Medeis (no)
1) There is an interesting word in the New Testament spelled medeis. Medeis.
2) This term has the sense of “none, not any, no one, in no way.
3) I want to illustrate this passage from several verses and then apply it by using other parts of the NT.
4) Our
first references is found in Mt. 8 (Mt. 8:4).
Jesus healed a man and said “tell no man” (except for seeing a priest
and making a prescribed offering).
a) Most of us have said to someone at least once, “do not repeat this to anyone.”
b) The word we are looking at sort of takes the words “no” and “not” and puts them in red.
c) Another instance of this term being used in the gospels occurs in Mt. 16.
d) Jesus asked the disciples who people were saying He was.
e) He received answers like “John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.”
f) Jesus asked His special helpers who they thought He was.
g) Peter made that great confession: the Son of God.
h) Jesus charged the disciples that they tell “no man” (Mt. 16:20) who He was.
i) By using this term Jesus requested absolute secrecy.
5) In the next chapter of Matthew we see this term being used again (Mt. 17:9).
6) Peter, James and John were on a mountain and witnessed the transfiguration.
7) They saw some very special things. When they came down, Jesus said “tell the vision to no man.”
8) At the end of Matthew’s gospel (Mt. 27) we find another important text with this term.
a) In this chapter we have the Lord appearing before Pilate.
b) This official asked the Lord if He was really king of the Jews.
c) It was also about this time that Pilate asked the crowd who they wanted to have released.
d) In the midst of these events Pilate received a message from his wife, and I want to read it.
e) Mt. 27:19 – READ.
9) Under ordinary circumstances we might this and think this was a general warning from Pilate’s wife.
10) By using the word we have introduced, it was not a general warning. It was a strong warning.
11) It was like Pilate’s wife was saying, be completely free of this matter; have no involvement whatsoever.
12) More than a week ago I met a man at the Hummer plant. Something about him just didn’t seem right.
13) When I got back to the house, I told Teresa “There is this fellow in the plant; his name is ******.”
14) Teresa knew him and she said, “avoid him. Do not get into conversations with that man.”
15) We hear and we sometimes offer these types of warnings.
16) Another passage that illustrates our word is Mk. 5:26.
a) Perhaps you have gone to the doctor for a problem.
b) The physician poked, prodded, ran tests, charged you a lot of money, and sent you home with pills.
c) After it was all said and done, you felt exactly the same or maybe worse.
d) There was a woman who had this very kind of experience.
e) Mk. 5:26 – READ.
f) This lady received no help at all from her doctors.
g) She spent all she had and there was zero relief for her condition.
17) Another graphic illustration of our word is found in the book of Acts, the 4th chapter.
18) Acts 4 is well known for its description of persecution.
19) Peter and John were confined for a night and the following day brought before some officials.
a) We see the term being studied tonight used twice in this chapter (verses 17 and 21).
b) Let’s start with verse 17 – READ.
c) Here we see what the rulers wanted.
d) They would not be content with the apostles only preaching to half the population in Jerusalem.
e) Neither would they had been satisfied if 90% of the city had been unevangelized.
f) They condemned contact with “any person.” No one meant “no one at all.”
20) An even more vivid picture of this word is found in verse 21 – READ.
a) The officials could find “nothing” to justify punishing the apostles.
b) By using this term we see there was not the smallest amount of information to make up a charge.
c) It is surely the case that the leaders looked, thought, debated and discussed.
d) They wanted to find something—anything, but not a single thing could be found.
21) A little later in the book of Acts we see this term being used again (8:24).
a) Simon had tried to buy the power to transmit the Holy Spirit to others.
b) Peter rebuked him and Simon then asked Peter to pray for him (verse 24).
c) Simon asked that “none of the things” Peter had said would fall upon him.
22) At one time or another, the majority of people are punished in some manner.
23) If it is possible, most would prefer to entirely eliminate or avoid punishment.
24) If punishment cannot be eliminated, most would look for a way to reduce it.
25)By using
this word Simon was saying he didn’t want to face even the smallest
consequence.
a) Acts 10:20 takes us to another place where this word is used.
b) Peter is featured in the narrative and he was told to go with some men who were at the door.
c) Peter was going to find out that these fellows wanted him to go see a Gentile.
d) God told this apostle go and “do not doubt anything.”
e) Sometimes a little doubt or uncertainty can creep into our lives and thinking.
f) Peter could have gone but he might not been fully persuaded it was right to go.
g) By using a very specific word, God informed Peter to avoid even the smallest of doubts.
26) Later in the book of Acts (13:28) we have a statement about the Lord.
27) Paul was invited to speak in a synagogue, and he took the opportunity.
28) As he preached the gospel he began to recite a lot of Jewish history.
29) Then he said (verse 23) Jesus came into the world and He is the Savior.
30) Verse 28 is what we want – READ.
a) Who was Jesus? He was someone who died at the hands of others but He had no guilt.
b) There was “no cause of death” (i.e. no criminal basis at all) for Jesus’ death.
c) No matter how hard people tried, and no matter how many people tried to come up with a crime, all efforts failed.
d) Let’s introduce some more places quickly before getting to specific points of application.
HAVING DEMONSTRATED HOW THIS WORD HAS AN ABSOLUTE SENSE OF “NO,” WE NOW TURN TO SOME PASSAGES WHICH HAVE SPECIFIC POINTS OF APPLICATION.
a) Our first one, and this may be a passage you want to turn to, comes from Rom. 12.
b) Several short commands are found in Rom. 12.
c) We have information about love, laziness, loyalty, and even liberality.
d) We want the information in Rom. 12:17, the first part of the verse – READ.
2) Paul said render to “no man” evil for evil. “No” means absolutely no one at all.
3) Here is something to think about as we go through life.
a) As human beings we can be tempted to follow this command most of the time.
b) If a person wrongs us in an “average way” (not too much), well, we can forgive that.
c) In an instance where someone really wounds us deeply, that sin is one we may not want forgive.
d) When the big wrongs come, many are tempted to think and say, “I want revenge.”
e) “I want that person to be paid back.”
f) Yesterday I went to the store; it was a short trip but someone was busy while I was inside.
g) When I came out, my truck had a difference appearance to it.
h) About half my pickup had been coated with some type of nasty red substance.
i) It took some work to get it removed.
j) When some are wronged (intentional or not), some think, “I sure hope they get w/is coming to them.”
k) Christians are to be different from the world.
l) “NO man” does not mean avoiding vengeance on “most men.”
m) By using a very specific word Paul meant NO in its universal sense.
n) No matter how bad or evil someone is, we do not pay them back for their wrongs.
o) Someone says “that sounds like a strange way to live. Most do not live in that manner.”
p) It is a distinctive way to live because it is the method designed by God.
4) Let’s move through the rest of this book and pass over First Corinthians.
5) We want Second Corinthians (2 Cor. 13:7).
a) This is, of course, the final chapter in this book.
b) Paul told the Corinthians he was coming for another visit; it would be his third time to see them.
c) He reminded these brethren to try their faith; engage a kind of “self test” (verse 5).
d) Then he said this in verse 7 – READ.
6) We can find people who like to be a little rowdy.
7) They don’t want to burn down the town or destroy lives and property, but a little riotous living is okay.
8) By using the word we have referred to several times already, the Corinthians received specific instructions.
9) Paul told them to avoid evil in every form.
10) All types of evil were to shunned. If God is holy and His people are to be too, this is not surprising.
11) Sometimes it is good to remind brethren that a little evil is too much. No means absolutely none.
12) Moving even deeper into the New Testament we come to 1 Tim. 4:12.
a) Many instructions were given to a young evangelist named Timothy.
b) In the 4th chapter Paul told this soldier of Christ, “let no man despise thy youth.”
c) Timothy could accomplish this by being a good example.
d) It is possible to live in such a way that we are good examples.
e) We do not need to be signed up for Social Security to be a good example to others.
f) At an early age in life we can be such a good example that respect comes from the young and old.
13) Quite a few years ago I was on a Boy Scout campout; 2 scoutmasters were the leaders for the outing.
14) I was old enough to be a Junior Assistant Scoutmaster so I stayed up with them after the campers went to bed.
15) After the scouts were tucked in, the adults sat around a campfire and talked about various things.
16) On this particular trip I heard the 2 Scout leaders speak about a young man who was in Scouts.
17) The scoutmasters saw in this young man qualities they admired.
18) Though the young man was probably 30 years their junior, they praised him highly.
19) Our young people can and must take 1 Tim. 4:12 seriously: Let NO MAN despise thy youth.
20) Another practical text with our word is Jas. 1:6 – pray and have “no doubts.”
21) It is important to seek a level of faith in prayer where our level of doubt is at zero.
22) That takes some doing and some time. It is certainly a mark of a mature Christian.
23) There may be times that are especially difficult and doubt creeps in.
24) The goal for every Christian is a doubt free prayer life.
25) The word “no” is actually a very practical word for God’s people.
26) We have had to skip over several passages, but we will not miss this one.
a) Rev. 2:10 is probably one of the best known verses in the Bible.
b) John spoke about the need to be faithful, even if the faithfulness resulted in death.
c) He said (KJV) “Fear none” of the things that were coming in the first century (i.e. persecution).
d) Such a statement is a high standard to adhere to; at times we may fall short of this goal.
e) Rev. 2:10 is another clear expression of God’s will.
f) If we do this, Rev. 3:11 says “no man” (same word) can take our crown.
27) A single word helps us in so many different ways.
28) Tonight we hope that each one here believes in the value of God’s word.
29) More than once we see that God’s word is the way to possessing eternal life.
30) Tonight if heaven is something you desire we ask if you are on that narrow road.