The Tale of Two Kings – Matthew 14

“At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the report about Jesus and said to his servants, ‘This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in Him.’ For Herod had laid hold of John and bound him and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife. Because John had said to him, ‘It is not lawful for you to have her.’ And although he wanted to put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.” Matthew 14:1-5

In Herod’s head, Jesus was John the Baptist resurrected from the dead. A formerly beheaded man doing miracles? Imagine how such thoughts disturbed him! John had indicted Herod of breaking the Law of Leviticus 20:21 which says, “If a man takes his brother’s wife, it is impurity. He has uncovered his brother’s nakedness. They shall be childless.”

Herod Antipas reminds me of King Saul in the Old Testament. King Saul mistook his son-in-law, David, as a threat to his throne. 1 Samuel 16:14 says that King Saul was troubled by an evil spirit from the Lord. The evil spirit yielded torment, paranoia, and fits of rage.

“But when Herod’s birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod. Therefore he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask. So she, having been prompted by her mother, said, ‘Give me John the Baptist’s head here on a platter.’ And the king was sorry; nevertheless, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he commanded it to be given to her. So he sent and had John beheaded in prison. And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. Then his disciples came and took away the body and buried it and went and told Jesus.” Matthew 14:6-12

How many of us would consider an audience with a king a great honor? Daniel 4:17 says that “The most High rules in the kingdom of men and gives it to whomsoever He will. He sets up over it the basest of men.” Herod Antipas definitely qualified as one of the basest of men.

Antipas was one of at least 14 children Herod the Great had by at least 8 wives. He and all of Herod the Great’s sons were educated in Rome. When Herod the Great died in 4 BC, Antipas was given the Galilee and ruled that region where Jesus of Nazareth lived.

In 26 AD, Antipas journeyed to Rome from Jerusalem to visit his half-brother Philip, Philip’s wife Herodias and their child Salome. Antipas had known Philip’s wife Herodias since he was a child. She was the daughter of another of his brothers – a brother that his father had executed. [1]

Being king, Antipas was to ensure that people obeyed the laws of the land. Sadly, he broke the law and executed a man who kept it. The Jewish historian Josephus recorded that some Jews viewed the crushing defeat of Herod’s army by Aretas IV as divine wrath for his sin against John. Later, Roman Emperor Caligula banished Herod and Herodias to Gaul (modern day France). [2]

During Herod’s birthday celebration, the daughter of Herodias, Salome, pleased him with a dance. How much did her entertainment cost? It costed John the Baptist his head!

How much is entertainment costing people today?

“The U.S. Media and Entertainment industry is the largest in the world at $649 billion of the $2.8 trillion global market.” [3] 2.8 trillion dollars exceeds the annual monetary value of all goods and services of 211 of the 218 countries in the world. $649 billion exceeds the annual monetary value of all goods and services of 191 of the 218 countries in the world. [4] That’s the cost in dollars alone! What about all the time and talent spent on making and using it?

After Herod executed John, John’s disciples buried his body and reported the news to Jesus.

“When Jesus heard it, He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself. But when the multitudes heard it, they followed Him on foot from the cities. And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them and healed their sick.” Matthew 14:13-14

Jesus set an example for us. He stepped away from ministry to be by Himself after the death of someone that He loved dearly. However, that time of solitude did not last long.

People heard where Jesus was. A great crowd of people came out of the city on foot and found Him. Jesus was moved with compassion at the sight of them and began healing them.

“When it was evening, His disciples came to Him, saying, ‘This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late. Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food.’ But Jesus said to them, ‘They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.’ And they said to Him, ‘We have here only five loaves and two fish.’ He said, ‘Bring them here to Me.’ Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes. So they all ate and were filled, and they took up 12 baskets full of the fragments that remained. Now those who had eaten were about 5,000 men, besides women and children.” Matthew 14:15-21

Much had already happened on this day. The disciples wanted the crowds to be responsible to purchase their own food. Jesus commanded the people to sit down. He fed them bread and fish. Thousands of people ate, and there was twelve large baskets of bread leftover.

One king, Antipas, executed a good man to pay for his entertainment. Another king, Jesus, gave thousands of people free food.

“Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, ‘It is a ghost!’ And they cried out for fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.’ And Peter answered Him and said, ‘Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.’ So He said, ‘Come.’ And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, ‘Lord, save me!’” Matthew 14:22-30

Jesus sent the disciples out to sea on a boat while He dismissed the crowds. After the crowds departed, Jesus went up on a mountain to pray.

It was the fourth watch of the night – between 3-6 am – when wind and waves attacked the disciples. Their boat was in the middle of the Sea of Galilee which is about 7-8 miles wide.

Where was Jesus? He was walking across this tumultuous sea (perhaps a couple of miles) toward the disciples. They thought He was a ghost. They cried out in fear.

Jesus calmed the disciples down.

Peter’s response to Jesus was surprising. He wanted Jesus to command him to walk on the water. Jesus had one word for Peter. It was, “Come.” Peter walked on water until he looked at the wind. Then, he became afraid and began to sink. He cried out to Jesus to save Him.

“And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?’ And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, ‘Truly You are the Son of God.’” Matthew 14:31-33

I am so grateful to Jesus for each time He has stretched out His hand and saved me from danger.

The disciples worshipped Jesus. This is one of those verses that is good for those who doubt the deity of Messiah. If Jesus were only a man, to worship Him would be idolatry. The disciples knew that Jesus was the Son of God.

When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret. And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent out into all that surrounding region, brought to Him all who were sick, and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched it were made perfectly well.“ Matthew 14:34-36

Praise God for the men of Gennesaret. When they recognized Messiah, they brought the sick to Jesus for healing. They begged Jesus to let the sick touch the hem of His garment.

The hem of Jesus’ garment is interpreted by scholars as the tzitzit (tassels) on the corner of His tallit (prayer shawl). These fringes represented God’s commandments, authority, and, through prophetic tradition, healing wings.

The Greek word “kraspedon” in the Gospels refers to the tassels or fringes on the edge of a garment, not just the cloth hem. The act of touching the fringe relates to Malachi 4:2, which prophesies that “the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings.” The Hebrew word for wings, “kanaph” can also mean the corners or edges of a garment.

To touch these tassels was to connect oneself to God’s promises and to trust in His power. The shawl represented Messiah’s prayer life. As many as touched it were made perfectly well.

I am so glad that Messiah prays for us.

Matthew 26:36, Mark 14:32 and Luke 6:12 speak of Jesus redeeming time in prayer.

In 1 John 2:1. Jesus is our “Advocate with the Father.” An advocate is one who pleads a case for another. An advocates stand in the place of those who cannot speak for themselves. Jesus, as our Advocate, stands in our place before the Father and pleads on our behalf.

Romans 8:34 says that Christ Jesus is at the right hand of God interceding for us. Hebrews 7:25 says of Jesus, “He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”

In Matthew 14, we have the tales of two kings. One spent his authority and power on pleasing himself, while the other poured out His life for those who looked to Him for help. Which king is more worthy of our time, talent and treasure than the other?


[1] Sandra Sweeny Silver (1937–2021), “The Rise and Fall of the House of Herod”
[2] Google sources

[3] trade.gov/media-entertainment

[4] worldometer.info/gdp/gdp-by-country

21st Century Jeremiah Video Series Link

The attached link is to a playlist of 53 powerpoint presentations with focus on understanding the prophecies in the Book of Jeremiah and how they relate with the rest of the Bible especially with the Book of Revelation. I have made the recorded presentations on Youtube with myself presenting them. The goal of this project is to create a movement where servants of God’s Word endeavor to line up end time messages with the prophetic words of the Bible.

Below is the link to the playlist of the video series:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_uk-ndYzwxLQeoN2xf90Uex_AWgY0d23

The Mission – Matthew 13

As I meditated on this chapter, I thought about the times that I professed the Name of Jesus Christ before people. Such a miracle that His Spirit moved me an unworthy person to do so! But then, the Lord revealed to me a greater miracle... He, the Creator and Sustainer of the universe knows and speaks my name. Such grace! I need Him, but He does not need me. God is in this relationship with me because He loves me.

And God loves you too.

The Lord has preserved His Word, the Bible, and He makes it come alive for us by His Spirit because He wants us to enjoy paradise with Him forevermore.

“On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. Then, He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: ‘Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!’” Matthew 13:1-9

“The same day” refers to the events of Matthew 12:46-50. Jesus had taught a crowd of people packed into a house. There had been standing room only. In Matthew 13:1, Jesus was outside the house sitting by the sea. So many people surrounded Him that He got on a boat. The crowd remained on the shoreline. They wanted good Bible teaching. They were willing to stand in a packed house and on a shoreline to listen and learn from Jesus Messiah.

With water and land in sight, Jesus spoke to them of sowing seeds to reap a harvest. He spoke of three types of soil that failed to yield a crop, and of one type of soil that did yield a crop.

Seeds sown outside the path became bird food, Seeds sown on stoney soil produced plants but the plants died before they could produce wheat. Seeds sown on thorny soil produced plants, but the thorny plants strangled them before they could produce wheat. Seeds sown on good soil yielded a good crop. So, the seed, that is God’s Word, produces good results in good soil.

“And the disciples came and said to Him, ‘Why do You speak to them in parables?’ He answered and said to them, ‘Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: hearing you will hear and shall not understand and seeing you will see and not perceive; for the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them. But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.’” Matthew 13:10-17

The disciples were disappointed that Jesus spoke to the large crowd in parables. They questioned Jesus about His teaching method.

Jesus used parables so that the hearts of rejectors would not be further hardened. “The same sun that softens the wax hardens the clay. The same message that humbles one heart can harden another.” [1] Jesus was sparing the hard hearted people from what they did not want, namely ears that could hear God’s Word, and hearts that could be convicted by it.

Chazaq (חָזַק): the Hebrew word for “harden” shares the same root letters as “strengthen.” For example, in Exodus 10:20, we read, “But the Lord hardened, va’yehazek (וַיְחַזֵּ֥ק), Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go out. Then, in Exodus 13:16, we read, “And so it shall be as a sign upon your hand and as a symbol on your forehead that with a mighty hand, hozek yad (חֹזֶק יָד) the Lord freed us from Egypt.” There is an interplay between heart and hand. God hardens Pharaoh’s heart and uses a mighty hand to free the Israelites.

In Exodus 12:29-31, Pharaoh’s heart softens after the Lord smites the firstborn of Egypt. There is a linguistic connection between hardening and releasing, and between heart and hand. The Pharaoh’s clenched heart causes him to rule with an “iron fist.” God’s outstretched hand softens him to set people free. “Pharaoh only agrees to let the Israelites go free after his heart is broken.” [2]

Jesus gave His disciples hearts to leave all and follow Him. Knowing, loving and professing Messiah helped them to understand the Scriptures and produce the crop that He desired.

“Therefore, hear the parable of the sower: when anyone hears the Word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the Word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the Word, immediately he stumbles. Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the Word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the Word, and he becomes unfruitful. But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the Word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.” Matthew 13:18-23

Proverbs 4:23 says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” The devil wants to snatch away God’s Word from our hearts. He aims to sabotage our confidence in what God has said. It is vital to our well-being to recognize that the removal of God’s Word from our life is an assassination attempt on our soul by the devil. We should not let anything or anyone pry God’s Word from us. We do well when we meditate on God’s Word day and night.

Joshua 1:8 says, “This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; but you shall meditate therein day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success.”

Bible meditation helps to conform our thought patterns to God’s narrative about creation, existence and eternity.

The Holy Spirit makes the Word of God understandable. Therefore, we should ask our Heavenly Father to place our sin under the atoning blood of Jesus, and to help us by the power of the Holy Spirit to read and apply the Word of God correctly to our lives and to the lives of others.

“Another parable He put forth to them, saying: ‘the kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. So the servants of the owner came and said to him, sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares? He said to them, an enemy has done this. The servants said to him, do you want us then to go and gather them up? But he said, no, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, first gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them but gather the wheat into my barn.’ Matthew 13:24-30

In Revelation 14:14-20, Jesus reveals to us two harvests. During the first harvest, the Son of Man, reaps that which is ripe. During the second harvest, an angel harvests ripe grapes and throws them into the great winepress of the wrath of God. Blood comes out from the winepress as deep as horse bridles, and for a great distance. The first harvest represents the rapture of those who will be forever with the Lord. That harvest is also revealed in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-20. The second harvest represents the judgment of those who rejected Messiah. For them, in Revelation 19:15-16, the King of kings and Lord of lords “treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.”

“Another parable He put forth to them, saying: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.’ Another parable He spoke to them: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.’” Matthew 13:31-33

At first I had a positive perspective of these parables. A tiny seed producing a large plant is a good result, right? A little yeast leavening all your flour is a blessing, right? But then, I read what others who love God and His Word had to say about it in the Enduring Word Commentary.

In the parable prior to these two, the enemy sows tares among the wheat. This does not help the harvesters, right? In the parable of the sower of the seed, the birds ate the seeds planted along the roadside. In Matthew 16:6, Jesus warned His disciples, saying, “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.” The leaven was rejection of Messiah.

Enduring Word Commentary says that the parables of mustard seed and leaven should be regarded as another description of corruption in the kingdom community.

Adam Clarke wrote, “Both these parables are prophetic, and were intended to show, principally, how, from very small beginnings, the Gospel of Christ should pervade all the nations of the world and fill them with righteousness and true holiness.” [3]

“When it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.” “A beautiful picture of the church growing so large that it provides refuge for all of the world. But this mustard seed plant grew unnaturally large, and it harbored birds, which, in the previous parables were emissaries of Satan.” [4]

“The mustard plant customarily never grows beyond what one would call a bush, and at its normal size would be an unlikely place for bird nests. The tree-like growth from this mustard seed describes something unnatural. The language suggests that Jesus was thinking of the Old Testament use of the tree as an image for a great empire (see especially Ezekiel 17:23; 31:3-9; Daniel 4:10-12).” [5]

“This parable accurately describes what the kingdom community became in the decades and centuries after the Christianization of the Roman Empire. In those centuries, the church grew abnormally large in influence and dominion and was a nest for much corruption.” [6]

In the parable of the leaven, many, if not most, regard this as the kingdom of God working its way through the whole world. But three measures of meal is about 40 liters. 40 liters of all-purpose flour weighs approximately 46.65 pounds. This would make enough bread for 100 people. The idea of hiding leaven in the flour would have offended a Jew. Jesus was warning that His kingdom community would be threatened by corruption and impurity.

Jesus did not speak to bring every kind of listener into His flock. He aimed to make disciples.

“All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: ‘I will open My mouth in parables. I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world.’” Matthew 13:34-35

Jesus Messiah fulfilled the prophecy spoken of Him in Psalm 78:2 which is quoted above. His use of parables was another sign to the people of Israel that He was their Messiah.

“Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, ‘Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.’ He answered and said to them: ‘He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” Matthew 13:36-43

The Son of Man sows good seed. In Daniel 7:9, the Messiah is referred to as the “Son of Man.” The good seeds in this parable are God’s people. The tares are the devil’s people who pose as Christians. At the end of the age, Jesus commands His angels to separate lawless ones from His righteous people. The righteous shine in the kingdom of their Father, while the wicked tares are cast into a furnace full of fire where they wail and gnash their teeth.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went, and sold all that he had and bought it.” Matthew 13:44-46

Those who treasure God’s kingdom are treasured by God.

The new heaven and new earth will be full of love, peace, and joy. There will be no more death, no more tears, no more weeds, and no more sweat. It will be paradise. Being with our Creator and Redeemer will be the greatest treasure of all.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels but threw the bad away. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 13:47-50

Angels shall indeed remove the wicked from the just at the end of the age. Hebrews 9:27 says, “It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” Psalm 34:15-16 says, “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry. The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.”

“Jesus said to them, ‘Have you understood all these things?’ They said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord.’ Then He said to them, ‘Therefore every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old.’” Matthew 13:51-52

Have you understood all these things? They did. Jesus urged them to be as scribes in terms of knowing God’s Word well. But they also needed to understand God’s Word in terms of the newness that He, Messiah, brought to it. Revelation 19:10 says that the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy.

Jesus taught God’s Word to help people apply it correctly.

“Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these parables, that He departed from there. When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, ‘Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things? So they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house. Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.’” Matthew 13:53-58

1 Corinthians 2:14 says, “The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

The people who knew Jesus from His boyhood days and knew His family members, were offended that He did not conform to their social norms. Many mighty works of Messiah were happening in cities and villages all around them, but seldom in His hometown. They preferred a natural “Jesus” to a “supernatural” one. They were okay with proximity but not prophecy.

In Matthew 13, Jesus teaches us to receive His Word, and to protect it from being twisted or corrupted. We are to live by it even when those who are closest to us do not.

“To love the Lord our God is the heartbeat of our mission. The spring from which our service overflows. Across the street all around the world. the mission's still the same: proclaim and live the truth in Jesus’ Name.” [7]



[1] Enduring Word Commentary
[2] Hebrewcollege.edu article by Cantor Dara S. Rosenblatt
[3] Enduring Word Commentary
[4] Ibid
[5] Ibid
[6] Ibid
[7] Lyrics from “The Mission” a song composed by Steve Green

God’s Beloved Son – Matthew 12

“At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. And His disciples were hungry and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, ’Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!’ But He said to them, ‘Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God and ate the showbread which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless? Yet I say to you that in this place there is one greater than the temple. But if you had known what this means, I desire mercy and not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” Matthew 12:1-8

The disciples did not eat a breakfast fit for a king. They ate raw grain. The Pharisees confronted Jesus, complaining that His disciples were law-breakers. Jesus answered their accusation with Scripture. King David created a precedent for their action when he ate showbread from the temple. Previous priests set a precedent for eating showbread on the Sabbath.

Jesus indirectly proclaimed Himself Messiah to the Pharisees. The One greater than the temple that He spoke of was He. The One who embodies the mercy of God is Messiah. Jesus Messiah is the Lord of the Sabbath. He, the Sabbath Creator, has the authority to define it’s perimeters.

“Now when He had departed from there, He went into their synagogue. And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand. And they asked Him, saying, ‘Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?’—that they might accuse Him. Then He said to them, ‘What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value then, is a man than a sheep? Therefore, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.’ Then He said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ And he stretched it out, and it was restored as whole as the other. Then the Pharisees went out and plotted against Him, how they might destroy Him.” Matthew 12:9-14

“Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” For the Pharisees, the healing of a man should not happen on the Sabbath Day. It was considered a forbidden work.

In churches today, some church leaders might be upset that a healing miracle took place during a worship service. It wasn’t on the program. It might challenge their denomination’s position about miracles.

Jesus took people out of the equation when He talked to them about sheep. The Law of Moses did not apply to sheep. The law of people towards sheep and other livestock is that you water, feed, protect and rescue them as needed. Jesus appealed to the Pharisees to consider the man with the withered hand as they did their sheep. He needed mended. All Jesus needed to do to heal him was say four words... “Stretch out your hand.” The man did, and it was restored.

Did the Pharisees accept what Jesus said? No, they departed and made plans to destroy Him.

“But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew from there. And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all. Yet He warned them not to make Him known, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: ‘Behold! My Servant whom I have chosen, My Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased! I will put My Spirit upon Him, and He will declare justice to the Gentiles. He will not quarrel nor cry out, nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets. A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench, till He sends forth justice to victory; and in His name Gentiles will trust.’” Matthew 12:15-21

Thankfully, the bad responses of the Pharisees did not deter great multitudes from following Jesus. Thankfully, they kept coming to Jesus for healing and He kept healing them. Jesus did just what the prophet Isaiah prophesied Messiah would do. The Chosen One, the Beloved, did justly. He loved mercy. Jesus did not use raw power or public shouting to force compliance. He healed bruised reeds and kept the lamps (smoking flax wicks) burning.

The Prophet Isaiah wrote of the coming Messiah hundreds of years before it came to pass. The Holy Spirit spoke to Isaiah about Messiah with these words, “My Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased.” In Matthew 3:17, when Jesus was baptized, a voice from heaven spoke and people heard it. The Heavenly Father said for all to hear, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” God confirmed at that moment that Jesus was Israel’s and the world’s Messiah.

“Then one was brought to Him who was demon-possessed, blind and mute. And He healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw. And all the multitudes were amazed and said, “Could this be the Son of David?” Matthew 12:22-23

Son of David is a reference to Messiah. Curses on humanity’s wholeness began with a temptation from the devil. Jesus reversed the curse of the demon-possessed man. He came to Jesus blind and mute and departed from Jesus with eyesight and ability to speak.

“Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, ‘This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.’ But Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: ‘Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore, they shall be your judges. But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. He who is not with Me, is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad. Therefore, I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.’” Matthew 12:24-32

The Pharisees thought of Jesus in the most evil of terms. They assumed He was a puppet of Beelzebub... in essence the antichrist or Satan. They mischaracterized Him. They were not seeing Jesus as He was. Their view of Him was distorted by evil thoughts. Jesus knew what they were thinking. He tried to help them to navigate to a right perspective. He told them that Satan being against himself would end in defeat. Jesus casted out demons by the Spirit of God. He was stronger than the demons who had possessed the blind and mute man. Thus, the demons departed from that man at His command.

Jesus warned the Pharisees and those who were listening to Him not to blaspheme the Holy Spirit. The main ministry of the Holy Spirit is to testify of Jesus. Revelation 19:10 says that the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy. To deny Jesus is the unforgiveable sin because it is only in Jesus that sin is forgiven.

“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak; they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” Matthew 12:33-37

The Pharisees were full of poison. Poison spewed from their mouths. Jesus called them an offspring of vipers. Idle words about Messiah are condemned on judgment day. The Greek words for “idle words” (rema argos) can be translated as lazy or barren words. Poisonous words against Messiah are of no benefit to those who speak or those who hear them. They are deadly.

“Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, ‘Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.’ But He answered and said to them, ‘An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed, a greater than Jonah is here. The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed, a greater than Solomon is here.” Matthew 12:38-42

The scribes and Pharisees wanted Jesus to do signs for them perhaps as Moses did for the Israelites enslaved in Egypt. Jesus had already raised a dead girl back to life. He healed lame, mute, deaf and leprous people. He expelled demons. He empowered His disciples to replicate His ministry. Multitudes of people have been coming to Him to learn about God. Yet, they ask Jesus for a sign. The reason the Pharisees demanded a sign was because they were an evil and adulterous generation. They were bent on not believing in Jesus no matter what He did.

Perhaps, the Pharisees liked “the Son of Man” comparing Himself to Jonah who ended up in the belly of a great fish due to his disobedience. However, the Son of Man was going to be in the heart of the earth for three days and nights due to sins of others not His own.

The people who repented after the preaching of Jonah realized and acknowledged their need of God to save them. The Queen of the South, Candace of Ethiopia, traveled a great distance to learn from Solomon because she realized and acknowledged her need of his wisdom. The Pharisees, unlike the tax collectors and “sinners,” neither realized nor acknowledged their need of the “Son of Man.” They mocked Him and falsely accused Him.

Jesus preached good news when He said, “the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” He would not remain in the heart of the earth. After a brief pause, just as Jonah resurrected from the great fish, He would resurrect from the heart of the earth. He would end death’s reign not vice versa.

“When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there. And the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.” Matthew 12:43-45

Jesus warned His listeners against hardening their hearts against Him. He was able to expel evil spirits from them, but if they did not abide in Him, the evil spirits would return with more demons than before to ensure the physical destruction of their bodies and their souls.

“While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him. Then one said to Him, ‘Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You.’ But He answered and said to the one who told Him, ‘Who is My mother and who are My brothers?’ And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, ‘Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother, sister, and mother.’” Matthew 12:46-50

In Matthew 10:37-39, Jesus taught His disciples saying, “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.”

In Matthew 12:46-50, Jesus practiced what He preached. He prioritized His Father’s business over His own earthly family’s wishes. They wanted to interrupt His teaching. Jesus prioritized Bible teaching over family relationships.

In Matthew 28:19-20, the primary mission of Christ followers is to “Make disciples of all nations.” In Matthew 12, our Lord Jesus taught us how to remain focused despite personal attacks. He kept healing when people plotted to destroy Him. He kept His relationship with God above all others. God said of Him, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Rest For Your Souls – Matthew 11

“Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His 12 disciples, that He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities.” Matthew 11:1

In Matthew 10:1-4,7, Jesus named His 12 disciples. He gave them power to cast out unclean spirits, heal all kinds of sickness and disease, and to preach, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ He sent them “to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Now, He departs and begins to teach and preach in Israel’s cities as well.

“And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples and said to Him, ‘Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?’ Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: the blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the Gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.” Matthew 11:2-6

Though locked up in Herod’s prison, John the Baptist is receiving reports of the works of Messiah. He must have been allowed visits or to communicate by letters with his disciples. He sent two of them to ask Jesus if He is the “Coming One” or Messiah. Perhaps, John made this request for the sake of his disciples. In Matthew 3:16-17, John knew that Jesus was the Coming One after the Spirit of God alighted on Him in the form of a dove, and God’s voice was heard from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” It is also possible that he wanted reassurance from the Lord that he was laying down his life for the Messiah.

Jesus told the disciples of John to report back to him of the miracles that were happening, and that the poor had the Gospel preached to them. The last recorded words of Jesus to John before Herod beheaded him were, “And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”

Praise God! I believe John went to the chopping block proclaiming that Jesus was Messiah!

“As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: ‘What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. For this is he of whom it is written: behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You. Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!’” Matthew 11:7-15

People had been willing to endure the discomfort of being in a wilderness to hear John preach. Their religious gathering places did not feed their souls. No, Jesus said that their leaders laid burdens on people that they were unwilling themselves to bear.

A wilderness is not a temperature controlled auditorium with special lighting, a sound system and comfortable seating. John did not wear expensive clothing when he preached.

Did the people go out to the wilderness to see a reed shaken by the wind? “A reed shaken by the wind” is someone who is easily influenced by public opinion and external circumstances. John the Baptist was not a chameleon who changed colors based on popular trends.

Jesus declared that “the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.”

“Who are ‘the violent’ who ‘take [the kingdom] by force?’ The word translated ‘the violent’ always carries a negative connotation. It therefore cannot describe a positive action, as in ‘eager men are forcing their way into it’ (J.B. Phillips). It must refer to those who opposed the kingdom. The word translated ‘take’ (or ‘lay hold of’) almost always involves malicious intent. Wicked people who fit this description include Herod... and the Jewish leaders who opposed Jesus.”

“What is meant by the kingdom’s ‘suffering violence?’ The Greek verb can rightly be translated one of two ways: ‘suffering violence’ or ‘forcefully advancing.’ Both are possible translations. The first option understands the kingdom to be under attack by the forces of darkness (Herod, Jewish leaders, and so on). Option two envisions God as forcefully advancing the kingdom against that very opposition. While each highlights a true element of the kingdom of heaven, option one is more convincing. God’s kingdom is the direct object of unbelieving hostility.”

“Whatever opposition the kingdom and its subjects may face, Job 42:2 remains true: ‘I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.’” [1]

“But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces, calling to their companions, and saying: ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance. We mourned to you, and you did not lament.’ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is justified by her children.” Matthew 11:16-19

Israel’s spiritual leaders were failing, and so were Israel’s sheep. The sheep preferred shopping places, music and dancing. When their bad choices brought them to tears, John did not weep for their losses. He urged them to repent. John, like the prophet in Jeremiah 16:8, did not participate in their carnal indulgences. What did the lost sheep of Israel think about that? They assumed his abstinence stemmed from a mean spirit. When Jesus did eat and drink with them, they labeled Him a glutton, winebibber and friend of sinners.

Jesus said, “Wisdom is justified by her children.” Godly wisdom is proven right by its results. Wisdom’s effectiveness is shown through the transformed lives of those who follow it. The “children” refer to those who act on wisdom—such as tax collectors and sinners repenting in response to Jesus and John the Baptist—whose changed lives validate the message. [2]

“Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent: ‘Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.” Matthew 11:20-24

The lack of spiritual transformation in Chorazin and Bethsaida were due to their rejection of Messiah. Jesus said that Tyre’s judgment would be more tolerable than theirs. Ezekiel 28:1-17 assigned characteristics of Satan to the King of Tyre. Jesus said that Sodom’s judgement would be more tolerable than Capernaum’s. Capernaum had been the home base of Jesus during the early stages of His ministry. Peter, Andrew, James, John and Matthew were from Capernaum.

The severity of Messiah’s judgments of Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum in this passage are a warning to us in the USA. We have been blessed with an abundance of revelations about Messiah and His kingdom. God has poured out His Holy Spirit among us. He has done miracles. He has given to us excellent worship music composers, leaders, musicians and singers. He has raised up an abundance of churches and church leaders for us. Jesus Messiah has called and sent out missionaries from the USA to the least reached people of the earth. Like unto Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum, we have received much from the Lord.

In Luke 12:48, Jesus said, “To whom much is given, much is required.” The Lord expects the nations, communities and individuals who have received much—such as wealth, talent, power, or knowledge—to give more to help others who are lacking these blessings.

“At that time Jesus answered and said, ‘I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:25-30

I like the way our Lord Jesus switched from thoughts about the “wise and prudent” who rejected His ministry to the “babes” who were happy to be taught by Him.

Jesus assured laborers and burden bearers that He is gentle, and lowly in heart. He humbled Himself to obey the will of His Father. Jesus consistently made the right choices. He did not treat His yokefellows harshly. He lightened their loads. His faithfulness to do God’s work God’s way yielded rest for the souls of His followers then, and still does today. Praise the Lord!



[1] learn.ligonier.org/articles/violent-take-it-force
[2] Bible Hub and BibleRef.com

The Worthiest of All Causes – Matthew 10

“And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.” Matthew 10:1-4

The previous chapter concluded with Jesus requesting prayer for laborers for the harvest. Now, our Lord Jesus endues twelve of His disciples with power to cast out unclean spirits, and to heal all kinds of sickness and disease. Why did He confer power unto the twelve? Matthew 9:36 says, “He was moved with compassion for them [the crowds of people], because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.” Jesus multiplied Himself in the lives of others so that more people could be revived, unified and guided to the provisions that they needed.

“These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: ‘Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as you go, preach, saying, the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. Provide neither gold, nor silver nor copper in your money belts, nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food.” Matthew 10:5-10

Jesus called them to focus on the lost sheep of Israel. The Gentiles and Samaritans might have been more receptive and grateful for their ministry, but Israel was to have the first opportunity to hear the message of the kingdom of heaven. Jesus commissioned them with authority to heal the sick, cleanse lepers (there must have been many), and to cast out demons. They received this power from Jesus without earning or deserving it and were to give it out in the same manner. As far as provisions to meet their daily needs, Jesus assured them that they were worthy of such resources, and the resources would be provided for them.

“Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there till you go out. And when you go into a household, greet it. If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!” Matthew 10:11-15

When they entered a geographical location, they were to find the worthy person in it and stay with them. If those in the household were truly worthy of God’s messenger, God’s messenger would experience God’s peace to remain there, otherwise, he would not. If the people of a house or city did not receive them, they were to shake the dust from that place off from their place. The disciples wiped the dust from their feet as a prophetic sign that they did not want any share in the judgment due for such a place.

In Act 13:51, the apostle Paul obeyed this directive. After being driven out of the district of Pisidian Antioch, he “shook off the dust of their feet in protest against them.” In Act 18:6, Paul “shook out his garments and said to them, ‘Your blood be on your own heads! I am clean.’”

“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore, be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues. You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.” Matthew 10:16-20

Sheep do not survive amidst wolves unless the Good Shepherd guides and protects them.

Jesus coached His disciples to be wise. Men, referring to religious and political authorities, would betray and bring them to trial. Jesus assured His disciples that the Spirit of the Father would speak in and through them during such circumstances.

In the Gospels, the religious and political leaders teamed up against Jesus to silence Him. They were the thought police of their time. They did not want to lose the perks of their positions.

In the Book of Acts, the same religious and political leaders continued in their effort to suppress faith in Jesus. Then, in Acts 16:16-24, new adversaries appear, and they arrest and beat Paul and Silas. After Paul rebuked a spirit of divination out of a woman, her traffickers were outraged because their ability to make money from her was gone. In Acts 19:18-20:1, Ephesians who made much profit from selling idols caused an uproar because people were forsaking idols. Paul left Ephesus, but later in Acts 20:17-38, he met with the church leaders of Ephesus in the city of Miletus. His instruction from the Lord helped them to build a strong Christian community.

“Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. And you will be hated by all for My Name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.” Matthew 10:21-23

Authority figures shall betray them. Family members shall also betray them. Jesus mentions specific examples of which family members shall betray them: brothers, fathers, one’s children. Family members shall put them to death. Jesus warned His disciples that they will be hated for His Name’s sake. He urged them to be faithful unto death. He confirmed that fleeing from persecution was the right thing to do. In other words, survive to preach another day.

“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household! Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed and hidden that will not be known.” Matthew 10:24-26

We should not think it a strange thing that some will see our zeal for the Name of Christ as fanaticism or as a work of the devil. Recently, the Lord gave me 1 Peter 3:18 to help me keep on loving those who treat me unjustly and mischaracterize me. 1 Peter 3:18 speaks of Christ’s suffering for our sins, the just for the unjust, to bring us to God. My goal is the same as the prophets, apostles and Jesus... to bring people to God no manner how they treat me.

“Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light. And what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore, you are of more value than many sparrows.” Matthew 10:27-31

Our Lord Jesus urged His disciples to go public with their witness for Him. In Acts 12:1-28. Peter and James were arrested by King Herod. Herod had James beheaded. He would have done the same to Peter, but God’s people prayed, and God sent an angel to rescue Peter from Herod.

Herod ended the earthly life of James, but not his eternal soul. James is with the Lord now. He has a new body that will never perish again. The Lord was with James during the moment of his death. Not a hair of his head fell to the ground apart from the Father’s will. His life was more precious to God than the lives of many sparrows.

“Therefore, whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 10:32-33

Thus, we should confess the Name of Jesus before people. Not just the generic name of “God” but the specific name of “Jesus Messiah.” Each time we do, Jesus confesses us before the Father in heaven. Praise the Lord!

“Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be those of his own household. He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.” Matthew 10:34-39

I have a friend in Broomfield, Colorado, named Arthur. His friends and I sometimes call him King Arthur. He told me that for many years he was the type of Christian who went to church every Sunday, but did not consider himself a disciple of Jesus during those years. When Arthur began to read his Bible and pray daily, he realized that his life was out of alignment with God. He asked the Lord to forgive his sins and to help him be a disciple. The Lord answered Arthur’s prayers. He was so happy in Christ, but his wife and many of his friends abandoned him after that.

Its not that we want our father, mother, mother-in-law or household members to be against us.

In John 15:19, Jesus said, “If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” In John 15:21, Jesus said that persecution comes to us because the perpetrators do not know Him or His Father.

Thus, we cannot afford to love father, mother, son or daughter more than Jesus. We must take up our crosses and follow Jesus. When we lose our lives for His sake, we gain it.

“He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.” Matthew 10:40-42

Jesus closes out this chapter on discipleship with promises of rewards for those who treat His servants well. He mentions first, second and third place rewards. Rewards for receiving His prophets, His righteous men and for giving a cup of cold water to one of His little ones.

There are many “good” causes that people give their time, treasure and talent to support. In Matthew 10, Jesus pinpoints the preaching of the Gospel as the worthiest of all causes. He anoints those who serve this cause with the Spirit of His Father. He promises rewards to those who support preachers of His Gospel.

The Lord advises us in Jude 1:20-23 saying, “Beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. On some have compassion, making a distinction, but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.”

Be of Good Cheer Your Sins Are Forgiven – Matthew 9

God’s forgiveness yields many blessings. A conscious free from guilt! Peace of mind! A sense of being loved by God unconditionally and not by a limited measure of what we deserve! A relationship with God! The indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit! Miracles of healing!

In Luke 24:46-47, before Jesus ascended into heaven, He told His disciples, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His Name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.”

In other words, when convicted about the ugliness of our past sin, we should envision Jesus Christ, the Son of God, hanging on a cross, pierced for our transgressions, and believe God’s Word that He went through this suffering to purchase our pardon. 1 Peter 3:18 says that “Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit.”

“So He got into a boat, crossed over, and came to His own city. Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, ‘Son, be of good cheer. Your sins are forgiven you.’” Matthew 9:1-2

Jesus and His disciples were on the central-east side of the Sea of Galilee in Gergesa or the Country of the Gergesenes. Today, it is identified as Kursi. They traveled by boat to the shores of the northwest corner of the sea to reach Capernaum. Jesus conducted the early stages of His ministry from Capernaum.

From Mark 2:2-4, we learn that Jesus was in a house so packed with people that there was no room to bring a paralytic man in before Him. So what did they do? Four men tore off a portion of the roof and lowered the man and his bed down in front of Jesus. Luke 5:19 says that they removed the tiling on the roof to lower him down.

What were people thinking as debris dropped on them from the ceiling? What caught their attention? There were religious scribes (lawyers) there. They may have been calculating the cost to repair the roof. They may have been delighting in the pandemonium.

Matthew says, “Jesus saw their faith.” He noticed the faith of the four men. What did Jesus have to say about this moment? Jesus spoke to the paralytic saying, “‘Son, be of good cheer. Your sins are forgiven you.”

“And at once some of the scribes said within themselves, ‘This Man blasphemes!’ But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, ‘Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier to say, your sins are forgiven you, or to say, arise and walk? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins’—then He said to the paralytic, ‘Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.’ And he arose and departed to his house. Now when the multitudes saw it, they marveled and glorified God, who had given such power to men.” Matthew 9:3-8

The scribes were quick to accuse Jesus of blasphemy which was a crime punishable by death.

Jesus asked them why they had such evil thoughts in their hearts. Then, He did a visible miracle to let them know that His invisible forgiveness was valid. Jesus said to His accusers, “That you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins...” God’s forgiveness is real. It seems that the scribes were speechless after the man walked.

“As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, ‘Follow Me.’ So, he arose and followed Him. Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples.” Matthew 9:9-10

God’s grace is great!

Matthew collected taxes on behalf of the Romans from his people the Jews. His fellow Jews considered him a traitor. The Romans expected him to extract money from the Jews without mercy. Perhaps, some Jews had to pay with a child... selling their child into slavery.

Jesus called Matthew to follow Him. Mark 2:15 says that Jesus dined in the home of Levi which was Matthew’s Hebrew name. Many other tax collectors and sinners joined the meal with them.

“And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, ‘Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?’ When Jesus heard that, He said to them, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice. For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.’” Matthew 9:11-13

Perhaps, this was an outdoor event. How did the Pharisees see Jesus eating with tax collectors and sinners? How did they approach His disciples? Or did their questions come after the event was over? In any case, it seems to me that the Pharisees wanted to sabotage faith in Jesus. The question words “Why does” were probably asked in a very demeaning way.

Jesus did the work that the Pharisees should have been doing. He made house calls. He visited those who were sick with sin and healed them. He showed mercy. Jesus did not limit Himself to ministry among those who agreed with Him. He took the time to meet with people who were captive to sin that He might set them free from it.

“Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, ‘Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?’ And Jesus said to them, ‘Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse. Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.” Matthew 9:14-17

Jesus did not say that His disciples were exempt from fasting. He said now was not the time for it. The bridegroom was with His friends. This was a time for blessings and miracles. To fast now would be like putting an old patch on a new garment or like putting new wine in old wineskins. It would ruin the moment that His people had anticipated for many generations.

“While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, ‘My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live.’ So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples.” Matthew 9:18-19

Here was a man that needed Messiah’s redemptive power to resurrect His daughter from the dead. He believed that Jesus would make her live again.

There is such a contrast between those who questioned what Jesus was doing and those who believed in what He was doing.

“And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. For she said to herself, ‘If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.’ But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, ‘Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.’ And the woman was made well from that hour.” Matthew 9:20-22

Before Jesus reaches the dead girl, a woman intercepted His help. She didn’t ask. She just touched the hem of His garment. She believed that an act of faith was enough to receive her miracle. It is likely that she touched the hem of His prayer shawl. It represented Messiah’s faith.

Jesus had a word for her, “Be of good cheer, daughter. Your faith has made you well.” And she was healed from that hour going forward.

“When Jesus came into the ruler’s house and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing, He said to them, ‘Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping.’ And they ridiculed Him. But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. And the report of this went out into all that land.” Matthew 9:20-26

Flute playing, noisy crowd, and people laughing at Him… would all these distractions keep Jesus from doing a miracle? No. He was responding to the girl’s father’s faith. He believed that Jesus would resurrect her. After the room was cleared, Jesus took her by the hand and she awoke from the dead. News of this miracle spread about.

“When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, ‘Son of David, have mercy on us!’ And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, ‘Do you believe that I am able to do this?’ They said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord.’ Then He touched their eyes, saying, ‘According to your faith let it be to you.’ And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, saying, ‘See that no one knows it.’ But when they had departed, they spread the news about Him in all that country.” Matthew 9:27-31

It must have been a sight to see two blind men attempting to follow Jesus. They cried out to Him for mercy. They addressed Him as Messiah when they called Him Son of David. The Messiah was prophesied to stem from David’s royal line.

Jesus gave them an opportunity to profess faith in Him. Their answer was short and to the point, “Yes, Lord.” Jesus touched their eyes. They went away seeing. Jesus told them to keep the miracle to themselves, but they spread the news of it all about the country.

At the beginning of this article, I quoted 1 Peter 3:18. Christ is the Just One who suffered for unjust ones. He did this to bring us to God. Jesus did not require honorariums. His disciples did not pass around offering plates. When Jesus healed two blind man, He told them not to talk about it. Jesus gave while expecting nothing in return.

“Lord, please help me and help us all to love people as You love them for Your glory. Please help us to rely on faith in Your grace and kindness to love people freely.”

“As they went out, behold, they brought to Him a man, mute and demon possessed. And when the demon was cast out, the mute spoke. And the multitudes marveled, saying, ‘It was never seen like this in Israel!’ But the Pharisees said, ‘He casts out demons by the ruler of the demons.’” Matthew 9:32-34

A paralytic man, a woman with a chronic blood flow, a dead girl, two blind men and a mute man with demons... Jesus healed them all. What were the religious leaders saying about this? They thought the worst of Jesus saying that He did it by the power of the ruler of demons.

“Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the Gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, ‘The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.’” Matthew 9:35-38

If Jesus had required just treatment, He would not have accomplished His mission. He traveled to many cities and villages (little towns). He taught in their gathering places. He revealed truth to people about God’s kingdom. He healed sicknesses and diseases. He had compassion on weary, scattered and unguided sheep. He wanted His disciples to pray for more laborers who would help with the harvest.

Jesus says to us, “Be of good cheer your sins are forgiven.” He paid a debt He did not owe. I owed a debt I could not pay. I needed saved and Jesus saved me. I do want to honor Jesus.

Walking With Jesus – Matthew 8

“When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, ‘Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.’ Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, ‘I am willing. Be cleansed.’ Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus said to him, ‘See that you tell no one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.’” Matthew 8:1-4

The scene was reminiscent of Exodus 24:9-11 when God met with Moses, Aaron, Nadab and seventy elders of Israel on Mount Sinai to give them His Word. Jesus, His disciples and those who listened to Him from Matthew 5–7 made an exodus down from the mountain, and out into the world where people were waiting for help.

The first person mentioned who approaches Jesus and worships Him is a leper. His prayer is simple but expresses complete confidence in Jesus Messiah to do a miracle for him. “Lord!” He acknowledges that the One He speaks with is Messiah. “If you are willing!” According to Hosea 6:1, God can either wound or heal us, whichever is best for us. “You can make me clean!” He believes Jesus Messiah has the power to heal leprosy even though no medical doctor at that time could do so.

Jesus does not need many words or much build up to generate the power to heal the man. He spoke five words, “I am willing. Be cleansed.” The leprosy is gone. Jesus urges him to show himself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded. This commandment is described with detail in Leviticus 14:1-31. He wanted the man to testify to the priests not to others.

Mark 1:45 tells us that the man did not obey Jesus. “He went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to Him from every quarter.”

I confess I made the same foolish mistake this man did. I testified of the miracles that Jesus did for me to the wrong kinds of people. Afterwards, I saw that some only wanted to gawk. Some wanted to harness His miracles to make fame and fortune. I was leading a discipleship ministry in China at the time. The Lord taught me to be obedient to His leading in regards to sharing testimonies. This way, I helped not hindered His ministry.

“Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, saying, ‘Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘I will come and heal him.’ The centurion answered and said, ‘Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, go, and he goes; and to another, come, and he comes; and to my servant, do this, and he does it.’ When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ Then Jesus said to the centurion, ’Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.’ And his servant was healed that same hour.” Matthew 8:5-13

The first man Jesus met was a leper. The second man He met was a Roman centurion. A Roman centurion had 100 soldiers under his command. Surprise! This Roman of position and authority pled with Jesus (a Jew) for help. He addressed Jesus as Lord. His petition was “My servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.” He simply described to Jesus who was in need and what the man’s situation was like. The centurion felt compassion for his servant because the man was dreadfully tormented... perhaps moaning and groaning.

Jesus offered to come to the centurion’s house and heal his servant. If Jesus had done this, it would have been the second time in a row that He would have offended the sensibilities of the religious leaders. First, He touched the leper to heal him. They would never do such a thing. Next, he offered to enter the home of a Gentile. How scandalous!

The Roman has his own take on what Jesus said to him. First of all, he felt unworthy for the Lord to come under his roof. Secondly, he believed that Jesus only needed to speak a word to the illness as he did to people under his command, and the servant would be made whole.

The centurion’s faith in Him blessed Jesus. He had not found such great faith among His own people. He prophesied that many shall come into the kingdom of heaven from the east and west of Israel (Gentiles). Praise God! They shall sit down with the biological patriarchs of the faith. Sadly, some sons of the kingdom (biological Jews but not believers in Messiah) shall be thrown into darkness where they shall weep and gnash their teeth.

Jesus told the centurion, “As you have believed, so let it be done for you.” His servant was healed that same hour

“Now when Jesus had come into Peter’s house, He saw his wife’s mother lying sick with a fever. So, He touched her hand, and the fever left her. And she arose and served them.” Matthew 8:14-15

Next, Jesus touched the hand of Peter’s mother-in-law to heal her and she was healed. In Orthodox Judaism, men are forbidden from touching women who are not their wives or immediate family members. Jesus was more concerned about a person’s well-being than He was about the dominant culture’s dictations on such matters. She got up and served everyone.

“When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a Word, and healed all who were sick, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: ‘He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.’” Matthew 8:16-17

Jesus expelled demons with a word. Are words powerful? Yes, when God Almighty Maker of heaven and earth speaks them. Jesus healed all who were sick. These miracles fulfilled the prophecy that God gave to His prophet in Isaiah 53:5. I have seen people freed from demons and healed of sickness as I have walked with Jesus. These miracles made them happy and built up my faith and the faith of others who were eyewitnesses to them.

“And when Jesus saw great multitudes about Him, He gave a command to depart to the other side. Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, ‘Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.’ Then another of His disciples said to Him, ‘Lord, let me first go and bury my father.’ But Jesus said to him, ‘Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.’” Matthew 8:18-22

Perhaps, these men had seen or heard of the miracles that Jesus did. Great crowds were following Jesus. They wanted Jesus to let them share in the excitement and blessings. They may have assumed that association with Jesus would elevate their reputation with family and friends.

The scribe promised to go with Jesus wherever He went. Really? How about the cross? Jesus told the scribe that foxes and birds had better homes than He did.

A disciple wanted permission to bury his father before following Jesus, likely meaning, he wanted to wait until after his father died before following Jesus. Jesus was under orders from His Heavenly Father. He would not delay to obey them for the sake of this man. He urged the man to follow Him and to let others take care of his father. Others could do that. Followers and disciples of Jesus are rare and needed.

Farmers rely on wisdom and knowledge to pair oxen together under one yoke. If they are not well matched they will hinder one another’s efforts to work for their master. They may also cause injury to one another. Jesus was careful to ensure that those who joined His team were a good match for the work that needed to be done.

“Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, ‘Lord, save us! We are perishing!’ But He said to them, ‘Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?’ Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. So the men marveled, saying, ‘Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?’” Matthew 8:23-27

Matthew 8:18 says, “When Jesus saw great multitudes about Him, He gave a command to depart to the other side.” So they are getting into a boat to escape the crowds which seem to be getting out of control. Perhaps, the disciples sighed a sigh of relief. But as it is so often with mission work, you leave behind one trial to experience another. They experienced a storm burst that was rocking the boat and soaking them with water. At least four of the disciples were seasoned fishermen, but they were afraid. They turned to Jesus to save them. So, they did believe He could do so, and Jesus did calm the storm. They knew that the immediate change of circumstances was because Jesus did a miracle. The disciples experienced fear during adverse circumstances due to their little faith, but at least, their little faith looked to Jesus for help.

“When He had come to the other side, to the country of the Gergesenes, there met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way. And suddenly they cried out, saying, ‘What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?’” Matthew 8:28-29

In Ephesians 6:12, Paul wrote, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Everyone who joins Jesus in the ministry of presenting the Gospel to people will encounter persecution from the evil one. The devil, like the Pharaoh in the Old Testament, does not want to let his captives go.

The disciples of Jesus experienced a great storm on the Sea of Galilee that really shook them to the core. Then, when they got their feet on solid ground, two demon-possessed men came out from tombs and met Jesus. The demons cried out because they feared that Jesus, the Son of God, had come to torment them. Perhaps, the disciples were once again very afraid.

“Now a good way off from them there was a herd of many swine feeding. So the demons begged Him, saying, ‘If You cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of swine.’ And He said to them, ‘Go.’ So, when they had come out, they went into the herd of swine. And suddenly the whole herd of swine ran violently down the steep place into the sea and perished in the water.” Matthew 8:30-32

The demons begged Jesus for permission to be transferred from the two men to a herd of pigs. So, it seems these disembodied spirits can inhabit animals. These are the spirits of fallen angels. They lost a lot when they followed Lucifer to wage war against God. They lost their place in heaven. They lost their beauty. Now, they are willing to indwell even the stinkiest and dirtiest of creatures on earth... pigs. Jesus gave them permission to go, but then, the pigs ran violently into the sea and died. Demons are destructive. Their fruit is torment and death.

All who rebel and war against our Lord Jesus Christ will lose.

“Then those who kept them fled; and they went away into the city and told everything, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus. And when they saw Him, they begged Him to depart from their region.” Matthew 8:33-34

The disciples of Jesus heard excellent Bible teaching from Jesus in chapters 5-7. In Matthew 8, our Lord Jesus Christ provided instantaneous relief from ostracizing leprosy, from painful torment, from debilitating fever, from life-threatening storms and from demonic oppression. At last, a whole city of people begged Jesus to depart from their region.

The disciples witnessed all kinds of miracles as they walked with Jesus. Would they be able to keep pace with Him in the days ahead? Yes, they did, by His grace.

What about us? If Jesus began to do miracles among us as He did in this chapter, would we still walk with Him? Or would we like the people of the Gergesenes ask Jesus to depart from us?

Even more important for each of us, Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. We can enter heaven when our sins are forgiven by God. Thus, we should ask Him to forgive us our sins and to grace us with His power and His Spirit to continuously walk with Him. No matter what ups and downs His ministry to others takes us through, it is a divine privilege to know and walk with Jesus. 

Loving with God’s Love – Matthew 7

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye;’ and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” Matthew 7:1-5

In Matthew 5:20, Jesus urged His followers to pursue a righteousness that was greater than that of the scribes and Pharisees. The scribes and Pharisees presumed themselves more righteous than others due to their perceptions of them.

Jesus advocated for fair judgment because we will be judged in the same way that we judge others. Jesus was for love, forgiveness, and goodness to others. If we want more of those things from God, we should give more of them to others. [1]

According to the teaching of some rabbis in Jesus’ time, God had two measures that He used to judge people. One was a measure of justice and the other was a measure of mercy. Whichever measure you want God to use with you, you should use that same measure with others. [2]

Jesus used the illustration of a person with a plank of wood in his eye trying to remove the speck of wood in his brother’s eye. He rightly called such behavior hypocrisy. Jesus helps us to realize that we tend to be far more tolerant of our own sin than we are of the sin of others. [3]

In John 8:7, when the religious leaders brought the woman taken in adultery to Jesus, He said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” The scribes and Pharisees were guilty of rejecting God’s Messiah. They turned many people away from the only One who could save their souls from eternal hell. Their sin was like a plank compared to the woman’s speck.

In Matthew 26:6-13, the disciples spoke against the woman who anointed Jesus with oil. They asked, “Why this waste?” Jesus said she did a good work that would be remembered.

We are more apt to render fair judgment to others when our hearts are filled with God’s love. Romans 5:5 says, “God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Paul blessed his readers with grace. For example, in Romans 1:7, he wrote, “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

1 Peter 4:8 says, “Above all, maintain an intense love for each other, since love covers a multitude of sins.” I remember when I first fell in love with my wife. At that time, she seemed to me like an angel. My intense love for her helped me to see all the good in her.

God is full of intense love for people. I must confess that I am seldom like God in this regard. So, I must start each day by praying for His love to fill me so I can love as He loves by His grace.

When I love with God’s love, I am more apt to think the best of others. When I love with God’s love, I am more apt to see and affirm the good in others.

“Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.” Matthew 7:6

How do we discern dogs and pigs from good prospects for the kingdom? Wild dogs and pigs exemplify creatures whose gods are their stomachs. They live to please their flesh.

Hypocrites prefer a world where performers are treated lavishly, and genuine followers of Christ are despised and hated. Authentic followers of Christ expose imposters by being Christlike.

Jesus fed the dogs and swine, He spoke to hypocrites, but He reserved the pearls of His teachings for His disciples. Disciples leave everything to follow Him. They are yokefellows with Christ. They put their hand on the plow and don’t look back. They deny themselves, pick up crosses and follow Jesus Christ.

When I think of modern day disciples, I think of missionary couples like Hudson and Marie Taylor, Jim and Elizabeth Elliott, and Jonathan and Rosalind Goforth.

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” Matthew 7:7-11

Ask… seek… knock! Jesus urged us to be persistent in prayer. Receiving is the reward of asking. Finding is the reward of seeking. Having an open door to God is the reward of knocking. [4]

The image of knocking also implies that there is a door that can be opened. [5]

Hans Von Staden made this statement about prayer, “When man works man works; when man prays, God works.” A.T. Pierson once said, “Every step in the progress of missions is directly traceable to prayer.” [6]

God works through prayer because prayer requires a relationship with Him.

Jesus made it clear that God doesn’t have to be persuaded or appeased in prayer before He will give good gifts to us. He wants to give to us even more than what we ask for.

Martin Luther wrote, “Prayer is not a battle to force a reluctant God to act, but rather an act of engaging with His pre-existing, loving willingness to help.” [7]

“Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 7:12

Philippians 2:3-8 says, “Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage. Instead He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men. And when He had come as a man in His external form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death—even to death on a cross.”

The nature of God is to pour Himself out on others. The Father poured Himself out by giving His Son to be the sacrifice for humankind’s sin. The Son poured out Himself by being that sacrifice for our sin. The Holy Spirit poured Himself out by coming to dwell in us who believe in Jesus.

“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Matthew 7:13-14

The narrow gate is Jesus. He is the only way to the Father. The reason that He is difficult to find is because there is a broad way that tends to dominate the vision and conversation of people. The broad way offers that which is appealing to the physical senses. The narrow way is spiritually discerned. Only Jesus can reveal it to someone via His Word and Spirit.

Donald A. Carson wrote, “Jesus is commanding His disciples to enter the way marked by persecution and rewarded in the end.” [8]

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.” Matthew 7:15-20

The first step to combating false prophets is to simply beware of them. Donald A. Carson wrote, “The Gospel’s enemies conceal their hostility and try to pass themselves off as fellow believers.” [9]

William Barclay wrote, “The basic fault of the false prophet is self-interest. It can be expressed by a desire for gain or an easy life, a desire for prestige, or the desire to advance one’s own ideas and not God’s Word. We should pay attention to their manner of living. Do they behave in righteous, humble and faithful ways. We should pay attention to the content of their teaching. Are they speaking God’s Word. Is their theology man-centered or Christ-centered. Do they seek to tickle their hearers’ ears? Are people growing in Christlikeness or just being entertained? Are people falling away from the faith? Are they bearing good fruit? Whose glory are they seeking?” [10]

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your Name, cast out demons in Your Name, and done many wonders in Your Name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” Matthew 7:21-23

Lawlessness is the character trait of the antichrist. He does whatever evil he wants to do to people and feels no remorse. He delights in deceiving and exploiting people.

Our Lord Jesus Christ surrendered Himself to the law of love. I am glad that Jesus did not do miracles and prophesy for selfish reasons. Everything that Jesus did began from love.

We must confess that Jesus is Lord but we must also do as He would do. This warning of Jesus applied to people who say things to Jesus or about Jesus, but don’t really mean them. They believe there is some kind of value in the words but their heart and soul is not in them. They may go to church but live as any other person does otherwise. [11]

“Therefore, whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” Matthew 7:24-27

The foundation of our lives proven in the storm. Proverbs 10:25 says, “When the whirlwind passes by, the wicked is no more, but the righteous has an everlasting foundation.” F.F. Bruce wrote, “Wherein lay the second builder’s folly? Not in deliberately seeking a bad foundation, but in taking no thought of foundation.” [12]

We need to do more than hear the Word. We need to line up our practices with it.

“And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.” Matthew 7:28-29

Jesus Christ spoke from God. When I ask the Lord to reveal to me the correct interpretation of the Scriptures, He helps me to see Him in the text that otherwise would have been hidden from me. His Holy Spirit brings to my mind other passages in the Bible that help me to interpret the text. I also look at commentaries, but even then, I am asking the Holy Spirit to bear witness to that which is of God. Thus, preparing messages becomes a wonderful time of fellowship with the Lord, and a blessing to pass onto others. Glory to God!



[1] Enduring Word Commentary
[2] Ibid
[3] Ibid
[4] Ibid
[5] Ibid
[6] The Hour that Changes the World by Dick Eastman
[7] Google Sources
[8] Enduring Word Commentary
[9] Ibid
[10] Ibid
[11] Ibid
[12] Ibid