Tag: Matthew

Posted in Bible study, For Such A Time As This

Accumulating Lasting Treasures

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based on the study, For Such A Time As This, by Love God Greatly: w1d1

Scripture Road Map: Esther 1:1-8 and Matthew 6:19-21

SOAP: Matthew 6:19-21

“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

Matthew 6:19-21

We are primarily focusing on Jesus’ instructions to store up for ourselves treasures in heaven rather than on earth. However, it is worth noting a few things about the passage from Esther, namely, the king’s celebration. King Xerxes(also known as Ahasurerus) “gave a banquet for all his nobles and officials. He invited all the military officers of Persia and Media, as well as the princes and nobles of the provinces.  The celebration lasted 180 days—a tremendous display of the opulent wealth of his empire and the pomp and splendor of his majesty.” While he offered up a lavish amount of food and drink for his guests the King and his treasures seemed to be the center of the celebration – as he “displayed the riches of his royal glory and the splendor of his majestic greatness for a lengthy period of time.

Earth is decaying and ruled by the king of liars and thieves. Heaven is ruled by Almighty God, it is indestructible and cannot be penetrated by thieves.

Mefromthensideout.com🦋

The picture painted by King Xerxes’ celebration is in stark contrast to the focal point of today’s journey found in Matthew 6:19-21, where we are encouraged to amass heavenly treasures. Matthew records the instructions of Jesus to His disciples to not be caught up with earthly treasures that will decay and/or be stolen. Instead, they were to be storing up treasures in Heaven, where nothing could destroy them and no one would break in and steal them. Jesus’s explanation of why this matters can be found in verse 21, where He warns that wherever our treasure is, that’s where the focus of our heart will be also.

Throughout Scripture, God instructs and invites us to come to Him – to know Him and make Him known. We are to give Him glory and honor1, to celebrate Him for who He is and what He’s done. We are to stand amazed in His presence, to worship Him, to love Him above and before all things – with all of our being. As believers, our hearts are to be His throne (1 Peter 3:15). In other words, we are to set apart (honor, regard, worship, sanctify) the Lord God in our hearts. Without question, He is to have first place in our lives (Mark 12:29-30), and we are to have no other gods before Him (Exodus 20:3).

Recently, when my mother moved to an assisted-living facility and we packed up her things, I found myself using the word ‘treasure’ a lot. I was also reminded of earthly decay as we emptied the attic. Hoping to ward off the threat of thieves, we were careful to make the house look lived in until everything had been moved out. My house has always had treasures within its walls, but it is far fuller since Mom’s move. The items would likely be meaningless to most, but to me, they are precious treasures, holding memories of people or events from the past. Some rank as antiques, while others have simply been passed down from one generation to the next. Dishes, furniture, pictures, jewelry, family Bibles, and my dad’s football helmet are among the items. While I don’t believe any of the pieces are an offense to God, Jesus’ words from our journey today are a reminder that they all fall under the category of “earthly treasures” that will decay.

Certainly, there is nothing wrong with gathering and enjoying treasures and heirlooms from my mom’s home. However, the words we find in Matthew chapter six are a good and necessary exhortation that we must be careful about what place these treasures hold in our hearts. The treasures Jesus tells us to store up are different than furniture, pictures, or other special items. Rather, “heavenly treasures,” as Bibleref.com points out, are “eternal rewards. They cannot be lost to moths, rust, thieves, or anything else. In financial terminology, they are a far better investment.” The commentary goes on to answer the question, “How did Jesus mean for His followers to store up rewards for themselves in heaven? He has spoken a few times in this Sermon on the Mount of acts God will reward. These have included being persecuted for Jesus’ sake (Matthew 5:11–12); giving to the needy in secret (Matthew 6:4), praying in secret (Matthew 6:6) and fasting without calling attention to oneself (Matthew 6:18). In short, God rewards His people when they lead lives of sincere devotion and worship to Him.2“

Friends, when our lives are centered around God, when He sits enthroned on our hearts, we become different, transformed from the inside out. Our thoughts and focus, our decisions and choices, our conversations and actions, and our treasures will all glorify and honor Him.

Mefromthensideout.com🦋
The More We Know

Posted in Advent, Advent, Bible study, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Quiet Time, The Promised Messiah

O’ the Depth of His Love

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Scripture: Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; Philippians 2:6-11 / SOAP: Philip 2:8-11
THe Love and Example of Jesus –

Though he, [Jesus], was God,
    he did not think of equality with God
    as something to cling to.
7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
    he took the humble position of a slave
    and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,

he humbled himself in obedience to God
    and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

The Reaction of God The Father –

9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
    and gave him the name above all other names,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:8-11

I love the way that the LGG Team worded it in today’s devotion (journal p 52)

When Jesus left the glories of heaven to come into our broken world, He emptied Himself, not of His divinity, but of His divine privileges as God. Jesus, the eternal Son of God, was willing to take on human nature, entering into all the pain, frustrations, and afflictions of our fallen world. he humbled Himself by submitting to the Father’s will.

Jesus’ obedience went beyond living as a human, even to the point of His gruesome death. He was humiliated and hated, murdered by the very people He came to save. Yet, because of that, God has highly exalted Him.

The Promised Messiah, by LGG, devotion journal p52

To know God is to love Him and to know the depth of His love is to worship and adore Him above all else. I mean seriously, our God is an awesome God! Yet we will never truly understand how incredibly awesome He is until we understand the depth of His love. Consider these closing words from today’s devo: “[Jesus] was willing to humble Himself completely to save us. He left His place in heaven so that we could have a relationship with Him. He gave everything so we could gain everything.” –

When we understand the depth of His love we will bow to the supremacy of Christ and we will follow/adopt His attitude toward God and man.

O’ Come let us adore Him! May we forever exalt His name – for He is forever worthy of our praise!

Father, God – thank You for sending Your Son to save us. Jesus thank You for Your obedience to the Father on my behalf and for His glory – Help me to live and love like You! In Your name I pray Jesus – Amen.

Posted in Bible study, From Broken to Restored, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Quiet Time

Purpose Matters

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based on the LGG Study, From Broken to Restored / w6d1

Scripture: Nehemiah 13:1-14; Matthew 21:12-16 / SOAP: Matthew 21:13

Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. 13 “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’”

Matthew 21:12 and 13
A Look at Nehemiah

Our ongoing journey through Nehemiah is winding down this week and bears some close observation as we near the end. Today’s 14 verses deal with a time when one of the priest had repurposed a room that God had purposed for the the grain offering, the incense, and the vessels, along with the tithes of the grain, the new wine, and the olive oil. The priest didn’t just repurpose the room but made it a large storeroom for a relative to use. Nehemiah makes it clear that during this time he had gone back to serving the King and had not been in Jerusalem when the priest had taken over the storeroom. When Nehemiah found out what “evil” the priest had done he became very upset and threw everything out and gave instructions for the room to be purified. Once it was purified he restored it to its original purpose – including the “grain offering and the incense; he also made sure it would no longer be neglected. Because he did these things all of Judah once again brought the “tithe of the grain, the new wine, and the olive oil to the storerooms.”

Nehemiah’s Prayer Request

Following Nehemiah’s return and restoration project he makes a humble request of God to remember him for what he had done. At first glance this prayer may seem less than humble but he clarifies the intent of his heart’s purpose by specifically asking God to “not wipe out the kindness [Nehemiah had] done for the temple of [his] God and for its services!”

It wasn’t about what Nehemiah had done but why he had done it.

A New Testament Example

Today’s SOAP passage, Matthew 21:13, shows Jesus’ reaction to a similar situation as that of Nehemiah’s. We see Jesus, the one typically so full of love and compassion, “[driving] out all those who were selling and buying in the temple courts, and [turning] over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves.” However, as with Nehemiah, Jesus’ words that followed his actions clarified His intent and heart’s purpose. Quoting from the Old Testament, He said to those involved, “It is written, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are turning it into a den of robbers!”

Jesus’ anger was clearly ‘righteous anger’ aroused because the people were misusing the House of God, His Father. Not only were they cheating the people who had come to the temple for righteous purposes they were robbing God of the joy and glory and honor He received when the people sought Him in prayer and sacrifice. This explains the statement Jesus made when He boldly identified the guilty parties as “robbers!”

Jesus’ anger wasn’t just about Him not liking what they were doing. It was about His jealousy for God and what they were taking away from Him.

Make it Personal: Reflection

Today, God’s presence indwells our hearts through His Holy Spirit. As we look at the way the temple of God was supposed to be treated, what does that mean for our hearts?

Going Further

Today’s LGG Blog Post offers more insight

Read about the House of Prayer and Den of Robbers

Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, LGG Study, Quiet Time, The Importance of Prayer, The Importance of Prayer

Love Overflowing

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Today’s Reading: Matthew 16:18; Philippians 1:9-11; Revelation 2:4; SOAP: Philippians 1:9-11

9 I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. 10 For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. 11 May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God.

Philippians 1:9-11

Paul’s prayer is for the love of the Philippians to overflow …. and that they will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding.

  • Why? Because he wants them to understand what really matters
  • Why? So that they may live pure and blameless lives

He also prays that they may always be filled filled with the fruit of their salvation

  • What is that fruit?
    • Paul explains that it is the righteous character that Jesus produces in them
  • Why does the fruit of righteousness matter?
    • Because it brings praise and glory to God …. and that is what really matters. We know this because we are told in Scripture that we were created by Him and for Him.

“You are worthy, O Lord our God,
    to receive glory and honor and power.
For you created all things,
    and they exist because you created what you pleased.”

Revelation 4:11

Paul’s prayer here for the Philippians is probably one of the most important prayers we can pray for each other as well as for ourselves. He’s praying about what really matters – not just that they might grow in love but in the knowledge and understanding of how to live and love like Jesus Christ. Paul knew that the more we understand about how Jesus lived the more like Him we will be. It’s hard to imagine living “pure and blameless lives” but that is the prayer and encouragement of Paul. – Not just because he believed it was possible but because Paul understood what really matters and he wanted the church to understand it as well – because He knows it will bring praise and glory to God. He explains the secret behind it – and that is Jesus Himself living in us – His Spirit doing the work and producing the fruit that bears witness that our faith is real – and that glorifies God.

Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, LGG Study, Quiet Time, The Importance of Prayer, The Importance of Prayer

Love With Your Whole Being

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Today’s Reading: Matthew 22:34-38; 2 Peter 3:18

34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees with his reply, they met together to question Jesus again. 35 One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”

37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment.

Matthew 22:34-38

When asked what the most important commandment is, Jesus answered with the Word of God. – He pointed those trying to trick Him and all who were listening to God and what they would recognize as coming from God through Moses.

““Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the rules—that the Lord your God commanded me to teach you, … Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”
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Deuteronomy‬ ‭6:4-5‬ ‭ESV‬‬

The same words God gave Moses to teach the people of Israel, Christ now gives to the people as the first and greatest commandment. Both the father and the son called the people, and by extension- all those who would believe in Christ, to remember that the LORD was their God and that they were to love Him with everything they had – heart, soul, mind, and strength – their whole being.

We could stop there and let that be the devotion, for we can never be reminded enough of this first and greatest commandment. However, as I read the title again in the devotional journal of our study I was left wondering why on earth they had titled it, “Praying for Your Children and the Next Generation.” So, now I’m staring at my SOAPed up passage, the highlighted words and the notes in the margin and I’m not seeing anything to do with prayer or the next generation – BUT – what I do see is the passage I jotted down from Deuteronomy and I went back to it and there, in the context of that passage, was the answer.

“These are the commands, decrees, and regulations that the Lord your God commanded me to teach you. You must obey them in the land you are about to enter and occupy, 2 and you and your children and grandchildren must fear the Lord your God as long as you live. If you obey all his decrees and commands, you will enjoy a long life. 3 Listen closely, Israel, and be careful to obey. Then all will go well with you, and you will have many children in the land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you.
4 “Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. 5 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. 6 And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. 7 Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. 8 Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. 9 Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Deuteronomy 6:1-9

Clearly these commandments, that were eventually summed up into the one that Christ gave to the Pharisees, were meant not just for each of us individually but for us and our children, and their children, and all the generations to follow. So important were the words God had given to Moses that they were meant to be passed on to their children, written on their door posts, and spoken of day and night, at home or on the road. Surely if they are that important they are meant to be a consideration of our prayers … prayers that we would love the Lord our God with all of our being, prayers that we would be faithful to teach our children and grandchildren about the commandments and how Christ summed them up, and prayers that our children and all the generations to follow would know and love the LORD our God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength. Lest you find yourself even for a moment wondering how it could be that important – consider this reminder – only a few generations after Moses the people of Israel no longer acknowledge God as the LORD nor did they know the wonders He had done for them.

After that generation died, another generation grew up who did not acknowledge the LORD or remember the mighty things he had done for Israel. 11 The Israelites did evil in the LORD’s sight and served the images of Baal. 12 They abandoned the LORD, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They went after other gods, worshiping the gods of the people around them. And they angered the LORD. 13 They abandoned the LORD to serve Baal and the images of Ashtoreth.

Judges 2:10
Prayer: Response to God’s Word

Father, this world we live in looks and sounds much like the description found in Judges chapter 2. In our country and around the world we see and hear people who have grown up not knowing You. They do not acknowledge You as Lord or remember the great things that you have done. They do evil in Your sight. Many who have grown up in the church have abandoned You and have gone after other gods, worshiping the gods of the people around them. Change their hearts oh God, let them know You and Your love and may they be moved to love You with all of their being. Call Your people to live out Your command through Moses – to love You with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength. Help us to commit ourselves wholeheartedly to this command that Jesus summed up as the greatest of them all. Keep us faithful to repeat them again and again to our children, to talk about them when we are at home and when we are on the road, when we are going to bed and when we are getting up. May they not just be written and kept in places where we can see them but may they be written and hidden in our hearts as a light to guide our feet and as a lamp for our paths.   

Posted in Bible study, Come, Lord Jesus, Come, From the Insideout, LGG Study

Commissioned

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Day 5, Week 6 of Come, Lord Jesus Come (A Love God Greatly Study) Disciples of All Nations

Scripture Reading: Matthew 28:16-20 (SOAP – Matthew 28:19-20)

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20 NET

Observations and Application of the Great Commission:

Much like Paul gave Timothy his ‘charge’ or particular ‘ministry’ to do, Jesus gives His disciples a charge to carry out. He actually tasks them with much the same thing – the work of an evangelist, which is to spread the Gospel message. Like Timothy, we are to do the work of an evangelist, spreading the news that Jesus saves, discipling others, encouraging new believers to follow the Lord in baptism, and to obey everything that Christ commanded. We would also do well to remember to encourage others that Jesus is with us, even to the end of the age.

Prayer: Response to God’s Word

Father, You are good and Christ was good to walk with and transform the lives of so many disciples who followed Him. You continue to disciple and train us up today by Your Word and people. May we be faithful to Your commission, whether it is convenient or not – to be ready with an answer for the hope that is within us. Show us how to reach those here and in other countries. And as we go, open hearts and minds to the message of the cross and of our Christ!

more insight

https://lovegodgreatly.com/devotional-come-lord-jesus-come-w6d5/

Reflections: Your turn

Who in your life can you disciple?

Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout
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Sin and the Need for Jesus

Day 4 of Jesus, I Need You – Part 2, a study of Thistlebend Ministries

Scripture Reading: Malachi 1:6-8, 3:1, 4:5-6; Matthew 11:14, Luke 1:17; and Isaiah 57:14-19

God Forgives the Repentant14 God says, “Rebuild the road Clear away the rocks and stones so my people can return from captivity.” 15 The high and lofty one who lives in eternity the Holy One, says this: “I  live in the high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I restore the crushed spirit of the humble  and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts. 16 For I will not fight against you forever; I will not always be angry. If I were, all people would pass away—all the souls I have made. 17 I was angry,
so I punished these greedy people. I withdrew from them, but they kept going on their own stubborn way. 18 I have seen what they do, but I will heal them anyway! I will lead them.
I will comfort those who mourn, 19 bringing words of praise to their lips. May they have abundant peace, both near and far,” says the Lord, who heals them.  Isaiah 57:14-19  NLT
 Observation: What’s the Message?

Every day, throughout this study, I have read the verses and looked for ways that they point us to our need for Jesus. Some passages have been more obvious than others but today’s proved to be challenging for me. Here’s where I landed …. Malachi 1:6-8 was a reminder that our sins require a sacrifice acceptable to God, but then it also prompted to praise God that Jesus is forever a perfect sacrifice. This reminded me that The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. God will not despise a broken and humbled heart. The other two passages from Malachi as well as the ones from Matthew and Luke seem to point us yet again to John the Baptist and his role as the one who would prepare the way for our Lord.

The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. God, You will not despise a broken and humbled heart.

Psalm 51:17

It is the passage from Isaiah however, that captured my attention. I confess it grabbed my attention mostly because I couldn’t figure it out and that always bugs me – so I chased down some information on its meaning and was glad I did. From all that I read, my synopsis is – it’s all about Christ making a way for us to have a relationship with God! However, I want to share with you a few bullet points from an article I read that I hope will help you reach the same ‘hallelujah’ I did.

  • Christ is the one who opens the way for a great returning to God (14)
  • Christ is the one in whom the “lofty one” – whose name is Holy comes to dwell with the oppressed and lowly (15)
  • Christ’s death is why God can acquit a guilty people without dropping the charges (16)
  • It is by Christ’s stripes that we are healed (18)
  • Everything hoped for in this passage comes to us – even to us Gentiles – in Jesus Christ.

Piper, from whose article I borrowed these points, went on to say, “We can read it as a personal offer of hope to any of us who will accept the healing of humbling and the cure of a crushed spirit.”

Application: How Then Should We Live?

From the inferior sacrifices of Malachi’s day to yet more reminders of John coming to prepare the way we are once again reminded of our need for Jesus. If we do not acknowledge this need daily, in both our hearts and minds, I am convinced that we will live as though we do not need Him.

We must not allow ourselves to live as though we can save ourselves or make ourselves better – we need a savior and that savior cannot be a pastor, a church, a child or spouse or friend, it can not be a job or good works. The only savior able to meet the demands of our Holy God is His Righteous Son, Jesus Christ.

Sin is the key because it is often the stumbling block that keeps us from dealing with the daily reality of our need for Jesus. We convince ourselves the questionable things we think, do, say, or watch really aren’t that bad. We play the grace card sometimes before we’ve even committed the sin – content that He will forgive us – we proceed with the sin. We should not make light of sin or treat it as a mistake – we need to humble ourselves before Him, confess our sin for what it is and deal with the sorrow that contrition brings. Remember, a humble and contrite heart He will not despise and according to this passage in Isaiah it is with the contrite and humble that He lives.

Prayer: Response to God’s Word

Father, how blessed we are that You sent Jesus to open a way to You, to acquit us of our quilt, to come and dwell among us, to heal us by His stripes, and to offer us hope and an eternal future with You. May we daily consider what You have done for us and live accordingly. Guard us from living in ignorance or rebellion – knowing what You’ve done for us but choosing our own way over Yours. Help us to be aware of our sin and may it make us contrite and humble, for it is with a humble and contrite heart You will dwell. To You be the glory, honor, and praise now and forever – Amen!

Your Turn:
  • What’s your take away from today?
  • How can you plan to walk humbly with your God?
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THE CANAANITE WOMAN: GREAT FAITH





Tuesday: Week 2 of Beautifully Surrendered, A Love God Greatly Study





TODAY’S READING: MATTHEW 15:21-28; SOAP: MATTHEW 15:28





My Observation: 





We really need to look at the full picture to understand and appreciate what took place and what it means for us as Gentile believers.





The Woman





  • Though she was a Canaanite, the woman recognized Jesus for who He was, one who could have mercy on her, the Lord, the Son of David. (22)
  • She had a demon-possessed daughter.(22)
  • Even though Jesus did not answer her at first, even though the disciples begged Him to “send her away”, and even though Jesus finally told her “He was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel”(23-24) – She came and bowed down before Him, acknowledged Him again as Lord and again asked for help (25)
  • In rebuttal to Jesus’ response, one that could have been taken as offensively rude, she doesn’t rile at Him in anger but acknowledges His position as “master”. (27)





The Disciples: 





Granted,  among the crowds of people following Jesus, vying for His attention, pressing in for healing or some other miracle – being a disciple couldn’t have been easy. In this particular situation the woman had obviously gotten on their last nerve as they begged for Jesus to send her away. (23)





Jesus:





Jesus went from not responding to the women’s request, to a statement about why He was there, then to making the shocking statement that was less than flattering, and finally to commending her and acting on the woman’s “great faith”.





Note: Some have made the argument that Jesus was rude in not responding and others would argue that  His comment about the ‘dogs’ was uncalled for – but the greater argument can and should be made that He was looking to see if the woman was a sincere believer or not since she was a Canaanite.  A helpful commentary on this matter can be found at this Bible Reference link  – https://www.bibleref.com/Matthew/15/Matthew-15-26.html





What we must remember when Scripture raises questions like this - is who we know Jesus to be. He God in human form, there was no sin in Him - so He would never be rude or disrespectful to anyone and His reasons for everything He says and does will always be perfect and for the Father's glory. To believe less than this is to question the very foundation of our belief in God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.    - Me, from-the-insideout





How Then Should We Live?





It’s easy to approach God and ask for needs or health or even desires … but it’s the believing and persisting that is often missing.  However, we are encouraged to be devoted to prayer, to pray without ceasing, to approach the throne of God boldly and with confidence, to keep on asking – to keep on seeking – and to keep on knocking … so even though she may have seemed annoying to the disciples – we must not take this to mean we should do any less. However, what struck me more than her persistence was the fact that her focus wasn’t on her daughter at the moment but squarely  on Jesus, who He was, and what He could do. For this reason, I believe, a profitable take-away or application would be to pray believing, persist in praying, and focus on the Master rather than the request. I learned a long time ago – with many reminders since – that when we focus on our request we lose sight of Jesus and, like Peter on the water,  our faith begins to sink beneath the waves of our desire. 





My Prayer Response:





Father, in our praying help us stay focused on You and not on our requests/needs or desires. Help us to pray believing and persistently – knowing You are able. May we not waiver in our faith for in this You are glorified and we are blessed. 

	







	
			

			
				
							
		

	
	

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The Sermon on the Mount





5 One day as he saw the crowds gathering, Jesus went up on the mountainside and sat down. His disciples gathered around him, 2 and he began to teach them.





The Beatitudes





3 “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him,
    for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
4 God blesses those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.
5 God blesses those who are humble,
    for they will inherit the whole earth.
6 God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice,
    for they will be satisfied.
7 God blesses those who are merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy.
8 God blesses those whose hearts are pure,
    for they will see God.
9 God blesses those who work for peace,
    for they will be called the children of God.
10 God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right,
    for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.





11 “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. 12 Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.





Matthew begins chronicling the events that transpired after the crowds began following Jesus. The crowds were still growing and would have included Jews and gentiles, curiosity seekers and His disciples, both those whom He had personally called and  those who were serious about following Him and learning from Him. While all who could hear Him may have listened, it was the ‘disciples’ that He spoke to. 





 His disciples gathered around him, and he began to teach them.
Matthew 5:1b-2





The lesson or lessons as it would seem, were long and would have given those listening much to consider. This first segment of the lessons, called the “Beatitudes” was a list of ways Jesus’ followers would be blessed by God. The word blessed here does not carry a connotation of being happy but rather of turning out well. In other words, when their attitudes lined up with these expressed qualities – which were basically expressions of what God desired – then the result would be good.  They aren’t all easy or even easily understood but the message or lesson Christ was teaching was this: whether here on earth or in heaven with God the blessings of a godly life will be far greater than a life filled with worldly pleasures,  ease,  or convenience.  





One other note ,that I believe is a good take-away for application, is profoundly yet simply this – As His disciples we must be faithful to gather around Him and listen to Him teach. This is the key to the blessings. 





If you would like to know more about each of the ‘beatitudes’ you will find helpful information here. https://www.bibleref.com/Matthew/5/Matthew-chapter-5.html – simply click on the verse you want to know more about. 

	







	
			

			
				
							
		

	
	

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The Ministry of Jesus Begins





12 When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he left Judea and returned to Galilee. 13 He went first to Nazareth, then left there and moved to Capernaum, beside the Sea of Galilee, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. 14 This fulfilled what God said through the prophet Isaiah:





15 “In the land of Zebulun and of Naphtali,
    beside the sea, beyond the Jordan River,
    in Galilee where so many Gentiles live,
16 the people who sat in darkness
    have seen a great light.
And for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow,
    a light has shined.”
Isaiah 9:1-2





17 From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”  Matthew 4:12-17










So where do we focus our attention today? 





  • John being arrested?
  • Jesus hearing of the arrest and heading back to Galilee?
  • A prophesy fulfilled?
  • or  – Jesus beginning His preaching ministry, with the message “repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of God is near? *note the message didn’t change, just the deliverer





I believe they must all be considered to gain the full impact of verse 17,  where Jesus begins to preach.   Clearly each event led to the next and was laced with the fingerprints of God’s perfect timing. John was sent as a messenger, to prepare the way for the Lord, the Messiah whom he had  baptized. The one of whom he said, “He (Jesus) must increase, but I must decrease.” . Once Jesus entered the scene , John was well aware that his ministry was nearing its end and this, by the Gospel’s accounts, began with John’s arrest. The same is true of Jesus who, when He heard that John had been arrested, did not hurry to his aid but rather back to Galilee. Why? Because He knew the message John had been preaching – one of repentance and turning to God because the Kingdom of Heaven is near- had to continue; He also knew God’s intention was for Him to carry the news to the lost, which according to the prophecy of Isaiah would begin with the Gentiles in Galilee “where so many Gentiles lived“.  





For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”
Luke 19:10





Both Jesus and John knew the Father’s plan was for Jesus to be exalted and they were committed to it. I do not suggest that John knew he would be arrested but simply that he understood things would be changing. He was yielded to God’s calling on his life, yielded to Christ increasing and him decreasing, but he continued to speak the truth in boldness, unapologetically preparing the way for the Lord. John’s message led him to prison and ultimately to his death. (Read the story)  Jesus also knew and understood the Father’s plan – His timing, purpose, and the importance of the message – and He went in that direction. His commitment to the Father’s plan, like John’s, also led to His arrest and subsequent crucifixion.





Wow! If we didn’t know the rest of the story we might be tempted to think – “if commitment to God means heartache and death – why commit?” The answer can be found throughout Scripture, such as in Jesus’ answer to the thief on the cross – “today you will be with me in paradise”, or in the promise and pledged love of God to give all who believe in Him eternal life, or even in the words of Jesus to the crowd when He explained that to be His disciple they had to give up their own way, take up their cross daily, and follow Him. If you think the first two requirements are harder than the last check out what Jesus had just told them about His life in verse 22 of Luke 9, “The Son of Man must suffer many terrible things,” he said. “He will be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He will be killed, but on the third day he will be raised from the dead.“  Following Christ may not be easy or desirous at times but as He told them  at the conclusion of His discipleship requirements … the end result is LIFE. 





“if you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.”
Luke 9:24





May we seek to know the Word of God (2 Timothy 2:15), His purpose for the world (John 3:16-17), His call upon our life (Matt 28:18-20), and, like John and Jesus, may we be committed and yielded to follow accordingly. 





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