Something Looks… Matthew 21:17-32

Matthew 21:1–11 — They Knew His Name

They knew His name. They called Him a prophet. They were not wrong. But they were not right enough. In Matthew 21, Jesus enters Jerusalem as King. The crowd sees Him, speaks about Him, even honours Him. But they do not recognise Him for who He is. It is possible to be close to Jesus and still miss Him.

Matthew 21:33–46 — What Will We Do With the Son?

Jesus tells a parable about a vineyard, tenants, and a son who is rejected. The problem is not lack of activity, but rejection of the Son. This sermon works through Matthew 21:33–46 and asks a simple question: what will we do with him?

Something Looks… Matthew 21:17-32

In Matthew 21:17–32 Jesus confronts a dangerous illusion: things that look alive, righteous, and obedient… but aren’t. A leafy fig tree with no fruit. Religious leaders with authority but no repentance. A polite son who says the right words but never does the Father’s will. Through three scenes, Jesus exposes the difference between signals and reality. God is not looking for impressive leaves. He is looking for fruit. This sermon asks a simple but searching question: When the King comes close, will He find leaves… or fruit? Matthew 21:17–32 The 9012 Project

Matthew 21:12-16: When the King enters his Temple

When Jesus enters the Temple in Matthew 21:12–16, everything changes. Tables are overturned. The blind and the lame are healed. Children recognise the King while the religious leaders miss Him entirely. This sermon follows that moment closely: not as a moral lesson about anger, but as the arrival of the true King in His house. The Temple is judged, mercy breaks out, and the voices that matter most are the smallest ones. Tables turned. Bodies healed. Voices raised.

Matthew 20 — The King Who Stops

The first will be last. The last will be first. In Matthew 20, Jesus tells a story about wages and envy. Then he speaks about his cross. Then he stops for two blind men on the side of the road. The kingdom does not run on comparison. It runs on mercy. The workers calculate. The disciples negotiate. The blind men cry out. And the King stops. You do not need to fight for first place in a kingdom built on mercy.