (0). He wanted his readers to see the nations of the world as their mission field [cf. Mt 28:18-20].  He also was world conscious and spoke of the “world” in which we live 10 times, more than [Mark (3) and Luke (5) combined. John, however, spoke of the “world” 79 times, more than all the other Gospel writers combined.

3. Ignatius was the first known person to quote from the Gospel of Matthew, and he was an early leader in the church at Antioch. This would be normal, if Matthew wrote his Gospel at Antioch.

Theme.  The theme of this Gospel is the Messiah and His kingdom.  Matthew introduces Jesus at once as “the Son of David” [1:1]. This was the title given to Israel’s anticipated Messiah-King. Matthew skillfully relates this term to Jesus by people who call Him the Son of David.

1. Of Joseph in the genealogy as a son of David – 1:20
2. Of Jesus by two blind men – 9:27
3. Of Jesus by the people when Jesus healed a demon-possessed man – 12:23
4. Of Jesus by the Canaanite woman – 15:22
5. Of Jesus by two blind men at Jericho – 20:30
6. Of Jesus by the same two blind men – 20:31
7. Of Jesus by the people when He entered into Jerusalem as their King – 21:9
8. Of Jesus by the children in the Temple – 21:15
9. By the Pharisees when Jesus asked them whose son Christ would be – 22:41

Also, when the Magi asked for directions to find “the King of the Jews,” who had been recently born [2:2], the chief priests and scribes told them to go to Bethlehem to find Him, because Micah 5:2 said He would be born in that city. When the Magi went to Bethlehem, they found Him and worshipped Him [2:11].

Even though Jesus is called “the Son of David,” Matthew does not call His Kingdom, the “kingdom of David,” as one would expect, but he calls it ”the kingdom of heaven.”  Even so, he is referring to the kingdom of David. This term comes from Daniel 2:44; 7:13, 14, 22 and especially 7:27. Matthew uses “kingdom of heaven” 32 times, but no one else uses this term. Matthew is writing to Jews who would understand this term from Daniel’s writings and have the greatest interest in the kingdom of David.  Significantly, Matthew records several “mysteries” about the “kingdom of heaven” that occur during the Church age [Mt 13]. “Mysteries” in the Bible are new truths revealed by God.

Purpose. Matthew does not state the purpose for writing his Gospel, but his data shows that one of his aims was to prove that Jesus is the Messiah-King of the Jews. The genealogy of Jesus was given in the first chapter to prove He was the rightful heir to the promises of the Davidic and Abrahamic Covenants.  Jesus’ fulfillment of many Old Testament Messianic prophecies shows He was the Messiah and had the right to sit on the throne of David. The powerful testimony of John the Baptist also identified Jesus as the Messiah.  The divine testimony of the Father and the anointing of the Spirit at Jesus’ baptism, plus His victory over Satan’s temptations in the wilderness, add further proof that Jesus was the Messiah. Jesus’ marvelous teachings and miracles, and above all, His resurrection from the dead give absolute proof that the Messiah had come to Israel.

Another purpose is to show that the Church as well as Israel is related to the kingdom of heaven. After Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum had refused to receive Him as their Messiah, and the Jewish leaders had vehemently rejected Him [Mt 11-12], Jesus taught the kingdom of heaven parables to the multitudes [Mt 13]. He gave His disciples special instruction to interpret them accurately, because they were going to be the leaders in the Church that He would build [Mt 16:18]. How can Church members be citizens of His kingdom?

1. The kingdom and Jesus are inseparably related. On the one hand, one cannot be in the kingdom of heaven without receiving the King. On the other hand, one who has the King will be in His kingdom.
2. When Israel rejected Jesus, she also rejected His kingdom. In the future, when Israel repents and receives Jesus, she will be in His kingdom.
3. The Church is composed of true believers who have received Jesus, so they are citizens of His kingdom [cf Phil 3:20, where “conversation” should be translated “citizenship,” and Col 1:13]. They will rule with Him in His kingdom [Rom 8:17; Rev 2:26-27; 3:21].

A further purpose of Matthew is to present the principles of Jesus that will enable His followers to become fishers of men and to build His Church. First, He said to His disciples, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men” [4:19]. Jesus told His disciples what they needed to know to become fishers of men and then He showed them by His own personal work with people what they needed to do to bring the lost to Him for salvation. In twelve chapters [5-16], He gave His disciples about 87 principles that would make them capable “fishers of men.” He saw the lost multitudes, loved them and wanted His disciples to pray for more workers to help in the rescue of those lost without a shepherd [9:37-38]. Jesus sent His disciples first to the lost sheep of Israel [10:6], but later He sent them to the lost of all nations [28:19].  Lost people were important to Jesus, and He trained His disciples to be “fishers of men.”

Second, Jesus said to His disciples, “I will build My Church” [16:18]. This is significant, because Matthew is the only Gospel writer that even mentions the Church, and he does it twice—here and in 18:17.  Matthew records at least 29 principles that Jesus gave His disciples by His words and by His actions for building His Church properly. How did Jesus want His Church to be built?  He says that He is the rejected stone that would become the chief cornerstone [21:42-43].  He is the stone on which His Church must be built, because He alone has salvation to offer. He is the only one who died for the sins of all people and He is the only one to arise from the dead to give eternal life to those who put their faith in Him.

When He had given His disciples all of the principles needed for becoming “fishers of men” and for building His Church, Jesus said He had been given all authority in heaven and in earth [28:18]. What they had learned from Him was of utmost importance. Then He told them, “Make disciples of all nations, baptizing them . . . teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you” [28:19-20].  Jesus commissioned His disciples to teach His commands [His principles for making fishers of men” and for building His Church] to their converts in all nations.  In this way His Church would be built in all nations, and through this process citizens would be added to His kingdom from all the nations.

OUTLINE OF THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

Matthew uses a phrase five times similar to this, “and it came to pass when Jesus had finished,” to outline his Gospel. It appears after significant lectures given by Jesus in 7:28; 11:1; 13:53; 19:1; 26:1. The following outline of Matthew’s Gospel uses this literary device in dividing the Gospel into seven major sections.

I.         The Presentation of the King…………………………….1:1-4:25

1. Background of the King . . . . 1:1-17
2. Birth of the King . . . . . . . . . . 1:18-25
3. Infancy of the King . . . . . . . . 2:1-23
4. Forerunner of the King . . . . . 3:1-12
5. Baptism of the King . . . . . . . 3:13-17
6. Temptation of the King . . . . . 4:1-11
7. Ministry of the King . . . . . . . 4:12-25

1. The Platform of the King…………………………………5:1-7:29 (7:28)
2. Values of the King . . . . . . . . 5:1-20
3. Interpretations of the King . . 5:21-48
4. Teaching of the King . . . . . . 6:1-7:12
5. Warnings of the King . . . . . . 7:13-29

III.      The Performance of the King……………………………8:1-10:42

1. Miracles of the King . . . . . . . 8:1-9:34
2. Training by the King . . . . . . 10:1-11:1

IV.      The Plight of the King………………………………..   11:1-13:52    (11:1)

1. Rejection of the King . . . . . . 11:2-24
2. Invitation of the King . . . . . . . 11:25-30
3. Rebellion against the King . . 12:1-50
4. Parables of the King . . . . . . 13:1-53

V.        The Plan of the King…………………………………13:53-18:35     (13:53)

1. Withdrawals of the King . . . . 13:54-16:12
2. Surprises of the King . . . . . . 16:13-27
3. Glory of the King . . . . . . . . .           16:28-17:13
4. Instructions from the King . . . 17:14-18:35

VI.      The Preparations by the King………………………19:1-25:46       (19:1)

1. Corrections from the King . . . 19:1-20:34
2. Demonstration by the King . . 21:1-14
3. Enemies of the King . . . . . . . 21:15-23:39
4. Prophecies by the King . . . . 24:1-25:46

VII.     The Plot against the King……………………………26:1-28:20      (26:1)

1. Capture of the King . . . . . . . 26:1-56
2. Trial of the King . . . . . . . . . . 26:57-27:34
3. Crucifixion of the King . . . . .  27:35-66
4. Resurrection of the King . . . 28:1-15
5. Commission of the King . . . 28:16-20

DIVINE KINGDOMS

UNIVERSAL KINGDOM OF GOD – Ps 45:6; 103:19; 145:10-13; Dan 4:3.

God is the King of the entire universe, whether it is animate or inanimate, good or evil.  He is the Ruler of everything and everyone.  Even Satan is under the authority and control of God [Job 1-2].

KINGDOM OF GOD – Jn 3:3; Heb 1:4-11. Term is used 5 times in Matthew: 6:33; 12:28; 19:24; 21:31,43.

God is the Ruler over all moral creatures, who willingly submit themselves to Him.  These moral creatures include all people who are born into the family of God [Jn 3:3] by receiving Jesus as their Savior. It also includes all the angels who remained faithful to God [Heb 1:4-11], when Satan rebelled in heaven [Jude 6].

KINGDOM OF DAVID – 2 Sam 7; Ps 2; 110; Jer 23: 3-8; Dan 7:13-14; Mt 1:1-17; 2 Tim 4:18.

God promised David a kingdom that would continue forever. An eternal kingdom would need an eternal king. This eternal king would be the promised Messiah. David knew from God’s promise that the eternal Messiah would come from his family to sit on his throne.  The Messiah (Christ) would rule over Israel. One thousand years later, Jesus Christ was born of David’s family line [Mt 1:1], but Israel’s leaders did not want Him to rule over them. Jesus gave a parable on the ten pounds (minas) [Lk 19:11-27] to reveal three truths about this kingdom. [1] The King would go to a far country [heaven] to receive His kingdom [from His Father] and then return with it [11-12, 15].  [2] The King was hated by His citizens and did not want Him to reign over them. They will be punished when He returns with His kingdom [14, 27]. [3] His servants were given a specific job to do while He is away and they must give an account to Him when He returns [13,15-26]. Those who are faithful will be rewarded with cities to rule in His kingdom, but those not faithful will be stripped of all that they had. Jesus Christ will rule the whole earth through the kingdom of David for 1000 years.

KINGDOM OF HEAVEN – Only Matthew uses the term, “kingdom of heaven,” and he uses it 32 times. Since this term can refer to the kingdom David and sometimes to the kingdom of Christ being built by the Church, he uses the term, “kingdom of heaven.”

The kingdom of heaven is not a kingdom that rules in heaven, but a kingdom that comes from heaven to rule on the earth. This term has its roots in Daniel 2:44; 7:13, 14, 22, 27, when the God of heaven will set up a kingdom to rule over the earth. One purpose of Matthew is to present Jesus as the Son of David, the rightful heir to David’s eternal throne. When the Son of Man comes to the throne of His Father, the Ancient of Days, He will receive this everlasting kingdom promised to David, which will have dominion over all earthly kingdoms [Dan 7:13-14, 27; Rev 5].

The kingdom of heaven relates to the Church, notably in Matthew 13, where Jesus gave His disciples new truth about His kingdom. The Church, not Israel, would be adding citizens to His kingdom after He returned to heaven to await the time when His Father would give the kingdom to Him. Then He will return to earth with His kingdom to rule over the earth. When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” [Mt 6:10], the answer to that prayer will come when Jesus returns to rule the earth in righteousness. Then He will be called “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS” [Rev 19:6].

People with God’s righteousness are in both the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God.  People without God’s righteousness can be in the kingdom of heaven for awhile, but never in the kingdom of God. There are some things identical in the two kingdoms, but there also are some striking differences. Of the 32 times Matthew uses “kingdom of heaven,” eight of them appear in Matthew 13 when Jesus revealed new truths (“mysteries”) about the kingdom of heaven. These new truths tell about some conditions in His kingdom as it is being formed during this age with Christians [Col 1:13]. Twice in these parables [13:32-33] Jesus reveals that evil is in the kingdom of heaven. He uses the figures of birds and leaven to reveal this evil. How can it be known that these two figures represent evil? First, the birds in the branches of the mustard tree are evil like the birds (Satan) that eat up the seeds on the path in the first parable [Mt 13:4, 19]. Jesus told His disciples that they would know how to interpret the other parables by His interpretation of the first parable [Mark 4:13]. Second, leaven is used to symbolize evil throughout Scripture [cf 1 Cor 5:6-8]. Jesus expected His disciples to understand this when He spoke of the leaven of the Pharisees [cf 16:6-12]. When Jesus used the figure of leaven in His fourth parable, He used it to represent evil in the kingdom, not the growth of the kingdom. Furthermore, Christ speaks of wicked people that are in the kingdom of heaven, but they will be separated from it [13:24-30,36-43, 47-50]. This separation will occur immediately after the Tribulation [at “the end of the age” – 13:39, 49], when unbelievers will be judged by Jesus Christ [Mt 25]. All who are in the kingdom of God will be in the kingdom of heaven, but not all who are in the kingdom of heaven will be in the kingdom of God.

So the kingdom of heaven refers [1] to the kingdom of David, where Christ will sit on the throne of David to rule over the earth to guarantee that God’s will is done on earth as it is in heaven. Once more the earth will bring glory to the Father. The kingdom of heaven also refers [2] to the Church, where Christians are being translated from the kingdom of darkness into Christ’s kingdom [Col 1:13] through faith in His work on the cross for their salvation. Though the Church is not Israel, nor does it replace Israel, the Church is a part of Christ’s kingdom and will rule with Christ when He sits on the throne of David during His rule over the earth for 1000 years [Ps 2:6-9; Act 13:32-49; Rev 2:26-27; 3:21].

MILLENNIAL KINGDOM – Rev 20:4-6; Dan 2:34-35, 44-45; Isa 24:22 alludes to it.

This is the reign of Christ over all the nations of the world [Dan 2].  It begins after He sets up His Davidic throne in Zion [Jerusalem] from which He will rule the Gentile nations with a rod of iron for 1000 years [Ps 2; Rev 20]. Those who obey Him will be blessed; those who disobey will be judged [Zech 14:16-21].  After His rule for 1000 years, Satan will unite the unsaved people in a revolt against Christ.  These unsaved are people, who will be born during the 1000 years, but they will not receive Jesus Christ as their Savior. Christ will overthrow their revolt and cast them along with Satan into the lake of fire [Rev 20:7-9]. This kingdom is not exactly the same as the kingdom of David, because it lasts for 1000 years and the kingdom of David is eternal as God promised David.

ETERNAL KINGDOM – Rev 21-22; 2 Pet 3:10-13.

When the thousand years are finished and the revolt of the unsaved under Satan’s deception is completed, the heavens and earth will be destroyed by fire.  Then God will create new heavens and a new earth over which He and His Son will rule forever [1 Cor 15:24-28; 2 Pet 1:11].

JESUS’ METHODS FOR MAKING FISHERS OF MEN

Jesus used three basic teaching methods to make His disciples fishers of men.  He used the hearing method to tell them what to do. He used the seeing method to show them how to do it. And He used the doing method to give them experience in doing it.  The chart below will show this three-fold process

COMMAND             METHOD                 EFFECT                    RESULT

Jesus said,                 1] They had to hear             1]They probably      The disciples

“Follow Me.”                what Jesus said.      learned 10% -20% followed Jesus.

To do this His           2] They had to see      from hearing.

disciples had to            what Jesus did.     2]They probably      Jesus kept His

use their ears,                        3] They had to do       learned 50% from  promise to them. eyes and wills.                    what Jesus com-     hearing and seeing.

manded. They       3]They probably        The disciples

obeyed and                learned about 90%  became fishers

imitated                      from doing what     of men

Jesus, doing what      they heard and saw                      .

they heard and saw.          .

JESUS USED HEARING TO PREPARE HIS DISCIPLES TO BE FISHERS OF MEN [MT 5-7]

To define the character of a fisher of men                                                      [5:3-12]

To emphasize the responsibility of a fisher of men                                       [5:13-16]

To correct the morality life of a fisher of men                                                [5:21-48]

To refine the life of a fisher of men                                                                  [6:1-7:11]

To improve the disposition of a fisher of men                                                [7:12]

To simplify the message of a fisher of men                                                     [7:13-28]

JESUS USED SEEING TO SHOW HIS DISCIPLES HIS POWER FOR DOING THIS WORK [MT 8-9]

To show them His power to care for the needs of people  [8:1-17,28-34; 9:1-8,18-34]

To show them His power to examine potential disciples                     [8:19-22; 9:9]

To show them His power to handle emergencies when they arose              [8:23-27]

To show them His power to answer men that questioned His work            [9:10-17]

To show them His power to reap the great harvest of souls for God           [9:35-38]

JESUS USED DOING TO GIVE HIS DISCIPLES EXPERIENCE IN DOING THIS WORK [MT 10:1-8]

To have power over unclean spirits and cast them out                                 [10:1, 8]

To heal all sicknesses and diseases                                                                  [10:1, 8]

To preach the message that the kingdom of heaven is at hand                    [10:7]

To raise the dead                                                                                                 [10:8]

JESUS USED HEARING TO COUNSEL HIS DISCIPLES ABOUT THIS WORK [MT 10:8-42]

To esteem God and trust Him to supply all their needs                                 [10:8-11]

To envision rejection from callused sinners                                                   [10:12-15]

To endure persecution from unsaved people                                                      [10:16-25]

To extinguish fear of wicked men and witness boldly                                  [10:26-33]

To expect conflict from ungodly family members                                         [10:34-39]

To exemplify Jesus faithfully before the world                                             [10:40-42]

JESUS USED SEEING TO SHOW HIS DISCIPLES MORE ABOUT THIS WORK [MT 11-12]

To show them how to expose the unbeliever’s heart                                     [11:1-27]

To show them how to invite sinners and workers to find rest in Him         [11:28-30]

To show them how to deal with false teachers                                               [12:1-45]

To show them how to assure people they are in God’s family                     [12:46-50]

JESUS USED HEARING TO INFORM HIS DISCIPLES OF GOD’S STRATEGY [MT 13:1-52]

To tell them that God reveals new truth only to those who obey old truth     [13:10-17]

To tell them God’s present plan for forming His future kingdom on earth    [13:3-9, 18-52]

JESUS USED SEEING TO SHOW HIS DISCIPLES THE NEED FOR FAITH [MT 13:53-16:12]

To show them the delusions and dangers that accompany unbelief       [13:53-14:12]

To show them the different levels of faith and its results                             [14:13-36]

To show them the hindrances of faith                                                              [15:1-20]

To show them the results of faith, even among Gentiles                               [15:21-38]

To show them that truth is limited for those without faith                            [16:1-4]

To show them that unbelief needs to be rebuked.                                          [16:5-12]

JESUS USED DOING TO INCREASE THE FAITH OF HIS DISCIPLES [MT 14:15-33; 15:32-38]

To feed the 5000 with five loaves and two fishes                                          [14:15- 21]

To invite Peter to walk to Him on the water as he requested                        [14:28-33]

To feed the 4000 with seven loaves and a few fishes                                    [15:32-38]

JESUS USED HEARING TO TEACH HIS DISCIPLES THE BASICS OF FAITH [MT 16:13-23]

To draw out from them a statement of their faith in Him                              [16:13-16]

To inform them about His Church of  which He is the foundation              [16:17-20]

To impress them that He must die and then be raised to save sinners        [16:21-23]

INDEX TO THE PRINCIPLES OF JESUS FOR MAKING FISHERS

OF MEN

1. The CHARACTER of the fisher – defined by the Beatitudes Mt 5:3-12

2. The RESPONSIBILITY of the fisher – likened to salt and light Mt 5:13-20

3. The MORALITY of the fisher – established by Jesus’ interpretation of the Law                                                                                Mt 5:21-48

4. The LIFE of the fisher – taught by Jesus in His Sermon on the Mount

Mt 6:1-7:11

5. The DECENCY of in the fisher – commanded in the “Golden Rule” Mt 7:12

6. The MESSAGE of the fisher – simplified warnings for sinners Mt 7:13-28

7. The POWER of the fisher – visualized by Jesus’ miracles Mt 8:2-9:28

8. The ATTITUDE of the fisher – specified instructions to the Twelve

Mt 10:8-42

9. The CHALLENGES of the fisher – exhibited by the Pharisees

Mt 11:1-12:50

10. The KINGDOM of the fisher – unveiled truths in Jesus’ parables Mt 13:3-50

11. The WORK of the fisher – exposed by experiences in Jesus’ ministry

Mt 13:53-16:12

12. The FUNDAMENTALS of the fisher – focused on Jesus Mt 16:13-23

4 QUESTIONS ABOUT FISHING FOR MEN THAT JESUS’ PRINCIPLES ANSWER

1. What Must a Christian Be Like to Be a Fisher of Men?
2. He must have a godly CHARACTER – 5:3-12
3. He must take this RESPONSIBILITY seriously – 5:13-20
4. He must let God’s law correct his MORALITY and use it to convict sinners – 5:21-48

1. What Must a Christian Do to Be a Fisher of Men?
2. He must LIVE by Jesus’ rules to be effective – 6:1-7:11
3. He must treat sinners with DECENCY – 7:12
4. He must make the gospel MESSAGE clear – 7:13-28

• What Must a Christian Do to Be a Good Fisher of Men?

1. He must believe Christ has the POWER to make him successful – 8:2-9:28
2. He must have a persistent ATTITUDE when persecuted – Mt 10:8-42
3. He must meet the CHALLENGES of hostile unbelievers with courage – 11:1-12:50

1. What Is the Focus of a Good Fisher of Men?
2. He must work diligently to build Christ’s KINGDOM – 13:3-50
3. He must persevere in his WORK by believing Jesus will supply his needs – 13:53-16:12
4. He must tell sinners the FUNDAMENTALS who Jesus is and what He did for them – 16:13-23

PRINCIPLES OF JESUS FOR MAKING FISHERS OF MEN

Jesus challenged His disciples with the words, “Follow Me,” and then He gave them His promise, “I will make you fishers of men” [Mt 4:19].  What did it mean to “follow Jesus”?  It meant they would have to leave their businesses and live with Him for more than three years so they could hear what He said, see what He did and practice what He commanded. They would learn principles from Him that would make them effective fishers of men anywhere in the world.  But His plan did not stop with His disciples.  Before He returned to heaven, He commanded them to make disciples in all nations and a part of their responsibility was to teach their disciples to observe ALL the things that He had commanded them [Mt 28:19-20].  That meant they were to teach their converts the principles of fishing for men and to practice them everywhere they went.  A perceptive study of Matthew will help us identify these principles that Jesus taught His disciples as they followed Him.  If we apply these principles in our lives, Jesus will make us fishers of men too. In my study of Matthew 5-16, I believe there are 88 principles that Jesus taught His original disciples that would enable them to be successful fishers of men. They are listed below so you can easily find them, apply them to your life and teach them to your converts.

1. Principles from Jesus’ beatitudes that define the CHARACTER of a fisher of men

5:3 – “Poor in spirit” – Be humble before God so He can save you and then use you   as a witness to others.

5:4 – “Mourn” – Mourn first for your own sins, and then for the sins of others, seeking God’s mercy.

5:5 – “Meek” – Be gentle and control your reactions to personal attacks, so you can witness with love.

5:6 – “Hunger and thirst after righteousness” – Yearn for a righteous life so you can be a godly fisher of men.

5:7 – “Merciful” – Show compassion to sinners and readily forgive them so you can portray the mercy of God.

5:8 – “Pure in heart” – Witness from a pure heart to demonstrate the truth and holiness of the living God.

5:9 – “Peacemaker” – Use the gospel to bring peace to sinners who have been fighting God and one another.

5:10-12 –“Persecuted for righteousness’ sake” – Willingly suffer persecution as you witness for Jesus’ sake.

2. Principles from Jesus’ sayings that emphasize the RESPONSIBILITY of a fisher of men

5:13 – “Salt of the earth” – Make God’s words tasty to sinners; tell them of His love and power to save them.

5:14-16 – “Light of the world” – Let your good works shine before men so they glorify your Father in heaven.

5:17-20 – Obey the law – Tell sinners that by receiving Christ’s righteousness they can obey the law fully.

3. Principles from Jesus’ interpretation of the law that correct the MORALITY of a fisher of men

5:21-26 – No murder – Let no murder or anger possess you so you can tell lost sinners about God’s love.

5:27-30 – No adultery – Allow no immorality in your mind or life so you can give a pure witness to sinners.

5:31-32 – No divorces – Love your spouse and do not consider divorce so can share God’s love with sinners.

5:33-37 – No oaths – Keep your promises without taking oaths so sinners can trust your gospel message.

5:38-42 – No vengeance – Leave all vengeance with God so you can focus on saving sinners.

5:43-48 – No hatred – Let all hatred be removed from you, so you can show God’s love to lost sinners.

4. Principles from Jesus’ sermon that refine the LIFE of a fisher of men

6:1- 4 – No hypocrisy in giving – Give to be seen of God, not men, to keep your testimony pure.

6:5-15 – No hypocrisy in praying – Pray to be heard by God, not by men, which gives your witness power.

6:16-18 – No hypocrisy in fasting – Fast to help your faith in God [cf. 17:19-21], so you can witness better.

6:19-24 – No love for wealth – Love God so you can serve Him without distraction by the riches of the world.

6:25-34 – No worry for your needs – Seek first the advancement of God’s kingdom, not the needs of your life.

7:1- 5 – No hypocrisy in judging – Judge sinners by biblical standards, not by your personal standards.

7:6 – No foolish witnessing – Give precious gospel pearls to true seekers, not to scorners [dogs and swine].

7:7-11 – No relapses in praying – Persistently pray to God to help you in witnessing and He will answer you.

5. Principle from Jesus’ “golden rule” that improves the DECENCY of a fisher of men

7:12 – Be gracious – Kindly witness to others as you would have wanted them to witness to you.

6. Principles from Jesus’ warnings that simplify the MESSAGE of a fisher of men

7:13-14 – Two roads – Tell seekers to leave the broad road of death and choose the narrow road of life.

7:15-20 – Two teachers – Tell seekers to identify and reject false teachers and follow true teachers.

7:21-23 – Two professions – Tell seekers to be sure of salvation by doing God’s will, not by great works.

7:24-28 – Two foundations – Tell seekers to hear Jesus’ words and do them for salvation and growth.

7. Principles from Jesus’ miracles / teaching that show the source of POWER for a fishers of men

8:2-4    – Cleansed leper – Touch the defiled with love to make your witnessing effective in their lives.

8:5-13  – Centurion’s servant – Help sinners of all races and commend them for great faith when it is fitting.

8:14-15 – Mother of Peter’s wife – Care for the welfare of the elderly so they can serve God effectively.

8:16-17 – All the sick – Help the sick as a witness of Jesus’ care [9:35;12:15;14:14,34-36;15:29ff].

8:19-22 – Discipleship – Examine likely converts for sincerity and willingness to endure hardship [2 Tim 2:3].

8:23-27 – Sea storm stopped – Trust Jesus to take care of you in any crisis as you work and witness for Him.

8:28-34 – Demons cast out – Trust Jesus to help you defeat Satan in the lives of desperate sinners.

9:1-8    – Paralytic’s sins forgiven – Tell sinners that Jesus has divine authority to forgive their sins.

9:9-17   –       Pharisees and John’s disciples – Learn how to answer men who question your God-given ministry.

9:20-22 – Woman with a bleeding problem – Encourage the faith of those who have already trusted in Jesus.

9:18-25 – Girl given life – Receive those who show faith in Jesus Christ and reject those who laugh at Him.

9:27-31 – Two blind men – Question sinners about their faith to determine if they truly trust in Jesus.

9:32-34 – Demon cast out of dumb man – Expect trouble and even persecution from fanatical unbelievers.

9:35-38 – Bountiful harvest – Pray that the Lord will send more laborers into His spiritual harvest fields.

8. Principles from Jesus’ teaching of the Twelve that sharpen the ATTITUDE of a fisher of men

10:1-7    – Engage yourself – Begin witnessing by going to your own people first, then to other (Acts 1:8).

10:8-11 – Esteem God – Follow His orders and trust Him to supply your needs as you witness for Jesus.

10:12-15 – Envision rejection – Anticipate some sinners to reject your witness for Jesus.

10:16-25 – Endure persecution – Suffer persecution without quitting when you witness for Jesus.

10:26-33 – Eliminate fear – Have no fear of what sinners can do to you when you witness for Jesus.

10:34-39 – Expect conflict – Be prepared for conflict, even from family members, when you witness for Jesus.

10:40-42 – Enrich others – God will reward those who receive you as a true witness for Jesus.

9. Principles from Jesus’ conflicts that expose the CHALLENGES of a fisher of men

11:1-15   –     John the Baptist – Believe Jesus is the promised Savior from God by the many miracles He did.

11:16-19 – Fickle generation – Realize some people will never believe and will be critical of all that you do.

11:20-27 – Unbelieving cities – Understand that Jesus seriously judges those who reject the truth.

11:28-30 – Jesus’ yoke – Labor with Jesus to make your difficult work a delight and much easier to do.

12:1-8     –     Attitude – Know that you need to reflect the mercy of God and never condemn the innocent.

12:9-14   –     Sabbath-keeping – Do good deeds to others and God will be pleased.

12:15-21 – Gentiles – Be kind to sick Gentiles of any nation and do not harm them.

12:22-30 – Casting out demons – Do what is right for sinners, even though you may be hated for it.

12:31-32 – Unpardonable sin – Recognize that sinners, who reject the work of the Spirit, cannot be saved.

12:33-37 – Words – Listen to the words coming from a sinner’s heart to understand his spiritual condition.

12:38-42 – Greatness of Jesus – Emphasize the greatness of Jesus in witnessing to sinners.

12:43-45 – Self-improvement – Be convinced that lasting victory over sin is impossible by self-reformation.

12:46-50 – Jesus’ family – Assure converts, who do God’s will that they are in His family.

10. Principles from Jesus’ parables that reveal the KINGDOM of a fisher of men

13:3-9 – Sower [18-23] – Know that only “believers” that produce good fruit are citizens of Christ’s kingdom.

13:10-17 – Parables – Realize that parables reveal kingdom truth only to those who receive God’s truth.

13:24-30 – Weeds and Wheat [36-43] –Sinners may look like saints, but they are not citizens of the kingdom.

13:31-32 – Mustard seed – Prosperity of believers may draw unbelievers (“birds”) to join them [13:4,19].

13:33-34 – Leaven – Understand that false doctrine about the kingdom [cf. 16:12] will pollute many believers.

13:44-46 – Treasures – Tell believers to sacrifice everything to obtain the eternal treasures of the kingdom.

13:47-50 – Dragnet – Jesus will separate true believers from the false when He sets up His kingdom.

13:51-52 – Head of a House – Present the kingdom from the viewpoint of both the Old and New Testaments.

11. Principles from Jesus’ ministry that will complete the WORK of a fisher of men

13:53-58 – Nazareth–Teach that spiritual work cannot be done when people do not believe Jesus is the Lord.

14:1-12   –     Herod – Do not be afraid of hostile sinners, but get out of their way, if possible.

14:13-21 – Feeding 5000 – Realize Christ can multiply our resources to meet people’s needs.

14:22-23 – Leaving 5000 – Leave those who want physical blessings without a spiritual change [cf Jn 6:15].

14:24-36 – Walking on water – Trust Jesus and do what He tells you to do, even if it seems impossible.

15:1-9     –     Traditions –Tell sinners that they will be lost if they believe their traditions rather than God’s word.

15:12-14 – False Doctrine – You must root up false teaching before ‘blind” people can be saved.

15:15-20 – Heart – Remember, that sin kept in people’s hearts will defile them [cf.15:10-11;12:34-37].

15:21-28 – Gentile woman–Tell people that Jesus will answer the prayer of any sinner who humbly asks Him.

15:29-38 – Feeding 4000 –Tell people of all nations that Jesus has compassion on those who believe in Him.

16:1-4     –     Signs – Warn people that Jesus will withhold spiritual truth from those who refuse to believe Him.

16:5-11   –     Little faith –Jesus will not be pleased if you have little faith in His ability to provide for your needs.

16:6,12   –     Leaven – Beware of the false doctrine of unbelievers that corrupt the people who receive it.

12. Principles concerning Jesus Christ that form the FUNDAMENTALS of a fisher of men

16:13-16 – Jesus–Believe Jesus is the Christ, the promised Son of God, who alone was sent to save sinners.

16:17-20 – Church – Believe Jesus Christ is the Rock upon which the church must be built  [Eph 2:19-22].

16:21-23 – Gospel – Believe Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection is the basic truth that saves sinners.

The first task that Jesus had for His disciples was to make them fishers of men and the second was to teach them how to build His church. He was resolved to accomplish both tasks.  He said, “I WILL make you fishers of men [Mt 4:19]” and “I WILL build My church” [Mt 16:18].  These two tasks were very important to Him.  By the time Jesus took His disciples to Caesarea Philippi [Mt 16], He had given them sufficient training in fishing for men, so it was time to train them to build His church.

They were startled by His words, “I will build My church.”  They had expected Him to set up His kingdom.  What was this talk about His church?  The “church” was a new concept for them.  Of the four gospels, only Matthew speaks about the church, but he does so twice [Mt 16:18; 18:17].  Jesus needed to inform His disciples about the nature of His church and how to build it, because He was going to use them to actually build His church.  So in Matthew 16-28, Jesus gives His disciples at least 27 spiritual principles for building His church.  Some of these principles are merely stated by Jesus, but are fully developed in the Epistles. All of these principles are important and should be incorporated into the life of any local church being built for Jesus Christ.  They are the blueprints for building the kind of churches Jesus wants established in all parts of the world today [Mt 28:18-20].  Now we will consider the principles that Jesus taught His disciples for building His church.

INDEX TO THE PRINCIPLES OF JESUS FOR BUILDING

 HIS CHURCH

Bold references refer to the principles found in Matthew. The other verses support these principles..

PRINCIPLES FOR BUILDING A CHURCH LISTED BY TOPIC

Principles relating to Jesus and the church

What must church members do with Jesus so they can build His church?

1. Testify of Jesus’ death and resurrection – a true church can be built only this is way.
2. Glorify Jesus – a church that gives glory to Jesus will receive glory from the Father.
3. Be humble like Jesus – a church that does not demand its rights will keep peace in its area.
4. Love children like Jesus did – a church that loves children has the spirit of Jesus.
5. Submit to Jesus – a church must accept Jesus as its King to achieve much for God.
6. Remember Jesus’ sacrifice – a church must partake of the Lord’s supper regularly.
7. Pray for strength like Jesus did – a church that prays for God’s will to be done will be strong.

26    Obey God like Jesus did – a church must determine to do God’s will to be fruitful.

Principles relating to members in the church

What must church members practice so they can build Christ’s church?

4. Have faith in God –members must possess faith in God to have power with God.
5. Forgive others –members must forgive others to solve most problems in the church.
6. Help sinners be saved – members must tell sinners that Jesus’ works can save them, not their works.
7. Work for rewards – members should seek rewards that can be used to glorify Jesus.
8. Choose good leaders – members should choose leaders that have a servant’s heart.
9. Love others – members must obey God’s commands to love Him first and neighbors second.
10. Be alert – members must watch for Jesus’ return and watch out for Satan’s attacks.

23    Be diligent – members must diligently plan and perform the work given to them by the Lord.

Principles relating to doctrines that the church should teach

What must church leaders teach so they can build Christ’s church?

3. Teach God’s plan for Israel–Israel must accept Jesus as her King before He brings His Kingdom to earth.
4. Teach proper church discipline – discipline of troublesome members is necessary to remain strong.
5. Teach God’s plan for Gentiles – God favors the Gentiles over Jews while they are rebelling against Him.
6. Teach respect for civil government – rulers are God’s appointed servants to do His will in world affairs.
7. Teach the resurrection of all people – the resurrection brings hope to believers, but fear to unbelievers.
8. Teach how to interpret the Bible–the Bible must be interpreted rightly to know God’s thoughts accurately.
9. Teach prophecy literally – prophecy must be taught because Christ is the theme of prophecy.

Principles relating to leaders in the church

What must church leaders learn so they can build Christ’s church?

8. Learn to bind and loose sins rightly – leaders must bind and loose sins according to God’s terms.
9. Learn when to rebuke sinners – leaders should reserve rebuke for sinners hardened in unbelief.
10. Learn how to handle betrayal – leaders should expose potential betrayers with loving-kindness.
11. Learn how to handle denial – leaders should follow Jesus’ five-step treatment of Peter.
12. Learn how to make disciples – leaders must teach converts how to fish for men and build Jesus’ church.
13. Learn how to baptize converts – leaders must immerse believers as a witness of their salvation in Christ.

JESUS’ PRINCIPLES ANSWER 4 QUESTIONS ABOUT BUILDING A CHURCH

1. What Must Church Members Do with Jesus So They Can Build His Church?

1. [1] Testify of His death and resurrection – 16:20-23; cf Act 2:23-33;3:15;4:10;5:30;10:39-40;13:28-37
2. [2] Glorify Him – 16:27-17:9; cf Act 4:8-12; 5:29-32; 7:55-60; 2 Cor 4:3-6; Tit 2:13
3. [5] Be humble like Him – 17:24-27; cf.1 Cor 10:12; Jam 4:6,10; 1 Pet 5:5-6
4. [6] Love children like He did – 18:1-14; cf Eph 6:4; Col 3:21; Tit 2:4
5. [13] Submit to Him – 21:12-17; cf Act 26:13-20; Eph 1:22-23; 4:15; 5:23; Col 1:18
6. [24] Remember His sacrifice – 26:26-32; cf Act 2:42; 20:7, 11; 1 Cor 11:23-30
7. [25] Pray for strength like He did – 26:36-46; cf Act 4:23-31; 12:1-19; Eph 6:18-20; Phil 4:6-7
8. [26] Obey God like He did – 26:51-56; cf Act 5:29-32; Rev 2:5,7,16,17,26-29; 3:3,18-22; Rom 12:1

1. What Must Church Members Practice So They Can Build Christ’s Church?

1. [4] Have faith in God to receive His power – 17:14-21; cf Act:3:1-16; 4:23-31; 5:12-16; 6:8-10; 8: 5-8, 26-39; Eph 1:19-20; Heb 11:6
2. [9] Forgive those who sin against them – 18:21-19:12; cf Eph 4:32
3. [10] Help sinners be saved by Jesus’ work, not by their work – 19:16-26; Rom 4:2-5; Eph 2:8-9; Tit 3:5
4. [11] Work for rewards that will glorify Jesus – 19:27-20:16; 1 Cor 3:11-15; 2 Cor 5:10; Rev 2:26; 3:21
5. [12] Choose church leaders that have a servant’s heart –20:20-28; cf Act 6:1-6; 20:34-35; 1 Cor 9:19-23; 2 Cor 4:5; 11:23-27; 1 Tim 5:22, 24, 25; 2 Tim 2:2
6. [17] Love God and love one another – 22:34-40; cf 1 Jn 4:19-20; 5:1,5; Rom 13:9-10; Gal 5:13-14; 6:10;6:10; Jam 2:8; 1 Jn 4:7-8, 11-12, 21; 5:2
7. [21] Be alert for Christ’s return and for Satan’s attacks – 24:32-25:46; cf 1 Th 5:1-8; 1 Pet 4:7; 5:8
8. [23] Be diligent in planning and performing the work of the Lord – 26:17-20; 1 Cor 14:33, 40; 2 Tim 4:2

• What Must Church Leaders Teach So They Can Build Christ’s Church?

1. [3] Teach God’s program for Israel – 17:10-13; cf Rom 11:1-31; Rev 19:11-21 with Zech 14:1-4
2. [7] Teach the discipline of troublesome members–18:15-20; cf 1 Cor 5:2-11; Gal 6:1; 2 Th 3:6-15
3. [14] Teach God’s program for Gentiles – 21:28-22:14; cf Rom 11:13-22; Rev 6-19
4. [15] Teach the place for civil government – 22:15-22; cf Rom 13:1-7; 1 Pet 2:13-17
5. [16] Teach the resurrection of sinners and saints – 22:22-33; cf 1 Cor 15:42-54; 1 Th 4:14-17
6. [18] Teach the rules for interpreting the Bible – 22:41-46 cf 1 Cor 2:9-16 1 Jn 2:27
7. [20] Teach the doctrines of prophecy – 24:32-25:46; cf Act 17:1-4 with 1 Th 5:1; Rev 1:3; 19:10

1. What Must Church Leaders Learn So They Can Build Christ’s Church?

1. [8] Learn what it means to bind and loose sins – 18:18; cf Act 2:22-41; 3:18-26; 5:1-11;10:34-48
2. [19] Learn when and how to rebuke sinners – 23:13-36; cf 2 Cor 11:13-15; Rev 3:14-22
3. [22] Learn how to handle betrayal – 26:14-16; cf 2 Tim 4:10
4. [27] Learn how to handle denial – 26:69-75; cf 2 Cor 2:4-11
5. [28] Learn how to make disciples – 28:19a-20; cf Act 14:22; 18:23; Eph 4:11-16; 2 Tim 2:1-7
6. [29] Learn how to baptize converts correctly – 28:19b; cf Act 2:41; 8:12;36-38; 9:18: 10:47-48; 16:14-15, 23-33; 19:1-5; Rom 6:4-6; 1 Cor 1:13-16; 1 Pet 3:21

Bold references refer to the principles found in Matthew. The other verses show how NT church builders followed these principles.

PRINCIPLES OF JESUS FOR BUILDING HIS CHURCH

Roger L. Peterson, Th D

The first task that Jesus had for His disciples was to make them fishers of men and the second was to teach them how to build His Church, which they would do in building local churches. He was resolved to accomplish both tasks.  He said, “I WILL make you fishers of men [Mt 4:19]” and “I WILL build My Church” [Mt 16:18].  These two tasks were very important to Him.  By the time Jesus took His disciples to Caesarea Philippi [Mt 16], He had given them sufficient training in fishing for men, so it was time to train them to build His Church.

They were startled when He said, “I will build My Church.”  They had expected Him to set up His Kingdom.  What was this talk about His Church?  The “church” was a new concept for them.  Of the four gospels, only Matthew speaks about the church, but he does so twice [Mt 16:18; 18:17].  Jesus needed to inform His disciples about the nature of His Church and how to build it, because He was going to use them to actually build His Church.  So in Matthew 16-28, Jesus gives His disciples at least 29 spiritual principles for building strong local churches. Some of these principles are well-developed thoughts and some are seed thoughts that would be further developed in the Epistles. All of these principles are important and should be incorporated into the life of every local church being built for Jesus Christ.  These principles are the blueprints for building the kind of churches Jesus wants established in all parts of the world today [Mt 28:18-20].  Now we will consider the principles that Jesus taught His disciples for building His Church through local churches.

16:19

Principle of binding and loosing is addressed more fully in 18:18 – Here Jesus tells Peter that he can bind and loose on earth what God has bound or loosed in heaven. Peter cannot tell God what He must do.

1. 16:20-23

Principle of testifying of Jesus’ death and resurrection – Also see Mt 12:38-40; 17:22-23; 20:17-19; 26:26-32; 26:57-68; 27:1-28:17; Act 2:23-33; 3:15; 4:10; 5:30; 10:39-40; 13:28-37; 17:3; 26:23

Jesus told His disciples no longer to tell others of Him as Israel’s Messiah (“the Christ”), because Israel’s leaders had rejected Him. Then He told them about His coming death and resurrection. This would enable Him to be the sinner’s Savior. Church members must preach and witness both the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus’ death paid the penalty of sin for every person and His resurrection provides the gift of eternal life to those who trust in Him. The death AND resurrection of Jesus Christ is the only message that can build His Church.

16:24-26

Principle of being submissive to Jesus is addressed more fully in 21:1-17 – Here Jesus simply said, “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow Me.”

2. 16:27-17:9

Principle of glorifying Jesus – Also see Mt 21:1-11; Act 4:8-12; 5:29-32; 7:55-60; 2 Cor 4:3-6; Tit 2:13.

The church must glorify Christ and lift Him up in the eyes of the world. But first her members must see the glory of Jesus Christ in the pages of Scripture before they will boldly tell the world about Him

3. 17:10-13

Principle of teaching God’s program for Israel – Cf Mt 3:1-3; 23:37-39; Zech 12:8-13:1; Rom 11:1-31; Dan 7:9-14 with; Rev 5:1-10. Rev 19:11-21 with Zech 14:1-4.

The church must teach that God will not allow Christ to establish His Kingdom on earth until Israel repents of her sins against Him and Jesus Christ. Then she must willingly receive Jesus as her King to experience the revival that will restore the earth to the conditions it had before the fall of Adam. When Israel accepts Jesus as her King, the Church and all believers in all ages will be blessed in Christ’s millennial Kingdom.

4. 17:14-21

Principle of having faith in God to receive His power– Act 3:1-16; 4:23-31; 5:12-16; 6:8-10; 8:5-8, 26-39; Eph 1:19-20; Heb 11:6. Little faith – Mt 6:30; 8:26; 14:31; 16:8. Great faith – Mt 8:10; 15:28.

The church members must possess faith in God to have power with God. Only those who have faith in God can please God and serve Him effectively. Christians are encouraged to grow in faith.

17:22-23

Principle of Jesus’ death and resurrection repeated – See Mt 16:20-23 for a statement of this principle.

5. 17:24-27

Principle of being humble like Jesus – Also see Mt 23:1-12; Jam 4:10; 1 Pet 5:5-6.

The church members must imitate the humility of Jesus Christ so God can exalt them. Jesus showed His humility when He paid the temple tax. He did not need to pay this tax, because it was His Father’s house. He could have demanded His rights, but He did not want to cause a needless offense.

6. 18:1-14

Principle of loving children like Jesus did – Also see Mt 19:13-15; Eph 6:4; Col 3:21; Tit 2:4.

Jesus’ disciples asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Jesus called a little child to Himself and said those who are like a little child are the greatest in His kingdom. A little child is humble and has great trust in his leaders. The church must love children because God loves them. She also must love young believers because they are God’s children. The church must help both physical and spiritual children grow strong and never cause them to stumble.

7. 18:15-20

Principle of disciplining troublesome members–1 Cor 5; 2 Cor 2:5-11;Gal 6:1; 2 Th 3:6-15;Tit 3:9-10.

The church must diligently and carefully discipline any member who sins against God because the sin will corrupt the entire congregation. The disciplined person, who refuses to repent and depart from his sin, should be excluded from the church. However, the purpose of discipline is to restore the member.

8. 18:18

Principle of binding and loosing sins – Also see Mt 16:19; Jn 20:21-23; Act 3:18-26; 5:1-11.

The church must agree with God’s terms for any kind of binding and loosing. She does not tell God what He must bind and what He must loose. God sets the terms for binding and loosing. When the church binds and looses, she does so on the basis of what God has already agreed to bind or loose. In this case the church’s action would bind the repentant member to its membership or loose the unrepentant member from its membership. In Mt 16:19 Peter received keys to open the door of salvation to Jews at Pentecost (Act 2) and to Gentiles (Act 10). He preached God’s terms for salvation. Those who accepted God’s terms were loosed from their sins, but those who rejected God’s terms were bound to their sins.

9. 18:21-19:12

Principle of forgiving others – Also see Lk 17:3-4; Eph 4:32.

The church members must be ready to forgive those who sin against them, even when it is done repeatedly [70 x 7], because God has repeatedly forgiven them when they have sinned against Him.

19:13-15

Principle of loving children like Jesus did is repeated – Jesus received little children. See Mt 18:5-14 for a statement of this principle.

10. 19:16-26

Principle of being saved by faith in God’s gift– Also see Mt 11:28; Rom 4:2-5; Eph 2:8-9; Tit 3:5.

The church must preach that salvation is a gift of God, received by repentance and faith, not by good works as the rich young ruler thought.

11. 19:27-20:16

Principle of working for rewards – Mt 25:14-30; Lk 19:11-26; 1 Cor 3:11-15; 2 Cor 5:10; Rev 2:26; 3:21.

The church must teach her members to work for rewards that will enable them to serve Christ better and bring glory to Him in His kingdom. The 12 disciples will rule over the 12 tribes of Israel and the faithful church members will rule over the cities in Gentile nations. Christ will award believers when He returns to rule the earth. He said that their investment would be worth an hundredfold (100 times as much).

20:17-19

Principle of Jesus’ death and resurrection repeated – See Mt 16:20-23 for the statement of this principle.

12. 20:20-28

Principle of choosing leaders that have a servant’s heart – Also see Lk 22:26-27; Act 7:1-6; 20:34-35; 1 Cor 9:19-23; 2 Cor 4:5; 11:23-27; 1 Tim 5:22,24,25; 2 Tim 2:2

Church members must choose leaders that are willing to serve. The lesser leaders should have a heart of a servant; the pastors should have a heart of a slave; but Jesus is the greatest – He became a sacrifice.

20:29-34

Principle of having faith in God to receive His power is repeated – Jesus healed two blind men in Jericho that had faith in Him. See Mt 17:14-21 for a statement of this principle.

21:1-11

Principle of glorifying Jesus is repeated – See Mt 16:27-17:9 for the statement of this principle.

13. 21:12-17

Principle of submitting to Jesus – Also see Mt 21:23-27; 28:18-20; Act 26:13-20; Eph 1:22-23; 5:23.

The church must submit to the absolute authority of Jesus Christ, who is Head of the church. He cleansed the temple of moneychangers and those who sold sheep to be used as sacrifices at the Passover.

21:18-22

Principle of having faith in God is repeated –Jesus told His disciples they could curse a fig tree, like He did, and move mountains, if they had faith. See Mt 17:14-21 for a statement of this principle.

21:23-27

Principle of submitting to Jesus is repeated – Jewish leaders questioned Jesus’ authority, but He has it and the church must submit to it and not question it. See Mt 21:1-17 for a full statement of this principle.

14. 21:28-22:14

Principle of teaching God’s program for Gentiles – Also see Rom 11:13-32; cf Dan 2, 7; Rev 6-19.

Members of the Church, composed mostly of Gentile believers, must not boast in God’s blessings as if they earned His favor, but humbly thank God for His grace to them. When Israel rejected Christ as her King, God temporarily rejected Israel and turned to the Gentiles to bless them through the Church. Jesus gave the Jewish leaders three parables to depict their rejection of God the Father [Mt 21:28-32], of God the Father and the Son [Mt 21:33-46], and of God the Father, the Son and possibly the Spirit (servants) [Mt 22:1-14]. Some day Israel will repent and God will restore her to His favor once again [Zech 12-14].

15. 22:15-22

Principle of respecting civil government– Cf. Mt 26:57-68; 27:1-2, 11-25; Rom 13:1-7; 1 Pet 2:13-17.

The church members must respect human government and submit to its rulers when they are not in conflict with God’s laws. They should give to Caesar what belongs to him. If they must disobey the laws of government, they must accept the penalties of government without bitterness or any acts of retaliation.

16. 22:23-33

Principle of teaching the resurrection – Cf. Mt 27:51-53; Jn 11:25-26; 1 Cor 15:42-54; 1 Th 4:14-17.

The church must teach the truth about the resurrection of both sinners and saints so that it can instill a holy fear in the unbelievers and give a blessed hope to the believers.

17. 22:34-40

Principle of loving others – Loving God: 1 Jn 4:19-20; 5:1,3; Mt 21:28-29; 26:6-13. Loving people– Rom 13:9-10; Gal 5:13-14; 6:10; Jam 2:8; 1 Jn 4:7-8, 11-12, 21; 5:2; Mt 5:43-48;18:15; 20:24.

Church members must love God above all others and love their neighbors as themselves. They must love those who are saved and those who are lost, whether they are friends or enemies.

18. 22:41-46

Principle of interpreting the Bible – Cf. Mt 2:5-6, 15, 17-18, 23; 1 Cor 2:9-16; 1 Jn 2:27.

The church must teach her members how to interpret Scripture accurately as Jesus showed us. A verse must be in total agreement with other Scriptures or it is not interpreted correctly.

23:1-12

Principle of being humble like Jesus is repeated – After exposing the religious leaders for their pride, He told the people to be humble so they could be exalted. See Mt 17:24-18:4 for a statement of this principle.

19. 23:13-36

Principle of rebuking sinners – Cf. Mt 11:20-27; 12:22-45; 2 Cor 11:13-15; Rev 3:14-22.

The church must rebuke sin and rebellion in unbelievers, but before any unbeliever is sharply rebuked, he should be instructed patiently regarding God and His ways. This is how Jesus dealt with the Pharisees.

23:37-39

Principle of teaching God’s program for Israel is repeated – Israel will not see Jesus until she says, “Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord.” See Mt 17:10-13 for the statement of this principle.

20. 24:1-31

Principle of teaching prophecy – Acts 17:1-4 with 1 Th 5:1; Lk 17:22-37; 21:5-33; Rev 1:3; 19:10.

The church must understand prophecy because Jesus is the theme of prophecy and a fifth of the Bible is prophetic. To know prophecy accurately, it must be interpreted literally, clarifying figures of speech by referring to other Scriptures. Paul taught prophecy to the church at Thessalonica, even though he stayed there for a very short time. A promise of a blessing from the Lord is offered to those who know prophecy.

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21. 24:32-25:46

Principle of being alert – Also see Mt 26:38-41; Lk 12:35-48; 1 Th 5:1-8; 1 Pet 4:7; 5:8.

Church saints must be alert to Satan’s attacks and be ready for Jesus Christ’s coming to rapture them to heaven before the Tribulation. Likewise, Tribulation saints must watch and be ready for Jesus Christ’s return to earth [with the church saints] after the Tribulation to judge the world and to set up His Kingdom.

26:1-5

Principle of handling betrayal is addressed more fully in verses 14-16 – Here Jesus told His disciples He would be betrayed in two days to be crucified.

26:6-13

Principle of loving God is repeated – Jesus was anointed by Mary to show her love for Him. See Mt 22:34-40 for a fuller statement of this principle.

22. 26:14-16

Principle of handling betrayal – Also see Mt 26:1-5, 21-25, 47-50; Jn 13:18-30; 2 Tim 4:10.

Church leaders must handle any member, who betrays the church or the Lord for personal gain, like Jesus handled Judas. He exposed his evil plan privately and treated him gently.

23. 26:17-20

Principle of being diligent in preparation – Also see Lk 22:7-13; 1 Cor 14:33, 40; 2 Tim 4:2.

The church must be prepared, doing the Lord’s work decently, for he is not the author of confusion.

26:21-25

Principle of handling betrayal is repeated –.Jesus warned Judas privately of the awful results for betraying Him, giving him another opportunity to repent. See Mt 26:14-16 for a statement of this principle.

24. 26:26-32

Principle of remembering Jesus’ sacrifice – See Lk 22:19-20; Act 2:42; 20:7,11; 1 Cor 11:23-30.

Jesus told His disciples to eat a simple supper in remembrance of His death until He returns to set up His Father’s kingdom on this earth. There is no forgiveness of sins in this ceremony, but it is to be observed with reverence and sincere appreciation for what He did for us when He was crucified for our sins. The broken bread is symbolic of His broken body and the cup is symbolic of His shed blood.

26:33-35

Principle of handling denial is addressed more fully in 26:69-75 – Here Jesus told Peter that he would deny Him three times that night before the rooster would crow.

25. 26:36-46

Principle of praying for strength like Jesus did – Act 4:23-31; 12:1-19; Eph 6:18-20; Phil 4:6-7; cf. Mt 5:44; 6:5-15; 7:7-11; 21:22; Jn 14:13-14; 15:7,16; 16:24; Heb 5:7.

The church must spend time on its knees before God to avoid failure in the heat of battle. Jesus told His disciples to pray, but instead they slept. As a result they were not prepared for their hour of trial.

26:47-50

Principle of handling betrayal is repeated – Jesus treated Judas kindly, even when he betrayed Jesus in the garden. See Mt 26:1-5 for a statement of this principle.

26. 26:51-56

Principle of obeying God like Jesus did – Act 5:29-32; Rev 2:5,7,16,17,26-29; 3:3,18-22; cf Mt 10:38-39; 16:24-26; Rom 12:1; Heb 10:5-10; 13:17; Jam 4:6-7; 1 Pet 5:5-6.

The church members must learn to obey God and do His will, following the example of Jesus, who obeyed His Father and was crucified so that the Scriptures would be fulfilled. Followers of Jesus must take up their crosses like He did.

26:57-68

Principle of teaching the place of civil government is repeated – Caiaphas judged Jesus. See Mt 22:15-22 for this principle.

27. 26:69-75

Principle of handling denial – Cf Mt 26:33-35; [18:15]; Lk 22:31,32,61; 24:34; Jn 21:15-19; 2 Cor 2:4-11

Church leaders must handle any member, who denies his relationship to the church or to the Lord, like Jesus handled Peter. He warned him, prayed for him, loved him, met with him and restored him.

27:1-2,11-25

Principle of human government repeated – Jesus stood before Pilate, but made no defense for Himself when He was accused falsely by the Jewish leaders. See Mt 22:15-22 for a statement of this principle.

27:3-10

Principle of being saved by God’s gift. When Judas realized his wrong deed, he did not have godly sorrow, but had the sorrow of the world, which works death (2 Cor 7:10). See Mt 19:16-26 for a statement of this principle.

27:26-28:17

Account of Jesus’ death and resurrection is given – See Mt 16:21-23 for a statement of this principle.

28:18

Principle of submitting to Jesus is repeated – Christ has all authority in heaven and in earth. See Mt 21:1-17 for a statement of this principle.

28. 28:19a, 20

Principle of making disciples – Cf Mk 8:34-38;Jn 8:32; 15:8;Act 14:22; 18:23; Eph 4:11-16; 2 Tim 2:1-7.

The church must make disciples for Jesus Christ. A disciple is a follower of the Lord that is learning about Him and His principles. The church must train disciples to be useful to Christ, perfecting them for the work of the ministry. The church must train them to walk with the Lord, to evangelize the lost and to teach new converts, so that the body of Christ is built.

29. 28:19b

Principle of baptizing converts correctly – Cf. Act 2:41; 8:12, 36-38; 9:18; 10:47-48; 16:14-15, 23-33; 19:1-5; Rom 6:4-6; 1 Cor 1:13-16; 1 Pet 3:21.

The church must baptize her converts to keep Christ’s command. Baptism teaches the unity that believers have with the Lord. Baptism does not wash away sin, nor does it impart eternal life. Baptism is symbolic of the believer’s spiritual death, burial and resurrection with Christ, when he received Him as his Savior. When he was saved, he died to his sin with Christ, he was buried with Christ and he rose to a new life with Christ. Baptism is a dramatic act symbolizing these three things in his conversion experience.

When Jesus taught His disciples these principles for building His church, He was ready to leave this work in their hands. Then He commanded them to teach their converts “to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you” [Mt 28:20] and this command has been passed on to each new generation of believers.

When Jesus told His disciples to teach “all things” that He had commanded them, what specifically did He have in mind? It seems He was referring to His principles for making fishers of men [Mt 5-16] and for building His church [Mt 16-28]. This was the high calling that He gave His disciples which has come down to our generation. Therefore, we also are commanded by our Lord Jesus Christ to be fishers of men and to build His church.

Student’s Assignment

Making Fishers of Men

1. Give one principle from Jesus’ beatitudes (Mt. 5 : 3-12) and explain how this will make you a better fisher of men.
2. Give the principle about the two roads (Mt. 7 : 13-14) and tell how you will use it as a fisher of men.
3. Give one principle from Jesus’ miracles (Mt. 8-9) and tell how it will change your ministry as a fisher of men.
4. Give the principle about Jesus’ yoke (Mt. 11 : 28-30) and tell how that will make you a more effective fisher of men.
5. Give one principle from Jesus’ parables (Mt. 13) and explain how it applies to a fisher of men.

Test on Building Jesus’ Church

1. Give one principle from what church members should do with Jesus to build His church and tell how this principle will be used in your ministry.
2. Give one principle from what church leaders should learn to build Christ’s church and tell how this will help you to develop into a better leader.
3. Give one principle from what church leaders should teach to build Christ’s church and tell how this will be used in teaching others.
4. Give one principle from what church members should do to build Christ’s church and tell how you plan to use this principle to build christ’s church.

Note : Write the answers for these questions and send them to CALS.  Write your Register Number and name on your answer sheets.