Teaching Missions: Growing in God’s Grace

Matthew 13:31-33 Parable of the mustard seed

The kingdom of heaven is like the unnatural growth of the mustard plant trying to be a tree

Matthew 13:1-17 Parable method and sower

Jesus begins using parables, explains a bit of why to the disciples and gives the parable of the sower

Matthew 12:46-49 Jesus' family are those doing His Father's will

When Jesus' mother and brothers came to speak with him, he showed the crowd that his disciples were his family, those who were doing the Father's will, and that is true for us as well.

Matthew 12:43-45 When evil spirits move out, we need Jesus to move in

Jesus describes an evil spirit, after being removed from a person, wanting to return to "his house." If it is empty, he gets 7 worse spirits to join him. We need to actively seek Christ after freedom from evil spirits

Matthew 12:38-42 Witnesses for Jesus and against the Pharisees

Jonah and the men of Nineveh will witness against the Pharisees and so will the Queen of Sheba

Matthew 12:21-37 Pharisees attribute Jesus' healing to Satan

Jesus healed a blind and dumb man. The Pharisees attribute his power to Satan. 

Matthew 12:15-21 Jesus shows victory quietly to the Jews and gentiles

He heals a man; this demonstrates the truth of the suffering servant passages in Isaiah.

Matthew 12:9-14 Jesus heals a withered hand on the sabbath in the synagogue

The Pharisees challenge Jesus about healing on the sabbath. He says that a man would lift a sheep out of a pit on the sabbath; a man is worth more than a sheep. He then heals the man's hand

Matthew 12:1-8 Plucking and rubbing grain on the sabbath

The Pharisees accuse the disciples of breaking the sabbath by plucking grain. Jesus defends them with two Biblical examples

Don't abuse your Christian liberty

We are free to serve Christ, not our old sin-nature