Matthew 21:1-22

Jesus made His entrance into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. The people were laying down their coats and palm branches on the road before Him, praising Him and shouting "Hosanna!" Within a week's time, the shouts would change from "Hosanna!" to "Crucify Him!" Perhaps Jesus didn't fulfill the expectations of the people. Perhaps everyone was just going with the flow. When we make a decision to follow Jesus, we need to make sure it's for the right reasons.


When Jesus came to the temple, He ran off the people who were using the temple to make money selling doves and exchanging money for people to bring their offerings. Jesus said they had made His house into a den of thieves. Even in today's church, we run the risk of seeing the church as just another way to make money. We need to be careful not to let the occasional bake sale, car wash or other fund raisers take the focus away from the teaching and ministering that we are supposed to be doing.


Jesus began healing people in the temple. The children were shouting "Hosanna!" This bothered the religious leaders there who decided to make an issue of it with Jesus. Jesus referred them to scripture which talks about praise coming from children (infants and babes). When our children are praising God we should encourage them instead of silencing them. It is good for our children to learn from an early age to give glory to God and lay a good foundation for a lifetime of the same.


Jesus came up to a fig tree looking for figs. Because the tree was barren, Jesus cursed it to never grow fruit again and the tree withered. The disciples were amazed and asked how He did it. Using this as a teaching moment, He told them that if they had faith, they could do even greater things than this. Also, whatever we ask for in our prayers with true faith and belief will be given to us. God wants to do great things for us and through us, but we need to have faith in Him and believe He will give us what we need.

Matthew 20:17-34

On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus taught again about His death and resurrection stating that He would be handed over to the Romans by the chief priests and scribes to be humiliated, beaten and ultimately crucified, and that He would be raised up on the third day. Jesus was trying to prepare them for what was going to happen. They may not have understood completely at the time, but when Jesus appeared to them that first Easter, all the things Jesus said must have come back to them and finally made sense.


James and John asked Jesus for places of honor in His kingdom - on His right and left sides. Jesus' answer shows that those who have high positions in His kingdom will have sufferings to go along with them. Also, these positions weren't just for the first to ask, but to those who God had chosen. When the other ten disciples heard what James and John were doing, they got angry with them, but Jesus made it clear to all of them that they shouldn't be jockeying for positions.

Jesus said the world is concerned with position and those who have high ranks use their positions to make themselves feel better at the expense of making others feel smaller. That's not a "love your neighbor" mentality! Jesus said that He came to serve and not to be served. The disciples needed to become servants to others in order to get ahead in the kingdom. When we get overly concerned with where we stand in relation to others - with God or in the church - we lose the very thing we are worrying so much about.


Two blind men were calling out to Jesus. They persevered despite others telling them to be quiet. Jesus heard them and asked what they wanted. They replied that they wanted their eyes to be opened. Jesus healed them of their blindness and they followed Him. The words to the song "Amazing Grace" come to mind: "I once was lost, but now am found; was blind, but now I see." We were all blind once and needed our eyes to be opened to the truth. Jesus is the one who opens our eyes. He is the way, the truth, and the life.

Matthew 20:1-16

Jesus related a parable about a landowner who hired people to work in his fields. People were hired at different times throughout the day and all got the same pay at the end. Some of the people who were hired first complained that the people who worked less should not get the same amount as the ones who worked all day. The landowner reminded them that they had agreed on a wage when they started and got what they were promised. They shouldn't be jealous because the others got the same.

It doesn't matter how long we walk with the Lord, doing His work. God's reward of eternal life is the same whether we come to Him as a small child or when we are old. Man's way reasons that the one who serves longest should get the greatest reward - God rewards all who come to the harvest with the same gift of eternal life, regardless of when they come. It is God's gift to do with as He pleases and we have no right to grumble and complain if He goes about His business in a way that we don't understand.

Matthew 19:16-30

A rich man came asking Jesus what he needed to do in order to have eternal life. Jesus told him there is only one who is good - God - and that to have eternal life, he would have to keep His commandments. The man wanted to know which ones. Jesus told him: do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not lie, honor your mother and father, and love your neighbor as yourself. To this the man said that he had kept all these commands and asked what else he needed to do. Jesus told him he to sell all his possessions and follow Him, but when he heard this, the man walked away disappointed.

This man knew enough that there was something he was missing. By his own reckoning, he had kept the commandments, but still knew something was lacking. In his mind, eternal life was somehow earned through something he could do - he just wasn't quite sure what it was. Perhaps he hoped Jesus had a quick fix answer. Jesus' first answer was to keep God's commands, If anyone can perfectly keep all the commandments of God, then they are holy and have earned eternal life - but no one can keep all of God's commandments perfectly except Jesus. Still, the man said he had kept the commandments. Surely, Jesus knew that he couldn't possibly have perfectly kept all the commandments, but instead of calling him out, He decided to challenge the man and let him see for himself how he missed the mark. In his unwillingness to sell everything he had, the man showed his heart was actually for material things rather than seeking God.

There is nothing we can do or say that makes us good enough on our own to gain entrance to heaven. Only by being covered in grace can we be seen as holy and worthy of heaven. Grace is free to us for the asking because the price has been paid by Christ. There is nothing we can do to add to what He has already done.


Jesus stated that it is difficult for the rich to come to salvation. Money can be a hindrance to focusing on God and His will for our lives. By no means is it impossible to have money and follow God, but to do so means that we need to allow God to be in control of our finances along with the other aspects of our lives - no matter how much (or little) money we have.


The disciples wanted to know what their reward would be for leaving everything behind and following Jesus. Jesus tells them there will indeed be treasure for them as well as for everyone who gives up something to follow Him. Is there something you're holding on to that is keeping you from following Christ?

Matthew 19:1-15

Some Pharisees came asking Jesus about divorce. They were trying to catch Him in a trap and asked if it was lawful to divorce for any reason at all. Jesus began by taking them back to the definition of marriage as God designed it. God made man and woman and instituted marriage that they would become "one flesh". Since God has joined them together, no man has business tearing them apart. Not satisfied, the Pharisees pushed back asking why the law of Moses commanded to give a wife a certificate of divorce. Jesus answered back that due to the hardness of their hearts, God allows divorce, but that He never intended for it to happen. God hates divorce (Mal 2:16).

Jesus had already spoken on this matter during the sermon on the mount (Matthew 5:31-32). It may be that these Pharisees already knew Jesus' position and were hoping to catch Him contradicting Himself or were just hoping to stir up a controversial subject. One of the basic staples of Jesus' teachings was getting back to the original design or the base intent of God's laws. Here He showed us that the original intent for marriage has always been a lifetime commitment. However we try to change or rationalize anything less does not change God's plan.

The disciples expressed the opinion that if marriage was so binding, why not just stay single? Jesus explained that though some remain single through circumstances or choice, this wasn't meant for everyone. Limited options for divorce shouldn't be a consideration for whether or not to marry. When we choose to get married, the decision should be for a lifelong commitment. When we go into a marriage with an attitude against divorce, we are more likely to be more careful entering into the marriage and more likely to seek to resolve issues with our spouse than to petition for divorce over "irreconcilable differences."


Children were brought to Jesus to be blessed, but the disciples turned them away. Jesus told them to let the children be brought to Him and He blessed them. Children are not to be pushed aside as annoyances. Jesus did not think it beneath Him to stop and take time to bless these children. He mentioned again that the kingdom of heaven belongs to those who make themselves like children. We need to bring our children up knowing Jesus, bringing them to Him the way these children were brought to Him so that they know Him and receive His blessings.

Matthew 18:21-35

Peter asks Jesus how many times we should forgive someone who wrongs us. He asks if seven is enough times (three was the common teaching of the day). Jesus answered him that it should be seventy times seven. Peter may have thought he was being incredibly generous by more than doubling the current standard, but Jesus took it far beyond even that. Of course, 490 isn't the magic number for forgiveness - in fact, we shouldn't even be keeping score (1 Cor 13:4-5). The number was not meant to be an absolute, but rather to be illustrative of a very high number (as much as it takes).

To further bring home the point of forgiveness, Jesus tells a parable about a man who owed a large sum of money to his king - more than he could hope to repay. When the king decided to sell the man, his family, and all his belongings to settle the debt, the man begged for mercy and promised to find a way to repay his debt. The king was so moved, he not only let him remain free, but also canceled the entire debt.

The man owed a debt that he could not pay his master. Likewise, our sin debt to God is one that we cannot pay. God, in His love, covered our debt by sacrificing His Son, Jesus. Justice allows that each of us pay the penalty for our sin; grace wipes the debt clean.

After being released, the man went and found someone who owed him a small amount and demanded repayment. When this person made the same plea, the forgiven man refused to hear it and had his debtor thrown into prison. When the king heard about this, he was angry and threw the man he had previously forgiven into prison.

This brings to mind the part of the model prayer given by Jesus where we are to ask God to forgive us as we have forgiven others (Matthew 6:12). The man in the parable was shown a great deal of mercy, but showed none. In return, the mercy was withdrawn from him. If we model our lives in every way after God, we will learn to forgive unconditionally - no matter the size of the offense or number of times. Be glad that God doesn't limit His grace to seven times or even seventy times seven.

Matthew 18:1-20

The disciples asked Jesus who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus says that to even get into the kingdom of heaven, they must become like children. To earn greatness in the kingdom, one must become humble. Children are not skeptics by nature because they have not been hardened by the world; they are teachable because they have much to learn; they are dependent on their parents because they cannot provide for themselves. Without these qualities, we cannot take in what God wants us to learn. It seems strange at first that humility would lead to greatness, but out of humility comes respect and love for others. When we humble ourselves, the characteristics Jesus has been talking about come to the surface naturally.


How we treat people who exhibit these childlike traits is just as important, be they children or new Christians. By accepting them, we show our acceptance of Christ. A warning though to any who would try to lead one of these astray, Jesus said their fate will be worse than having a millstone tied around their neck and then tossed into the sea. It is apparent that Jesus is very protective of those who come to Him and pursue Him with childlike faith and humility. To impede someone's journey who is earnestly seeking Him is to ruin two lives, making it doubly worse.

Jesus illustrates that it is better to lose a hand or foot or eye that is causing us to sin than to keep it and lose out on salvation. Whether we have friends who pull us down into old, destructive habits or material things in our life taking our attention away from Jesus, we have to get rid of them.


Each believer is important to Jesus. Like a shepherd who leaves ninety-nine of his sheep to go off and find the lost one, Jesus comes looking for us when we wander away. Once found and brought back into the fold, He rejoices like the shepherd, glad to have us back where we belong. From time to time, we all go astray - just like sheep. We lose our focus and start to go whichever way seems like fun or most interesting. Praise God that Jesus isn't content to let us go. Each of us is precious to Him and worth protecting.


Having dealt with handling sin in our own lives, Jesus turns to how to deal with others who do wrong to us. Start small by confronting the person one-on-one. If he doesn't listen, bring two or three others to try to persuade him. If even that doesn't work, the matter should be brought before the church. If he is still not responsive, he should no longer be included in the church. This was not meant to be a road map for settling every petty squabble that we have with one another. To be excluded from the body of Christ, someone would have to have done something pretty grievous. Whatever the problem though, big or small, we should always be gracious enough not to include more people than absolutely necessary. The first step to resolving a problem with someone else is to go to them privately and give them a chance to explain their position and/or make things right. From there, decide whether the matter needs to be pursued, but no matter the outcome, we should not harbor ill feelings towards them or let ourselves be led to gossip about the situation. When more people need to be brought into the situation, it should be done prayerfully and in the name of Christ. It is then that He can come into the situation and direct the participants on agreeing on the proper course of action.

Matthew 17

Jesus took Peter, James , and John up onto a mountain. There they saw Jesus transfigured, shining like the sun in glory with Moses and Elijah beside Him, talking with Him. All of this moved Peter to suggest building tabernacles for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah right there. God appeared in the form of a bright cloud over them and proclaimed Jesus as His Son and said to listen to Him. At hearing this, the disciples fell on their faces to the ground. After Jesus came over and touched them, they looked up to see only Jesus. It must have been quite an experience for the three disciples, but Jesus told them not to speak of it until after He had risen from the dead.

Coming back down the mountain with any possible doubt of Jesus being the Messiah removed, the disciples asked Jesus about the coming of Elijah. They had learned that Elijah would come before the Messiah, and they hadn't seen him. Jesus confirmed that their understanding was correct and and that Elijah had already come. Then they realized that it was John the Baptist, who prepared the way for Jesus.

We may not each get to experience an event like this in our lives, but each of us can see the glory of Jesus in our own lives and the lives of others if we just care to look. The disciples were sworn to secrecy until the time was right to tell about their experience of Jesus' glory. We are under no such obligation (quite the opposite!) and should be letting everyone know about the glory of Jesus as we have personally experienced it.


After they came down from the mountain, a man approached Jesus asking for his son to be healed. Some of Jesus' disciples had tried, but could not. Jesus cast the demon out of the boy after addressing the crowd, asking how long it would take for them to catch on. When asked by the disciples later why they couldn't heal the boy, Jesus told them it was due to their lack of faith.

When we pray for things and don't see them happen, one reason may be that we don't have faith that God will do what we ask. Doubts can enter our minds where we imagine something is beyond even God or perhaps He's too busy to take care of such a trivial thing. This lack of faith can stop us from receiving God's blessings and doing His will. After all, if we don't believe He can or will do a thing, why should He?


Peter was approached by someone collecting tributes for the temple who asked if Jesus payed the temple tax. Peter said He did and then went to talk to Jesus about it. Before Peter brought it up, Jesus started to question him about taxes. Through this questioning, He made a comparison of earthly taxes to the temple tax. Earthly kings collect taxes from their subjects, but not their sons. Likewise, God's Son should not be subject to the temple tax. So as not to create a conflict though, Jesus instructs Peter to go to the sea and catch a fish. That fish would have a coin in its mouth worth enough to pay the temple tax for both of them.

Jesus could have easily said the tax didn't apply to Him and He wasn't going to pay it. Instead, He chose to fulfill the perceived obligation. Sometimes, even when we are in the right, standing firm in our position may not be the right thing to do. Being right isn't the most important thing. We need to use wisdom to decide what battles to pursue and which to leave alone.

Matthew 16

Again, a group of religious leaders pressed Jesus for a sign. He pointed out to them that they saw the signs of the coming weather and understood them, but they were missing all the signs He'd been doing. An evil and adulterous generation seeks a sign, He said, but the only sign they would get was the sign of Jonah. Jesus had no reason to cater to the whims of these leaders. They weren't looking for a sign to believe in Him, but to trap Him. The biggest sign was yet to come in His death and resurrection, but even then, some of the hardest hearts would still not turn and believe.

We should not test the Lord. There are enough signs given to each of us if we look for them. Why should we be given more if we have not responded to the first signs? And if we have responded to the first signs, isn't that enough?


Jesus and His disciples got into a boat to cross the sea. When they got to the other side, the disciples realized they had forgotten to bring bread. At this time, Jesus told them to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. The disciples assumed He was somehow referring to their lack of bread, but He reminded them about feeding the multitudes with very little bread twice. They still had their minds on earthly things and were not yet focusing on the spiritual things Jesus was trying to teach them. The disciples finally understood He was warning them about the teachings of the Pharisees and Sadducees, and that they needed to make sure they guarded against letting those teachings enter their hearts.

We can guard against false doctrines entering our hearts by being filled with God's doctrines. By studying and memorizing scripture and praying to God, there won't be room in our hearts or lives for anything else. When we are grounded in the truth, the polished lies are easy to spot and no longer have an appeal for us.


Jesus asked His disciples a very important question - one that each of us must answer as well when we come to Christ: Who do you say I am? The disciples had heard others surmise He might be John the Baptist, Jeremiah, Elijah, or one of the other prophets. Simon Peter said He was the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus made a point that Peter had not come to this on his own, but through the revelation of God. He promised that Peter would be used in mighty ways to advance the kingdom of God.

When we come to Jesus, we must recognize who He truly is. If He was just a man, a prophet, He has nothing to give us. If He was and is the Son of God, the Savior of mankind, then He has the power to do what He said He would: forgive your sins and give you new life - now and forever.


Now Jesus began to teach about His death and resurrection to His disciples. Peter was rebuked for saying he didn't want Jesus to go through that. He let his feelings rise above God's will. God's ways don't always make sense to us. Doing it God's way may take us down a path that is uncomfortable and unexpected, but His plans are perfect and when we let Him lead, His glory always shows through in the end.


Jesus says to follow Him, we need to put aside our own desires and devote ourselves wholly to Him, even in the face of hardships. This is the way to eternal life. Living for earthly pleasures leads to separation from God. We need to choose here and now where we want to focus our attention. There is nothing we can obtain in this life that will equal the rewards God has in store for the faithful in the next life; likewise, we can't buy our way into heaven. The choice is ours to make - the temporary pleasures this earth has to offer or being in the presence of God forever, enjoying every good thing He wants us to have.

Matthew 15:21-39

A Canaanite woman came to Jesus asking that her daughter be healed. Initially, Jesus didn't answer her plea. She was persistent in her pleading though. The disciples asked Jesus to send her away because she wouldn't stop shouting at them. Jesus stated that He was only sent to the "lost sheep of the house of Israel." The woman implored Him again and He said it would be like taking bread from children to give to dogs - in other words, "My ministry is to the Jews. Why should I give you what is rightly meant for someone else?" Undeterred, she countered that even dogs get to eat the crumbs that fall from the master's table. She knew her place, but was willing to take whatever she could get. Jesus rewarded her because she persevered in her request and humbled herself before Him.

It is important to note that Jesus did not feel that she was not worth helping. The common Jewish view of the day was that non-Jews were "unclean". They didn't follow the ceremonial laws that the Jews practiced and were seen as inferior. Much like other places in Jesus' ministry, He wanted to show that the current mindset was flawed. By doing it in this way, he tested the woman's faith and taught a lesson to those around Him.

Sometimes when we bring our needs to God, we expect an immediate solution. However, God does not work according to our timetable, but His own. Like the Canaanite woman, we should persevere in our requests to God. He hears every prayer, but sometimes He does not answer because it is not the right time or to test our faith. Go to God in prayer as many times as it takes, and don't give up.


After this, Jesus went to a mountain and crowds of people came to Him to be healed. After three days, food was running out and Jesus told the disciples He wanted to feed the crowd before sending them home. The disciples wondered where they would get enough food for that many people. After prompting, they told Jesus all they had was seven loaves of bread and a few fish. With that, Jesus sat everyone down and blessed the food, and had the disciples distribute it. After everyone had their fill, there were seven baskets of food left over.

It is somewhat amazing that the disciples didn't immediately know what was going to happen. After all, this was not the first time they had a large crowd to feed with little food. Jesus did basically the same thing as He had previously done (see Matthew 14:14-21). Why didn't they remember this and know that Jesus could do the same again? In times of need, it can be easy to be blind to the past in light of the current situation. These are the times we need to remember all the more though. We can draw strength and comfort by recalling times when God has brought us through a difficult situation, knowing that He can and will do it again.

Matthew 15:1-20

Jesus was asked by the Pharisees why His disciples didn't wash their hands before eating. (It should be noted that the washing they were referring to is not in the Old Testament law, but was part of what they called "the tradition of the elders" - the oral law passed down from generation to generation.) Jesus answered their accusation by exposing the flaws in their traditions. Their traditions allowed people to ignore the duty of caring for their parents by dedicating that which could help their parents to the temple. Then to the parent in need, the child only needed to say, "I gave what you need to God, so it is not lawful to give it to you." Thus, in trying to be super-holy by giving to God, they neglected God's commandment to honor father and mother.

God doesn't want our sacrifices and offerings if they come at the expense of disobeying His other commandments. We can't please God if we hurt or neglect someone in order to do so. Don't lose sight of the fact that when we help others out of kindness and love for them, we are honoring God as well. When we make up our own rules for how to please God, we invariably run afoul of problems such as this. God has already laid out His perfect will for us. Whatever we add is prone to human error as we do not see the way God does. Each of us should examine the things in our lives that we do in order to please God, test them in light of scripture, and ensure that we have not added our own arbitrary, made-up rules on top of it.


Jesus had harsh criticism for the Pharisees to top it all off. He called them hypocrites who honor God with what they say, but not their hearts. Their worship was in vain and they were teaching man-made rules as true religion. To make His point more clear, Jesus said it's not what goes into the mouth that makes one unclean, but what comes out of it. That is, the disciples eating with unwashed hands did not make them unclean, but the lack of honor towards parents (at least tolerated, at most encouraged) by the Pharisees showed that they were not in right standing with God. As always, Jesus taught that God is concerned with the inside. What comes out of the mouth starts in the heart and that is more important to God than what goes into our mouths.

This angered the Pharisees, but when the disciples brought it up with Jesus, He compared the Pharisees to unwanted plants which will be uprooted. This shows that they will be judged and held accountable one day. He also compared them to the blind leading the blind. They were leading others in ways they did not understand themselves. Therefore they should not be listened to in matters of faith. Why should we care what everyone else thinks of us? Our only goal is to please God. If we worry about what this person or that thinks of what we're doing, we can be distracted from what God thinks of what we're doing. Don't actively seek to offend others, but if they are offended by things that honor God or things that are just irrelevant, there's nothing you can do.

Matthew 14:22-36

After feeding the multitude, Jesus sent the disciples back across the lake in the boat. After the crowds were gone, Jesus took some time to be alone and pray. He had been seeking solitude before the crowds came and did not allow the interruption to sidetrack Him completely. As Jesus demonstrated many times, it is good to be alone with God in prayer from time to time. When something important is weighing on your mind or you need special comforting, get away from everything and allow yourself to focus on God with no distractions. God speaks to us in those solitary times in a way unlike any other.


After He was done praying, Jesus went to catch up with the disciples. Since they were on the boat, miles from shore, Jesus walked out to them... on the water. It was early morning (between 3 and 6) and the sea was choppy. Under these circumstances, the disciples who saw Him thought He was a ghost. When Jesus spoke and told them who He was, Peter requested to walk to Him on the water. Jesus invited him to come, which he did, but before he got to Jesus, Peter started to sink. Jesus caught him by the hand and brought him back into the boat. When they were both back in the boat, the sea calmed and the disciples praised Him, calling Him the Son of God.

Peter showed great faith in stepping out on the water to walk to Jesus. It is often and rightly said that the first step is the most difficult. However, even though he started strong, Peter let the wind and the waves get the better of him after a while. Instead of keeping his eyes on Jesus, he let the fear of his surroundings become his main focus. When we start something for Jesus, we need to have faith that He will continue to support us no matter what happens. If it seems like things are getting too tough, that's when it's time to focus more strongly on Jesus. Remember, if He calls you to it, He'll see you through it.


When they reached the other side, more sick people were brought to Jesus and were healed. Wherever Jesus went, people had heard about Him and were eager to come to Him to be healed or to have a friend or family member healed. For every follower of Christ, then and today, someone had to spread the word. Be thankful that someone cared enough to spread the word to you; be thankful enough to spread the word to someone else.

Matthew 14:1-21

John the Baptist told Herod that the relationship with his brother's wife, Herodias, was adultery. Instead of repenting, Herod had John put in prison. He did not put him to death though, for fear of what John's followers might do in retribution. On Herod's birthday, Herodias' daughter danced for Herod and he was so pleased that he promised her anything she wanted. Her mother coached her to ask for the head of John. Herod agreed to it and it was done. When Herod heard the news of Jesus' preaching and healing, he thought Jesus might have been John come back to life.

So here we have Herod entering into an adulteress relationship. When confronted about the sinfulness of his current arrangement, he decides to throw the one man who had the courage to call him on it in prison. Instead of repenting and ending the relationship, he tried to ignore the problem by getting rid of the one reminding him of the problem. We should all have someone in our life who loves us enough to hold us accountable when we're doing something wrong. When someone confronts you about something they see in your life, don't blow them off. Consider what they have to say and take the matter to God. Then thank God you have a friend who loves you enough to confront you in the first place.

Herod gave in to the request to murder John even though he didn't really want to. The people closest to us can also tempt us to do the wrong things. It takes a strong person to stand up to the pressure, but Jesus has promised to give us the strength to do just that. Better still, keep yourself clear of people you know may steer you in the wrong direction. That may mean losing some friends, but if they're only going to drag you down, maybe that's not so much of a loss.


After Jesus received word of what happened to John, He decided to go off by Himself for a while. However, a large crowd of people heard of His plans and got to the place before He did. Even in His time of grief, Jesus saw their need and healed the sick that had come. When it became late, the disciples wanted to send the crowd away so they could go get food in the villages. Jesus told the disciples to feed the crowd. They couldn't understand how they could do this since all they could find were two fish and five small loaves of bread. Jesus took what little food they had and blessed it. Then He gave it to the disciples to distribute to the people. Everyone in the crowd (some estimates put it at 10-20,000) had enough to eat and there were still twelve baskets of leftovers.

God can do much more than we ever imagined with whatever little we bring to Him. Never be afraid that what you have to offer isn't enough. Bring to God whatever you have and He will multiply it according to your faith.

Matthew 13:24-58

Jesus tells another parable dealing with planting seeds. A man sowed good seed in his field. Late at night, an enemy came and sowed tares. Once the plants started to grow, the field hands realized what had happened. They asked the landowner if they should pull them out, but he said to wait for the harvest. Tares looked very much like wheat so that while they were growing, the two plants were very difficult to tell apart. When it was first evident that the tares were among the wheat, it would still be difficult to tell them apart. It would also be difficult to pull up the tares without damaging some portion of the wheat, but at the harvest time, it is easy to tell them apart and to do so without damaging th rest of the crop. On this earth, there are people who will hear God's word and have a life that honors God. There will be others that do not follow or honor God. It can be difficult to tell them apart at first (what does a Christian look like?), but in the end, we will be known by our fruits.

God can take the smallest bit of faith and turn it into something bigger than we can imagine. What starts as something small within us can grow beyond our capacity to hold it in and spread to everyone around us. Likewise, He can use one person to spread His word to thousands. God can make huge changes in our lives when we let His word expand into every aspect of our lives. The parables of the tiny mustard seed growing into an enormous tree and the small bit of leaven needed to make bread dough rise demonstrate this principle.

To explain the value of God's word, Jesus told two parables where someone found something valuable and gave up everything to get it. In one, a man stumbles across a treasure in a field, hides it and then sells everything to buy the property. In the other, a man searching for pearls finds one very valuable pearl. Once again, he sells everything to get it. We have a God who wants us to know Him. He loves us so much that He became man and died for our sin. He did all this so our sins could be blotted out and we can spend eternity with Him. Is that something worth giving up everything for if you had to?

Going back to a familiar theme with a new face, Jesus talks about using a dragnet to catch fish. There is no way to tell what will come up in the net until you get it back in the boat. After that, the good fish must be sorted out and the bad ones tossed away. We will all be judged someday. The question is will you be a good fish or a bad fish?

Jesus went back to His hometown and was preaching in the synagogue. The people recognized His wisdom and miracles, but because they knew Him as the carpenter's son, they dismissed it all. They couldn't understand how He could do these things since they had known Him so long as just a regular guy. We should never take Jesus for granted. We need to come to Him with the awe and reverence He deserves.

Matthew 13:1-23

Jesus tells a parable about a man who sows seeds. The story was meant to illustrate the different reactions people have after hearing the gospel message. The reactions were likened to four different places where the seeds fell and what the outcome was.

• The hard ground - These seeds did not grow at all. Instead they were snatched up by birds and carried away. Some people refuse to listen or listen with an open heart. The word never makes it into them, never changes them even in the slightest.
  
• The rocky ground - These seeds began to grow, however, there was not enough soil for them to take root well and were scorched when the sun got too hot. These people become excited when they hear the gospel. They may be down on their luck and looking for a way out of whatever mess they're in. They hear the message of healing and forgiveness and desire that. They may start to go to church for a time or read their Bible, but when times get tough, they chuck it all because it's harder than they imagined.
  
• The weed patch - The seeds that start growing where the weeds are start off strong, but they are choked out before they can fully mature. The weeds represent worries and the desire for wealth overshadowing the desire to follow Christ. Weeds in a yard or garden steal light, water, and nutrients from the soil away from the other plants. The quest for money and the worries of this world steal away our attention from the things that God wants to do in our lives. There are other weeds in our lives vying for our focus, but Jesus mentions only these two here.
  
• The good soil - The seeds that fall on the good soil grow well and produce good fruit. Those who understand the teachings and allow it to take root in their lives see changes in their lives. The natural result is that the way we act and how we treat others changes for the better and people notice the change.
  

Just because someone starts off as a hard patch of dirt, or rocky, or full of weeds does not necessarily mean they are beyond help. Hard dirt can be plowed; rocks can be cleared away; weeds can be uprooted. Changes like these aren't comfortable though and require changes in our lives and our hearts before the Word of God can take root in our lives. Even though the process can be painful, the end result is well worth it.


Jesus' disciples asked Him why He was using parables. He told them that the people who were ready for His message would understand the deeper meaning, but the people who were not ready would not hear it. Much like the parable of the sower, where the same seed was sewn with different results, the same message was being taught and some would come to know the deeper meaning and others wouldn't. The parables of Jesus spoke of common things that the common person would readily understand, but when you look beneath the surface of the story, a further understanding of God is ready to be had. You have to be willing to look though. When we honestly and earnestly seek truth, it will be revealed to us.

Matthew 12:22-50

After He cast out a demon, the people present recognized His power and wondered if Jesus might be the Messiah. The Pharisees wanted to squash this idea, and thus accused Him of being in league with the devil. This is a common trick seen even today - when you don't have a good argument, mount a smear campaign. Jesus pointed out the flawed logic in their accusation though. If Jesus were getting His powers from the devil, why would He be casting out demons? This would be in opposition to the goals of Satan. Also, He said, you have to use the same logic on your own followers. They cast out demons as well, but you don't say they do it in the name of the devil. If the Pharisees admitted that Jesus' power came from God, they would have to recognize His authority over them. You either stand with Jesus or you stand against Him - there's no middle ground.

By ascribing Jesus' deeds to the devil, the Pharisees committed the worst possible sin. Not content to say these things were not of God, they went the opposite direction and said they were of the devil. Who can see so clearly the work of God put forth and call it evil? Only those with an evil heart, set against God and His kingdom.

The words we speak are an outward reflection of what is in our hearts. Once we speak, our words cannot be taken back and we will have to account for every careless word we speak before God. This goes beyond what we say about God to what we say about others and to others. Words can tear people down - insults, gossip, accusations. Words can also build people up - compliments, encouragement, advice. As Christians, we need to be careful to use our words to glorify God and show our love for people.


After this, the Pharisees asked Him for a sign. What might they have accepted as a sign? Could Jesus have done anything to convince them or would they just ascribe whatever He did to Satan and still not believe? From Jesus' reply, it seems that He could not do anything that would convince them. They thought they already had all the answers and were looking for more evidence to twist into supporting their position. Jesus here prophesied His death and resurrection as the only sign they would get. Like Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days, so would Jesus be buried in a tomb for three days. The difference is that the people of Nineveh, where Jonah was sent, repented. These people that Jesus came to would not. Besides, even if they were given an overwhelming sign, how long would it last before they slipped back to their old ways? No, there was no getting through to these ones.

It seems today that the people we come into contact with are as stubborn as the people in Jesus' day. It can be tempting to reason that we should not witness to them because they will not accept Christ's message. This is not our call to make though. We cannot tell who will come to Christ and who will not; we cannot turn anyone's heart. All we can do - all we are called to do - is to share what we know. The rest is in the hands of the Holy Spirit.


Lastly, in this chapter, Jesus is teaching to a crowd when His mother and brothers came to find Him. They asked one of His disciples to go get Him so they could speak to Him. Jesus replied that His followers were His family - not to say that He had disowned His earthly family, but that His first priority was to the people who had made a commitment to follow Him.

How wonderful that you and I can be counted as brothers and sisters of Christ. It is because He has welcomed us into His family that we can share in the inheritance of heaven.

Matthew 12:1-21

The Pharisees saw Jesus' disciples in a field plucking wheat to eat on the Sabbath. According to their interpretation of the law, this counted as work and was not permitted on the Sabbath. When they came to Jesus to complain to Him, Jesus showed them they were being too nitpicky in their interpretation. After all, He reminded them, when David was fleeing Saul, he ate the consecrated bread that was meant to be eaten only by the priests. Priests worked on the Sabbath. They had to make sacrifices in the temple and they were not considered to be breaking the Sabbath. These were but two examples of instances where the letter of the law was not followed, yet God allowed it. Besides, Jesus declared Himself as Lord of the Sabbath and greater than the temple. Jesus was higher than the law; He had a perfect understanding of it. Surely He knew better than anyone what was and wasn't allowed.

Jesus quotes from Hosea 6:6 here again (the first was in Matthew 9:13) - God wants our compassion, not our sacrifices. If the Pharisees were showing compassion, they might have seen that these were hungry people feeding themselves, not workers in a field bringing in a harvest to make a profit. They were not plucking any more than they could eat. Because the Pharisees regarded the rules as the highest authority, they couldn't see this.

The Pharisees weren't done yet. They followed Him to the synagogue where there was a man with a withered hand. In an attempt to trick Him, they asked if it was lawful to heal a man on the Sabbath. Jesus replied that it was lawful to do good on the Sabbath. Once again, the Pharisees overlooked the need of someone in favor of appearing holy.

We can sometimes latch on to a set of rules and regulations because it is easier than actually doing the right thing. There is no need for thinking and compassion in various situations if we can just refer back to the rules to figure things out. This is where the message of Jesus really becomes a challenge - the rule is compassion. When we let compassion guide our actions, the outcome will always be pleasing to God.


After the run-in with the Pharisees, Jesus knew that they were plotting against Him, so He left the area. He continued to heal people, but He told them not to spread the word of who He was. It was not the time for Him to be handed over to be crucified so He took precautions to ensure His ministry could continue. This was in stark contrast to the popular view that Messiah was coming as a conquerer. Isaiah 42 is quoted showing that Messiah came to be merciful and meek. He didn't come to cause trouble, but to bring forgiveness to those who would accept it.

Matthew 11

At this point, John the Baptist was in prison. He was beginning to have doubts about whether Jesus was truly the Messiah so he sent some of his followers to ask Jesus directly if He was indeed the Messiah. Rather than answer directly, Jesus pointed them to the miracles He had performed and the preaching He had been doing - this was all the proof John should need.

When John's followers left, Jesus started talking about John. The crowds may have been wondering why John, the one who heralded Jesus' coming and baptized Him, would now doubt who Jesus was. Jesus wanted to remind them of John's character and role. He reminded them why they went to see John in the wilderness in the first place - not because he told people what they wanted to hear, swaying this way and that with the wind of public opinion; not because he was a well-to-do elite - they went to see him because he was a prophet. He had the most important job of anyone up until that time. He was the one who got people ready for the Messiah, but the ones who were now going out and preaching the good news of Jesus had a more important job still.

It's natural to have doubts from time to time. When those times of doubt come, we need to be pointed back to the word of God. We need to remember what we have seen personally that made us believers in the first place.


Jesus condemns the people of this generation because they were not happy with John or Jesus. Neither John nor Jesus played into what the crowd expected. Worse! The things they saw in John (he set himself apart by not eating and drinking the customary foods) which dissatisfied them became their source of dissatisfaction when Jesus did the exact opposite by attending dinners, parties, feasts and the like. There was no pleasing these people! We can't expect God to fit into the box we have prepared for Him. He is much too big for that. Instead, when we see things that don't meet our expectations, we need to change our expectations.

Specifically, some of the cities where Christ had performed miracles were rebuked because they did not repent. They had seen the miracles performed first hand. They had heard Him speak, yet they did not repent; they did not act upon what they had seen and heard. Many people say they'll believe in God when He appears before them or does something miraculous that they can see. What conceit! Here we have Jesus saying this is exactly what happened in these places and it didn't change a thing.

The gospel message is not readily received by those who think they already have all the answers. On the contrary, those who know they don't have the answer are the ones who most readily receive the message. Come to God seeking answers; don't come if you think you have it all figured out. We can know God and be reconciled to Him because of Jesus. Get to know Him if you want to know God. If you're tired from trying to please God by following some set of rules and never knowing if it's enough, Jesus has a different way. Jesus' way is free from all of the pomp and ceremony. It's so easy a child could understand it. That doesn't mean it's easy to follow the path He has set out for us, but it is not needlessly complicated with rules and regulations. And He has promised to give us the strength we need in every situation to stay the course. He will never leave you nor forsake you.

Matthew 10:24-42

The disciples could expect the same things that happened to Jesus to happen to them - even being accused of being in league with the devil. They weren't to let that stop them though. Jesus assured them that God was still in control and that He would see the things they were doing. They were to be bold in proclaiming the message they had been given and trust that God would protect them through it all.

Sometimes it can be scary to talk to people about God. Thoughts of immediate or long-lasting negative reactions can sometimes cause us to hold back. Jesus didn't want the disciples to hold back. He promised that when we represent Him to the people in our lives, He will represent us before God on Judgment Day. If we deny Him, He will deny us. We shouldn't be concerned with the repercussions from people when they don't like the message we've been given. We need to worry about the One who controls our eternal destiny and what will happen if we don't share His message.


Jesus is often referred to as the Prince of Peace, but here He says He came to bring a sword. The peace He brought was not to be one of tolerance towards everything. People who did not want to change would oppose the message of Jesus - sometimes violently so. Families would be torn apart because one would believe and others would not. This is regrettable, but obedience to God is more important than even the closest earthly relations. Everything that seems so important in this life is worthless if we have to push God aside to get it. If we put earthly things above heavenly things, we will only ever receive earthly rewards. Jesus wanted the disciples' focus to be on acts of service because that is what God rewards. Even the smallest acts of kindness are recognized by God.

Matthew 10:1-23

At this time, Jesus had chosen his twelve disciples. He sent them out to cast out demons, heal the sick and to preach that the kingdom of heaven was near. Jesus was sending out the first workers for the harvest. He instructed them not to go into Samaria or any of the Gentile cities, but rather to take their message to the Jewish people. God had a covenant with Israel. They were His chosen people and therefore deserved the first chance to respond to Jesus' message. Since they were familiar with the prophecies concerning Messiah, they should also have recognized the message much more quickly.

The disciples were instructed not to go out and buy new clothes or supplies for the trip or even to bring money along. Instead, they were to trust God for their provisions. In each town they were to find a willing household to shelter and feed them during their stay. If there were no willing households, they were to move on. Jesus had a harsh pronouncement for cities that weren't willing to accept the message the disciples were carrying; He said the judgment on those cities would be worse than that given to Sodom and Gomorrah.

The disciples would be like sheep among a pack of wolves, but they were to be as wise as serpents and gentle as doves. Not everyone wanted to hear Christ's message. Some would even go so far as to persecute the disciples and bring them up on charges (most likely heresy). Jesus said when this happened and they would be called to answer the charges, not to worry because the Holy Spirit would give them the words to say. Still, this did not give them an excuse to become careless or to purposely start trouble. They still needed to present themselves as messengers of Christ, choosing their actions and deeds to glorify God and not spoil their witness. When we go out in the world to tell others the good news about Jesus, we also must learn to strike a balance between being bold and being offensive. The Holy Spirit will guide us now just as He did the disciples then.

The disciples would face face hatred unlike any they had known simply because they followed Jesus. He promised though that when we persevere through all that the world throws at us, there is salvation waiting for us at the end. Whenever things seem to be too much to handle, we need to look at where we are going. From the eternal perspective of heaven, this life and all its troubles will seem very small.

Matthew 9:18-38

An official came to Jesus asking for help. His daughter was at home, dead, and he wanted Jesus to come and revive her. As Jesus was leaving to go to the man's home, a woman tried to sneak up and touch the fringe of His robe, believing that even that small contact would be enough to heal her of a long time affliction. Jesus confirmed that she had been healed, not by touching His robe, but by her faith. He continued to the official's home where He brought the man's daughter back to life.

Jesus left from there to go to another house, two blind men following Him all the way, trying to get His attention. Unable to get His attention while traveling, they followed Him into the house. Jesus asked them if they believed He could heal them. They said yes and Jesus healed them right away. It's not clear why, but Jesus told these two men not to tell anyone what happened to them. Regardless of His command though, these two went and told everybody.

Next a demon-possessed man was brought to Jesus. This man was unable to speak due to the possession. Jesus cast the demon out and the man was able to speak again. All the people were amazed because they hadn't seen anything like this before. The Pharisees, ever skeptical, chalked it up to Jesus being in league with the devil, reasoning He must have control over the demons because the ruler of the demons gave Him the power.

All of these people that came to Jesus had the utmost faith and were healed or had loved ones healed because of their faith. They experienced Jesus first hand and came away changed because of it. The Pharisees were just looking for something to catch Him on. They wanted desperately not to believe. Jesus didn't fit in with their notion of how we are supposed to relate with God or others. They would rather believe that the things He was doing were rooted in evil than admit that maybe they'd had it wrong. Even people today let their preconceived ideas prevent them from accepting the truth that God has for us. When we open our minds and allow God to reveal Himself to us, only then can we fully understand who Christ is and accept the new way of life He calls us to lead.

Jesus traveled around to all the towns in the area, teaching and healing. He saw their need for leaders who understood the things He was teaching and the old guard just wasn't getting it. He told the disciples to pray for workers to bring in the harvest. People wanted to know God, but to reach them all, people needed to be trained up who understood what Jesus was teaching and take it to the people. Christ calls all Christians to be those workers. The harvest is still plentiful and Christ is still calling workers to go out into the fields.

Matthew 9:1-17

After returning to His hometown, a paralytic man was brought to Jesus. Jesus didn't immediately heal the man though - first He forgave his sins. This caused the religious leaders present to accuse Him of blasphemy - to judge Him rashly and harshly. He answered them by asking a rhetorical question: Is it easier to forgive sins or to heal someone? Of course, the ability to do either is God's alone. To prove to them He was able to forgive sins, He healed the man, who got up and walked away. Surely God would not allow a man pretending to be God the ability to perform a miracle of healing.

Jesus wanted to make known that He was not only here to heal physical afflictions, but to heal us from the affliction of sin. We sometimes look to Jesus only when times are rough or we need something. Make no mistake, He wants to help us with these things, but His first priority is to free us from the burden of sin.


Jesus called Matthew, a tax collector, to follow Him. Matthew does and a feast follows with other tax collectors. No one likes the tax man and even less so in Roman controlled Israel where tax collectors were generally despised and looked down upon - but here was Jesus mingling with a group of them. The religious leaders who saw this wanted to know why Jesus was associating with them. After all, in their minds these were unholy people and to remain holy, Jesus should avoid them. Once again, Jesus shows them where they've got it all wrong. Only sick people need doctors, he says. Who goes to the doctor when they are feeling well? Likewise, Jesus came to save sinners. If He only associated with righteous people (or those who felt they were righteous), how could He save sinners? It is more important to reach out to those in need than it is to look good in front of others.


John the Baptist's disciples came to Jesus asking why His disciples didn't fast the way "normal" religious people did. Jesus gave three illustrations as a reply. The groomsmen do not mourn when they are with the groom - it is a time of celebration. Jesus was often referred to as a groom with the church as His bride. His disciples had every reason to celebrate that the Messiah had come and was among them. When patching a hole in an old piece of clothing, if a new piece of material is used, eventually it will rip a worse hole in the clothing when the patch shrinks. New wine is not put into old wineskins. To do so would cause the wineskins to burst. The old customs had become stale. No one remembered the meaning behind them. Jesus came to revive the deeper meaning of a relationship with God and some traditions could get in the way of that.

Holding on to traditions is a fine thing, but if "this is the way we've always done it" becomes the only reason you do it, it's time to reevaluate whether you should be doing it at all. Even seemingly good traditions can get in the way of our relationship with God when they make us forget the reason behind them.

Matthew 8

After Jesus was finished teaching, He came down from the mountain with many people following after Him. He was approached by a leper asking to be healed. Jesus touched him and the man was immediately healed. Next a Roman centurion approached Jesus asking that his servant at home be healed. When Jesus offered to go to the man's house, the centurion said he wasn't worthy to have Jesus come to his house - all that was necessary was for Jesus to say the word and it would be done. Both these men had faith in the power of Jesus. Jesus himself was so impressed by the centurion that He proclaimed him the most faithful man He had met in Israel.

After continuing to Peter's house, Jesus performs another healing - on Peter's mother-in-law. News of His healings must have spread quickly because all sorts of people were being brought to Jesus to be healed. After a while, a large crowd began to form and Jesus decided it was time to leave and cross the sea. There are two people recorded who expressed a desire to go with Jesus. The first was told that if he followed, conditions would be harsh; don't come along if you're looking for a glamorous life. The second expressed an interest in coming along, but asked if he could leave and come back after burying his father. Jesus tells him (paraphrasing), "Let someone else take care of the arrangements. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity you have right now."

There is no mention whether either of these men actually went with Jesus. If I had to guess, I'd say they didn't. Jesus knew what was in their hearts. He was letting them and everyone else know what it means to follow Him. Don't expect a life of luxury and make sure your first priority is following Him. If there's something holding you back, let it go.


Once Jesus and His followers got on the boat, Jesus went to sleep. A storm came up and the disciples were scared they were going to die. They woke Jesus up and He calmed the storm. This made them take notice; healing is one thing - commanding the weather is another.

Jesus has the power to calm the storms in our lives as well. Relationships gone bad, trouble at work, trouble finding work... Ask Him for help and He will give you peace.


After Jesus and His disciples made it to the other side, they encountered two demon possessed men. These two had been terrorizing this region for some time. Jesus commanded the demons out of the men and into a herd of pigs (at the request of the demons). The demons then ran the pigs off a cliff and into the sea where they drowned. The pig herders ran away and came back with all the townspeople who told Jesus to go away.

Jesus had just taken care of a problem that had been plaguing this town for who knows how long. These two demon possessed men made it impossible to travel along a certain path. But because there was collateral damage (the pigs), the townspeople became angry rather than joyful at the healing of the men and the return of peace to the region. People are more important than possessions; people can't be replaced. When we let God work in our lives, we may have to give up some things. When that happens, let go. Jesus already promised that God will meet all our needs. When it comes time to decide if you love God or your stuff more, which will you choose?

Matthew 7

Christ says not to judge others unless we want to be judged in the same way. Is Jesus saying we should not use judgment? Is He telling us to be accepting of everybody's lifestyle regardless of whether it conflicts with what God has said? Simply put, no. We are not to judge rashly or harshly - to become judge, jury, and executioner - even in our own minds. We are not to condemn people or think less of them because of what we perceive in their lives as sin. Only God knows the heart and only He can make a right judgment. So, by all means, use your judgment to discern whether someone's actions are wrong or right, but do so through the lens of God's truth and with love and compassion, because you care about the person, not to tear them down or build yourself up.

We've all got our own problems to deal with. Chances are that the log that we do not see in our own eye and the splinter we so readily spot in someone else's eye are of the same wood. The things that bother us most in others are usually the exact things that we need to work on in our own lives. We don't need to be perfect in order to help someone else with their problems, but if we are completely oblivious to our own problems, what use can we be to someone else?

Jesus tells us that God will give us what we ask for because He loves us. This does not make God some sort of cosmic genie. Jesus uses examples of a father providing for his children. When my children ask me for food, I don't give them a plate of rocks. Conversely, if they asked me for a plate of rocks to eat, I wouldn't give it to them. God knows what's best for each of us and when we come to Him asking for good things, He will provide them. If it seems that God is saying "no" to your prayers, ask again, but ask Him if there's something better you should be praying for. God will teach us the right things to ask for - all we have to do is ask!

These teachings of how we should deal with others and how God deals with us lead up to what is commonly known as "The Golden Rule" - do unto others as you would have them do unto you. This phrase is well known even by non-Christians and is generally used when one of our children does something not nice to somebody else. The connotation in this situation is: "You wouldn't like it if they did that to you, so don't do it to them." What if we looked at this as more of a proactive command? Think of something nice you'd like to have done for you and then do it for someone else.

According to Jesus, there is only one path to God and ultimately heaven. It's not the easy way; most people miss it. Throughout history, all sorts of people have made up their own set of rules for how to get to heaven. Even self-professed Christians can fall into this category. Just because someone says they are Christian or that they believe in the Bible doesn't mean they are doing God's will. When someone wants to give you advice on spiritual matters (and that includes me and this blog), always check it with God's word. Better yet, take a look at that person's life - use your judgment. Do you see qualities in them that show God at work in their life?


Jesus has now laid down the foundation upon which the rest of His teaching will be built. When we start with a foundation of loving and honoring God, letting Him change us from the inside out, that love will be manifest in our daily lives by how we treat the people around us. We will be able to weather whatever storms come our way because we are right where God wants us to be. If we don't have this foundation, things eventually fall apart. We were made to know God, to love God, and to have a close, personal relationship with Him - all other ground is sinking sand.

Matthew 6

Jesus teaches that when we do things like giving, praying, and fasting, we shouldn't draw attention to ourselves. We are playing to an audience of one. God is the only one whose favor we should desire and the only one who can truly appreciate when we do these things. Jesus says that if we do these things to be seen and praised by men, then that is all we will ever get. Once again, Jesus takes it back to motivation - examine your heart and think if you're doing the right thing to honor God or to honor yourself.

While talking about prayer, Jesus gives us a model of how to pray. Paraphrased, it goes something like this:

God, You are my Father. Your name is holy and I will always honor it.
I want to do Your will here on earth to make a difference for Your eternal kingdom.
Supply my needs for the day, for You are my provider.
Forgive my sins the same way I have forgiven those who have sinned against me.
Give me the strength to keep from doing the wrong things and to steer clear of bad situations.
I submit to Your control; I recognize Your power; I worship Your majesty.
Amen.

The exact words aren't important. As a matter of fact, Jesus just got finished saying not pray with meaningless repetition. The important things are to recognize God as the highest priority in our life, to acknowledge our daily dependence on God's providence, to confess our sins to be forgiven (this part presupposes we have done likewise to others), and to learn to depend on God as the only way to live a life that is pleasing to Him.


We are told to store up treasures in heaven - not on earth. We were made to live forever, so we should focus our energy on things that will last forever. Toys break, electronics become outdated, money runs out, but when we give of ourselves selflessly - our time, money, and energy - God sees these things and promises eternal rewards that will outshine anything we could ever have in this life. We can't live for God if we are consumed by the need to have more and more "stuff".


It seems obvious when you think about it, but Jesus tells us that worry accomplishes nothing. We cannot change a single thing by worrying about it. God will provide for our physical needs when we are seeking Him and give ourselves totally to Him. He wants our full devotion and is ready, willing, and able to meet our needs (not wants) in return.

This verse closes with my favorite verse. I used to spend a lot of time worrying about the outcome of events that I had no control over. God laid this verse on my heart and from that moment on I felt relieved that I didn't need to eat myself up inside because I know God has it all under control.

So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

-Matthew 6:34 (NASB*)

* Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Matthew 5:17-48

Jesus knew that people were afraid He was going to throw out everything they knew about God as told in the Law (the Torah - Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers & Deuteronomy) and the Prophets. He set the record straight though, saying He was going to fulfill it. Surely, He fulfilled prophecies and by living a perfect life would fulfill all of God's law, but at the same time, He wanted to clear up some misconceptions about how God wants us to live.

The religious leaders of the day had focused so much on the letter of the law, that they seldom (if ever) payed any mind to the Spirit of the law. Obeying God became a rigid set of rules that you'd best not break if you wanted to be righteous. To paraphrase, Jesus said, "You're looking at it all wrong!" He then went on to challenge the conventional wisdom about some of the things people thought about living a righteous life before God. He showed that motivation is more important than actions.

Jesus said that being angry with someone is the same as murder. When we let anger fill us and take over us - when we get so mad that we could just "kill that person," we are just as guilty as the person who literally carries out the action. When we have sustained feelings of rage and anger against someone, we cannot be in a right relationship with God. In the Lord's Prayer, we pray, "forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us." How then will we be forgiven if we have not given out forgiveness?

Next, He shows us that adultery is not just a physical act. When we have sexual fantasies about someone who is not our spouse, we are guilty of adultery. Marriage is not simply a physical act, but a joining of two hearts. If we allow our hearts and minds to stray, we have broken the marriage covenant just the same as if a physical affair had happened. This includes "online affairs" which are becoming so commonplace these days.

Continuing with the theme of marriage, Jesus talks about divorce. Men were abusing the divorce laws to cast off their wives for whatever reason they could come up with. Much like no-fault divorce of today, it was just easier to divorce than try to work out whatever problem was there. Jesus said the only reason a divorce is valid in the eyes of God is adultery. Anything else and you are still married in the eyes of God. Further marriage would therefore be considered adultery.

In keeping with vows, Jesus said that we should be plain with our answers. There is no need to say things like, "I swear to God." If you make yourself known to be a truthful person, this will not be necessary. You can give simple yes or no answers and people will accept it.

Turning to how we should act towards those who have hurt us, Jesus says that we should not seek revenge. He takes the phrase, "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth" and turns it upside down and tells us to "turn the other cheek." The original intent was not for personal retribution, but a legal guideline that the punishment should fit the crime. People had twisted it around and were using it to justify getting back at people. God says that vengeance belongs to Him. We need to trust that God will ultimately deal with the people who do us wrong.

Jesus then challenges us to love our enemies - and pray for them too. He says it is easy to love those who love us, but the real reward is when we love those who by worldly terms are unlovable. Once again, this is modeling God's love for us that even while we despised Him, He still loved us.


Jesus wasn't content to keep the status quo. The original intent of the law had been lost. He came to refocus our attention on what matters. I often say that most people's barometer for whether they are a good person ultimately comes down to: "I've never killed anyone." Who can say they have never felt anger in their heart toward someone? It's all about perspective.

Matthew 5:1-16

Jesus begins what is commonly known as "The Sermon on the Mount" with a list of characteristics that are blessed by God (commonly known as "The Beatitudes"). Each of us should strive to model these things in our lives. "Blessed are":

• the poor in spirit - we need to realize our place in this world - as sinners who need salvation from a holy God
  
• those who mourn - we show that we value others when we recognize their losses and empathize with them
  
• the meek - being patient with others and not putting our own interests above theirs is another way to show we value them
  
• those who hunger and thirst for righteousness - doing the right thing isn't as important as truly wanting to do the right thing; doing the right thing for the wrong reason gets you nowhere in God's book
  
• the merciful - when we are merciful, we demonstrate the way that God treats us
  
• the pure in heart - keeping our hearts pure allows us to hear God more clearly and obey Him more readily
  
• the peacemakers - we shouldn't start fights or make trouble; we should avoid trouble when we can and look for ways to resolve issues that may have already started
  

Jesus ends the list by saying that those who are persecuted will be blessed. While we can't model persecution, often when we follow Jesus, we are mocked, humiliated, and in some places, physically harmed. Remember when this happens, it's not you who they are attacking, but Christ. He will help you through it, and He will reward you in heaven because of it.

What a list! It may seem impossible, but Christ has said that we can lean on Him. When we put our trust in Him, He will change us from the inside out. It may not happen overnight, but it will happen if we let Him help us.


Jesus said we are to be salt and light. Salt helps to preserve food as well as bring out flavor; light dispels darkness and helps us to see.

Christians need to shine the light of God's word on the world so that all can see the truth. There is new life in Jesus that comes with a joy that cannot be found in anything else. That joy brings out the flavor in life and the forgiveness offered preserves our lives. We are also called to influence the world - to preserve the word of God and His commands. By remaining active in our communities and standing up against injustice and sin where we see it, we are being salt to a world that is slowly losing the flavor that God has put into His world.

Matthew 4

Jesus went out into the desert and fasted for forty days. After this, He was tempted by the devil three times:

• To make stones into bread to satisfy His hunger.
• To throw Himself off of the temple so that angels would catch Him to prove Himself to the world.
  
• To worship the devil in order to obtain a worldly kingdom.
  

Each time, Jesus countered the temptations with scripture. For the second temptation, the devil actually used scripture to tempt Jesus! The three scriptures Jesus used all came from Deuteronomy, near the end of the forty years of wandering in the desert (not a coincidence!).

• Man does not live by bread alone (Deut 8:3)
• Do not test the Lord your God (Deut 6:16)
• Worship the Lord your God and serve only Him (Deut 6:13)

What a perfect example of how to deal with temptations when they come along! Turn to the Lord and His word. Seek guidance from the source of all truth and don't let someone else convince you something is right when you know it's wrong.


After this Jesus began His ministry and selected his first disciples - Andrew, Simon Peter, James, and John. They were fishermen by trade, but Jesus made them a better offer. He told them they could be fishers of men. They didn't even have to think about it; they just dropped what they were doing and followed Him. They would spend the next few years with Jesus learning what it meant to "fish" for men.

What are you busy with in your life? What is Jesus calling you to put down in order to follow Him? What's stopping you?

Matthew 3

John the Baptist is preaching about the need to repent -- to turn away from sin. He was baptizing people as a sign that they were starting a new life. John didn't mince any words. He made it clear that everyone who repents and accepts Jesus will be saved and those that don't will perish (be "thrown into the fire"). John speaks about Jesus' coming and tells everyone that Jesus will perform the ultimate baptism with the Holy Spirit and fire.

John pointed people to Jesus by what he did and what he said. He remembered his place and gave Jesus the credit as the one who had the ultimate power.

When Jesus came to John to be baptized, John didn't feel he was worthy to do it. After Jesus told him this is what needed to happen, John did it. When Jesus was baptized, God confirmed Jesus' ministry by sending the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove and by speaking, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

I'm always amazed when I read about great people in the Bible who needed to be convinced of what to do. It makes me remember that God can use anybody and that everybody has moments when they doubt themselves. The great ones listen to God and do what He says through faith in Him.

Mathew 2

This passage deals with the "wise men" or magi coming to Israel looking for Jesus. They followed a star that they recognized as heralding the birth of the king of the Jews. Where they came from or how they knew what the star meant are interesting things to think about, but I'm struck by the fact that they just went. They got the message and acted on it. They went out of their way to find Jesus and gave Him precious gifts in honor and worship.

Getting the message isn't the important part -- it's what you do after you get the message.

Herod's reaction was interesting too. The birth of one who was being called king of the Jews didn't fill him with the same reverence that propelled the wise men. Instead he was frightened. All he heard was that his way of life was being threatened. He would ultimately end up killing all the baby boys under two just to protect his place of power. He got the message. He knew what the wise men said was true, but his response was very different.

We don't need to be frightened of the changes that Jesus will bring into our lives. I've heard people talk about not wanting to accept Christ because of the things they'll have to give up, but Jesus came to make our lives better -- not worse.

God warned the wise men not to go back to Herod. He warned Joseph that he and his family could not stay in Israel, but should go to Egypt instead.

God always provides a way out for those who are willing to follow His commands.

Matthew 1

Verses 1 through 17 recount the genealogy of Jesus - from Abraham to David to the Babylonian exile to Joseph. The ancestry shows a diverse group of people, some of whom are not what you might think of as being in the line of the Messiah.

It's amazing how God can use all sorts of people to work His plans.


Verses 18 to 25 tell how Joseph handled the news that Mary was pregnant while they were in the betrothal stage of becoming married. He had planned on calling it off until an angel told him that the baby was conceived by the Holy Spirit. He was also told that the baby was the one prophesied as the Messiah.

What must Joseph have thought? Perhaps relieved that Mary had not been unfaithful after all. Maybe he was a little uncertain that this could all be true. In the end, he was faithful and went through with the marriage as planned. This is the kind of faithfulness God wants from each of us.