The King and Counterfeit Kingdoms: Praise to the King | Matthew 21:14-17

Main Text: Matthew 21:14-17 (ESV) 14 And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant, 16 and they said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read, “ ‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise’?” 17 And leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany and lodged there.

Preaching Point: We must respond to Jesus’ authority with humility and praise, knowing that our response reveals whether our relationship with God is genuine or merely a counterfeit commitment to Christ.

Teaching Points:

1. Notice the Kinds of People Who Come to Jesus (vv. 14,15b)
2. Distinguish Religious Activity from Genuine Faith (vv. 15a,15c,16a)
3. Speak Wonderfully of Jesus (vv. 16b-17)

Application Questions:

1. Write down one observation or application you found helpful from this week’s sermon. Why did it stand out to you?
2. Read Matthew 18:3-4, James 4:6 and Isaiah 57:15. What do these passages teach you about the kind of people who truly come to Jesus?
3. What area of your life do you need the reminder that God opposes the proud but draws near to the humble and contrite?
4. Read Acts 17:22-31. Why is it possible to be very religious and yet not truly know God? What are some ways this can show up even in a church context?
5. Where might you be relying on religious habits, knowledge, or background instead of genuine trust in the person and work of Jesus?
6. Read Romans 14:23. Paul teaches that whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. Where are you tempted to engage in “religious activity” that is not flowing from real faith?
7. What steps can you take to ensure that your beliefs, convictions, and actions are flowing from a genuine relationship with Christ and submission to his authority?
8. Read 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 and 1 Peter 2:9. How are you doing at speaking wonderfully of Jesus in your interactions with others?
9. Where are you most tempted to stay quiet about Jesus? How can you be more bold about speaking more wonderfully about Jesus in your daily life?