Don’t Miss The Point!
By Jeremy Vess
Matthew 16:5-12
5 When they went across the lake, the disciples forgot to take bread. 6 “Be careful,” Jesus said to them. “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 7 They discussed this among themselves and said, “It is because we didn’t bring any bread.” 8 Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, “You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? 9 Do you still not understand? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? 10 Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? 11 How is it you don’t understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees. 12 Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
- Jesus warns His disciples to beware of the
- Initially, the disciples misunderstand, thinking He is speaking about physical
- Jesus reminds them of His miracles of feeding the multitudes, emphasizing their lack of
- Finally, they realize He is cautioning them against the corrupt teachings and
- Leaven or Yeast=
- Yeast significantly changes the
- Essentially Jesus is warning his disciples to beware of the
Examples of Leaven of Pharisees:
In Mark 2:1–28, Jesus demonstrates His authority through acts of healing, forgiveness, calling disciples, and teaching about the Sabbath and fasting:
1.
the Paralytic (2:1–12): Four men bring a paralyzed man to Jesus, lowering him through a roof due to the crowd. Jesus forgives his sins and heals him, demonstrating His authority to forgive sins and heal.
* Jesus said: “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
* The Pharasees thought to themselves, “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
* Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things?
* Which is easier to say: ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’?
* So you know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” he said to the man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.”
* He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”
* Jesus identified the root of the issue. Sin and condemnation. This man was self condemning. John 3:8 “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”
Calling Levi (2:13–17): Jesus calls Levi (Matthew), a tax collector, to follow Him. He dines with sinners, explaining His mission to save sinners, not the righteous.
- Mark 2:16 -When the Pharisees saw him eating with sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
- Mark 2:17 On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
- 1 John 1:8-10: If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
- When you admit you have a problem and need healing Jesus will heal you. So long as you hide your problem or deny your hurt, injury or wound you keep the great physician at arms length.
“We are at our best when we give the doctor who resides within each patient a chance to get to work.” Albert Einstein
- Teaching on
- Teaching on
- Mark 2:18 Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and said to him, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?”
- 19 And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.
- 20 The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day.
- 21 No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. 22 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins—and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins.”
Lord of the
Mark 2:23 One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. 24 And the Pharisees were saying to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” 25 And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: 26 how he entered the house of God, in the time ofAbiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?” 27 And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”
This highlights Jesus’ divine authority, compassion, and challenge to rigid religious traditions.
Hebrews 4:1-13 Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. 2 For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed.[a] 3 Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, “So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’” And yet his works have been finished since the creation of the world. 4 For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “On the seventh day God rested from all his works.”[c] 5 And again in the passage above he says, “They shall never enter my rest.”6 Therefore since it still remains for some to enter that rest, and since those who formerly had the good news proclaimed to them did not go in because of their disobedience, 7 God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted:“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. 9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10 for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works,[e] just as God did from his. 11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
You weren’t made for the sabbath the sabbath was made for you to enter His rest.
- You weren’t made for the cross the cross was made for you deny yourself and follow him.
- You weren’t made for alter the alter was made for you be a living sacrifice
- You weren’t made for fasting fasting was demonstrated for you to deny your flesh and walk in the spirit. Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness for forty days of fasting.
- You weren’t for prayer but rather prayer is simple communication with God.
- You weren’t made for bread alone but every word that proceeds from the mouth of God
- The Bible wasn’t created as cake for special occasions but for daily consumption.
- You were created for fellowship with God.
- You were created to be sons and daughters of the most high
- Romans 8:19 For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are.
- 1 Corinthians 1:9 9 God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
- You weren’t made for rules—rules were made to help you.
- You weren’t made for religion—Jesus came to offer relationship.
- You weren’t made for condemnation—Jesus died to give you freedom.
Three modes of serving The LORD:
*
*
*
God sent His son, they called Him, Jesus;
He came to love, heal and forgive;
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives!
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!
Practical Application
1. Examine Your Heart: What “yeast” might be influencing your attitudes or actions? Pride, hypocrisy, fear of man? Surrender it to God.
2. Stay Grounded in the Word: Feast on God’s truth daily. The Bible isn’t just for special occasions—it’s your daily bread.
3. Live by Grace: Remember, Jesus came for sinners. Be humble, forgiving, and compassionate to others—and to yourself
4. Serve with love: Serve as Jesus did. Put others before yourself.
Closing Thought
Jesus wasn’t warning about bread—He was warning about the subtle, corrupting power of sin and false teaching. Guard your heart. Stay focused on what truly matters: faith, love, and fellowship with God.