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

You Lord are the Treasure We Seek – Matthew 6

Jesus Christ described our eyes as the lamps of our bodies. Good eyes yield a body full of light.

“Please lead me Lord Jesus to focus on Your light. Please help me to do as David wrote in Psalm 34:5... to look to You and be radiant.”

“Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise, you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.” Matthew 6:1-4

In Mark 1:41-45, after healing a man of leprosy, “Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: ‘See that you don’t tell this to anyone.’” Jesus did not do miracles to impress people, He did them to help them because He loved them.

Jesus is still doing miracles in secret. There have been numerous times in my life when I prayed and He answered my prayer, but I did not notice it until days and in some cases years later.

Doing charitable deeds to gain attention for one’s self is not about love of God or others. Jesus said that the Heavenly Father rewards openly those who do their charitable deeds in secret.

“Heavenly Father, please fill us afresh with Your Holy Spirit so Your love leads our deeds.”

“And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.” Matthew 6:5-7

Luke 5:16 says that Jesus “often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed. Mark 1:35 says, “In the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.” Jesus preferred closeness with the Father over public attention.

When we pray in secret, we demonstrate that we believe that God exists, that He listens and that He answers our prayers. In Luke 18:8, Jesus asked, “When the Son of Man comes, shall He find faith on the earth?” Faith in Him is the fruit that the Lord wants to harvest.

Jesus said not to pray using vain repetitions as though our personal vanity will gain God’s favor. God knows our thoughts. He meets many of our needs before we even ask Him to do so, so why would He need us to repeat a particular petition over and over again. It is better to ask and then, thank Him for hearing and answering our prayer in advance.

Jesus modeled for us short prayers. In John 11:41-42, before He resurrected Lazarus from the dead, He prayed, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.” In Matthew 15:36, before He multiplied seven loaves and two fish to feed a hungry multitude, He simply, “gave thanks” to God His Father.

The Lord tells us In Hebrews 11:6 that the key element of prayer is faith in God. “Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

“Therefore, do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. In this manner, therefore, pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your Name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.’” Matthew 6:8-13

“Our Father in heaven” is the One to whom we pray. He knows our needs. He is not an absent or neglectful Father. He is watching over us and enjoys helping us.

God’s Name is hallowed or sanctified, but we ask that His would hallow it. That we would love the Lord our God with all our hearts, minds, souls and strength, so much that His Name would be like honey on our lips.

In regards to the petition, “Hallowed be the Your Name,” Luther wrote, “God’s name is certainly holy in itself, but we pray in this petition that it may be kept holy among us also. God’s Name is kept holy when the Word of God is taught in its truth and purity, and we, as the children of God, also lead holy lives according to it. “Help us to do this, dear Father in heaven!”

In regards to the petition, “Your kingdom come,” Luther wrote, “The kingdom of God certainly comes by itself without our prayer, but we pray in this petition that it may come to us also. God’s kingdom comes when our heavenly Father gives us His Holy Spirit, so that by His grace we believe His holy Word and lead godly lives here in time and there in eternity.

In regards to the petition, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” Luther wrote, “The good and gracious will of God is done even without our prayer, but we pray in this petition that it may be done among us also. God’s will is done when He breaks and hinders every evil plan and purpose of the devil, the world, and our sinful nature, which do not want us to hallow God’s Name or let His kingdom come; and when He strengthens and keeps us firm in His Word and faith until we die.”

In regards to the petition, “Give us this day our daily bread,” Luther wrote, “God certainly gives daily bread to everyone without our prayers, even to all evil people, but we pray in this petition that God would lead us to realize this and to receive our daily bread with thanksgiving.”

We ask our Father to forgive our debts as we forgive others. Daily we breathe God’s air and walk on His earth. Our bodies, souls and everything around us were created by God. We owe God a debt to big to repay. Thus, we should forgive others the debts that are too big for them to repay.

In regards to the petition, “And lead us not into temptation,” Luther wrote, “God tempts no one. We pray in this petition that God would guard and keep us so that the devil, the world, and our sinful nature may not deceive us or mislead us into false belief, despair, and other great shame and vice. Although we are attacked by these things, we pray that we may finally overcome them and win the victory.” And I add, “By His grace!”

For, “Deliver us from evil,” Luther wrote, “We pray in this petition, in summary, that our Father in heaven would rescue us from every evil of body and soul, possessions and reputation, and finally, when our last hour comes, give us a blessed end, and graciously take us from this valley of sorrow to Himself in heaven.”

At the beginning of our prayer time, we stated who we were praying to and at the end we acknowledge to whom belongs the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever.

“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Matthew 6:14-15

There is absolutely no other way to get to heaven apart from God’s forgiveness. Thus, we also need, in accordance with the words of Jesus, to forgive those who have transgressed against us. Forgiveness is good for us and for those who have sinned against us.

In Luke 23:34, Jesus forgave those who crucified Him. He said, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”

Acts 7:59-60 says, “They stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not charge them with this sin.’” Stephen forgave his murderers.

“Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” Matthew 6:16-18

In Matthew 4:2, Jesus was alone and in a wilderness when He fasted for forty days and nights.

Fasting in secret is a statement of faith to the Heavenly Father that we know He responds generously with those who deny themselves for the sake of His kingdom’s glory.

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21

Some of the treasures of heaven are God’s felt presence with us wherever we go. His love! His joy! His peace! Revelations from His Word about Him, about ourselves and about the world.

I have experienced losses of possessions and of loved ones, and God’s grace filled the void.

“The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” Matthew 6:22-23

A soul that is filled with God’s light shines His blessings to those around it. The light originates with God. It is from God above. Ephesians 5:8 says, “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.” 1 Thessalonians 5:5 says, “You are all sons of the light and sons of the day; we do not belong to the night or to the darkness.”

A soul that is filled with darkness, tends to absorb good things and convert them into darkness. Titus 1:15 says, “To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted.”

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” Matthew 6:24

Jesus did not give to material possessions the glory that His Heavenly Father deserved. In John 4:34, Jesus told His disciples, “My food is to do the will of the one who sent Me and to complete His work.” In Luke 9:58, He told a would-be follower, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” In Matthew 26:38, Jesus told His disciples, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death.” In Matthew 26:39, He fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” Jesus served God not things.

1 Peter 4:19 says, “Let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.”

“Therefore, I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you, by worrying, can add one cubit to his stature? So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?” Matthew 6:25-30

Here, our Lord Jesus assures us that people are more valuable to God than birds and flowers. Some people may love their pets and gardens more than anything else but God is not that way. He made clothes for Adam and Eve after they sinned. Wars and nuclear testing have done great harm to the environment, but God is still managing to meet our needs. Our Lord Jesus urges us to keep our faith in God’s faithfulness strong.

“Therefore, do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew 6:31-34

Our Lord Jesus urges us to keep our eyes on God’s kingdom and His righteousness. God is well aware of our bodily needs. He ensures that birds and flowers are supplied with what they need and He promises to do the same for us. He doesn’t want us to be weighed down with concerns about survival.

In John 10:10, our Lord Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” 2 Corinthians 8:9 says, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.” In Luke 23:43, Jesus told the believing thief next to Him on a cross, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

God’s plans for us are out of this world. “Father, thank You for helping us to keep our eyes on You and on Your kingdom! You are the treasure that we seek.”

But I Say to You – Matthew 5:21-48

Is what I have been taught and what I have believed correct?

In Matthew 5:21-43, Jesus provides for us five “You-have-heard-that-it-was-said” statements followed by the phrase, “But I say to you.” Jesus made it clear that the correct interpretation of the God’s Word was different than what they had been hearing. Perhaps, they did not read God’s Word for themselves and therefore depended on what others said about it.

In Matthew 5:21-48, Jesus reveals the correct understanding of the sixth, seventh, ninth commandments. He makes straight their understanding of the law of retribution recorded in Exodus 21:22-27 which God made to protect pregnant women and servants from abuse. He corrects their understanding of Deuteronomy 23:3-6 which God spoke specifically against the Ammonites. God told them not to seek the peace or prosperity of the Ammonites, but He did not say to hate them. What’s more, their teachers taught them to hate all enemies.

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire. Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.” Matthew 5:21-26

William Barclay commented on the Greek word translated, “angry,” saying, “So Jesus forbids forever the anger which broods, the anger which will not forget, the anger which refuses to be pacified, the anger which seeks revenge.” [1]

William Barclay commented that “Raca is an almost untranslatable word because it describes a tone of voice more than anything else. Its whole accent is the accent of contempt…It is the word of one who despises another with an arrogant contempt.” [2]

God’s Word teaches us that we are all sinners in need of God’s grace to do and say what is right.

Jesus taught us to be reconciled with a brother, before offering a gift to God at the altar. Our service towards the Lord does not exempt us from loving our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Jesus advised us to agree with our adversary quickly. Don’t hold onto your anger, let it go. Ask him to forgive you for being angry at him and for calling him a demeaning name.

Romans 12:18 says, “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.”

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. Furthermore, it has been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.” Matthew 5:27-32

In Jeremiah 3:8-9 and Hosea 3:1, God connected physical adultery with spiritual adultery. Proverbs 22:14 says, “The mouth of an immoral woman is a deep pit. He who is abhorred by the Lord will fall there.” Along city streets in Hong Kong, I noticed idols by the entrances of brothels. I noted that spiritual adultery manifests itself in the physical realm.

Did Jesus speak strongly against spiritual adultery? Yes, He said that if your right eye or hand causes you to sin, remove them. “It is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.” Perhaps, it would be good idea to keep a picture of hell’s fire next to the TV remote or the computer screen to be reminded that God condemns lustful thoughts. Pondering them is playing with fire... an eternity in the lake of fire from which there is no escape.

Donald A. Carson wrote, “Imagination is a God-given gift; but if it is fed dirt by the eye, it will be dirty. All sin, not the least sexual sin, begins with the imagination. Therefore what feeds the imagination is of maximum importance in the pursuit of kingdom righteousness.” [3]

Psalm 119:9 says, “How can a young man keep his way pure? By taking heed according to Your Word.” Or as Jesus said in John 15:4, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.” When we abide in Jesus, He occupies our eyes and heart with that which is best for us.

Jesus segways from the topic of adultery to divorce. In Jeremiah 3:8, God gave Judah a certificate of divorce. Judah had played the harlot with many lovers according to Jeremiah 3:1. Even so, God urged the people of Judah to return to Him. In the Book of Hosea, God had Hosea marry an unfaithful woman to model for Israel His deep love for them despite the fact that they had continuously betrayed His trust.

Jesus urged husbands to remain faithful to their wives except if they had committed physical adultery. This principle applies to wives toward their husbands as well. God faithfully upholds covenants that He makes. He has great delight in seeing couples reconciled with each other.

“Again, you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor shall you swear by your head because you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.” Matthew 5:33-37

“Having to swear or make oaths betrays the weakness of your word. It demonstrates that there is not enough weight in your own character to confirm your words. How much better it is to let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ be ‘No.’” [4] Jesus emphasized building a trustworthy reputation.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.” Matthew 5:38-42

The eye for eye tooth for tooth quote is from Exodus 21:22-27. God made this law out of love to protect pregnant women and servants from abuse.

Jesus Messiah exemplified for us a life of love, grace, and forgiveness towards others.

Everything that Jesus taught us, He modeled for us. He was slapped on the cheek. His garment was taken from Him. Jesus went the distance that the Romans demanded Him to go and He did it carrying a very heavy cross. Jesus gave to people. Such as healing their sons and daughters. I can’t recall an incident where someone asked Jesus to loan them something, but in Matthew 17:27 when Peter needed to pay His taxes, He told Peter to catch a fish and he would find sufficient money in the fish’s mouth to pay both his tax and Peter’s. We do borrow His Name when we pray for blessings from our heavenly Father.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” Matthew 5:43-48

Jesus demonstrated for us love of His enemies. In John 13:5, 26, Jesus knew that Judas Iscariot was about to betray Him yet treated him as a friend. He gave Judas a position of honor, likely seating him near himself at the Last Supper. Jesus washed the feet of all his disciples, including Judas. He offered him a morsel of bread at the last supper, which was a gesture of friendship. Jesus did not force Judas to be loyal or to accept forgiveness. He treated him with consistent love while allowing him to make his own tragic choice.

In Matthew 26:50, Jesus did not treat Judas as an enemy. Even after Judas arrived with the soldiers to arrest Him, Jesus called him “friend.”

Romans 5:6-8 says, “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

As I meditated on what Jesus taught me in Matthew 5:1-20, the Holy Spirit led me to pray for myself and for many others, “Heavenly Father, please help us to live by Your grace, and not in same old ways we have been living. Apart from Your grace, we will keep on being who we always have been, and I want to be more like You.” I prayed this in the Name of Jesus.

[1] Enduring Word Commentary
[2] Ibid
[3] Ibid
[4] Ibid

Glory in the Lord – Matthew 5:1-20

“And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying: ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’” Matthew 5:1-3

Jesus saw the multitudes, but He sat down with His disciples to teach them. The fact that the Scripture says that He opened His mouth to teach them likely indicates that He spoke loud enough for those surrounding them to hear as well. This scene is 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.

The ancient Greek had a word for the “working poor” and a word for the “truly poor.” Jesus used the word for the truly poor here. It indicates someone who must beg for whatever they have or get.

In 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, the Lord said to Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Paul responded, writing, “Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

It is better to rely on God’s grace than to rely on our own limited abilities.

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Matthew 5:4

In Luke 19:41, Jesus, like Jeremiah, wept over Jerusalem. He had done so many miracles among them and yet they did not believe in Him. A day was coming when their city would be destroyed by the Romans. They had not listened to the previous prophets who prophesied such things to them, and they were not listening to Him. In 70 A.D., the Romans totally destroyed Jerusalem.

In John 11:32-36, Jesus wept when He saw Mary and others weeping due to the death of Lazarus. People remarked, “See how He loved him.”

Jesus mourned due to deep love for people. Deep love for people is a blessing. And the Lord does comfort us following times of mourning for others. Psalm 126:5-6 says, “Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.”

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” Matthew 5:5

In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Jesus invited the weary and burdened, not the energetic and carefree to be yokefellows with Him. He assures such people that He is gentle and humble, not harsh and arrogant. Jesus is the kind of yokefellow that is not hard and unrealistic on His partners. Prior to saying this, Jesus had said in Matthew 11:27, “No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.” Jesus is looking for yokefellows who want to know the Father as He knows the Father.

The meek will inherit the earth. The Greek Old Testament (the Septuagint) primarily uses the Greek word 𝛾𝜂̃ (gē) to translate the Hebrew word אֶרֶץ (erets) to represent the land of Israel.

In Deuteronomy 30:16, God told Israel, “I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess.”

Praise the Lord! Jesus is willing to walk with us in this humble submission to the will of the Father and ensure that we inherit the heavenly Promised Land.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.” Matthew 5:6

In John 4:8, the disciples left Jesus to buy some food in the city. While they were gone, Jesus met a Samaritan woman. Jesus led her to believe that He was the Messiah. When the disciples returned from buying food, they were surprised to find Jesus speaking to the woman. In John 4:28, the woman left them to tell her village about Jesus. In John 4:31, the disciples urged Jesus to eat. In John 4:32, Jesus responded to them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.” In John 4:34, Jesus added, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.”

The hunger Jesus had was for saved souls. Undoubtedly, He and all the angels of heaven were filled with joy when that woman believed in Messiah, but then, in John 4:39, “many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman.” What joy!

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.” Matthew 5:7

Jesus exemplified mercy when He healed the blind eyes of two men who followed Him. They cried out to Him for mercy , and He healed them. Jesus had mercy on the Canaanite mother whose daughter was demon-possessed. She cried out to Him for mercy, and He set her daughter free. Jesus had mercy on a father of an epileptic son. The father asked the Lord for mercy. Jesus healed the father’s son instantaneously.

These were people that Jesus met while walking from one location to another. We don’t know their names. Jesus demonstrated spontaneous acts of merciful lovingkindness to strangers. He taught that we will be blessed (happy) and receive mercy from God when we are merciful.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Matthew 5:8

From time to time, the people of Judah were blessed with kings who purged their land of idols. Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 17:6), Asa (1 Kings 15:11-13), Hezekiah (2 Kings 18:4) and Josiah (2 Kings 23; 2 Chronicles 34) cleansed the land of Judah from idols during their reigns. After they purified the land, and their hearts, they saw God move in mighty ways in their nation.

Isaiah 59:2 says, “Your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.”

1 John 1:8-9 says, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Only God can cleanse our hearts from impurities. He does so when we confess to Him that we are sinners in need of His forgiveness.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” Matthew 5:9

Isaiah 9:6 names the coming Messiah as the “Prince of Peace.” Peace with God comes through His sacrifice. Jesus restores humanity's broken relationship with God, offering justification and peace. When a lost soul hears the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and believes in Him, his or her soul receives a peace that surpasses all understanding.

May the Lord Jesus grant each of us grace to lead people to faith in Jesus Christ. To be called sons and daughters of God, and to work with Him to bring more people into the family.

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:10

The Book of Acts contains stories of Peter, James, John and Paul being persecuted for preaching the Gospel to lost souls. When Jesus preached the Gospel in His hometown of Nazareth, people wanted to toss Him off the side of a cliff.

When have I been persecuted for righteousness’ sake? Almost exclusively when I have been witnessing for Jesus.

Why are the righteous persecuted? Shouldn’t rulers and peoples of the nations be grateful to God for such bright shining stars in the darkness?

The good news is that Jesus Christ blesses those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake. He gives to us the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of heaven is better than kingdoms people are fighting for here on earth.

“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Matthew 5:11-12

In the Old Testament, people behaved in evil ways against the prophets. In Exodus 14:11-12, people falsely accused Moses of wanting to kill them. In 1 Samuel 21-24, King Saul sought to kill David, falsely framing him as a traitor. In 1 Kings 19:1, Queen Jezebel wanted the prophet Elijah dead. In 2 Chronicles 22:10, 23:15, 24:22-25, Jehoiada the priest had saved King Joash’s life when he was a boy. Later, Joash forsook the Lord, and when Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada the priest, confronted him about it, Joash had Zechariah stoned to death. In Jeremiah 37:13-14, Jeremiah was accused of treason, and imprisoned.

What did Jesus do after people reviled, persecuted and said all kinds of evil against Him. In Luke 23:34, He prayed for them, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” What did Stephen do when unjustly sentenced to death. In Acts 7:60, “He knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not charge them with this sin.’” Jesus and Stephen are enjoying a wonderful eternity together in paradise.

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:13-16

The prophetic ministry of God’s Word is the salt and light that Jesus desires from His disciples.

In Genesis 18:32, God told Abraham that He would not destroy Sodom and Gomorrah if 10 righteous people could be found there. The 10 were not found but God rescued Lot and his family from the city.

In Jeremiah 5:1, God told Jeremiah, “Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem. See now and know and seek in her open places if you can find a man, if there is anyone who executes judgment, who seeks the truth, and I will pardon her.” He did not find that man. The city was destroyed.

We should never underestimate the value of being salt and light in the earth.

“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:17-20

Jesus told us not to think that He came to destroy the Law or Prophets. Sadly, many who claim to be followers of Christ, seldom read the Law and Prophets. Jesus said that the smallest letters of the Hebrew language will not be removed from these prophecies until they are fulfilled. He said that whoever does and teaches the Law will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

In Mark 7:9, Jesus said to the scribes and Pharisees, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.” In Matthew 15:6, Jesus said to them, “Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition.”

Those who skillfully poison God’s Word with false teaching are more dangerous than those who outright oppose it. Pagans proclaim their opposition to faith in Christ, whereas false prophets claim to be of Christ while stealthily sabotaging and destroying their followers’ faith in Christ.

We need a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ to exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees.

In Philippians 3:5, Paul wrote of being “a Hebrew of Hebrews, concerning the Law, a Pharisee.” But then, in Philippians 3:8-9, he wrote, “I count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith.”

Paul forsook pride in his former life as a Pharisee. Pharisees were professional imposters. They were self-performance oriented. Paul gained his righteous standing with God through faith in the shed blood of Christ which had washed His sins away. Jesus transformed Paul into His likeness by the power of His indwelling Holy Spirit. Paul’s righteousness was by God’s grace, and not by works which he had done.

In whom did Paul boast? In Galatians 6:14, Paul wrote, “God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” In 1 Corinthians 1:31, he wrote, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.” Amen.

The “blessed” in the beatitudes are those who know Christ and walk with Him in His ways.


[1] Abridged: “Dictionaries – Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology – Meekness”

Jesus the Son of God – Matthew 4

Twice, the devil tempted Jesus to do something “IF” He was the “Son of God?” Jesus was and is the Son of God. Did He need to prove His identity to the devil? No. The devil knew who He was.

In Matthew 8:28-29, Jesus met two demon-possessed men. They cried-out, saying, “What do we have to do with You, Son of God? Did You come here to torment us before the time?”

The devil knew who he was dealing with Jesus the Son of God.

“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted 40 days and 40 nights, afterward He was hungry. Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, ‘If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.’ But He answered and said, ‘It is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’” Matthew 4:1-3

Jesus Messiah is the Son of God! He passed the test the human race failed.

Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden with ample food when tested by the devil. The devil quickly broke down their resistance. Jesus was in a wilderness. He had not ate in 40 days. He was extremely hungry. The devil tempted Jesus to turn stones into bread. This would have alleviated His hunger pains. Bread would have tasted good. Didn’t God make bread for the Israelites in the wilderness?

Jesus did not act on the devil’s words. In John 5:30 Jesus said, “The Son can do nothing of His own accord, but only what He sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.” In John 5:30, Jesus said, “I can do nothing on My own. As I hear, I judge, and My judgment is just, because I seek not My own will but the will of Him who sent Me.” In John 12:50, Jesus said, “So whatever I say is just what the Father has told Me to say.”

In Deuteronomy 5:32 God told Israel, “Be careful to do what the Lord your God has commanded you. Do not turn aside to the right or to the left.”

Jesus did not turn to the right or to the left of God’s commands. His mission was to live a sinless life and to give His life as a ransom for us.

“It isn’t that Jesus refused supernatural help in feeding Himself. He was more than happy to eat what the angels brought to Him when the time of testing was over. It wasn’t a matter of refusing supernatural help. It was a matter of submitting to His Father’s timing and will in all things.” [1]

Jesus did not need to prove His worth. Neither do we! Our worth is found in the Word of God. The Bible says that God created us in His image. He so loved us that He sent His only begotten Son into the world that if we believed in Him we would not perish but have everlasting life.

“Jesus endured temptation both so that He could identify with us, and to demonstrate His own holy, sinless character.” [2]

By way of example, Jesus taught us to: Know the Word of God well, and to be led by God’s Holy Spirit.

“Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, ‘If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: He shall give His angels charge over you, and In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ Jesus said to him, ‘It is written again, You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’” Matthew 4:5-7

Jesus is the Son of God. To act on the devil’s temptation would be to act on a doubt, and not on reality. The devil tempted Jesus to take a risk. To gamble! To act independently of God and believe that everything would be okay... if You are the Son of God.

The correct response was to not to act on a doubt. The correct response was not to gamble. Jesus did not presume on God’s protection if He willfully acted independently of God.

In Jeremiah 7:8-11, God condemned the lie that people could willfully sin against Him and He would always deliver them. “Behold, you trust in lying words that cannot profit. Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to Baal, and walk after other gods whom you do not know, and then come and stand before Me in this house which is called by My Name, and say, ‘We are delivered to do all these abominations?’ Has this house, which is called by My Name, become a den of thieves in your eyes? Behold, I, even I, have seen it, says the Lord.”

“Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, ‘All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Away with you, Satan! For it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.” Matthew 4:8-11

The devil tempted Jesus to commit idolatry. From the time of King Solomon until the time of the Babylonian captivity, Israel experienced many humiliating losses due to the sin of idolatry. They built altars to idols in high places (mountains) and bowed down to them and worshipped them. They even sacrificed their children to their idols during extended years of time in their history.

In Matthew 22:37-38, Jesus taught, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment.” Jesus was not about to take the honor and love that belonged to God alone and give it to the devil.

Worship God and worship Him only!

God is eternal. The devil is temporary.

In John 8:44, Jesus said the devil “was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.”

The majority of addicts and alcoholics that I have listened to have cited a lack of meaningful relationships, or a loss of a meaningful relationship as the starting point from which their substance abuse began.

It is impossible to enjoy healthy relationships with God and people when the devil has you captive to serving his will. He tells people to be proud, perverse, vulgar, idolatrous, bitter, a liar, a deceiver, a thief, a hater, and to be in solidarity with those who stay far from God.

1 John 4:8 says, “God is love.” 1 John 4:18-19 says, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear... We love Him because He first loved us.” Expressions of love originate with God. Having God’s love flow in and through you yields great joy and peace!

In Mark 8:36, Jesus asked, “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” To have the whole world but lack love for God and love for people is poverty.

The devil attacks our ego to lure us away from the life of God.

Jesus said, “Worship the Lord our God, and serve Him only.”

After Jesus told Satan to go away, the devil left Him, and angels came and ministered to Him. Yes, God did “give His angels” in due season to support Jesus.

“Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee. And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: ‘The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.’ From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’” Matthew 4:12-17

Jesus did not withdraw from ministry when the government arrested a fellow servant of God. He went to Capernaum.

The people in Capernaum loved darkness. They did not hide themselves under the shadow of God’s loving wing. No, they sat under the shadow of death. A horrible place to rest. They had a highly inflated opinion of themselves. In Matthew 11:23-24, Jesus said of them, “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.”

Jesus gave the people of Capernaum the opportunity to see the light. In Capernaum, Jesus casted out demons. He healed Peter's mother-in-law, a paralytic, a centurion’s servant, a woman with an incurable health crisis and in Capernaum Jesus resurrected the daughter of Jairus from the dead. In Capernaum, Jesus taught people that He was the “Bread of Life.” In Capernaum, Jesus called Peter, Andrew, James, John, and Matthew to be His disciples.

“And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ They immediately left their nets and followed Him. Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed Him.” Matthew 4:18-22

We should not assume that cities which are infamous for being evil are not worth the Lord’s time and attention. Remember what happened when Jonah preached God’s Word in Ninevah! They fasted, repented and God forgave them. Jesus found five of His twelve outstanding disciples in Capernaum. Later, in Galatians 2:9, Paul wrote of James, Peter, and John as being pillars of the Church. Pillars are able to hold up under very heavy loads. Jesus found them in Capernaum. Not everyone in the darkness wants to stay there.

In Acts 14:19, when Paul was preaching in Lystra, Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there. They persuaded a mob to stone Paul and drag him out of the city, supposing he was dead. Paul survived, and later, in Acts 16:1, he returned to Lystra. Would you return to a town that previously stoned you and nearly killed you? Paul did, and this time, he met Timothy. Timothy became like a son to Paul and later Timothy became the pastor of the Church in Ephesus.

“And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the Gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them. Great multitudes followed Him—from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.” Matthew 4:23-25

Jesus guest spoke at many synagogues. Synagogues served as religious gathering places as churches do for us Christians nowadays. He preached the Gospel which means good news. He preached the Good News of God’s Kingdom. Not just the bad news of humankind’s kingdom! God’s kingdom was near to them because Jesus was near to them. Jesus is the door to heaven. Those who believe in Jesus enter God’s kingdom.

Jesus performed signs of physical and spiritual healing. Diseases disappeared! Demons departed! Road signs help us to know where we are and where we need to go. Jesus let His audiences know with many confirmations that He was the Son of God and the Savior of the world. They only needed to believe in Him to be saved.

Many people came to hear Jesus speak. They came from great distances to hear His messages.

The Lord leads me daily to pray over enlarged maps of all the countries of the earth that the people of all nations would have faith in Jesus the Son of God. That we would all have ears to hear and eyes to see that Jesus is who He said that He is.

I pray that unbelief will be shattered as when an iron rod strikes a vessel of clay. And that criminal networks of corruption will collapse as the temple of Dagon collapsed when Samson by the Spirit of the Lord pushed over the pillars on which it rested. I pray that God will raise up righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, for that, wrote Paul, is the Kingdom of God. The Spirit also leads me to pray for laborers for the harvest. Jesus asked us to pray for laborers because the harvest is great but the workers are few. [3]

Please pray for the souls who have yet to hear the Gospel. Please pray that they will hear, know and receive Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and their Savior.



[1] Enduring Word Commentary
[2] Ibid
[3] Psalm 2:9; Revelation 2:27; Judges 16:28-30; Romans 14:17; Matthew 9:37-38

Repent and Believe the Good News – Matthew 3

“In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!’ For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: prepare the way of the Lord. Make His paths straight.’” Matthew 3:1-3

Repentance is about coming to God. To repent is to leave behind a life without God to gain a life with God.

In Mark 1:15, Jesus preached, “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news.” The kingdom of God was near because Jesus Messiah was near. He is the entrance way to God’s kingdom. The door to God’s kingdom appeared before them and urged them to enter God’s kingdom while the opportunity was before them.

In John 8:24, Jesus told the Pharisees, “If you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” The “He” that Jesus referred to is Messiah. In John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

After Jesus had fulfilled numerous Old Testament prophecies about Messiah and given the people numerous signs that He was Messiah, He wept. Luke19:41-42 says that He wept over Jerusalem, saying, ‘If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.”

Back in 1546, John Heywood recorded a wise saying, “None so blind as those who refuse to see.” And later someone added, “None so deaf as those who will not hear.”

The repentance that John the Baptist preached was about leaving unpreparedness behind to gain preparedness. When Messiah arrived, he wanted everyone to receive Him.

In John 8:24, Jesus told the Pharisees, “If you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” The worst sin of all sins is to reject the remedy for sin, namely, faith in Jesus Messiah.

“Prepare the way of the Lord.” Matthew quotes from Isaiah 40:3 to identify John the Baptist as the preparer of people to receive Messiah.

“Now John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.” Matthew 3:4

John’s attire was similar to the prophet Elijah’s. In 2 Kings 1:8, Elijah is described as a “hairy man with a leather girdle [belt] bound about his loins.” John the Baptist wore camel hair and ate locusts to fulfill his role as a self-disciplined prophetic messenger in the wilderness. He rejected worldly comforts. He relied on God’s provision. [1]

John’s diet and clothing reflected a restricted lifestyle. He focused more on his soul’s health than his body’s. The soul is eternal. The body is temporal. His diet of locusts (a clean, permissible food) and wild honey was readily available and inexpensive. His camel hair garment was durable. It provided good insulation to keep him warm during the cold wilderness nights.

In Matthew 11:7–10, Jesus said of John: “What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces. Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written: “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.” Here, Jesus refers to a prophecy recorded in Malachi 3:1 of which John was the fulfillment. In Matthew 11:14, Jesus said, “If you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come.” [2]

The idea to be the Elijah-like forerunner of Messiah did not originate with John the Baptist. God spoke of it in Malachi 3:1 and in Malachi 4:5-6 before John was born. In Luke 1:17, an angel also prophesied to John’s father before he was born, saying, “He will also go before Him [Messiah] in the spirit and power of Elijah.” John was not Elijah reincarnated. God gave to John the same anointing and power as He did to Elijah.

“Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, ‘Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore, bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not think to say to yourselves, we have Abraham as our father. For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” Mathew 3:5-12

Many people recognized their need to get ready for the Messiah, and willingly did so.

“Baptism was practiced in the Jewish community already in the form of ceremonial immersions, but typically it was only among Gentiles who wished to become Jews. For a Jew in John’s day to submit to baptism was essentially to say, ‘I confess that I am as far away from God as a Gentile and I need to get right with Him.’ This was a real work of the Holy Spirit.” [3]

Matthew Poole wrote, “What did John the Baptist say, when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, ‘Brood of vipers!’ These religious leaders believed that one was made righteous by keeping the law, and they believed themselves to be righteous in this way.” [4]

John asked them, “Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” Frederick Fyvie Bruce wrote, “Most Jewish people believed in the wrath to come; the difference was the targets of that judgment. The Pharisees and Sadducees conceived of the judgment as concerning the heathen peoples. John thought of it as concerning the godless in Israel.”

John advised his listeners to flee from God’s wrath. John warned them to stop trusting in their Jewish heritage because they must truly repent, not simply trust in Abraham’s merits. [5] God’s wrath is on those who trust in anything or anyone besides His Messiah for salvation.

When John said, “Whose sandals I am not worthy to carry: John recognized his position before Jesus. He is one not worthy to carry the sandals of Jesus, and he did not consider himself far above those whom he has called to repentance, and he knew where he stood in relation to Jesus (instead of becoming proud of the crowds he drew and the response he saw).” [6]

“He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” God promised to pour out His Spirit on all flesh in Joel 2:28. The baptism with fire increases inward purity.

F.B. Meyer wrote, “John the Baptist is sadly needed to-day. Much of what we call Christianity is but Christianized heathenism…we need that John the Baptist should come with his stern words about the axe, the winnowing-fan, and the fire. Nothing less will avail to prepare the way for a new coming of Christ.” [7]

“Then, Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?’ But Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.’ Then he allowed Him. When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’” Matthew 3:13-17

R. T. France wrote, “It was as if John said to Jesus, ‘I need your Spirit-and-fire baptism, not you my water-baptism.’” [8]

It wasn’t that this one act in itself fulfilled all righteousness, but it was another important step in the overall mission of Jesus to identify with fallen and sinful man, a mission that would only finally be fulfilled at the cross. [9]

“The heavens were opened: It was important for God the Father to publicly demonstrate that Jesus’ baptism was not just like anyone else’s, in the sense of being a display of repentance. It was not a display of repentance, but instead it was a righteous identification with sinners, motivated by love, and was well pleasing to the Father.” [10]

“’This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’ When this voice of God the Father spoke from heaven, everyone knew that Jesus was not just another man being baptized. They knew Jesus was the perfect (in whom I am well pleased) Son of God, identifying with sinful man. By this, everyone knew that Jesus was different. Jesus was baptized so to be identified WITH sinful man, but He was also baptized to be identified TO sinful man.” [11]

In Matthew 3:16-17, the Holy Trinity showed up. Jesus Messiah, Son of God, came up from the water. The Spirit of God descended upon Him in the form of a dove, and God the Father spoke from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Jesus Messiah was among them to say, “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news.”

Some looked for love in the wrong places. Did it boost their ego? Did it gratify their flesh? Did it help them gain a competitive edge ?

Jesus urged them to leave a life without God behind to receive a life with God forevermore.

What about you? What about me? What are we doing with Jesus Messiah. Jesus Christ is the open door to God’s kingdom.

[1] Google Sources
[2] GotQuestions.com
[3] EnduringWord.om
[4] Ibid
[5] Ibid
[6] Ibid
[7] Ibid
[8] Ibid
[9] Ibid
[10] Ibid
[11] Ibid

Jesus God’s Son Savior – Matthew 2

“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.’ When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. So, they said to him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: but you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you shall come a Ruler who will shepherd My people Israel.’ Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, ‘Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.’” Matthew 2:1-8

King Herod was not from the line of David. He was appointed by the Romans. He was considered more of an occupational monarch than one of their own. He descended from the line of Edom, but did identify, at least superficially, as a Jew. Herod’s mother was a Nabatean Princess—an Arabic tribe in southern Jordan.

William Barclay wrote of Herod saying, “He had no sooner come to the throne than he began by annihilating the Sanhedrin…he slaughtered 300 court officers.” Thus, the Pharisees hated him.

Herod’s name in Greek (Ἡρῴδης) means either “son of a hero” or “like a hero.”

Herod executed his wife, Miriam, and her mother Salome, in 29 B.C.E. The next year, he murdered his brother-in-law Kostabar. These acts stemmed from his paranoia about relatives wishing to take away his throne. This paranoia only worsened over time, leading to his most famous act, namely the accusation of high treason against two of his sons, Alexander and Aristobolus, and their subsequent execution in 7 B.C.E. To proceed with the trial (which took place in the Roman court in Beirut), he needed to get permission from Augustus Caesar, which he received. The incident led to Augustus’ famous quip, “It is better to be Herod’s pig (Greek: hua) than son (Greek: huia).” The pun is based on the assumption that, as Herod was a Jew, he would not eat pork, and thus, his pig would be safe from the butcher’s knife, unlike his own flesh and blood. [1]

Can you imagine Herod’s face when the wise men told him they were looking for Him who was born king of the Jews? Herod’s been slaying people right and left to maintain his grip on power, and these men tell him a king of the Jews has been born and that they want to worship him. Perhaps, he had to leave the room to scream, and then, return after he recomposed himself. The whole city of Jerusalem is disturbed by this news. There was no telling what the madman on the throne would do next.

Herod called for a huddle with the chief priests and scribes. They told Herod that the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem according to the prophecy recorded in Micah 5:2. Bethlehem means “House of bread” so the Bread of Life was about to pop out from the bread house.

King Herod released the wise men but requested they report back to him about this new king so he could worship Him. If the wise men had believed that line, they would not have been wise.

“When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.” Matthew 2:9-12

The Lord provided two witnesses for the wise men: a star and prophetic words from Scripture. When they met Messiah, they fell down and worshipped Him. I like the saying, “Wise men still worship Jesus.”

What’s the significance of the gifts that they brought to Jesus?

Gold is a precious metal. It likely financed Joseph and Mary’s trip to Egypt. Gold is symbolic of God-like qualities. The gift of gold to the Christ child was symbolic of His divinity—God in flesh.

Frankincense is a white resin or gum. It is obtained from a tree by making incisions in the bark and allowing the gum to flow out. It is highly fragrant when burned and was therefore used in worship, where it was burned as a pleasant offering to God (Exodus 30:34). Frankincense is a symbol of holiness and righteousness. The gift of frankincense to the Christ child was symbolic of His willingness to become a sacrifice, wholly giving Himself up, analogous to a burnt offering.

Myrrh, a product of Arabia, was obtained from a tree in the same manner as frankincense. It was a spice and was used in embalming. In Mark 15:23, myrrh was mixed with wine and given to Jesus when He was on the cross. Matthew 27:34 refers to it as “gall.” Myrrh symbolizes bitterness, suffering, and affliction. Jesus would suffer greatly as a man and would pay the ultimate price when He gave His life on the cross for all who would believe in Him.

After the wise men completed their mission, the Lord warned them via a dream to depart from Bethlehem without telling King Herod where the Child Jesus was.

Once, the Lord warned me by a dream. One morning, I had participated in a prayer meeting. I was on my way out the door when a brother in Christ told me that his roommate had a dream about me. In the dream, I was at a crosswalk. The light was red, but I decided to cross the street anyway. In his dream, the brother pulled me back onto the sidewalk just before a car would have struck me. Later that day, I was in China with a team of missionaries. The circumstances of our mission were not going has planned. We stopped and prayed. One person in the group had a vision as we prayed. He told the group, “I saw a stoplight and it was red.” I told the group about the dream. Everyone agreed that we were to abort the mission. Later, we received news that confirmed our decision.

Whenever witnessing for the Lord, we should be in prayer beforehand and in our hearts while in the moment. The Holy Spirit guides us to victories as we ask Him to lead and protect us.

“Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, ‘Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.’ When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, ‘Out of Egypt I called My Son.’” Matthew 2:13-15

The Lord knew what Herod would do when the wise men did not report back to him. He sent an angel to warn Joseph to FLEE and told him where to GO. He told Joseph, “Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.” Matthew connects this event with a prophecy in Hosea 11:1.

“Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying: ‘A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.’” Matthew 2:16-18

Herod is like one of the beasts described in the books of Daniel and Revelation. He is ready to devour anyone who threatens his throne, even if they are toddlers. Matthew connects this incident with a prophecy recorded in Jeremiah 31:15.

Bethlehem is located in the land that belonged to Benjamin’s tribe. Benjamin was Rachel’s son. Many descendants of Rachel were weeping the loss of their precious sons. The sadness that parents experience when a child proceeds them in death is very deep.

“Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child’s life are dead.’ Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee. And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, ‘He shall be called a Nazarene.’” Matthew 2:19-23

It is good to remember that those who oppose the Lord are but a vapor. They appear for a moment of time and disappear. They built on sand. God bears with them patiently, but they perish just like any other person. Herod was dead. God sent an angel to notify Joseph that it was safe to return to Israel. While enroute to Israel, the Lord warned Joseph again, so he turned from Bethlehem and Jerusalem, and went to Nazareth.

Matthew 2:1 begins with Jesus being born in Bethlehem. This fulfilled a prophecy that the Lord made in Micah 5:2. Matthew 2:23 ends with Jesus in Nazareth fulfilling three prophecies.

Matthew associated the word Nazarene with the Hebrew word netser (“branch or sprout”). In Jeremiah 23:5, the Lord promised to “raise up for David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land.” In Jeremiah 33:15, the Lord promised to “make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line; He will do what is just and right in the land.” In Isaiah 11:1, the Lord promised, “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.”

Jesus was born in Bethlehem fulfilling Micah 5:2. The gifts that the wise men brought Him were symbolic of His Messiahship. Herod’s massacre of the little boys in Bethlehem fulfilled an ancient prophecy recorded in Jeremiah 31:15. The departure of Jesus from Egypt fulfilled Hosea 11:1. Jesus grew up in a town whose name means “Branch” fulfilling several Old Testament prophecies. And the fulfillment of these prophecies is just the beginning of many more to come in the Gospels. Thus, the testimony of Jesus in the Gospels is the Spirit of prophecy.

The Gospels are composed of words inspired by God which have the power to save and transform those who believe and receive them.

What did I bring to God? I brought my sin. What did I receive from God? His forgiveness and the enduement of His Holy Spirit living in me. He made Himself real to me. I have love, peace and joy that I never had before thanks to Jesus Christ in my life.

What is the joy of salvation? It’s a blessed assurance of being saved by God. Was it because I was such a good person? No, I was a horrible sinner. I reached rock bottom and cried out to Jesus in desperation to save me, and He did.

Salvation is a gift of God according to Ephesians 2:8. My salvation is based on the redemptive work of Jesus Christ on my behalf. When Jesus died on the cross, the just for the unjust, He placed His merits into humanity’s account. We just need to believe and receive Him. He did the work. We just need to be humble enough to admit that we cannot save ourselves. Without Jesus we are absolutely lost for all eternity, but with Him we are absolutely saved for all eternity. That’s why Jesus Christ is called Savior and Lord!


[1] Thetorah.com

Believing in Jesus Messiah – Matthew 1

“The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham: Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers.” Matthew 1:1-2

In Galatians 3:16, Paul wrote, “The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his Seed. Scripture does not say ‘and to seeds,’ meaning many people, but ‘and to your Seed,’ meaning one person, who is Christ. Thus, Matthew begins his Gospel by connecting Jesus Christ with the Promise of God to Abraham that in his Seed all nations would be blessed. Matthew ends his Gospel with Jesus telling His followers to make disciples of all nations. [1]

Matthew also refers to Jesus Christ as the Son of David. In 2 Samuel 7:12-16, God promised David that his offspring would build a house for God’s Name and that His throne would be established forever. Then, in Matthew 1:2-16, Matthew provides a genealogy that lists the descendants of David until Christ is born.

Matthew places the name Christ (Messiah in Hebrew) after the name of Jesus in verse 1 of His Gospel. Remember, Matthew was living in the land where the rulers had just crucified Jesus, yet Matthew writes the last word those in authority wanted him to write about Jesus of Nazareth.

In Matthew 1:3, 5-6, 16, Matthew included five women in the genealogy of Jesus, which is unusual. He includes Tamar who was impregnated by her father-in-law Judah. He includes Rahab a former prostitute. He includes Ruth a Moabite. In Numbers 25, Moabite women were sent by King Balak to seduce Israelite men to sin. Matthew includes “the wife of Uriah” namely, Bathsheba. David committed adultery with her. Finally, he includes the virgin Mary. Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit in Mary. She had not known a man. It is likely, that the religious leaders of Jerusalem did not believe this testimony although it was prophesied by Isaiah.

In Matthew’s day, religious leaders became intensely angry if someone broke their rules about Sabbath keeping. They became angry if someone did not wash their hands properly before eating. The fact that Matthew named Jesus as Messiah and included these women in His genealogy, must have greatly offended them.

Matthew WANTED people to know that Israel’s Messiah ate with “sinners” and tax collectors and included Mary Magdalene, a former adulterous among His followers.

Romans 3:23 says, “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” Apart from God’s forgiveness no one enters heaven. The worst sin of all is not to believe in Messiah. For apart from faith in Him, there is no forgiveness. He alone is the Lamb who took away the sin of the world. Mary Magdalene and the women in the genealogy of Jesus all came to believe in God.

“And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ.” Matthew 1:16

Matthew repeats that Jesus is Messiah.

“So all the generations from Abraham to David are 14 generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are 14 generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are 14 generations.” Matthew 1:17

The perfect pattern of 14, 14, 14, indicates that the arrival of Jesus was not random but planned. Seven is consider the number of perfection in the Bible. 14 is doubly perfect. [2]

God preserved Messiah’s family line between Abraham and David, between David and the Babylonian captivity, and between the Babylonian captivity and Messiah’s birth. For example, Esau had planned to kill Jacob. Saul tried multiple times to kill David. Multitudes of Jews died during the Babylonian captivity including all the sons of King Zedekiah. King Jehoiakim, who Babylon replaced with Zedekiah, died while enroute to Babylon, but his son, Jeconiah, survived and thus, the family line of Messiah was preserved. When Matthew wrote His Gospel, there had not been a king on the throne of Israel for over 600 years. With the Romans ruling Judea, it seemed unlikely that a son of David would ever sit on the throne in Jerusalem again.

King Herod was not from the line of David. He was appointed by the Romans. He was considered more of an occupational monarch than one of their own. He descended from the line of Edom, but did identify, at least superficially, as a Jew.

“Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: after His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then, Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His Name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Matthew 1:18-21

Mary and Joseph were betrothed. In the Bible, betrothal was a formal, legally binding contract that was considered a legally valid marriage, even though the couple would not consummate their union until after the marriage ceremony. Nullifying a betrothal required a divorce, and if broken, was treated as infidelity. [3]

Joseph was a just man but not in the sense of Pharisee justice. A Pharisee would have executed her. Joseph was just in a godly sense, he would not marry her because he assumed she was unfaithful to him, but neither would he condemn her. His justice was flavored with mercy.

The Lord stopped Joseph from believing a lie about Mary. She likely told him the truth about seeing an angel and about receiving a prophecy from the angel that she was the virgin that Isaiah the prophet spoke about. But Joseph did not believe her until an angel also appeared to him and confirmed the same Word of God that he had told Mary. After the dream, Joseph now knew that Mary’s baby was Messiah, and that her son would conquer sin.

In Luke 2:48, the Bible refers to Joseph as the father of Jesus. In an ancient Hebraic adoption, if a man claimed a child as his, he was considered to be the child’s father, regardless of biological parentage. In legal and relational terms as well as matters related to inheritance, claiming a child ended all debate. Luke 3:23 says that Jesus “was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph”—stressing the fact that Joseph played no biological role in Jesus’ miraculous birth.

It is interesting to me that God provided an adoptive father (Joseph) for His divine Son to be included in the human race, and that in Christ, God adopts human beings into His family.

“So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His Name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us.’ Then, Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His Name Jesus.” Matthew 1:22-25

God commanded Joseph to marry Mary and I believe that he was happy to comply. After Messiah was born, Joseph named Him Jesus just as the Lord told him to do in Matthew 1:21.

In Matthew 1:1, Matthew began this chapter by naming Jesus “Christ” (Messiah) and he closes this chapter by connecting Jesus with the prophecy about Messiah from Isaiah 7:14.

His Name shall be called Immanuel which means “God with us.” This verse clearly states that Jesus is deity, which the Jehovah’s Witnesses deny. The Jehovah’s Witnesses like to quote the false prophet Balaam who said in Numbers 23:19 that “God is not a man that He should lie” to deny that God could become a man. But the Name Jesus means “the Lord saves.” The angel declared Jesus is Immanuel... God with us.”

The Bible makes it clear that faith in God must include faith that Jesus Christ is God’s Son. John 1:14 says, “The Word [Jesus] was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

In Galatians 1:11-12, Paul wrote, “I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the Gospel I preached is not of human origin. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.” In this passage, Paul separates Christ from being a normal man. Jesus had no sin. He was both man and God simultaneously. In reference to Christ, Paul wrote in Colossians 2:9, “In Him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.”

There is no way to get to heaven apart from faith in Jesus Christ. 1 John 2:23 says, “No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.”

1 John 5:12 says, “Whoever has the Son has life. Whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” No human being is in a position to negotiate with God a different way to heaven. God has made Jesus alone the way to the Father.

Acts 4:12 says, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

Do you want assurance of salvation? Believe and confess that Jesus is the Son of God.

Revelation 19:10 says, “The testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy.” True prophets prophesy of Jesus. In Acts 10:43, Peter preached, “To Him [Jesus Christ] give all the prophets witness, that through His Name whosoever believes in Him shall receive remission of sins.”

There’s absolutely no salvation apart from God’s forgiveness. God forgives the sins of the man, woman, boy or girl who believes in His Son Jesus Christ. Praise the Lord for that!



[1] Google sources
[2] Ibid
[3] Ibid