Tag: Matthew

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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.

MefromtheNsideout

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John the Baptist Prepares the Way

Matthew 3:1-12

In our passage today we are introduced to John the Baptist. This isn’t the first reference to John in the Scriptures. As Matthew shares in 3:3, Isaiah proclaimed John would come. Matthew affirms the prophecy with his own introduction of John by introducing him not only as one living in the Judean wilderness but as one proclaiming the message of Jesus. Matthew also paints a picture of John for us by describing his preaching style, the way he dressed, what he ate, and how the people were attracted to him, but even better, how they responded to his message by repentance and turning to God.

People from Jerusalem and from all of Judea and all over the Jordan Valley went out to see and hear John. 6 And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.

Matthew 3:5-6

However, the words that really captured my attention today are found in verses 8 and 9, where John addresses the Pharisees and Sadducees who had come to “watch” the baptism. He calls them out – demanding them to prove with their lives that they have repented and turned to God. He warns them not to think they are safe simply because they are descendants of Abraham.

8 Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. 9 Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones. 

Matthew 3:8-8

This is the true message of the Gospel and of the Savior John was preaching, and we would do well to heed the warning. Our salvation isn’t based on whether or not our parents are Christians or if we go to church … Nor does it matter if we attended a Christian school or can recite Bible verses from Genesis to Revelation, and have read through the Bible every year of our life. It isn’t based on our good deeds, bad deeds, or our knowledge of who God is. Salvation is based on faith alone in Christ alone. God’s Word says that we are saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus and not by our own efforts or works (Ephesians 2:8-9). No matter how hard or long we try we will never be good enough to earn salvation. Only God, by His grace and His mercy through Christ, can give us our salvation. It is a gift freely given to all who place their faith in Christ Jesus, the only “begotten”, sinless Son of God who died in our place – so that we could become the sons and daughters of God.

May we be careful not to place our hope and faith in what we know, or do, or for that matter what we don’t do – but rather in Jesus alone, the one who came, not to condemn the world but in order to save the world.

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

John 3:17
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Read Matthew 2:13-23

If we were to “soap” only one of these verses it most likely would be verse 16, where we read of Herod’s anger at being duped by the wise men. If we were to ‘soap’ the passage – we most likely would list the subsequent murder of all the little boys and note how the angel’s message and Joseph’s obedience were used to spare the life of Jesus. We might even note the similarities of this passage to that of a similar edict in Exodus from which Moses was spared, Exodus 1:15-22.

Herod was furious when he realized that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, based on the wise men’s report of the star’s first appearance.

Matthew 2:16

However, as I read through this passage what caught my attention this time were several sets of repeated phrases; so I went back to highlight the unfolding story of these early days/years following Jesus’ birth. Notice with me there are two times where we read that “an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream”, and once where he was “warned in a dream”, (13, 19, and 22). It is apparent in each instance that the angel brought instructions/warnings in order to protect but also to position them where God wanted them to be. This was another of the highlighted similarities. In verses 14 and 23 we read how the angel’s appearance and Joseph’s obedience fulfilled the prophecies that had been spoken. These same verses, 14 and 23, reveal Joseph’s obedient response to the angel’s instructions – which is the third set of highlighted similarities.

I believe we can learn much from these observations. We may not have an angel of the Lord appear to us in a dream but we do know that God has placed His Spirit in us to teach us and to remind us of all that He has said. We would be wise to be alert to His teaching and reminders as well as to live yielded and obedient as Joseph did. Another application comes in the form of comfort and peace knowing that God makes a habit of protecting and positioning His children according to His perfect plan – knowledge that leads us to a deeper trust.

 But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.

John 14:26

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Jesus Our Everything: Week 2, Day 4

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Today’s Scripture: Hebrews 5:1-10; Matthew 26:36-46 (S.O.A.P. Hebrews 5:7-8; Matthew 26:39)

For every high priest is taken from among the people[a] and appointed[b] to represent them before God,[c] to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He is able to deal compassionately with those who are ignorant and erring, since he also is subject to weakness, 3 and for this reason he is obligated to make sin offerings for himself as well as for the people. 4 And no one assumes this honor[d] on his own initiative,[e] but only when called to it by God,[f] as in fact Aaron was. 5 So also Christ did not glorify himself in becoming high priest, but the one who glorified him was God,[g] who said to him, “You are my Son! Today I have fathered you,”[h]6 as also in another place God[i] says, “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”[j]7 During his earthly life[k] Christ[l] offered[m] both requests and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death and he was heard because of his devotion. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through the things he suffered.[n]9 And by being perfected in this way, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, 10 and he was designated[o] by God as high priest inthe order of Melchizedek.[p]

Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and became anguished and distressed. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, even to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake with me.” 39 Going a little farther, he threw himself down with his face to the ground and prayed,[a] “My Father, if possible,[b] let this cup[c] pass from me! Yet not what I will, but what you will.” 40 Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. He[d] said to Peter, “So, couldn’t you stay awake with me for one hour? 41 Stay awake and pray that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42 He went away a second time and prayed,[e] “My Father, if this cup[f] cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will must be done.” 43 He came again and found them sleeping; they could not keep their eyes open.[g]44 So leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same thing once more. 45 Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is approaching, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Get up, let us go. Look! My betrayer[h] is approaching!”