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Matthew 19:13-15 – Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray.  The disciples rebuked the people, but Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven."  And he laid his hands on them and went away.

It was a common custom among the Jews to lay their hands on the heads of the people they prayed for or blessed.  This was an act of dedicating or consecrating that person to God.  In their eyes, the person was now considered the sacred property of God and whatever is solemnly consecrated to God abides under his protection and blessing. 

This practice was affirmed by Jesus – we have many, many instances where he laid his hands on the sick and healed them (Mark 6:5).  The practice was affirmed once again by the apostles and early church fathers who laid hands on people when healing the sick (Acts 28:8, Mark 16:18), ordaining people into religious office (1 Timothy 5:22, Acts 6:6) and imparting the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:17, Acts 19:6).

In many Christian churches today (including Kipton), it is still customary to lay hands on people when praying for them.

Because of the culture they grew up in, it seems kind of strange that the disciples rebuked the people who brought their children to Jesus for him to lay hands on them and bless them.  Why would they have reacted that way?

They may have believed that as infants, they were too young to receive any blessing from God.  They may have felt that this was a trivial matter and since Jesus was important, he should not be bothered with it.  It is even possible that they were annoyed at being interrupted during their discussions of marriage and divorce. 

But clearly, Jesus considers the children important.  He not only lays his hands on them, but he once again uses them as a sign for the disciples, reiterating his teaching that true members of the kingdom of heaven possess some of the same traits as children – meekness, humility and the ability to accept teaching (see our study of Matthew chapter 18 for full details).

Matthew 19:16 – And behold, a man came up to him, saying, "Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?"

The following account, sometimes referred to as 'the rich young ruler', is also found in Mark 10:17-31 and Luke 18:18-30.  We will use details from all three accounts in our study.

Luke tells us that this young man was a ruler – probably of a synagogue or council.  Thus, he was a person of some importance who was probably chosen for his office based on his character and exemplary record.  Many scholars feel that he was a Pharisee.

Based on his question to Jesus, we can make the following observations:

• He believes there is an eternity/afterlife. 
• He believes that in eternity there will be happiness and life, or misery and death. 
• He is interested in securing eternal life, and he is ready to perform some good work to earn it.  

His first two assumptions are correct – there is an eternal state and a person will either wind up in heaven (eternal life) or hell (eternal death).

However, his last assumption is very troubling to anyone living in the gospel dispensation, because we understand that we could never keep the law or earn our salvation through works.  We know that the shed blood of Jesus is the only atonement for sin. 

But remember, Jesus has not yet opened the way of salvation through grace.  Therefore, the young man is technically still under the law, which says that a man can be right with God by keeping (never breaking) the Old Testament law. 

Matthew 19:17 – And he said to him, "Why do you ask me about what is good?  There is only one who is good.  If you would enter life, keep the commandments."

We have seen verses 16-17 in the English Standard Version of the bible.  Now let's look at them in the King James Version, which is a bit clearer:

Matthew 19:16-17 - And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?  And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

The young man addresses Jesus as "good Master" but Jesus challenges his use of that title.  Take note of his response in verse 17:  "Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is, God".

Why does Jesus call attention to the man's use of the word 'good'? 

It's because the title "good" means perfection or divinity. Thus, it IS a proper title for God.  However, the young man is not acknowledging Jesus as the Messiah when he calls him good/perfect/divine.  He considers Jesus a teacher or prophet, and uses the title as a form of flattery. 

Jesus is not going to accept this false flattery.  Indeed, he is God and the title 'good' is appropriate for him, but only if the rich young man acknowledges him as Messiah, not as just a prophet.

Now remember, the man (who is seeking to be justified by keeping the law) originally asked Jesus what "good work" he must do to be saved.  Since the man wants to be justified through the Law, he must do what the Law requires.  Thus, Jesus answers that the rich young ruler must keep the commandments. 

Jesus is not misleading or tricking this young man.  He is connecting with him at the level the man is currently on.  Soon, Jesus will challenge his belief that he can keep the Law and thus gain eternal life. 

Galatians 2:15-16 – We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law because by works of the law no one will be justified.

Once the man recognizes that he has not kept the entire law, he will understand his need for a savior or Messiah to grant him eternal life through the forgiveness of sin.  As we look at their interaction, we can see that Jesus is preparing him to accept this truth.

Matthew 19:18-19 – He said to him, "Which ones?"  And Jesus said, "You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness.  Honor your father and mother, and, you shall love your neighbor as yourself."

In reply to the rich young man's further inquiry, Jesus directs him to the 6^th, 7^th, 8^th, 9^th and 5^th commands, found in Exodus 20.  He also includes the summary of them all – love your neighbor as yourself. 

All of the commands that Jesus mentioned deal with mans relationship to other men.  Thus, he compels the rich young ruler to examine his conduct in light of how he treats his fellow man.  Why is this so important?

Because if the rich ruler does not demonstrate perfect love towards his fellow man, then he is not the man he thinks he is.  If he is not the man he thinks he is, then he has not perfectly kept the law.  If he has not kept the law, then he cannot expect to receive eternal life through the law.  He must obtain it another way. 

Thus, if he thoughtfully considers the words of Jesus and is honest with himself, he will see his own shortcomings.  His failure will direct him away from the law and towards the Messiah.  As Paul clearly indicates in Galatians, justification by faith in Jesus Christ is the only path to eternal life.  

Matthew 19:20 – The young man said to him, "All these I have kept.  What do I still lack?"

We can tell from the context of the scripture that the young man is uneasy.  We might say he has a troubled conscience.  He is dissatisfied with himself.  There is a sense of incompleteness; something is missing in his life that will make him content/happy and give him assurance of eternal life.

Interestingly, the ruler honestly believes that he has kept the whole law!  How can he think that?  Well, the young man (who may have been a Pharisee himself) understood the commands as they were taught by the Pharisees.  This means that he was taught to obey the commands in an outward, physical way, rather than inwardly in the mind and heart.  It also means that many of the laws of God had been twisted or cast aside in favor of tradition.

For example, in his eyes, he had never murdered anyone because he had not physically taken a life.  But if he hates another person and desires to kill them, then according to Jesus, he has broken the law.

So up until this point, the young man still does not understand that he has not kept the entire law.  He remains ignorant of his own sin.  He thinks Jesus will give him some new command that will assure him eternal life; he is completely unaware that what he really lacks is a proper understanding of the law.  If he had that, he would know he was a sinner.

Jesus is about to show him his failure.  He does not do this to humiliate or belittle the man.  He does it in love, as an act of mercy, to point him to eternal life.  

Matthew 19:21 – Jesus said to him, "If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." 

Finally - here is the answer the young man was seeking! 

You'd think he would be delighted, but he isn't.  He is devastated.  Why? Because the command to sell his worldly goods swiftly and clearly revealed what was truly in the ruler's heart – covetousness.

He loved his money more than his Creator or his fellow man.  He was in violation of the 10^th commandment.  He could not be saved through the Law! 

As shocking as this revelation was, it was necessary that he come face-to-face with the truth about himself, so that he could embrace salvation through grace, not the law. 

He was presented with a choice – the same choice we are all given.  He could continue to trust in himself and his good works, or he could follow Jesus to eternal life. 

Matthew 19:22 – When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

Incredibly, he turned away from Jesus.  In his eyes, the price of salvation was just too high! 

I cannot think of a single situation that could be sadder than this.  I hope that eventually, he was able to accept the truth.  Perhaps he was present on the day of Pentecost when Peter preached; perhaps he was one of the 3000 people who were saved!  Maybe we will find out how his story ended when we get to heaven one day. 

They assume it is proper for all Christians to be poor.  This is not true.  Jesus' instruction was specific to this one individual.  Its purpose was two-fold: to reveal what was in the man's heart and to provide him with an opportunity to renounce it or give it up for God.

We see the same principal at work in the Old Testament when God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac as a burnt offering.  Does God call all Christians to sacrifice their sons?  Of course not!  That request was specific to Abraham.  It revealed what was in his heart (inordinate affection for his son) and gave him the chance to give it up for God.  

Matthew 19:23 – And Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven."

Jesus uses the ruler's decision as a teaching moment for the disciples.  He declares that riches make it exceedingly difficult for a person to enter into the kingdom of heaven.  Why is that? 

Money itself is actually a neutral thing; it is neither bad nor good.  The problem is that money tends to have a negative effect on the fallen nature of man.  It tends to drive us further away from God, rather than leading us towards him.  For example:

Excessive riches encourage people to love the world, and neglect God.  If a person is busy focusing/concentrating on all the enjoyments and possessions money can buy, there will not be any time left for spiritual things.  This was evident in the parable of the wheat and tares (Matthew 13:22) where Jesus says that riches choke out the word of God in a person's life.

The bible teaches us to pray 'give us this day our daily bread'.  Each day we are to look to God for protection, provision and guidance.  He is to be our source for all good things (James 1:17).  However, rich men tend to look to their money as the source of all their daily needs.  Thus, money actually takes the place that rightfully belongs to God, and it becomes an idol. 

The love of money produces pride, selfishness, fraud and oppression in an individual.  Thus, loving money opens up the door to further sin.  

Despite this, Jesus does not say that Christians cannot be wealthy.  Indeed, there are many wealthy Christians who love God and are excellent stewards of the riches that God has placed into their hands.

So let's be clear - Jesus does not say that it is impossible for rich people to be saved.  He does not say that good Christians are poor. 

Rather, he cautions that the wealthy must be on guard against the sinful effects that money tends produces in an individual.  The love of money (not money itself) is the root of all evil.

Matthew 19:24 – "Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God."

The 'eye of a needle' was a very small gate or door used by people on foot. It was accessed at night, after the main city gate was closed.  This door was next to the larger city gate, which was wide enough to allow wagons, animals and everything else to enter the metropolis. 

The term 'camel' (or elephant, which is also sometimes used in this Jewish proverb) is simply used to denote something very large. 

So, "a camel going through the eye of a needle" was a common proverb used by the Jews. It denoted anything that was impossible or exceedingly difficult. 

Spiritually speaking, it is exceedingly difficult for the person with great riches to enter the kingdom of heaven. 

Matthew 19:25 – When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?"

In my opinion, the disciples are astonished at the wrong thing. 

Consider this – poor people also have unique temptations based on being poor.  Their lack of money can cause the same sins that the rich face - greed, selfishness, fraud and oppression.  They too can be totally consumed by the love and pursuit of money.  They too can be guilty of focusing all their attention on the world to the exclusion of God.  They too can be poor stewards of the wealth they possess. 

The state of being poor and the state of being rich can both open up unique doors for sin. 

Matthew 19:26 – But Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

So, the astonishing thing in this situation is actually the grace, mercy and provision of Almighty God which allows all sinful human beings (whether rich or poor), to enter into heaven.  Apart from him, we would all be lost!

Matthew 19:27 – Then Peter said in reply, "See, we have left everything and followed you.  What then will we have?"

In essence, Peter is saying that he and the other disciples had done what the rich man could not.  They had left their jobs, their homes, their families and their personal pursuits to follow Jesus.  Their devotion to God superseded everything else in their lives.  

Since Jesus had assured the rich young ruler that he would receive "treasures in heaven" if he forsook all to follow him, Peter now wonders what he and the other disciples could expect as a reward.  

Matthew 19:28 – Jesus said to them, "Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel."

How are we to interpret this promise of reward?  Some scholars believe this has a literal interpretation, while some think it should be interpreted spiritually.  They also differ in their understanding of the 'new world'.   In fact, the interpretations are so diverse, it hardly seems possible that the scholars are all reading the same passage of scripture!

For example, some believe that the 'new world' refers to the time when Jesus ascended up into heaven to sit at the right hand of God.  In this scenario, the disciples are 'sitting on thrones' in the sense that they have authority in the new church.  They are 'judging the twelve tribes of Israel' in the sense that they are deciding what shall be permissible in the church and what shall not.  People who hold this view claim that it ties in with Jesus granting them the keys to the kingdom of heaven, back in Matthew 16. 

Some believe that Jesus is referring to his millennial reign on the earth.  They believe that the thrones are literal thrones and that the disciples are given authority to mediate disputes and settle matters of state in that kingdom.

Still others see this as being fulfilled in the eternal kingdom of Christ. 

The one fact that everyone agrees on, is that Jesus does promise a reward to his faithful followers who put him first, giving up their earthly possessions.  As for the rest, time will tell!  

Matthew 19:29 – "And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life."

The disciples are not the only people promised a reward from Jesus.  Any follower of Christ who puts his devotion to God above all else can expect to be rewarded.  Those who willingly give all for the sake of Jesus will not only receive eternal life, but they will also be recompensed in this life as well.    

Matthew 19:30 – "But many who are first will be last and the last first."

Again, there are different interpretations for the meaning of this verse. 

One is that the 'first' are the Jews and the 'last' are the Gentiles.  The Jews were chosen as God's special people.  The words of salvation were first preached to them, but they rejected the Messiah.  Therefore the Gentiles, who were looked upon as dogs, entered into the kingdom of heaven 'first' - before the Jews.

Another interpretation is that there will be reversals in the future – those that were poor on the earth (for the sake of the gospel) will be rich in heaven, those who occupied exalted positions on earth will be common in heaven, etc.

Yet another explanation is that verse 30 of chapter 19 is actually the first verse of the parable that begins in chapter 20.  We will examine this idea in our next post.   

Let me offer you some encouragement and relief: 

It looked like the ruler had it all – he was young, he had wealth, he had the respect of his peers and he had importance in his community.  Yet, he clearly felt that his life was missing something.  Down deep in his heart, he knew he had a need to connect with God.

Is it possible that you are feeling the same way right now?  Perhaps you have been attending church regularly and fellowshipping with other Christians, but deep down you know that something is missing in your life, and you need to connect with God.  Like the ruler, you need an assurance of your salvation.

If that is the case, I encourage you to pray the following prayer right now!  Wherever you are, God can hear you and he will respond when you invite him into your heart and life.  And once you get rid of your burden of sin, your relief will be immense!

Dear Jesus, I confess to you that I am a sinner.  I am sorry for all the wrong things I have done and I ask you to forgive me.  I believe that you are the Son of God, that you died on the cross and rose again, and that your blood paid the price for my sin.  I invite you to come into my heart and life and to be my Lord and Savior.  I commit myself to you right now.  Thank you for saving me from death and giving me the gift of eternal life.  Amen.

If you prayed this prayer and sincerely meant it, then you have received the gift of salvation from Jesus Christ!  Your sin has been atoned for, and you are now 'connected' to God.   

Let me offer you some strength:

Jesus assured his disciples that when they put him first, and sacrificed the things of this world for him, he took notice.  He not only takes notice, but he generously rewards his servants for their sacrifice.

Perhaps you, like the disciples, have made some sacrifices for Christ.  It's possible that the task is a bit more difficult than you thought it would be.  You may be feeling weary right now.  Maybe you have come to the end of your strength, but your journey is not yet complete.

If so, I have good news for you!  God has all the strength you need in order to finish the race you have embarked on. 

Isaiah 40:31 - But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

So keep your eyes on Jesus, and don't give up!  Your labor will soon be rewarded!

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Matthew 7:15-16–Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.  You will recognize them by their fruits.  Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?

Sometimes we assume the word 'prophet' to mean a person who foretells future events, but that is not the only definition.  People who were accepted as public religious instructors were also considered prophets. 

What made a person a false prophet?   A prophet/teacher was considered false for any one of these reasons:

• Assuming the role of religious leader/teacher without a call from God
• Putting forward his/her own thoughts and ideas as being from God
• Teaching any false doctrine

What effect did false prophets/teachers have on the church?  Through false teaching, Christians were fooled into turning aside from the true faith and believing something false.  These false doctrines caused believers to become spiritually confused or bound by lies, and consequently rendered them ineffective in the Kingdom of God.  Worse yet, some of these doctrines could cause Christians to fall away from their faith in Christ.

Second, the teachings and leadership of the false prophets often brought them undue honor and prestige. They acted like they were the only ones who could hear from God and know what to do.  At best, they were limiting the true relationship between the believer and God.  At worst, they were a wedge that cut believers off from God and caused them to lose their faith.

Let's look at an example.  In the old covenant, all men who were part of God's chosen people had to be circumcised.  However, when Jesus came to fulfill the law, he declared that circumcision was no longer something to be done in the flesh.  Instead, circumcision was a spiritual act; all the people in His kingdom would be circumcised in their hearts by cutting sin out of their lives.

Romans 2:28-29 – For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical.  But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter.

But we find that many false prophets and false teachers were still insisting that any man who became a Christian had to be circumcised in the flesh.

This false doctrine caused a rift between the Jews and the Gentiles, which threatened to split the church in half.  It created an atmosphere of distrust among the believers. It was a rejection of the new covenant that Jesus paid for with his blood. 

False teachers were also big into self denial and mortification of the flesh.  They tended to be very rule oriented; they felt that every single law must be stringently observed through their own willpower. How tiresome!  Have you ever determined not to do something "ever again" only to find yourself doing it a day later?  That's what happens when you try to rule your flesh by willpower alone.

Sadly, they missed the blessing that Jesus gave us through the new covenant – the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, who changes our hearts.  Once our hearts and minds have been renewed, our outward actions naturally change too.  We don't have to focus all of our energy on obeying every law through sheer willpower because our new nature will prompt us to do the right thing on its own.

Jesus says that false teachers are like wolves disguised as sheep.  That is, they appear to be innocent, helpful, loving and knowledgeable about spiritual things, but in reality, they are full of deadly evil.  They are hypocrites who mislead and destroy sincere believers.

So, how can a Christian keep from being fooled by these false prophets and teachers?

Matthew 7:17-18 – So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.  A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.

Comparing spiritual leaders/teachers to fruit trees may seem a bit strange, but it makes more sense if you have some background information:  In scripture and in Jewish phraseology, fruits are symbolic of works.  Jesus is telling us that the way to determine which teachers are false and which are true is by examining their fruits, or works.

So if a person comes along claiming to have spiritual authority, take a look at their life.  Do they have joy, peace, holiness, patience, gentleness and love for mankind?  Do they give God the glory for what they are accomplishing? Do they care for the poor and the lost?  

However, if you look at the person's life and find anger, pride, envy, slander, greed, unforgiveness, bitterness or other evils you can safely conclude they are a bad/diseased tree.  Therefore, both the teacher and the teaching should be rejected as false.  Have no part with them!

Matthew 7:19-20 – Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.

Hmmm… some of these words seem familiar…where did we heard them before?  That's right – they were already spoken to the Pharisees and other religious leaders by John the Baptist:

Matthew 3:10 - And now also the ax is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which brings not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

People who bring forth diseased fruit (anger, envy, pride, etc) will someday be cast into the fires of hell, because they are not true children of God.  That is why John the Baptist warned the Scribes and Pharisees to repent and seek the kingdom of Heaven.

Matthew 7:21-23 - Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?  And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'

You see, it is not enough to just claim God as your father or Jesus as your savior.  It is not enough to just have knowledge of God in your head.  You could study the scriptures for years on end (like the Pharisees did), but if it is just a series of facts floating around in your brain, it is of no value.  [Even Satan acknowledged that Jesus was the Son of God, but he is still going to be cast into the fires of hell].  Why?  Because it takes more than just factual knowledge to save your soul.

In the same way, anyone who has the ability to speak can verbally profess Jesus as Lord, and even teach (prophesy) his word, but that does not mean they are true children of God.  The true child of God doesn't just teach or profess his name, they sincerely strive to do the will of God.  True Christians have actions that align with their words.

At the end of time, Jesus will assume his rightful role as judge of mankind.  At that time, there will be people who will claim to be servants of Christ because they taught his word (prophesying), cast out demons and performed miracles.  However, Jesus will refute their claims, saying that these people were never his true children.  Jesus then reinforces his point by giving the parable of the wise and foolish builders (see below).

Jesus has given the analogy of the tree and fruit to identify false teachers and show what their judgment will be.  He now gives us the parable of the wise and foolish builders to show that the 'doers' of the word are different from just 'hearers' of the word, and all of us will be held accountable for our own spiritual condition.

Matthew 7:24-25 –Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.  And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.

Matthew 7:26-27 – And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.  And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.

Jesus has packed a lot of teaching into this short parable.  Here are some lessons we can take away from his teaching:

Each one of us is responsible for building our own house.  We cannot rely on others to do it for us.  You cannot rely on the faith and salvation of your parents, grandparents or anyone else.  You must be a disciple of Christ yourself.

Jesus is the rock.  He is the only one who can pardon sin through his shed blood and thus he is the only true foundation that you can build your spiritual house upon.

1 Corinthians 3:11 – For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Hearing the word is NOT building upon it.  Building is acting in faith based upon the words you heard.

When you hear that Jesus forgives sin, you must act in faith to receive that forgiveness for yourself.  Subsequent to your salvation, the Holy Spirit will enlighten you to the way God wants you to live.  He will then assist you as you bring your mind, will, emotions and actions into conformity with God's principles for your life.  This is how you build upon the foundation of Christ.  Building a house in the natural world does not happen overnight, especially if there is only a single builder.  So it is with your spiritual house – you build it day by day; it is established slowly over time as you constantly work at it.

However, those who did not build upon Jesus will have no hope in the storms of life.  They will have no comfort, no peace, no joy and no satisfaction when trouble comes.  They have no eternal assurance to lean upon when death comes to claim them.

As you consider these teachings of Jesus, examine yourself and make sure that you are indeed building by faith upon that sure foundation!

Matthew 7:28-29 – And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.

The Scribes and Pharisees were the teachers of the Jewish nation.  However, they spent their time teaching mostly the traditions of their forefathers, not the word of God.  They also allowed useless and trivial disputes to occupy much of their time and attention.  As such, they were of little use to the spiritual growth of their fellow Jews.

Jesus, however, came speaking the true words of God.  He came in authority, confirming his doctrine with miracles.  Jesus showed that he had the authority to explain, enforce and change the ceremonial laws of the Jews.  He cut right through the foolishness of the Pharisees, revealing the truth like a breath of fresh air.  This authority was astounding to the Jews.

So let me offer you some encouragement:

It is true that there are many false teachers in the world, but you don't have to be fooled by them!  Jesus has given you the tools to pick out the bad 'apples'.

First, take a look at their fruits.  If they are good, that is a positive sign.  Next, listen to what they are teaching.  Does it line up with the rest of scripture?  That is another good indicator.  Finally, remember that Jesus says his sheep know his voice and they will not listen to the voice of another (see John 10).  So pray about it and ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you about a particular teacher.  If God approves him, that is the best recommendation of all!

Let me offer you some relief: 

Even a very fruitful grape vine will produce some sour grapes once in a while.  In the same way, you and I are not perfect.  Once in a while we are going to 'blow it', or act according to our flesh instead of our spirit.  When that happens, ask God to forgive you and move on.  Don't let Satan stop you in your tracks because you made a mistake.  If your life is showing a definite progression towards fruitfulness and good works, you are on the right track.

Let me offer you some strength: 

We are going to experience storms in this life.  They come in many different forms, including sickness, tough financial breaks, relationship problems, and many other things.  When those storms come, the person who has built their life on the solid rock of Christ Jesus WILL prevail!  We will go through those trials comforted, supported and protected by our Heavenly Father.  Hallelujah - His strength is made perfect in our weakness!

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Matthew 21:1 – Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples…

Jesus and the twelve are heading to Jerusalem from Jericho, a distance of about 19 miles.  Obviously, this took multiple days.  What do you think they talked about while walking all those miles?  I am sure they spoke of ordinary things like the weather, and current events.  Maybe they joked a bit or sung some songs.  In between, I am sure that Jesus shared spiritual wisdom and truth with them, and they had a chance to ask him questions. 

On the surface, that sounds amazing – walking along with Jesus for a few hours, just fellowshipping and asking questions. You might be tempted to envy the disciples, but before you do, consider this: You actually have it better than the disciples, because Jesus is with you ALL of the time and you can speak to him at any moment!

Most of this 19 mile journey was either through desert or woods filled with caves and rocks.  It was indeed a fit place for robbers to ambush people (Luke 10:30).

Let's talk about the Mount of Olives (or Olivet) for a moment.  We find it mentioned a great deal in scripture.  It is named for the obvious reason – an abundance of olive trees grew there.  This place was located about a 'Sabbath day's journey' (2 miles) from Jerusalem (Acts 1:12).  On the west side of this mountain was the Garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:39).  On the eastern side were the villages of Bethphage and Bethany. 

What do you remember about Bethany?

The name means 'house of unripe figs'.   It was the hometown of Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead (John 11:1).  Since Mary and Martha lived with their brother Lazarus, it was their home too.  It was also the place where Mary anointed Jesus with the expensive oil of spikenard against the day of his death (John 12:1-7).

The Mount of Olives is about 700 feet high and overlooks the city of Jerusalem.  From its summit, nearly the entire city of Jerusalem can be seen. 

Now that we have an idea of their physical location, let's consider the social climate that Jesus and the 12 are walking into. 

The religious leaders now openly despise Jesus.  In fact, they are looking for a way to arrest him (John 11:57).  Meanwhile, the masses of common people support Jesus.  His popularity is at its all time high.  They believe (incorrectly) that he will immediately set up a new kingdom, defeat the Romans and take power for himself.  God is using the influence of the common people to keep Jesus safe from the religious leaders.  The threat of their revolt is the only thing keeping the Pharisees in line (Matthew 21:26). 

Now the great feast of Passover is imminent.  Jews from all over the known world are flooding Jerusalem; the city is bursting with people.  What do you suppose is on the minds and lips of all those Jews? Right – Jesus!  Is he the Messiah?  Will he soon take over Jerusalem?  What about the Romans?

Speaking of the Romans, all of these additional people were a nightmare for them, because they were charged with keeping order in the city.  And they were not a bit afraid to use the most violent and brutal tactics to keep the peace.

But from God's perspective, everything is happening exactly according to his specifications and plans.  Heaven is also rejoicing, because the salvation of man is about to be legally completed!  The kingdom of the Messiah is coming to pass!  Mankind will soon be reunited with the Father! 

What about your life?  Does your situation seem like a 'powder keg'?  Things have changed drastically in the last few months, haven't they?  Make sure you are looking at things from God's perspective.  He is still on the throne.  He is still watching over his word to perform it.  You have not been lost in the shuffle of world events.  God neither slumbers nor sleeps; he is keeping guard over you right now, just as he always has!

Matthew 21:2 – saying to them, "Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her.  Untie them and bring them to me."

Why did Jesus choose to ride on a donkey instead of a horse? 

At that time, there were few horses in Jerusalem, and the ones that were present were chiefly used for war.  Men seldom if ever used horses in common life.  Instead, they used donkeys, mules and camels. 

To ride on a horse was an emblem of war.  To ride on a donkey or mule was an emblem of peace.  How interesting that during Jesus' first coming, he rides the donkey of peace, but during his second return to earth, he rides a horse of war (Revelation 19:11)!

Donkeys and mules were the mode of transportation used by kings and princes during times of peace.  It was a mark of rank and dignity to ride in that manner (Judges 10:1-4, I Samuel 25:20).  When King Solomon rode to his inauguration, he rode a mule (1 Kings 1:33), which was the appropriate way in which a king should ride.  It was in no way a sign of poverty or degradation.  Thus, it was fitting for Jesus to ride into Jerusalem on a donkey.  When doing so, he was acknowledging himself as king to the world.  

Matthew 21:3 – "If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, 'The Lord needs them,' and he will send them at once."

Jesus once again displays his divinity by knowing about the existence of the colt, its exact circumstance and location, as well as the response of the owners. 

The disciples are not to rent this beast or to ask permission to borrow it.  They were to claim the right to use it for the service of a King.  

Matthew 21:4-5 – This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying, "Say to the daughter of Zion, 'Behold your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.'"

Now we see the exact reason why he rode into Jerusalem in the first place, instead of just walking there as he had done his whole life. 

It was to fulfill an ancient prophesy, found in Zechariah 9:9.  The Jews universally applied this prophesy to the Messiah and no other.  This was a plain, straightforward, literal fulfillment of an ancient prophesy, and it clearly declared that Jesus was the Messiah.  

Zechariah 9:9 - Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, your King comes unto you: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon a donkey, and upon a colt the foal of a donkey.

And yet, he was not the Messiah that they expected.  His entrance into Jerusalem has been called the Triumphal Entry of Christ.  But it was not a fleshly or earthly triumph.  It was a triumph of humility over pride and ambition; a triumph of meekness and gentleness over rage and malice.  Jesus comes full of kindness and compassion to deliver himself up to those who were plotting his destruction!  The king enters the city to be cruelly abused and murdered by his own subjects, and to make his death a ransom for the souls of mankind!

Matthew 21:6 – The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them.

I find this verse interesting for what it doesn't say.  There is no mention of delay.  The disciples responded immediately. There is no mention of discussion.  They did exactly what Jesus asked them to do.  There was no whining or complaining.  They did not require a full and detailed explanation of the purpose behind the command. 

Basically, they just did as Jesus asked them to do, and their endeavor met with success.  What a great example for us!  

Matthew 21:7 – They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them.

The scriptures are very specific that this colt had never before been ridden (Mark 11:2, Luke 19:30).  Therefore, it would not have a saddle.  So it makes sense that the disciples would take off their outer garments and put them on the colt as a kind of substitute for the saddle. 

Whether they knew it or not, this action had a greater significance.  

Back in 2 Kings 9, we find the story of Jehu being anointed as king.  At the time, he was a commander in the army.  Then one day, at the behest of Elisha (who was under direct orders from God), one of the prophets ran to find Jehu, called him into an inner room by himself, anointed him as king, then fled the scene.  Immediately afterward, when his men found out what had happened, every man took his garment and spread it under Jehu at the top of the steps then blew the trumpets saying, "Jehu is king" (2 Kings 9:13).

So laying down your outer garment was the custom in ancient Israel whenever they found that God had anointed a man to be their king.  And this was the exact thing that took place when Jesus was riding into Jerusalem on that colt!  

Matthew 21:8 – Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.

Although it was certainly not the intention of the disciples, the multitude followed their example by casting tree branches in the road before Jesus.  This was the way in which ancient conquerors and princes were often honored.  Casting flowers, garlands or evergreens before a warrior returning from victory or a king entering into his kingdom was a common way of expressing joy and triumph.  (The famous historian Josephus says that King Agrippa was received this way as he entered into Jerusalem). 

So we find the common, obscure multitudes revering Christ as King.  God often uses the common or insignificant people of this world to do his bidding (1 Corinthians chapter 1).  I don't know about you, but that is good news for me!   

Some scholars feel that the Holy Spirit moved on the crowds and prompted them to do this.  Others feel that the people did it believing that Jesus was going to rise to power and claim an earthly kingdom immediately after (if not during) the current Passover festival.  Regardless, the group was clearly proclaiming Jesus Christ as the Messiah.    

Matthew 21:9 – And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David!  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!  Hosanna in the highest!"

Let's examine the praise that the crowd now offers to Christ.

Hosanna:  This word literally means 'save now' or 'save, we beseech thee'.  The word was always spoken in an emphatic manner, with deep emotion behind it.  It was used as a plea by the common people to have the king redress their grievances and give them relief from oppression (See 2 Samuel 14:4, 2 Kings 6:26 and especially Psalms 118:25.  The 118^th Psalm was used as a hymn in the celebration of the Passover meal and the Feast of Tabernacles). 

In this instance, the Jews are literally asking Jesus to relive them from the oppression of their enemies.  Although the Jews did not understand it at the time, Jesus will do that by granting them relief from their sins. 

Son of David:  This is a well known Jewish title used to mean Messiah.  It was never given to prophets or other holy men of God.  This was the term used by the blind men in Matthew 20. 

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord:  To come in the name of the Lord means to come in God's authority; to be commissioned by God to reveal his will.  This was another phrase the Jews used in connection with the Messiah. 

Hosanna in the highest:  This was essentially a prayer to the supreme God meaning 'Save now, you who dwell in the highest heaven'.  They were asking for the utmost degree of salvation and deliverance to be granted to them.

By openly asserting his claim as Messiah (by riding the colt) and passively accepting the accolades of the Jews (the laying down of garments/branches and the praises), Jesus is accepting their acknowledgement of him as their King.

It is no coincidence that this revelation comes only days before his death.  Had he revealed himself this way any sooner, the people would have taken him by force and tried to make him an earthly king. 

Matthew 21:10-11 – And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, "Who is this?" And the crowds said, "This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee."

His entry into Jerusalem was a great and unusual event.  It was not something done in secret.  The whole city was talking about it.

Therefore, all the religious leaders (Scribes, Pharisees and priests) could not have been ignorant of it.  Their reaction to it revealed the pride and malice hidden in their hearts.  They rejected Jesus as the Messiah, choosing to worship their religious rituals instead.

Then we have the devoted followers of Jesus, praising him and acknowledging him as Messiah and King. 

There were also multitudes of people that exhibited careless indifference.  They are completely unaware of who Christ is, and they are clearly not among his followers. He is just a spectacle to them!

Are not all three of these groups still present today?  Jesus has devoted followers like you and I, who willingly extol him as King.  There are those who hate Jesus because they have rejected him in favor of a false god/idol, and there are always those who are indifferent to their own spiritual life and have no interest in the gospel message.

Matthew 21:12 – And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons.

Matthew does not specify the exact day that this event took place.  Because of the way he narrates his gospel, it looks as if this event took place on the same day as the triumphal entry, however, the gospel of Mark clearly states that this event took place on the day following the triumphal entry.

What temple is being referred to in this passage? 

As you recall, Israel started out with a tabernacle, which was a movable building made of cloth, bases and poles which they tore down and then put back up as they wandered through the wilderness.

Later, after the monarchy had been established, King David desired to make a permanent 'house' or temple for God.  All throughout his life he gathered materials for this building.  Finally, a magnificent structure was built by David's son and successor, King Solomon (1 Kings 6:1).  Eventually, this amazing building was destroyed by King Nebuchadnezzar when he conquered Judah in 586 BC. This was the first temple, also referred to as Solomon's temple.

During the time of Christ, Herod the Great, who was a very unpopular ruler among the Jews, wanted to do something to court their favor.  So, about 16 years before Christ he started a huge temple rebuilding project.  He did not raze the whole thing to the ground at once.  Instead, he removed and replaced one section at a time, until there was an entirely new building.  This new structure greatly surpassed the original second temple in size and magnificence.  Because it was not completely torn down and replaced, but technically 'remodeled', the Jews still referred to this as the second temple, or Herod's temple.

So the temple Jesus cleanses in the gospel of Matthew is the second temple, or Herod's temple.  Eventually, it too would be utterly destroyed by the Romans, in 70 AD.  Currently, there is no national temple of God in the Jewish nation.  However, we know that a third one will eventually be built, because it is mentioned in the book of Daniel, in regard to end time events (Daniel chapters 11 and 12).

Herod's temple consisted not only of the actual temple; it also had many separate courts, rooms, storage places and chambers.  It appears that one of these outer courts had gradually become a market for buying and selling things related temple sacrifices. 

To some degree, it made sense to have a 'temple store' of some kind.  In fact, this market was endorsed by the religious leaders.  Many people who came to the temple in Jerusalem were coming from a hundred or more miles away.  It was much easier to buy a goat, lamb, oil, salt, etc once you got there, rather than bringing them from home. 

However, these temple merchants had become very corrupt.  They sold inferior animals that should never have been used as sacrifices, and they significantly over charged the people who bought them.  They were making a mockery of the sacred sacrifices while enriching their own bank accounts.  This kind of a thing should never have had a place in the temple or any of its courts. 

Therefore, with zeal and force, Jesus violently removes this abomination from his Father's house.

Matthew 21:13 – He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you make it a den of robbers."

Jesus loosely refers to two Old Testament passages here, Isaiah 56:7 and Jeremiah 7:11.  If you have a moment, be sure to read Isaiah 56:6-7.  It speaks of the admittance of the Gentiles into the house of God, saying 'my house shall be called a house of prayer for all people'. 

Jesus correctly viewed the temple as the temple of God, not the temple of Herod or the temple of the Jews.  He showed reverence for the house of his Father.  Jesus saw the holiness and purpose of the temple; it was the sacred dwelling place of God on earth.  It was the place where humans could have communion with God.

The temple had strayed from its original purpose – prayer and the true worship of God – to become something profane.  It was corrupt and fraudulent.  It needed to be reformed. 

Many scholars see this as a picture of the church.   

1 Corinthians 3:16 - Know you not that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

Each one of us must be purified so that we are an acceptable 'temple' to God.  Sometimes things that are worldly or unholy creep into our lives.  It may start out as something very small or insignificant, but it can grow to be something deadly to our spiritual man. 

We should be diligent to examine ourselves and get rid of anything in our lives that does not glorify God, or enhance our mission of praise and worship to God.  Every person must examine their own personal holiness and make changes as needed.  

Matthew 21:14 – And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them.

Having condemned the profane use of the temple, and having cleansed it of its corruption and fraud, Jesus now demonstrates the proper use of the temple.  It is to be a place of prayer and fellowship with God, a place where God manifests his goodness and power by giving sight to the spiritually blind and healing/restoration to the spiritually lame.  It is to be a place of salvation and healing. 

Matthew 21:15 – But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" they were indignant…

What 'wonderful' things did Jesus do?  He accepted the title of King/Messiah, he cleansed and restored the temple to its proper use, and he then healed and set people free.

We expect indignation from the leadership, right?  All throughout the gospel of Matthew we have seen that the Scribes, Pharisees and other religious leaders exhibit jealousy towards Jesus. 

They are furious because the gospel negates the power, influence and prestige that they have so carefully cultivated in their lives.  They don't want Jesus to be the Messiah; they want to find fault with him, so they can retain their earthly positions of power.

They are also furious because Jesus has come in and single handedly purified the temple.  This was something the priests should have done themselves; now they look foolish for not doing it.  Their greed and corruption have been exposed, and they don't like it.

As always, the healing of people is an affirmation from God that Jesus is his true Son, the Messiah.  None of the people present that day could ever deny that Jesus was the Messiah!  Proof after proof was presented that day.  Prophesy was fulfilled, right in front of their eyes.  Anyone who does not bow to the authority of Jesus at this point is exhibiting outrageous contempt for God!

And yet, these foolish, rebellious men complain that Jesus is accepting praises from children! 

Matthew 21:16 – and they said to him, "Do you hear what these are saying?"  And Jesus said to them, "Yes; have you never read, 'Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise'?"

At this point Jesus is in the temple healing people.  He is operating in the power and authority of the Messiah, the Son of God.  He is accepting praise given to the Messiah.  For those who believed, there could be no greater occurrence than this!

But for those that did not believe, there could be no greater outrage.  The unbelieving leaders could not stop what was happening; but in their own way, they confronted Jesus.

When they asked Jesus 'do you hear what these are saying', what they were really asking is this:  Do you accept these praises in the sense that they are being given to you?  Did you really enter the temple today claiming to be the expected Christ and Son of God?  Are you claiming to be the long awaited Messiah?  Because if you are not (and we don't think you are), then you must immediately stop these people from praising you as God! 

Jesus answers them the same way he frequently replied to those who opposed him – with scripture! [See Matt 12:3,5, Matt 19:4, Matt 21:42, etc].  This time he references Psalms 8:2, quoted below in the NIV version of the Bible:

Psalms 8:2 – From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise, because of your enemies to silence the foe and the avenger.

Jesus' answer was both true and divine.  It did not put him in direct competition with Caesar for a crown, not did it refuse to accept the homage due to him as a true king.  It was the only answer that left his enemies without a foothold against him and yet honored the true faith of his followers.

Perhaps we could learn a lesson from this.  When a controversy arises, maybe we should answer with the scripture, not our own words of wisdom!

Matthew 21:17 – And leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany and lodged there.

Jesus now leaves Jerusalem for the night, but he will be back the next day.  In fact, during these last 6 days of his time on earth, Jesus does not spend any nights in the actual city of Jerusalem.  Each evening he retires to Bethany (about 2 miles away) and then returns to the city each morning. 

He probably stayed at the house of Lazarus.  There, he would have opportunities to pray and be alone, as well as being able to enjoy the support, comfort and company of his close friends.  God granted him a measure of peace and rest before his final sacrifice, which he would not have received in the noisy, overcrowded city, over-run with visitors for the upcoming Passover.

Let me offer you some encouragement and strength:

As we discussed in today's lesson, Jerusalem seemed like a powder keg just waiting to blow up.  Just one more incident could have caused the whole place to erupt into chaos, or so it seemed.

Sometimes, our current situation appears the same way!  As mankind struggles to find a new normal in light of the COVID 19 crisis, it seems like just 'one more thing' could cause our economy, our educational system, our whole way of life to descend into chaos.

But let me offer you a word of encouragement from Psalms 121, which we made reference to in today's lesson.  This psalm has just 8 verses, but it is extremely comforting and powerful.  PLEASE take two minutes and read the entire thing – you will be glad you did!

In the meantime, let me quote just the last verse:

Psalm 121:8 - The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore.

Let me reiterate one more time:  you are not just an afterthought to God - you are the apple of his eye!  Your life, as well as the lives of your family/children, have not 'slipped through the cracks' of world events. 

The things that you and I perceive to be chaotic are not chaotic to God.  They are all part of His plan.  He has foreseen every circumstance and he controls every outcome.  What the enemy has meant for evil, God will use for your good!  The bible tells us that God knows the end, even from the beginning.  And the entire time he is preserving your movements both now and forevermore, so be encouraged and strengthened in your walk with him! 

Let me offer you some relief:

In today's lesson, we saw Jesus instruct the disciples to go into a town and get a colt which he needed for his entrance into Jerusalem.  We could summarize that event by saying that Jesus guided them, they followed his leading/instructions, and the outcome was success.  This is a principle that will work for us too. 

Are you worried about how to survive in these troubled times?  Are you spending sleepless nights with an upset stomach wondering what to do?  Well here is some relief:  All you have to do is hear/listen to God's instruction, and then obey. 

If you let him do the leading, while you concentrate on following, it will relieve a huge part of your fear, anxiety and frustration.  So relax – trust in God and follow where he leads!  He will successfully take you through this time.

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Matthew 20:20 – Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something.

The sons of Zebedee were James and John.  They, along with Peter, were the 'inner circle' of the disciples.  These three were with Jesus on the mount of transfiguration.  John was the disciple Jesus loved.  So we find that the sons of Zebedee were very close to Jesus.  

Their mother's name was Salome.  Although Salome's husband was deceased, he appears to have left her a wealthy widow.  She was one of the women who followed Jesus and the disciples, supporting them financially (Mark 15:40).  

Salome wants something.  Either she feels very comfortable asking because of her service to Jesus, or she is a very bold woman!  Either way, she approaches Jesus and kneels before him as a sign of respect.

Matthew 20:21 – And he said to her, "What do you want?"  She said to him, "Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand, and one at your left, in your kingdom."

This seems like a strange request because it immediately follows the revelation of Jesus that he will soon suffer a horrible death on the cross.  Who would be asking for honors at a time like that?

However, it may not be that strange when we consider the mindset of James and John.  The brothers (along with many other Jews) believed that once Jesus rose from the dead on the third day, he would immediately set up the kingdom they had long expected. 

The good news is that they had enough faith to believe that Jesus would rise from the dead.  They also had the faith to believe that he would successfully establish his kingdom, even though there was no sign of it at that time. 

The bad news is that their request shows their ignorance and reveals their sinful ambition.  They still believed that Jesus' kingdom would be an earthly one with great splendor, glory, wealth and power.  They wanted to be the first applicants for the top positions of honor in this new kingdom.

Their ambition also reveals an element of pride.  They feel they are superior to the other disciples, and thus entitled to the highest positions of honor.  After all, aren't they Jesus' closest friends?  Hasn't Jesus already shown them special favor?   

So we see that even the disciples struggled with letting the things of this world go, in order to take hold of heavenly things.  This is an issue that all Christians must constantly deal with. 

We are citizens of heaven, fulfilling a temporary assignment here on earth.  But sometimes, we get so focused on our temporary situation that we start to lay down roots here.  We start to store up treasure here, rather than in heaven.  We start to plan and work to have places of honor here, rather than in heaven.  We want to make our mark on this world, rather than the world to come.  We develop our own agenda for a good life here, rather than embracing the agenda that God has for us.

Even the apostles fell into this pitfall of the enemy.  Is there a way for us to avoid it?

I believe we can circumvent this problem by following the example of Jesus:

Philippians 2:5-7 – Have this mind among yourselves which is yours in Christ Jesus who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, … taking the form of a servant…he humbled himself becoming obedient to the point of death…

Notice that this scripture tells us that Jesus 'emptied himself'.  In other words, he put all of his human dreams, desires, ambitions, rights, and goals aside.  Once he was emptied of his own desires, there was room for God to fill him with the desires of the Father, through the indwelling Holy Spirit.  Because he was committed to fulfilling the will of the Father and not his own will, he was able to face the cross:

Matthew 26:42 - He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, your will be done.

I believe that God wants each of us to do the same thing.  He wants us to empty ourselves by surrendering our plans, goals, dreams and desires to him.  If we are seeking the will of God, and not trying to complete our own agendas, we will not fall into the trap of loving the world and neglecting heaven.  Embracing God's plan for our lives will ensure that we lay up all of our treasures in our permanent home (heaven), not here on earth.

During the next few days, will you give this idea some consideration?  The Holy Spirit is standing by right now, just waiting for you to empty yourself, so he can fill you with the plans and purposes of God!  

Matthew 20:22 - Jesus answered, "You do not know what you are asking.  Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?"  They said to him, "We are able."

Interestingly, Jesus does not respond to Salome, but directly to James and John.  This indicates that the request originated with them, not their mother; she was probably making the request because they asked her to.

Jesus plainly tells the brothers that they don't understand the full impact of what they are requesting.  James and John are only thinking about the honor and happiness that would belong to them, if they occupied the seats on either side of Jesus.  What they don't realize is that the path to those seats is filled with trials, suffering and pain.

James and John speedily assure Jesus that they are quite capable of handling any trials or suffering that might come their way - no problem!  They have great confidence in their own strength and ability to endure suffering. 

But as we would expect, those who trust in the flesh always fail.  It was no different for James and John.  Their abject failure is clearly documented in the scriptures.  When Jesus was arrested, they all fled like cowards (Mark 14:30)!  After the death of Jesus, they were hiding in a room together for fear of the Jews (John 20:19).

Yet, in Foxe's Book of Martyrs, we find that James was the first of the 12 apostles to be martyred.  His death is recorded in Acts 2:12.  He was executed in AD 44 by King Herod Agrippa I of Judea.

Foxe goes on to record this:  "The eminent writer, Clemens Alexandrinus, wrote that when James was being led to his execution his extraordinary courage impressed one of his captors to such a degree that he fell on his knees before the apostle, asked his forgiveness, and confessed that he was a Christian too.  He said that James should not die alone, whereupon they were both beheaded." [Quote from The New Foxe's Book of Martyrs, page 5, published 2001]. 

What could account for the miraculous transformation in James and John?  How do you go from running away at the arrest of Jesus to courageously facing a vat of boiling oil for your faith in Christ?

The difference was the indwelling of the Holy Spirit which the disciples received on the Day of Pentecost.  They no longer operated in the strength of their flesh, but in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 4:31 - And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

Have you ever wondered if you would have the strength to stand firm if you had to renounce Christ or die?

The fact is, we have no ability in ourselves (our flesh) to walk this path.  However, if we have been filled with the Holy Spirit, we can rely on his strength and power to give us boldness, even to the point of death.

Matthew 20:23 – He said to them, "You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."

Jesus reveals that both of these men will 'drink his cup' or in other words, they will share in his sufferings.  They will be persecuted for the sake of the gospel. 

However, that suffering does not guarantee them the places of honor they are seeking.

So to answer the original request of James and John, Jesus replies that the seats of honor they are seeking have been prepared for someone specific, and when the time comes, God will give them to the proper people.      

Matthew 20:24 – And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers.

The reaction of the other 10 disciples reveals what was in their hearts. Their indignation is not a righteous indignation against sin, but a jealousy of rivals.  They were angry because they had the same hidden ambition as James and John!  So all of the disciples have been 'infected' with the desire to be honored and esteemed higher than anyone else. 

This is a problem that Jesus is going to have to address.      

Matthew 20:25 – But Jesus called them to him and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them."

Jesus does not angrily reprove the disciples, but tenderly and patiently he gives them instruction and revelation about the inner workings of his kingdom.

In the earthly realm, it is customary for kings to exalt their friends or relatives to positions of high honor and authority within their kingdoms.  This was the type of position the disciples desired. 

However, the government of the church (or the kingdom of heaven) is far different.  It is like no other kingdom that has ever existed.  It is founded on humility and brotherly love, which stem from our relationship to Christ.  

Therefore, the positions desired by the disciples simply do not exist in the kingdom of heaven.  All of their ambition and jealously were worthless/meaningless.

 Matthew 20:26-27 – "It shall not be so among you.  But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and who ever would be first among you must be your slave,"

The disciples were to be servants to the entire body of Christ.  They were to teach, to comfort, to encourage and to counsel.  They were to labor to bring other believers to a state of spiritual maturity.  This mandate was not just for the disciples. 

All the members of Christ's kingdom have a duty to serve one another for mutual edification.  If you and I want to be great in Christ's kingdom, we must:

• submit to one another (Ephesians 5:18-21)
• have humility towards one another (1 Peter 5:5)
• bear with one another (Romans 14:13-19)
• build one another up (Romans 15:1-3)
• live in harmony with each other (Romans 15:4-6).

So the way to greatness in the kingdom of heaven is to be humble and serve our brothers/sisters.    

Matthew 20:28 – "…even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

As always, our lives should be patterned after our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ who provided us with the ultimate examples of:

Humbleness – Jesus has ultimate authority, yet he submitted to his earthly parents.  He owns the cattle on a thousand hills, yet he relinquished all earthly wealth, humbly depending on others to meet his needs.  He is the head of the church, but never held an office or ruled in the Jewish community.   He deserves all of our respect and admiration, yet he bent down and washed the feet of his own disciples.  Ultimate power belongs to him, yet he submitted to a painful, humiliating death by the hands of his own creation.

Service to others – When Jesus went into a city or town, he healed EVERYONE who came to him.  There were times when he was tired and hungry, but he never turned anyone away.  He came into this world as a man for a specific purpose:  to give his life as a ransom for us all.  What greater act of service is there?        

In light of the example of Christ, how should we live our lives? 

Matthew 20:29-30 – And as they went out of Jericho, a great crowd followed him.  And behold, there were two blind men sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, the cried out, "Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!"

Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem to sacrifice himself on the cross.  He will never again pass this way during his time on earth.  For these two men to be on the path that Jesus is walking is no accident – it is a divine appointment! 

This narrative becomes all the more interesting when we realize that blindness in the physical realm is a picture of blindness in the spiritual realm.  All of us have been born blind to spiritual things because of sin.

But our loving heavenly Father did not abandon us to our fate.  He sent his Son Jesus into the world, to heal our spiritual blindness so we can be reconciled to him. 

Luke 4:18 - The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised…

Speaking of the Messiah, notice that the two blind men address Jesus as 'Son of David'.  This was a title that the Jews used to refer exclusively to the Messiah.  So these two men are not requesting help from a prophet or simply a holy man.  They are acknowledging Jesus as the Messiah, the person whom God had sent to be the one and only author of salvation. 

Matthew 20:31 – The crowd rebuked them, telling them to be silent, but they cried out all the more, "Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!"

Because most of the Jews did not accept Jesus as the Messiah, the cries of these men no doubt made many of them angry.  They insist that the men keep silent.

Likewise, whenever a lost soul begins to cry out to Jesus for salvation, the world and the devil join together to try and drown out his cry, or intimidate him into silence.    

If people are trying to deter you from calling out to God for either salvation or deliverance, don't let them hinder or stop you!  Those who persevere in seeking the Lord will find that their efforts are not in vain.  So do as this man did – appeal to God's mercy, and cry out until he answers.  Never give up!

Matthew 20:32-33 – And stopping, Jesus called them and said, "What do you want me to do for you?"  They said to him, "Lord, let our eyes be opened."

Jesus was not going to deny or ignore any man who cried out to him as Savior.  He stopped to speak with them, and grant their request.

In the same way, Jesus never ignores a plea for salvation. He is eagerly watching and waiting for the sinner to cry out, so he can grant their request.

However, I think there might be an 'elephant in the room'.  Surely, Jesus knows what these men need/want – for their blindness to be healed. Even you and I could figure that one out!  If that is the case, why does Jesus ask them to verbalize their request to him?  Why not just do the obvious - heal their eyes?

The Lord knew the desire of their hearts, but he wanted a verbal confession of their needs and the distinct blessing which they desired, so that all those standing by might acknowledge the miracle.  Indeed, it confirmed for the man himself that God has answered his petition.

Do you see a parallel here with prayer?  God already knows what we have need of before we pray (Matthew 6:8), but he still asks us to bring our requests to him in prayer. 

Philippians 4:6 - Be anxious for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

We do not make our request to God to inform him of our situation (he already knows it), or to move him to action (faith is what moves God to action).  By praying, we are partnering or cooperating with God in the work which he intends to accomplish in our lives.  We are releasing his mercy, wisdom and power into our hopeless situations.    

As an added bonus, our own faith is further strengthened when we make specific requests to God and then see him answer them in prayer.    

Matthew 20:34 – And Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately they recovered their sight and followed him.

This is a testimony to the power of God.  Jesus healed the man easily and completely – immediately his eyes were opened.  Thus, he confirmed that he was indeed the Messiah and he revealed the mission for which he was sent – to give salvation to the spiritually blind.  Aren't you so glad he did!

Let me give you some encouragement:

The disciples wanted places of honor in God's kingdom.  They did not realize that the kingdom of heaven is made up of those who serve.  What service have you done lately? 

I am positive that in the midst of these uncertain times, there are many, many people out there who could use a word of encouragement and hope.  As a Christian, you carry the author of life with you, wherever you go.  Can we make a special effort this week to encourage those around us?  Why not reach out to a friend or family member you havn't connected with in a long time?  Your words can make a difference in the life of someone who is scared, desperate or lonely.  So reach out and encourage someone this week!    

Let me give you some relief:

Maybe you've put down a few too many roots in this life.  Maybe you forgot that this world is not your home.  Well let me offer you some relief – you're not the only one! 

This can happen to any of us.  The good news is that once you recognize the problem, you can change the outcome.   Right now, go to our Savior in prayer.  Surrender all of your 'roots' to him.  Ask him to fill your heart with His plans and desires; then follow them with all your might.  You will once again be storing up treasures in your permanent home – heaven!  

Let me give you some strength:

We mentioned in this passage that when the apostles encountered times of suffering and trial, their flesh was not strong enough to get them through.  It failed them every time.  However, after they were filled with the Holy Spirit, they experienced a new level of boldness and confidence. 

Because they were trusting in the Spirit, they were able to stare death in the face and not even flinch.  I encourage you to pray for a renewed anointing of the Holy Spirit in your life.  Tap into the strength and power that God has made available to each and every one of us.  In these days, we certainly need it!

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Matthew 20:1 – For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.

As you may recall, chapter 19 ended with a verse that said, 'But many who are first will be last, and the last first'.   This was a very unfortunate place to break off the chapter because the parable we find in Matthew 20:1-16 ties in with the events and discussions of chapter 19.

As you recall, Jesus was still dealing with the concept of reward which came about after the rich young ruler refused to give up his worldly riches and follow Jesus.  The specific reward that the young man forfeited was eternal life. Please keep this in mind as we examine this parable.  Other lessons can also be found in this portion of scripture, and we will take a look at some of those too.

Let's get started.    

In this parable, we find the master or owner of a house who owns a vineyard.  He is in need of workers to tend it.

Early in the morning (6 am), he goes into the market place searching for people to labor in his field. 

Matthew 20:2 – After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

First, we want to note that these workers are not slaves.  Slaves do not have a choice of whether or not to work.  They do not get paid wages for their efforts.

These are hired hands or day laborers who were hired for short term employment.  They would congregate at a particular place (probably close to the city gate) and just wait for someone to come along and offer them a job.  They could be hired for part of a day, a full day or even a bit longer.  These types of workers were always paid daily.

So, in the parable, it appears as though the master found a group of these men first thing in the morning (6 am), offered them the standard rate of pay for a day's work (a penny), they accepted, and he sent them to work.  So far, so good.

Matthew 20:3 – And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace,

About 9 am, the owner sees other people standing around the employment office looking for work.  These people are not idle because they are lazy; they were simply unable to be at work until after 6 am.  This was nothing more than a timing issue.

Matthew 20:4 – and to them he said, "You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you."

So he sends another group of laborers into the vineyard, but this time, no definite wage is specified.  The owner simply promises that he will treat them fairly.  They accept this arrangement, and (hi-ho, hi-ho) off to work they go!

Matthew 20:5 – So they went.  Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same.

All day long, the owner constantly sends more and more workers into his field.  Each time, he agrees to pay them a fair wage without specifying exactly what that would be. 

Matthew 20:6-7 – And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing.  And he said to them, "Why do you stand here idle all day?"  They said to him, "Because no one has hired us."  He said to them, "You go into the vineyard too."

The eleventh hour is equal to 5 pm, and the working day ended at 6 pm.  These workers were sent to work only the last hour of the day.

Matthew 20:8 – And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.'

Soon, 6 pm rolled around and the work day was over.  Like any group of workers, I imagine that some of them had a great day.  They felt like they had accomplished a lot and were happy.  Some probably encountered problems or difficulties during the day and were just glad to be done!  Some had worked though the heat of the day and were tired/weary, while some had worked only an hour and felt like they could keep going.

Regardless, of how the day unfolded for each individual worker, it was now time to receive payment for their labor.  We note that the master of the house instructs the foreman/steward to pay the workers in a precise manner – the last hired are to be paid first, and the first hired are to be paid last.

Matthew 20:9 – And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius.

So the workers that labored for an hour are paid first.  They received the same amount that was promised to the contracted workers who worked 12 hours.  The generosity of the master of the house was incredible!  They were certainly very pleased with what they had been given!

And apparently those standing in line behind them also noted that they had received an entire day's wages. 

Matthew 20:10 – Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius.

So picture this – You are one of the 6 am shift.  You worked all day in the heat.  Your feet are aching; you are tired and sweaty.  You see the people who were hired for one hour being paid a whole penny/whole day's wages. 

You are anxious and excited as you make your way up to the payment window.  Eventually it is your turn and you receive (drum roll here)… a penny.  A single penny.  The same amount that you were contracted to be paid, and nothing more!  The same amount that was given to the workers who did not labor as long as you did!  How outrageous!  How unfair! 

Matthew 20:11-12 – And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, saying, "These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat."

Oh, how quickly our attitudes can change!  There is no doubt that at 6 am they considered themselves fortunate to be hired.  They were glad to be going into the vineyard.  They were looking forward to getting paid a penny.  But despite the fact that none of that had changed (in fact, it occurred exactly as they expected it would), they were now unhappy!  How ungrateful and peevish they now seem! 

Matthew 20:13 – But he replied to one of them, "Friend, I am doing you no wrong.  Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 

As the owner points out, he had completely fulfilled the contract between himself and the disgruntled workers.  They voluntarily entered into the contract; he fulfilled his end of the bargain.  There were no grounds for appeal or renegotiation.  

Matthew 20:14-15 – "Take what belongs to you and go.  I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you.  Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me?  Or do you begrudge my generosity?"

The master rebukes the ungrateful workers.  Doesn't his stuff belong to him alone?  As master, doesn't he have the authority to use it as he pleases?  Because the master is generous and liberal, does that give the temporary employee a right to be envious or covetous?  Of course not! 

When we read this account, the complainers seem like spoiled children, murmuring that their wages are unfair.  However, in reality, they have nothing to complain about.    

Matthew 20:16 – So the last will be first, and the first last.

How are we to interpret this parable in light of the reward of eternal life?

The parable describes what takes place in the kingdom of heaven, or the gospel dispensation.  As we have already discussed, this period of time began with the public ministry of Jesus and it will end when he returns again to earth. 

So, what was the most mysterious part of the gospel dispensation, in regards to eternal life? 

It is the rejection of the Jews and the acceptance of the Gentiles into the kingdom of Heaven.

Ephesians 3:3-6 - … the mystery was made known to me by revelation as I have written briefly.  When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.  This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

To those of us reading this in the 21^st century, this is not a mystery at all.  As long as we have walked the earth, Gentiles have had the opportunity to be admitted into the kingdom of heaven; the same heaven as the Jews.  For us, this is the status quo.

But remember, this parable was spoken before Jesus was crucified and raised to life.  At that time, the Jews despised the Gentiles, calling them 'dogs'.  They hated everything about the Gentile way of life.  They hated the authority that the Gentiles exercised over them.  The Jews were convinced that the Gentiles would rot in hell forever, which was what they deserved, and the sooner they got it, the better.

Were it not for the work of the mighty Holy Spirit, the early church would have split into two churches – the Jewish part and the Gentile part.  This is clearly evidenced by numerous New Testament writings.  But, by his great might and wisdom, God combined both the Jews and Gentiles into a single, united body of Christ.  Believers in both groups were entitled to receive eternal life.

So in our parable, the workers who were called at 6 am were the Jews.  The owner (God) made a contract (covenant) with them.  They agreed to labor for a penny a day (eternal life).

Those without a contract are the Gentiles.  God has called them to work in his kingdom, with the promise that he would pay them what was fair.  He chose to give the Gentiles the same wages as the Jews – eternal life.

However, God soon put them in their place.  Doesn't the gift of salvation belong to God alone?  If he, in his sovereignty and grace, chooses to be generous and give it to all men, do the Jews have the right to be angry about that?  Didn't they receive exactly what was promised to them through the original covenant?  Of course they did!  They have no cause to be angry with God over the salvation of the Gentiles.

It is now easy to see how this relates to chapter 19.  Peter and the other disciples are all excited about receiving the reward that was rejected by the rich young ruler.  This reward was eternal life, and they were happy to get it. 

However, Jesus was using this parable to tell them that the reward of salvation was going to be open to all men, and the Jews were going to be unhappy about it, at least at first.  This is even more evidence that God always intended to give eternal life to Gentiles.  

This is the focal point of the parable.  However, as we mentioned earlier, they are many lessons that can be taken from this portion of scripture.

You have to love all of your brothers and sisters in Christ, and be in unity with them.  We are all on the same team, working for the same goal – to see the world won for Christ.  So, let each person do what God has called him to do, and let us labor together, like a body made up of many individual members.

This parable could also be used to demonstrate the truth that people can receive eternal life, regardless of when they surrender to God.  For instance, if a person received Christ as savior at the age of 5, and then spent another 95 years working in his kingdom, he would receive eternal life as his reward.  He would be a '6 am' worker.  A person who accepts Christ on his or her deathbed would be an 11^th hour worker.  Like the thief on the cross, he too receives eternal life.

 Matthew 20:17 – And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them,

Jesus is headed up to Jerusalem for the Passover.  He will not only observe this Passover with his disciples, he will also fulfill Passover by giving his life as a ransom for mankind.    

Matthew 20:18-19 – "See, we are going up to Jerusalem.  And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day."

This is the third time that Jesus has revealed his death to the disciples (once in chapter 16 and once in 17).  Why do you think he does this? 

Because if Jesus tells them in advance, their faith in him as the Messiah will not be shaken when they see him arrested and put to death. 

Notice how very specific/detailed Jesus is about his upcoming death.  He will be delivered to the Sanhedrin, the great religious council of the Jews.  They will condemn him to death, but they have no actual power or authority to carry out capital punishment.  Therefore, they must turn him over to the Gentiles.  Specifically, that would be the Romans, who practice the most horrible of executions – scourging, followed by crucifixion. 

Who but the true Son of God could have given the exact order and details of his own death?   Even though this does not make any sense to them at the present time, the disciples will eventually know and understand that this was all a part of God's perfect plan. 

This news also brings them a secondary comfort:  if Jesus was telling the truth about his own death and resurrection, then he was also telling the truth about the gift of eternal life that they had just been discussing.

We also notice that Jesus reveals this truth only to the disciples, not the large crowd following him to the city.  This was because the 12 were his chosen witnesses that would later preach the gospel and establish the church.

So let me offer you some encouragement:

For a time, the disciples did not understand the death and resurrection of Jesus.  That scenario did not fit in with their idea of Jesus throwing off the rule of the Gentiles and setting up his own victorious kingdom.

But later, they understood that God was indeed going to fulfill all his promises; just not in the way they expected.  Perhaps this is true in your life too.  Have you been holding onto a promise from God, but things aren't happening the way you thought they would?  If so, let me give you some encouragement – God always keeps his promises!  So keep your eyes on him, and continue to trust him.  Give him glory and be thankful.  Like the disciples, you will one day look back and see that God was faithful to all that he promised! 

Let me offer you some relief:

This chapter deals a lot with the reward of eternal life.  Now is the time to examine this truth in your own life.  Have you entered into the service of the master yet?  Is your eternal salvation guaranteed?  If not, now is the time to turn from sin and lay hold of the promise of eternal life, by praying and asking Jesus to be Lord and Savior of your life. 

Let me offer you some strength:

The disciples suffered a period of intense upheaval and uncertainty when Jesus was crucified.  We too, are experiencing a time of upheaval and uncertainty, because of the COVID virus.    

What will happen in the future?  Will there be public school or sporting events?  Will the virus run its course or continue to plague the entire world?  Will food, housing and transportation continue to be readily available or can we expect shortages?  What will happen to our jobs?  We can no longer be confident of these answers like we have been in the past. This uncertainty can result in fear and worry.  

But let me offer you some strength – some things are eternal and unchanging!  

God is still in control of the universe, and our lives.  His perfect plan for you cannot be altered by the virus.

God is Jehovah Jireh, our provider.  He is the source of all that we are going to need, including food, shelter and employment.  God is not experiencing any shortages!   

God has guaranteed us eternal life in paradise with him.  Nothing can take that away from you!

God is still interested in gathering souls to himself.  Despite what is happening around us, we must still press forward in winning souls and making disciples of all men.

God guided the disciples through their period of uncertainty.  By his Holy Spirit, he transformed them into powerful witnesses for Christ.  He will do the same thing for you.  Ask the Lord to baptize you in the Holy Spirit and transform you into a powerful witness for him in these last days!

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Matthew 24:36 – "But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only."

One of the questions asked by the disciples was WHEN the end of the age would come. 

Jesus does not reveal the precise date and time.  Rather, he gives them general signs of its coming.  For example, when you see the fig tree in bud, that is a clear indication that summer is coming.  Likewise, when the disciples saw the signs that Jesus mentioned, the end of the age (destruction of Jerusalem, end of the Law) would be at hand.   

Furthermore, when the end of time/end of the world comes, these same signs will be present.   

Why do you think God keeps the exact end of time hidden from us?

I can think of a few reasons, but in my mind one stands out.  Contrary to what we sometimes think, God is mainly interested in a close relationship with us.  Everything else, like good works and personal holiness, stems from that relationship. 

If we knew the exact date and time of the end of the age or of his return, we would have a tendency to indulge in sin and let our relationship with him grow cold.  By keeping the date secret, God creates within us a sense of excitement and great anticipation for a fabulous present that will someday be ours.  As his children, we should view the end of time with the eagerness of Christmas morning.  We know that we are going to receive extraordinary gifts, which we can't even imagine!  

Matthew 24:37 – "For as were the days of Noah, so will the coming of the Son of Man."

The narrative of Noah and the ark is found in Genesis chapters 6-9.  What are the main points of the narrative of Noah?

One - That generation was wicked and violent: 

Genesis 6:5, 11 – The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.  Now, the earth was corrupt in God's sight and the earth was filled with violence.

In Noah's generation, mankind as a whole was completely bent on evil.  Every decision they made was rooted in darkness.  It would be easy to imagine how they abused and oppressed widows and children.  It is easy to imagine that they served false gods and idols. It is easy to imagine how they faithfully pursued pleasure, ease and drunkenness.   It is easy to image that they were violent people, who wanted nothing to do with God. 

Let's compare that with our generation.  Generally speaking, is mankind evil?  Do the people around us make decisions that are clearly rooted in darkness, like removing God from our schools and court system?  Do Americans serve idols like money, fame, ease and false religions?  Are we a violent society?  I think so...  just look at the news on any given day.  There are murders, robberies, instances of child abuse, clashes between gangs, and burning businesses in many cities.  What do you think – are we violent? 

Two - The message of repentance was preached to that generation, but they rejected it:

2 Peter 2:5 - … [God] saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness…

Not only did Noah preach righteousness, he lived it in front of his generation.  He began to build an enormous boat in his backyard.  You can bet that the people of his town often stopped by to mock the 'crazy' guy who was obsessed with God.  You can bet that Noah was the subject of many taunts and jokes.   But each day that he lived righteously was a testimony to those around him.  His uncompromising life stood in sharp contrast to the evil around him. 

What about our generation?  The message of repentance is being preached like never before.  It is available in churches, online, in print, over the radio and in everyday conversations with believers.  I think that at this point, most people in America would have to be actively avoiding the gospel, in order not to hear it. 

That being said, can we say that our lives are a testimony of righteousness?  Do we have an uncompromising commitment to our King that stands in sharp contrast to the evil around us?

Three - Judgment came suddenly and caught them unaware:

Matthew 24:38-39 – "For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man."

Even though they heard the message spoken to them by Noah, they did not take it seriously.  They did not believe it, or prepare themselves for it.  If they had, they too would have been saved from death.  Instead, they were indifferent to the message.

As a result, they were not looking for judgment to come.  It wasn't even on their radar.  Each day they enjoyed reveling in sensuality and debauchery.  Each night they went to bed expecting that another day would arrive, right on schedule.  And for a time, that is exactly what occurred.  God was giving them time to repent and turn from their wickedness.

But they turned a blind eye to their window of opportunity. They filled up the measure of sin for their society, in their generation.  And as a result, judgment came. 

Jesus tells us that the same symptoms will accompany the generation who lives at the end of time/the world.  They will hear the message of judgment.  God will most certainly provide opportunities to repent and turn to him, but many people will not listen.  They will turn a blind eye to the warnings of destruction and as a result, they will be swept away in judgment. 

I hope that this prompts us all to continue to earnestly pray for the United States of America.  We need the Holy Spirit to overshadow our nation and bring a spirit of repentance to every man, woman and child.  We need to put on sackcloth and ashes, and cry out to God for mercy, so that our nation is not swept away in judgment.

Four - In the  time of Noah, God saved those who were his:

Genesis 7:13, 16 – On the very same day Noah and his sons…and Noah's wife and the three wives of his sons with them entered into the ark…and those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded them.  And the Lord shut him in.

Here is the message of hope for every child of Almighty God!  God knew exactly which people were in a true relationship with him.  He knew those who were close to him, and when the time of destruction and judgment (the flood) came, God spared those who served him. 

For those living in the last generation of time (us?), this will also hold true.  God has created each and every human being and placed them in a precise location at a precise time in history.  So, if you are alive in the last generation, it is because God specifically planned it that way.  He will equip you to be victorious in that situation.  The judgment that will come upon the wicked at the end of time, will not touch you.  Your name will be written in the Lamb's book of life; you will enjoy an eternity with God!

Matthew 24:40-41 – "Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left.  Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left."

Right now, people are busy living life.  This includes working, forming relationships, enjoying hobbies, making discoveries, educating ourselves, raising children, etc.  In the midst of all this, the gospel continues to be broadcast far and wide.  People have a choice of whether or not to pay attention to the gospel.  Each person must make an individual choice – will they accept Jesus as savior and Lord, or will they not.

Currently, the godly and the ungodly are mixed together in every venue of life - within families, within schools and businesses, even within the church.  Sometimes we have a difficult time telling them apart.  But God does not.  At the appointed time, Jesus will return and there will be a clear and sudden separation of those who believe and those who do not. 

Those who have received Jesus as Lord and are alive at his coming, will be summoned from the earth to meet him in the air, as he descends from heaven with a shout and the sound of a trumpet.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 - For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.  

Those who have rejected the offer of grace and salvation will be left behind, to the fate they have chosen - shame and everlasting contempt; an eternity separated from God.

Who can describe the happiness of those who are taken when the Lord returns?  Who can imagine the misery of those who are left behind?  Let us give careful consideration to these choices, because they represent life and death for our spirits.  

Matthew 24:42 – "Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming."

Our translation says 'therefore, stay awake', but I think the King James is a better interpretation.  It says 'watch therefore'. 

When are we to watch?

We should be diligently watching for the return of our savior each and every day.  We will meet God in one of two ways: either we will die or he will return to earth for us.  Since we do not know the exact timing of either one of those events, we should be watchful and cognizant of his possible coming at all times.

Why are we to watch?

Quite frankly, we need to watch because we are sinful beings.  We tend to take our eyes off eternity and place them on the 'here and now'.  Unless we are careful, we can become enamored with the things of this world, while we neglect our relationship with God.  But if we are constantly watching for his return, we will be in constant communion with him, and we will be ready when the time comes.    

How are we to watch?

We should be joyfully watching for his return.  When Christ returns (or calls us home), it will be the end of our struggle against sin.  It will be the end of disease and death.  It will be the end of separation from our loved ones who have already gone to heaven. 

It will be the beginning of a new eternity filled with love and peace where we are always in his presence.  It will be the fulfillment of every promise that God has made to his children.  Clearly, this will be a time of rejoicing.  So we should be passionately excited by the prospect of his return!  Thoughts of his return should make us feel exhilarated and delighted.  

What are we to watch?

In light of his coming at an unspecified time, we should watch the way we conduct ourselves in this life.  It is time to put away the sins that stubbornly cling to our lives.  Do you have a foul mouth?  Time to clean it up.  Do you lust?  Time to get your thoughts under control and place them under the power of God.  Do you love anything more than God?  If so, that is an idol.  Time to smash that thing and remove it from your life.   Do you still cling to old habits of the world?  Time to clean house and prepare for the return of our Lord and Savior. 

It is time to make sure that our gospel light is shining brightly, pushing back the darkness and providing hope to the lost.  It's time to pray.  It's time to spend time in his presence.  It's time to nourish our spirits on the word of God.  It's time to build up our most holy faith by praying in heavenly languages (Jude 20).  

Matthew 24:43 – "But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into."

If you knew a thief was going to break into your house sometime during the night, there is no doubt that you would be awake and on guard, watching for him to show up.     

The scriptures tell us that when Jesus returns to gather his saints home, he will come like a thief in the night:

1 Thessalonians 5:2 - For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.   

In the same way that the owner of the house was watching and preparing for the thief to show up, Christians need to be diligently watching and preparing for the coming of Jesus, or his coming will catch us unprepared and off guard. 

Luke makes it practical for us:

Luke 21:34 – But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap.

It can be easy to get caught up in the affairs of this life.  Recently, I have spoken to several Christians who are very caught up in the political issues of our day.  While it is good to be informed, these folks have taken it too far.  They are constantly feeding themselves from multiple news sources, when they should be feeding themselves on the word of God. 

All of the unrest and controversy covered on the news is keeping their eyes on man, and off of the Savior.  It is taking their minds off the word of God.  It is taking their time away from prayer.  This is just one example of how easy it can be to be weighed down with the cares of this life.

Dissipation is another thing that can put us in bondage and consume all of our time and attention.  Just for the record, to dissipate means to destroy by wasteful extravagance or lavish use, to squander or waste.  Many Christians have lived 'above their means' or made poor use of their resources.  They have borrowed money or run up credit card bills, making them slaves to their lenders.  They spend a lot of time and effort on their debt, instead of using that energy to serve the Lord.

We will mention drunkenness later on in this lesson, but let me just say this:  alcohol is a tool of the enemy which he uses to bind, enslave and destroy people.  It can cause you to do terrible things to yourself and those you love.  Be very, very careful about the footholds you allow the enemy to have in your life.  If you are not careful, you may find that alcohol can consume your loved ones, your finances, your health, your ministry, your dreams and your peace.       

Matthew 24:44 – "Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."

We must prepare ourselves for the return of our Savior by living holy lives and keeping our focus on the return of Jesus and our future heavenly home.  If we are constantly looking for it, we will not miss it.  

Luke 21:36 - Watch therefore, and pray always, that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

Luke cautions us that we need to be in constant prayer.  In so doing, we will escape the judgments that come upon the wicked. We will be able to stand in front of our Lord without being ashamed. 

Matthew 24:45 – "Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time?" 

Verses 45-51 are actually a short parable which shows that the disciples of Jesus should act as if they were expecting his return at any moment.  There are two similar applications of this parable.

In the first, the wise and faithful servant represents a faithful Christian.

Can you determine who the master represents?  That's right – it's Jesus, the Lord or Master of every Christian.  In this application, the 'household' represents all the people, places, and goods that the Christian has authority over. 

As a wise and faithful servant, the Christian will use his authority and all the resources available to him to support and nourish spiritual life to those around him, especially to his family and his church.  He will make sure that at 'the proper time' he distributes wisdom, encouragement, prayer, financial resources or whatever else is needed to those in need.  He lives his life with integrity of heart and pure intentions.    

The second application of this parable is a message to pastors and ministers of our day, whom God has placed in authority over his 'household' or 'flock'.  They are to be wise and faithful stewards, watching over the flock that God has given them.  They are to provide spiritual food, wise council and other assistance to the Christians under their authority.  They dispense the blessings that Christ has purchased by his blood.  Like any Christian, they are to work continually, maintain their integrity and operate with impartiality and pure intentions. 

Ministers of God have been elevated to their positions for the purpose of shepherding and leading others.  Their main concern is to further God's kingdom.  They must be scrupulously exact in fulfilling the commands of the Master, not substituting their own agenda for his.

At the same time, all servants of God must be faithful; we must follow the principles and commands of Jesus, not our own.  We must be willing to share the whole council of God, even if the word is not a happy 'feel good' message.  Faithfulness requires us to dispense words of warning as well as words of wisdom and encouragement..

In both instances, the man or woman who discharges their stewardship wisely and faithfully is blessed by God.  He will graciously and abundantly reward them.  

Matthew 24:46-47 – "Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.  Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions."

God notices good stewardship.  Pastors and Christians who constantly distinguish themselves in this life with humility, diligence, love and sincerity in their work on earth will be noticed and rewarded by God for all of eternity. 

There may be times when we are tempted to take short cuts. There may be times when we get weary from always doing the right thing.  But take heart!  Even though other men don't notice when you weary yourself doing what is right, God does.    

God not only notices good stewardship, he rewards it!  Of course, all who are found in Christ at the end of time are blessed (Revelation 14:13).  But Jesus promises additional blessings for those who become faithful stewards. 

We have a biblical example of this in the Old Testament.  Joseph was a steward in the house of Potiphar.  He did an excellent job, and was rewarded with additional authority, additional honor and additional responsibility:

Genesis 39:4 – So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had.  

We don't know what God has in store for us in eternity, but you can be sure that he loves to reward faithful stewards.  You can be sure that additional authority and honor are in store for those whom he finds faithful in all his house.

Matthew 24:48-49 – "But if that wicked servant says to himself, 'My master is delayed', and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards,"

Matthew Henry says this:  "The vilest of creatures is a wicked man, the vilest of men is a wicked Christian and the vilest of them a wicked minister".   What an insightful statement!

What would make Christians and ministers wicked?  They are wicked if they doubt or disbelieve the second coming of Christ (saying to themselves, 'my master is delayed').

In other words, instead of constantly giving encouragement to the saints that God has a plan and an appointed time to come and receive his bride, and helping others to stay faithful until God arrives, the wicked servant will begin to grumble and complain and doubt the faithfulness of God.  They will begin to despair or disbelieve in his coming. 

This sends them down a horrible, slippery slope.  If God was not truthful in his statement that he was coming again for his people, then how can we believe He has truly forgiven our sins and that He will take us to heaven to be with him?  How can we believe anything He told us?  If that is the case, why not 'eat, drink and be merry'? 

Any minister or Christian who begins to think this way (that God is not coming back), will in turn begin to slip in their stewardship.  They will begin to listen to their flesh, as opposed to their spirit.  They will begin to use their authority and power to satisfy their own carnal desires and lusts.  They will begin to abuse and oppress the other Christians in their church/household.   

They will begin to associate and fellowship with evil people, walking in their council and joining them in sin.  They will begin to scorn the righteous principles they once held dear.   When this happens, it can cause others to stumble in their faith.  The believers they are supposed to be watching over and assisting are left to the wolves.  This stains the holy name of our Lord. 

It is interesting that Jesus uses the term 'drunkards' in this passage to describe wicked servants.  Many Christians see nothing wrong with drinking alcohol.  However, let the reader beware; while alcohol may not be a sin in and of itself, it is certainly a dangerous gateway that leads to other sin.  Many people have committed horrible sins while under the influence of alcohol that they never would have even considered if they had been sober. 

Matthew 24:50-51 – "The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites.  In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

Just as God sees faithful service to him, he also sees wickedness done in his name.  Just because wicked Christians doubt the coming of the Lord, it does not change the fact that God is coming.  In fact, his coming is a sure and certain promise, which cannot be broken by the unbelief of man.

His second coming will be a dreadful surprise to careless Christians and pastors who have cast aside the warnings of his word.  Don't be that person!

So let me offer you some encouragement:

Jesus admonishes us to "watch" for his coming; we are to stay sharp and diligent in his service, because He is coming back again.  This is not a statement that should fill you with fear or make you weary. 

This is a promise that should cause you to rejoice - our King is coming!  So be encouraged - God sees your service to him and He will reward you for it in eternity.     

Let me offer you some relief and some strength:

Human beings make promises all the time.  They also break promises all the time.  As a result, we have a right to be skeptical when someone gives us a promise that seems too good to be true.

But God is different.  He is always, always, always faithful to his promises.  If He says it, you can count on it!   

Deuteronomy 7:9 - Know therefore that the LORD your God, he is God, the faithful God, who keeps covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;

So relax - you can trust God to do exactly what he promises to do.  So dig deep in his word.  Find the promises that speak to your situation.  Pray them over yourself and your loved ones and watch God move in your situation!    

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Matthew 18:21 – Then Peter came up and said to him, "Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?"

In our prior study, we saw that Jesus went into great detail about offences and how we are to resolve them with our brothers and sisters in Christ.  Forgiveness is a vital part of dealing with offences.  In fact, God declares that it is mandatory, not optional.  

Forgiveness implies that we will not hate, gossip or entertain thoughts/actions of revenge.  We should be ready to assist the forgiven offender speedily, though we do not have to make them an intimate friend.

It is quite natural that after the teaching on offences, someone would ask Jesus how often forgiveness should occur.  This probably has to do with the Jewish custom that a person should be forgiven as many as 3 times in a day (possibly based on Amos 1:3).  It is likely that Peter, thinking he was being very generous and forgiving, upped that number to 7x per day.

Why did the Jews limit forgiveness to 3x?  The underlying thought was that if you are lenient and forgiving all of the time, that leniency actually induces others to offend you.  In other words, if you are going to easily forgive me each and every time I request it, then why bother to avoid an offence?  I can just do as I please, and my forgiveness is guaranteed!

According to Jewish reasoning, if there is a limit on forgiveness, then people will take it more seriously.

Matthew 18:22 – Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times."

Clearly, the thoughts of the Jewish leaders are not the same as God's thoughts!  

Isaiah 55:9 – For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

The number 77 is not to be taken literally in this case; it represents unlimited forgiveness.  Thus, Jesus gives the disciples an answer that I am sure they found astonishing – they must forgive an unlimited amount of times!

How would you feel about forgiving someone once a day?  That might not be so bad, right?  But how many of us would be angry and impatient if we had to forgive someone 4 times in a single day? 

What would your reaction be if you had to forgive someone 6 or more times in a day?  Would that person be on your last nerve, so to speak?  Would you be pulling your hair out?  Why, then, does God command us to forgive so freely?

Here's the deal…unlimited forgiveness is an earthly example of God's extravagant grace.  Just as there is no limit to the forgiveness of God, there should be no limit to our forgiveness either.  The only true requirement is that the offender is sincerely penitent for his/her actions.

Matthew 18:23 – Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.

In the kingdom of Heaven (the gospel dispensation that began when Jesus revealed himself on earth and which will end with his return to earth), God has made it very plain that he expects us to forgive others.  As an illustration of our duty to do so, Jesus now gives us a somewhat lengthy parable. 

In this parable, the earthly king represents God.

Matthew 18:24 – When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.

What do you think of when you hear the word servant?  I tend to think of a lowly job that involves a lot of manual labor and does not pay very well.  However, for reasons we shall soon discover, this servant is probably a satrap. 

Satraps were administrators, not manual laborers.  They were actually very high ranking officials with a lot of authority and prestige in the kingdom. 

The satrap was the supreme judicial authority in his region.  He was also responsible for things like internal security for the king, maintaining the army and collecting taxes.

In our culture, he would serve as judge, chief of police, official recruiter for the armed forces and head of internal revenue service – all rolled into one!  That is one extremely powerful person and I, for one, would not want him as an enemy!  

Now we can understand how a 'mere servant' would have access to ten thousand talents of his king's money.  One of two things probably occurred:

He might have collected taxes and spent some of the money, with the intent of paying it back before he had to turn it over to the king.

Or (more likely), the parable infers that the satrap may have 'purchased' the tax debt from the king for a sum of 10 thousand talents.  In this scenario, the taxes of a certain province may have been 15 thousand talents in total.  The servant offers to buy the tax debt from the king for a total of 10 thousand talents.  So he pays (or signs a contract to pay) the king 10 grand, then he sets out to collect the 15 grand that is actually due.  Anything he collects over and above the 10 grand is profit for him.  In this particular case, it appears as though the deadline came, but he did not even collect the ten thousand that he owed his king.  

Funny how some things don't change…this is the principle that many modern day debt collectors operate on.   They buy the right to collect debts from a company, paying them only a portion of the total debt that is due.  Then, they make a profit by collecting as much of the debt as possible. 

Eventually, the day of reckoning finally comes and the bottom line is that the servant owes the king A LOT of money – which he cannot pay!

It sounds like the satrap/servant is in a really bad place, doesn't it?  His situation feels…hopeless, doesn't it?  Interestingly enough, this is an accurate picture of our spiritual state.  Our debt of sin is just as vast and hopeless as the debt owed by the servant in this story. Every single man, woman and child has sinned against God.  Not only have we broken his laws through our thoughts and actions, we have also violated his law by omitting or failing to do what is right! 

Matthew 18:25 – And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made.

Under Jewish law, debtors and their families could be sold as servants/slaves until such time as their debt was paid off (Leviticus 25:39-46, 2 Kings 4:1).  In this case, the amount owed is so enormous, the family would never have been set free.

Likewise, the scripture tells us that we are slaves/servants to sin (Romans 6).  God's justice and holiness require that payment for sin be made in full.  We have no hope of ever being set free by our own efforts; we have no way to pay the debt. 

Matthew 18:26 – So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.'

The servant realizes the full scope of his situation, and its consequences.  He is in over his head.  He can't make his payment.  There are no excuses.  He and his family will be condemned to a lifetime of servitude, without any chance of freedom.  He has cursed the future of his whole family line.  His only hope is the mercy of the king.

As he comes into the king's presence, he humbles himself by bowing before him and confessing that he cannot fulfill his end of the deal.  In his terror and anguish, he begins to promise impossible things – that he will somehow, someway pay his debt.

Just as the servant realized the full scope and consequences of his situation, you and I need to recognize the full scope and consequences of our sin against God.  We are in over our heads.  We can't atone for our sin and we have no excuse for it either.  We deserve an eternity of punishment. 

Yet, when we fall on our faces before King Jesus and cry out to him for mercy, he has compassion on us.   

Matthew 18:27 – And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt.

Did you happen to notice the servant's request? He asks for additional time to repay the debt.  But the great mercy of the king is evident when he not only releases the servant from his legally imposed servitude, but he also completely forgives the debt!  The king gave the servant much, much more than he asked for.  In fact, I don't think the satrap/servant even considered debt cancellation as a possibility. 

Can you imagine how astonished the man would have been when he heard that pronouncement?  He entered the presence of the king without a single hope, but left with a new lease on life.  What utter and complete joy that man must have felt! 

Such is the case with our loving and generous heavenly Father!  He has both provided and accepted the blood of his only Son Jesus as payment for our sin.  He has completely and totally forgiven our debt; we have been set free from the bondage of sin. 

As if that were not enough, he makes us his own children.  This makes us co-heirs with Christ Jesus!  But wait – there's more!  God has also granted us numerous spiritual blessings!

Ephesians 1:3 - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:   

Like the servant in this story, we should be overwhelmed with thanksgiving and praise for what God has done for us!  Praise his holy name! 

Matthew 18:28 – But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, 'Pay what you owe.'

According to the Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (at the time of his writing), the second servant owed the forgiven servant/satrap just about $14.00.  Yes, that's right – only fourteen dollars!

Strangely, the forgiven servant shows no mercy.  He begins to violently take hold of the second servant and demand payment of the $14.  One cannot help but wonder - how can a man who has been forgiven of a debt of 15 million dollars, respond with such violence, hate and anger toward someone who owes him so little?  Fourteen dollars won't fill your gas tank.  It won't pay your monthly cell phone bill.  It won't even pay for this years' Ohio fishing license! 

As I am sure you will agree, the $14 debt can be accurately described as inconsequential.  It becomes even more meaningless when compared to the debt of $15 million! 

Let me ask you this – how would you characterize the actions of the satrap towards his fellow servant?  Outrageous?  How about wicked or cruel?  Could he be accused of injustice?  Do you have even the slightest bit of sympathy for the satrap, or do you think his actions were abominable?  Shall we get the tar and feathers?

Here's the catch – we often act just as despicable as the satrap!

We have all sinned against God.  We owe a debt of sin that we could never, ever, EVER pay, under any circumstances.  It's like a $15 million dollar debt.  Yet God has freely forgiven us without limit.

So when someone offends us or sins against us, it's like a $14 debt.  It's inconsequential, compared to our debt to God.  Now, I understand that people can be wicked and cruel.  Sometimes, they hurt us or our loved ones very badly.  But even so, God requires us to forgive them.

The good news is that all things are possible with God.  If he has mandated that we forgive others, then it must be possible.  If we seek him, he will help us forgive and he will heal the hurts and pain that we suffered at the hands of someone else.

Matthew 18:29-30 – So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you.'  He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt.

Sadly, this plea for mercy fell on deaf ears.  Are we also withholding mercy from someone who has hurt us?  Is pride or anger or hurt keeping us from forgiving that person?  Did the offence take place so long ago, that no one really remembers what all the fuss was about?  Do yourself a favor – let that thing go!   

The bible says that we have freely received, and so we should freely give.  Since we have freely received mercy from God, we ought to freely grant mercy to those who sin against us.

Matthew 18:31-32 – When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place.  Then his master summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked servant!  I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me.'

The king/master does not call the first servant wicked because he had a debt he could not pay, but because of the merciless, unforgiving spirit that he manifested toward his fellow servant.  Don't be that kind of person! 

Matthew 18:33 – 'And should you not have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?'

Here is the crux of the whole matter:  The first servant received a full and complete pardon for his staggering debt.  How can he not forgive a brother who owes him almost nothing?

Likewise, we have received a full and complete pardon from God for our staggering debt of sin.  How can we not forgive our brother or sister when they sin against us?

Matthew 18:34 – And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt.

Here we find the consequences of withholding mercy and forgiveness:  the servant finds his own pardon retracted, his entire debt comes crashing back upon him like a tidal wave, and he is delivered to the jailer - forever! 

Matthew 18:35 – So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.

Are you familiar with the Lord's prayer?  We probably all are.  Do you recall what it says?

Mark 6:12 – And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.

There is no mystery here.  The truth is plain and simple and easy to grasp.  We must forgive our fellow man when he offends or sins against us.

Not only that, but lip service doesn't count.  You must truly forgive from the heart.  Those who refuse to do so, may justly question whether God has forgiven them.  They can expect the same severity from God which they show to their brothers and sisters.

So let me offer you a little encouragement:

It's no secret that children imitate their parents.  So I encourage you to be an example of forgiveness to your children.  Teach them the proper way to handle an offense; let them see forgiveness in action.  

Let me offer you some relief:

Are you still carrying around that staggering $15 million dollar debt of sin??  Why? 

God loves you and he wants to set you free.  He gave his son Jesus so that your debt could be forgiven.  Would you like to obtain forgiveness right now?  If so, pray the following prayer.  If you are truly sorry for your sin and you ask Jesus to forgive you, he will!

Dear Jesus,   I confess to you that I am a sinner.  I am sorry for all the wrong things I have done and I ask you to forgive me.  I believe that you are the Son of God, that you died on the cross and rose again, and that your blood paid the price for my sin.  I invite you to come into my heart and life and to be my Lord and Savior.  I commit myself to you right now.  Thank you for saving me from death and giving me the gift of eternal life.  Amen.

If you prayed this prayer and sincerely meant it, then you have received the gift of salvation from Jesus Christ!  You are now part of the family of God!  You will likely need some mentoring in your new walk with Christ.  I suggest two things:  Get a copy of the Bible and begin to read it.  The New Testament book of John is a great place to begin.  The second is to find a local bible based church and attend it.  They can mentor you in your new life in Christ!

Let me offer you some strength:

God will never set you up for failure.  It may seem impossible for you to forgive a certain person.  That is probably true; you may not be able to do so in your own power.  However, with God all things are possible!  With his help, you can get rid of that burden of unforgiveness and find healing. 

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Matthew 18:1 – At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"

At the end of chapter 17, we found Jesus paying a tax that he technically did not owe.  Jesus chose to pay the tax so that he would not cause an offence or be a stumbling block to any of the Jews.  In other words, he paid the tax to fulfill all righteousness.  He came to earth as a servant, and paying the tax was an act of service and humility. 

It seems the disciples missed this lesson altogether!  Apparently, it went in one ear and out the other, because we now find them discussing which of them was the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, and consequently, who would have the best job, the most prestige and the highest salary!

By the kingdom of heaven, the disciples mean the kingdom which they believed Jesus would set up immediately after his resurrection – the kingdom of the Messiah.  As we have discussed in the past, they felt his kingdom would have special magnificence and splendor; it would far surpass the 'golden age' of Israel under David and Solomon.  They wanted to know who would have the principle positions and offices in this kingdom.  They had debated this issue amongst themselves, but apparently they couldn't come to a unanimous conclusion, so they asked Jesus to settle the dispute.

Matthew 18:2-3 – And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."

The disciples' question revealed attitudes of pride and ambition as well as the desire for wealth and privilege.  Their minds were clearly focused on this earthly life, and what they might obtain for themselves.

Notice that Jesus says unless you 'turn' (your translation may say 'be converted'), you won't even enter the kingdom of heaven, much less be an important part of it.  The word for 'turn' or 'converted' means changed.

The disciples must change their thinking, beginning with their understanding of the kingdom of heaven. It was NOT an earthly kingdom like they were expecting. 

The way to greatness in the kingdom of heaven is to be humble and to become the servant of others.  To illustrate his point, Jesus draws their attention to a little child.  Little children know nothing about pride, ambition or the desire for wealth.  They are characteristically humble and teachable. 

The disciples must change not only their thinking, but their actions as well. They must do things that are the opposite of the way things are done in the earthly realm.  

Matthew 18:4 – "Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."

To answer the original question, the greatest in the kingdom of heaven will be the one who does not strive to be first.  The greatest will be the one who is the furthest away from pride and ambition.  The greatest will be the one who serves others.  The greatest will be the one who obeys divine instruction, even if contrary to their own desires. 

There is another point we should consider here.  As Christians we have been converted/turned from sin when we accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior.  But that does not mean that we are perfect.  Like the disciples, we must constantly strive to be holy, as God is holy.  Pride, ambition and greed can pop up in anyone's life at any time.  If it pops up in yours, get rid of it as quickly as you can; it will only hinder you in your walk with Christ.

Matthew 18:5 – "Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me."

The Lord now uses the word 'child' as a metaphor for Christians who conduct themselves with humility and meekness, without ambition or greed. 

Child-like Christians are held in the highest esteem by Jesus.  Whatever kindness, favor or respect is shown to them for His sake, he regards as being done to himself. 

The opposite is also true – whatever disrespect or hate is shown towards child-like Christians, Jesus also regards as being done to himself.

Whoever hinders, tempts or puts a stumbling block in the way of a Christian is hindering, tempting or putting a stumbling block in front of Christ!

Matthew 18:6 - But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea."

Those who are humble, meek and without ambition tend to be overpowered and despised by the people of the world.  But Jesus assures us that he takes it very personally when we are mistreated in the world; we have the assurance that he will one day make all things right.

In fact, Jesus makes reference to a custom of the Syrians, Greeks and Romans.  These societies would sometimes execute condemned persons by hanging a weight around their neck (or sometimes rolling them in sheets of lead) and throwing them into the sea to drown them.  There is no record of the Jews ever doing this, but they certainly knew about the practice.

So, having a millstone fastened to the neck and being cast into the sea became a proverb for certain, dreadful and inevitable ruin/death.

Interestingly, we find a parallel to the ultimate end of our great enemy, Satan.  At the end of the age God will bind Satan with heavy chains and cast him into hell - the lake of fire – where he will meet with a certain, dreadful and inevitable ruin/death.  What a fitting end for the one who constantly puts stumbling blocks and temptations in the way of the saints of God!

Matthew 18:7 – "Woe to the world for temptations to sin.  For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes!

Our translation (the ESV) uses the phrase 'temptations to sin', while other translations use the word 'offences'.  These phrases basically refer to anything that entices/tempts you to do evil.  I feel pretty certain that we are all familiar with temptation (I know I am!), so we don't need to go into too much depth. 

Speaking in general terms, we observe the following about temptations/offences:

• They can come from outside yourself (like seeing a scantily clad woman or man). 
• They can come from inside yourself (envy or pride, for example). 
• They can include some things that you might not have considered.  For instance, persecution is actually a temptation, because it entices you to turn away from God.
• They are most often caused by unbelievers.  There will always be people attempting to make others sin.  There will always be those who rejoice when they can lead a Christian astray or cause them to fall.
• They can also be caused by Christians (including you and me).  If you do something that entices someone else to sin, that is an offence.  For example, if you call someone and ask if they have heard the latest news about so-and-so, you are tempting the other person to gossip.   You would be the source of an offence.
• They require an accounting.  The depravity and fallen nature of man makes temptation inevitable.  However, this does not remove or reduce the personal responsibility of the person who causes offences, or the person who falls for them.

I don't know about you, but when I look at the nature of offences, it almost causes a sense of hopelessness.  The amount of offences in the world is staggering!  I am willing to bet that we have all fallen for temptations and we have all caused others to be tempted.

No wonder Jesus says, 'Woe to the world'.  Woe is an expression of sorrow or grief.  Jesus is truly pained by all the offences or temptations that abound in the world.  He is sorry for mankind (the world), because he knows offences/temptations are open doors for Satan to steal, kill and destroy the human race.  All of the horrible suffering that we find in the world is:  

1. Caused by Satan's malice
2. Perpetrated by man's wickedness
3. Occurs with God's permission 

Yes, you read that correctly – God allows us to be tempted and He allows us to tempt others.  In fact, Jesus says that it is necessary that temptations come.  What does he mean by that? 

Jesus does not reveal the answer to that question here in the gospel of Matthew, but the apostle Paul gives us an explanation:

1 Corinthians 11:19 – For there must be factions in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized.

Paul tells us that God uses temptations for his own divine purposes.  By them the righteous may be tested and purified.  By them, the sheep are separated from the goats.  Remember, each man is given a free will.  He can choose righteousness; he can choose to turn to God and be delivered from temptation:

1 Corinthians 10:13 - There has no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above that you are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it.  

How can we overcome or escape temptation?

One way is through prayer.

Mark 14:38 – Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation.  The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. 

Another way is through the word of God.  When Jesus was in the wilderness being tempted by Satan, he constantly beat Satan back by using the word of God.

Luke 4:3-4 -  And the devil said unto him, If you are the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.  And Jesus answered him, saying, 'It is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.'

Being thankful and keeping control our tongue are also good ways to avoid offences/temptations.

Matthew 18:8-9 – "And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away.  It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire.  And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away.  It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire."

This is not the first time Jesus has made this statement.  He also declared in back in Matthew chapter 5.  In case you don't recall that lesson, let me refresh your memory:  

This seemingly strange statement is really clear and simple, once you take a good look at it.  Let's begin by looking at the phrase 'causes you to sin', or your translation may say 'offends you'.  The original meaning of this word in the Greek signifies something that is a stumbling block.  A stumbling block is anything in your path that causes you to fall.  In this case, it would mean anything that causes you to fall into sin.

So, what is causing us to fall into sin?  Jesus describes it as either our right eye or our right hand.  Clearly, this is NOT to be taken literally. Cutting off your hand or removing your eye will not free you from sin. 

Here, the word 'eye' means inward intent or desire to sin, while 'hand' refers to the physical act of sinning.  This fits in with the case that Jesus is making about adultery; it entails not only the outward, physical act (hand) but also the inward lust of the mind (eye).

The truth is that the mind and the body work together to sin.  First, the mind conceives the sin.  Then, it considers and thinks about the sin, until it has been firmly rooted and established in the heart.  Once that is done, the evil grows to fruition and the body commits the actual act of sin.  This is why it is vitally important to bring your thoughts into captivity for Christ.

Now the overall meaning of the passage becomes clear.  Anything that causes us to sin (either mentally or physically), needs to be 'cut off' or removed from us completely.  It's that simple.  So keep in mind the warning of Jesus - if you don't get rid of sin, you could wind up in hell.

Matthew 18:10 – "See that you do not despise one of these little ones.  For I tell you, that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven."

Little ones:  'Little one' refers to one of the meek and humble servants of Christ.  No one is to neglect, injure or afflict them.  They are not to be treated with contempt or distain. Furthermore, as Christians, we should be especially careful not to tempt or give offence to our brothers and sisters in Christ.  

Angels:  This does not necessarily mean that each person has their own guardian angel.  It means that angels, in general, are present in the throne room of God.  They are messengers that do God's will; they are on constant standby to come to the aid of any Christian when they are instructed by God to do so.

Always see the face of my Father:   This is taken from the custom of earthly monarchs.  To be permitted to see the king's face continually, meant to have unlimited access to him.  This was a sign of favor, which most people did not enjoy. 

The meaning of this verse is that no one should despise the humble followers of Christ, for God himself watches over them and has powerful servants who are ready to come to their aid, in an instant of time.  This shows the incredible love and concern that God has for those who trust in him.  It speaks of the value he places on each believer.  If God holds each Christian in such high regard, who are we to despise them?

Matthew 18:11 – For the Son of man came to save the lost.

How much does God love you?  Do you ever wonder about that? 

Sometimes, in our earthy relationships, people withhold love from us if we displease or disappoint them.  But I want you to know that GOD IS NOT LIKE THAT! 

He loves you when you obey and when you disobey (although he may discipline you).  He loves you when you succeed and when you fail.  He loves you when you are right and when you are wrong.  God's love for you is never based on your performance.  He loves you unconditionally.  You don't have to do anything to earn his love.  He loves you period.

Want proof?

God so loved YOU, that he sent Jesus to earth to die for your sin, so that YOU could be reconciled to him!  The creator and ruler of all the universe, agreed to leave the splendor and glory of heaven to become a man for the sole purpose of redeeming YOU. 

Romans 5:8 – God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

God values you so highly and cares for you so much, that he has angels standing around his throne, in case you need assistance (Matthew 18:10).

God keeps such a tender watch over you, that he sees every time you get up or sit down.  In fact, he is acquainted with all your habits and he even knows every word that will come out of your mouth before you speak it.  He lays his hand upon you, protecting you from the front and the rear (Psalms 139:1-6)!

 God loves you so much, that he makes special preparations for you to be with him for eternity (John 14:2-3).

If you need any more proof, just take out your bible and start reading.  God's love for you is evident from the first page to the last!

Matthew 18:12 - "What do you think?  If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray?"

In the natural realm, if a shepherd lost a sheep, he would not abandon it; he would go and search for it.

God is very concerned, not only for his entire flock, but for each individual, including you.  The scriptures tell us that Jesus is a good shepherd, and he calls each one of his sheep by name (John 10:3).  This means that Jesus knows YOUR name.  YOU are of great value to him; if you should stray he will seek to gather you back to himself.

Matthew 18:13 –"And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray."

God is overjoyed when one of his wandering children has been restored to the flock.  It is safe to assume that whoever offended them, or caused them to fall away because of temptation, will answer to God.

Matthew 18:14 – "So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish."

It is not God's will that any should perish. This we know. But, I think we might also consider the unspoken implications of this statement: 

It is God's will that all of his children should be saved.  His will cannot be thwarted, side stepped or cancelled out.  He will see that it is done.  

This applies to every sheep in the flock.  We might be satisfied if 99% of the flock is safe and protected, but not God.  He is only satisfied with 100%. 

Anyone who causes a Christian to fall to temptation or offence, is provoking God by their actions and they will be held accountable for it.

Matthew 18:15 – "If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone.  If he listens to you, you have gained your brother."

In verses 15-18 Jesus gives us instructions for how to handle offences. 

The term 'brother' means another Christian.  Christians are called brothers (and sisters) because we all belong to the same redeemed family and we all have a common Father (God).

To sin against you means to injure you by words or by conduct.  Your character, your property or your person may suffer injury. 

When someone injures/sins against you, it is your responsibility to go to them and seek an explanation. Don't wait for them to come to you.  This private conversation does two things. 

First, it gives your brother a chance to explain what happened.  Perhaps the incident was all just a big misunderstanding, and a simple conversation can set the matter straight.  If so, both parties can move forward in love and unison. 

Second, if there is a real problem, it gives your brother a chance to acknowledge his (or her) offence and make amends for their wrong doing.  Once amends have been made, we are to forgive and forget.

Third, it gives us a chance to correct them in love, without exposing their mistakes to the world at large. Exposing the fault of another without approaching them first is just wrong.  It makes the rift between the parties even bigger, and it gives the church a bad name in front of unbelievers.

If the other party is receptive to your concerns, the bond between you will continue to be strong and firm.  The offence will be dealt with and have no power to cause further damage to either party or the church.

It's almost like the offence is a small fire.  Correct handling of the situation is like throwing a bucket of water on the fire.  It is immediately put out, with no further damage done.

Matthew 18:16 – "But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses."

There is always the possibility that the party who has offended you will not repent or acknowledge any wrong doing.  If this is the case, you are to again try to resolve the problem taking with you mature and trusted men/women of influence who can serve as impartial witnesses and give wise council in the situation.

Matthew 18:17 – "If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church.  And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector."

In the Jewish synagogue there was a council of elders who listened to these kinds of cases.  In your church, the case may go before the pastor and elders.  The goal is for the offender to be admonished and then reformed, so they can stay in the fellowship.

What if no resolution can be found?  Then, as a Christian, you still owe this person goodwill and acts of kindness, which you would show to any unbeliever.  You do not have the right to slander or gossip, and you must forgive.

However, Jesus says that we are to have no religious communion or intimate friendship with him, until he acknowledges his fault.  In other words, don't set yourself up to receive further injury.  Also, just as a Christian might take a tax collector to justice through the court system, so you would have the right to resolve the matter in public court.

Breaking off religious fellowship with a person does three things.  It keeps the honor and purity of the church intact, avoiding scandals that may reflect back on the body of Christ.  It gives the offender the chance to consider his sin and repent.  And it keeps other members of the church community from falling into the same sins.

Here are a few additional things to keep in mind:

• If the person repents and submits, they are to be readmitted into fellowship.
• While this may seem harsh to us, these are the direct orders of Jesus. 
• It is important for us to take note that these three steps must be taken in order.

Matthew 18:18 – "Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

This is the second time Jesus has said this to the disciples.  The first time was in Matthew 16:19.   At that time we learned that to bind something was to forbid or refuse it; to loose something was to grant or allow it to be done. 

Back in chapter 16 binding and loosing were given in the context of establishing the doctrine of salvation for both Jews and Gentiles.  This authority has been passed down to every minister of the gospel from then, until now.

In this portion of scripture, binding and loosing are given in the context of church discipline.  The meaning is that if the church reprimands an offender, the court of heaven will support the sentence.  The offender cannot seek justice from heaven, he must resolve the matter here on earth with those of the church who pronounced the sentence.  Once the sinner has repented, he is loosed from his sentence and must be readmitted into church fellowship.  

Although each individual church is different, an occurrence of this nature is probably rare.

Matthew 18:19-20 – "Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.  For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them."

The Greek word for 'agree', means to symphonize or harmonize.  It is a musical term for instruments set to the same key and playing in tune with each other.  When used in the context of prayer, it refers to two or more individuals who have a perfect agreement in hearts, desires, and purposes. 

It implies that just as a number of instruments skillfully played in unison are pleasing to the ears of men, so a number of people united in earnest prayer is highly pleasing to God. 

Let me repeat that – Jesus has graciously promised to be present whenever his people assemble together in his name, even if there are only two. 

Given this promise, would it benefit us and our church body if more people came to weekly prayer meeting?

Does this promise motivate you to gather together to cover our church in prayer and seek guidance from the Lord for an uncertain future?  What if we sought the Lord for increased gifts of healing or additional spiritual gifts for our body? 

Every day, perhaps even every hour or minute, somewhere in the world two or more believers are gathered together worshipping and praying, experiencing the truth of this promise – that Jesus is also present with them.  This is a very special promise from God.  Don't take it for granted.  Ask him how you can be a part of it!

So let me offer you some encouragement: 

Has someone offended you?  It seems easy to call a friend and tell them how you were wronged.  It is very easy to get angry and resentful.  You may experience a desire to retaliate.  But none of these things are God's plan for offences.

I encourage you to apply biblical principles to your dilemma.  First, pray.  Second, meet with that person who offended you in private, or by phone or by a written message.  Tell them that you were offended and give them a chance to make things right. 

Remember, just because someone offended you, it does not give you permission to gossip, revenge or hate.  Satan loves to use offences to bring division to the body of Christ.  Divided, we can be conquered by Satan.  But if we follow the example of Christ, we can maintain love and unity in our local body.

Let me offer you some relief:

Have you ever failed, stumbled or sinned and then wondered if God still loves you?  Be assured, God is totally, completely and hopelessly in love with you! 

His love for you is not dependent on your success.  He does not with hold it when you fail.  So relax!  Continue to draw close to him and allow the Holy Spirit to work in your life.  Keep on working towards holiness and spiritual fruit (love, joy, peace, etc).  If you fall, repent; but don't believe the lie that God has cast you away!  

Let me offer you some strength:   

You are not alone!  There are always other believers in Christ who are willing to pray with you, to stand with you and to believe with you for victory and deliverance.  And Jesus has made a special promise to every believer – when at least two are united in purpose and desire, He is present!  So if you are facing a problem right now, call upon another member of the body to strengthen you by being your prayer partner, and believe that Jesus is with you both!  

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Matthew 21:18 – In the morning, as he was returning to the city, he became hungry.

The main events of Matthew chapter 21 are also recorded in Mark chapter 11.  When we read the two narratives, it seems like there is a time discrepancy, but there really is not.  The difference is in the method of recording events. 

In Western culture, it is our practice to always relate events in chronological order (This happened first, followed by that, etc).  However, in the Middle Eastern culture, that is not the case.  Events are often grouped together if the author thinks they are most important or related in some way.  This is the case with Matthew chapter 21. 

So Matthew is grouping relevant events together, but we are reading them with the belief that they are listed chronologically.  This leaves us with the impression that on Sunday Jesus made his triumphal entry and immediately cleansed the temple before departing to Bethany for the night.  Then, on his way to Jerusalem Monday morning, he cursed the fig tree and within seconds, the disciples noticed that it was dead/dying.  While the events are all true, this is probably not the actual timeline in which they occurred.   

If we want to see a chronological account, we need to look at Mark chapter 11.  There Mark tells us that Jesus made his triumphal entry on Sunday.  After healing and teaching in the temple that day, he returned back to Bethany.  On Monday morning, he returned to Jerusalem and cursed the fig tree on his way to cleansing the temple.  That night, they returned to Bethany (or at least left Jerusalem). Tuesday morning, on their way into the city, the disciples noticed that the fig tree was withered away, and this opens up the door for Jesus to teach them about faith and prayer.

Matthew 21:19 – And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves.  And he said to it, "May no fruit ever come from you again!" and the fig tree withered at once.

This tree was at the side of the public roadway.  Therefore, it was community property and anyone travelling on the road could eat the fruit. 

So, imagine you are walking down the road.  It is very early in the morning, probably before 6 am.  You are hungry.  [Sadly, there is no indication that coffee was available!]  Your eye naturally focuses on what is in the distance.  You spot a certain fig tree, standing out from all the rest.  While the other trees are bare and appear dormant, this one is in full leaf, appearing healthy, robust and luxuriant.  By its appearance, the tree gives you a hope or promise of fruit.  Naturally, you head straight for it, only to find… nothing.  Absolutely nothing!  

How would you feel if this happened to you?  Would you feel like you were cheated or deceived?  How would you express your anger or disappointment?   

When Jesus sees that there is no fruit, he pronounces judgment on the tree.  This does not mean that he lost his temper and yelled/cursed in a fit of rage.  He simply spoke to the tree, sentencing it to perpetual barrenness.  Does this seem odd to you?  Why would Jesus do such a thing?

Think of it this way – instead of telling a parable with words, Jesus was demonstrating a parable with his actions.  If that is the case, what is the parable and what is its meaning?

The obvious first answer is that the fig tree represents the nation of Israel.  Israel was separate or distinct from the other nations (trees) around it.  While other nations were spiritually bare or dormant, Israel was full of 'leaves' that indicated outward devotion to God.  Indeed, Israel had the law/covenant, the prophets, the promises, the rituals and the sacrifices.  For all appearances, she was profoundly religious. 

That outward devotion gave the appearance of a people/nation that was healthy, vibrant and luxuriant.  Any nation like that would obviously contain fruits of righteousness and salvation, right?  

But we find that underneath all that outward devotion, Israel was spiritually fruitless and barren.  She had replaced her relationship to God with works.  Having rejected the Messiah, she had nothing to give anyone in need of spiritual sustenance/food.  Therefore, Jesus pronounced a judgment on her.  She will henceforth be spiritually withered and barren. 

The somewhat less obvious meaning of this parable is that it applies to us.  That's right. It applies to you and I!  In fact, this parable is a solemn warning to every Christian!

Religious activity can be divided into two groups – leaves and fruit:

• Leaves are showy forms of religious activity while fruit is true inward change.
• Leaves are head knowledge, while fruit is heart knowledge. 
• Leaves are 'works' while fruit is relationship. 
• Leaves offer the sinner a false promise of spiritual reconciliation to God via self righteousness, while a believer with true fruit is clothed with the righteousness of Christ. 
• Leaves are nothing more than hay, wood and stubble which will burn up in the fires of testing and trial.  Fruit is like gold and silver, which the fire of adversity refines.

The 'leaves' of religious works may fool people, but they won't fool God.  So…what kind of tree are you?

Matthew 21:20 – When the disciples saw it, they marveled saying, "How did the fig tree wither at once?" 

Jesus is now in the last week of his life on earth.  During the last three years, his disciples had seen literally hundreds if not thousands of miracles.  The lame/crippled were walking.  The blind could once again see and the deaf could hear.  Evil spirits were cast out of people and the dead were raised to life.  Storms were stilled with just a word.  Food was multiplied to feed thousands of people. 

After seeing all of these astonishing miracles, you wouldn't think the disciples would be amazed by a dead tree, but they are.  They are so amazed they actually asked Jesus how he pulled this off.   

Matthew 21:21 -22 – And Jesus answered them, "Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' it will happen.  And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith."

In Jewish culture, 'moving a mountain' or 'plucking up a mountain by the roots'  was a proverbial expression that denotes overcoming the greatest of difficulties or solving the greatest perplexities.

Jesus is telling his disciples that nothing is impossible with God.  No difficulty is too hard for God to overcome.  No problem is so perplexing that God cannot solve it.  What God has promised shall certainly be performed, when we ask in faith, believing that God will act on our behalf. 

This is an amazing promise directly from Jesus and it is available to every believer in Christ.   There's just one problem – we seldom experience it in our own lives.  For most of us, it is a promise that remains just that – a promise and not a reality.

If you attend the Kipton Community Church or watch it online, you know that this is a topic that Pastor Lee has spoken about recently.  He is leading our fellowship on a journey to discover why we don't see this promise come to pass more often in our lives.

I certainly don't have all the answers to this question.  However, this is a good opportunity for us to look at some basic principles in our study of this topic.  

In these verses, Jesus mentions prayer, faith and believing (not doubting). 

Prayer:   As a Christian, you are familiar with prayer.  Prayer is speaking to God.  During prayer we ask God to move on our behalf.  We take time to praise and worship him.  We allow time and opportunity for him to speak back to us.  Because each of us is a unique individual, our prayers will also be unique.  Don't worry so much about that – God loves variety!  The main point I want to emphasize here is that prayer is talking to God.

This means that talking your problems over with your mom or your best friend is not prayer.  Spending your entire day mulling over a problem is not prayer.  Placing your problems on social media and getting feedback or support from all your followers is not prayer.  Getting advice from a professional of some kind is not prayer.

One reason might be that deep down, we don't believe prayer really works.  I admit this sounds shocking at first, but just pause and think about this with me. 

• If we really believed in the power of prayer, then prayer would be our first response to trouble, not our last resort. 
• If we really believed in the power of prayer, we would spend a good amount of time praying.  But how many Christians have trouble praying for even 30 minutes a day? 
• If we really believed in the power of prayer, we would spend more time praying and interceding for lost souls than we do trying to find the latest gimmick to get people in the church doors.
•  If we really believed in the power of prayer, we would cover everything we do in prayer, rather than relying on our own abilities.

I propose that many Christians aren't able to see mountains moved in their lives because they simply have a poor prayer life.  You may certainly disagree with me, but you have to at least admit that this is a possibility.

The good news is that you can strengthen/improve your prayer life.  The more time you spend in prayer, the more comfortable you become.  The more you praise him, the more faith rises up within you.  The more time you spend with God, the better you will hear him speak back to you.   I encourage you to take an honest account of your prayer life and see what you can do to improve it.  

Faith:  Faith, like prayer, is a huge topic.  We could discuss different aspects of faith every day for a year and not run out of things to talk about. However, today we are focusing on the topic of faith as it relates to mountain moving prayers.

The main point I want to emphasize here is that faith cannot stand alone; it is dependent upon a framework of promise. 

For instance, have you ever prayed and asked God for healing?  What gave you the assurance/confidence/faith that God would heal you?  Because he promised that he would, right? 

Exodus 15:26 - …I am the Lord that heals you.

Isaiah 53:5 - But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.     

So when we pray for healing, we exhibit faith in God's promise to heal us.  We have confidence that God will do as he promised and we will be healed.

Do you need wisdom?  In the scriptures, God promises us that he will give us wisdom when we ask:

James 1:5 - If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

So when you pray, you can have faith that God will grant you wisdom if you ask for it, because he has promised to do so.

The opposite is also true.  Have you ever prayed to win the lottery?  How did that work out for you?  Why didn't God answer that prayer?  One reason (there may be others) is that there is no scriptural basis for expecting God to give you the winning power ball numbers.  He never promised to do that.    

So, in order to pray in faith and move mountains, your prayer must be resting on a promise of God.  This means you must know what the scriptures say; you must be reading the Word of God so that you know what he has promised. 

Romans 10:17 – Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.    

Reading and meditating on the scriptures produces faith in what God has promised. 

Let me ask you this - Is it possible that some Christians don't have answers to mountain moving prayers because they are ignorant of the promises contained in the Bible?  Do we have some vague idea of what we think God has said, or do we know for sure?  Can we quote it exactly?  Do we spend time absorbing and meditating on the word?  If not, we will certainly not experience answers to mountain moving prayers.

Believing:   The main thing I want to emphasize here is that "believing" is a state of heart and mind which allows us to receive the answer to our prayer.  It includes humility, hope, and dependence on God alone.  We must not only believe that God CAN move mountains for us, but that he WILL do it, and he will do it FOR US. 

Let's suppose that your car is in the repair shop.  You ask your best friend to give you a ride to work.  Do you believe that they will do so?  Of course you do!  Why do you believe them?  Because of the relationship you have with them.  You have trusted them many times in the past.  They are reliable.  There is no doubt that you can trust them this time too.  If your friend says they will pick you up, you know/believe they will.

It is the same with God.  If your relationship is close, it will be easy for you to believe that God will honor his promises, and you can easily receive the answer to your prayer.  If your relationship is cold or distant, it will be hard for you to believe and hard for you to receive.

So let me ask you this – Is it possible that Christians don't receive answers to mountain moving prayers because we don't believe?  Is it possible that we don't believe because our relationship with God is not as close as it could be?

Again, I would like to reiterate that I do not have all the answers as to why we don't routinely experience answers to mountain moving prayers in our lives. 

What I do know is that faith, belief and prayer are required in order for God to do the impossible for you (or through you).  So we can start by examining these three basic aspects of our lives and making changes where needed.

Once we have the basics firmly in place, we can then examine other factors that hinder our prayers.  These include things like asking according to God's will, harboring unforgiveness, God's timing, man's free will, etc.       

Matthew 21:23 – And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, "By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?"

In the time of Christ, the position of teacher/instructor of the law was conferred upon a man by the scribes, with the approval of the Sanhedrin.  This was done after years of careful study under a teacher endorsed and recognized by them.  After the training period, the new teacher went through a solemn ceremony in which he was given a key to the room in the temple that contained the law.  This was an outward symbol that he had the right to interpret the law and to teach. 

Here we find Jesus back in the temple, teaching the people without the approval of the scribes.  As we have seen throughout the book of Matthew, this infuriates the religious leaders because it undermines the false authority and positions of power they have worked so hard to build for themselves.  

Many times they have tried to debate doctrine with Jesus, but he always proves them wrong and they wind up looking foolish in front of the people.  They have even tried to cleverly (or so they thought) trap him, but again in every instance his divine wisdom puts them to shame.

They are further infuriated that Jesus 'went over their heads' when he cast the traders out of the temple.  After all, they were the keepers of the temple, not Jesus! If they approved of the traders, what right did he have to cast them out?  And worst of all, Jesus openly accepted the acclamations of the people that he was the Messiah.  This was something they just could not tolerate!  

So in this instance, they try a new tactic to discredit Jesus.  They raise doubts about his calling and commission.  They demand to know who he had trained under, and who endorsed him as teacher.

Now, had they done this with the motivation of honestly seeking the truth, it wouldn't have been a bad thing.  Any man who began to meddle with the honor of the priesthood or the prophetic office had better be appointed by God.  How much more one who claimed the title of Messiah!

However, their motivation is something quite different.  They earnestly desire to put Jesus to death, and they want to do it according to the law.  So they are searching for any infraction or breach of the law which would allow them to discredit and kill Jesus.  This is why they call his commission into question.

Matthew 21:24 – Jesus answered them, "I also will ask you one question, and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things.

Jesus was not under any obligation to answer their questions.  His works, his teaching and his fulfillment of prophesy all confirmed that he was the Messiah, commissioned by the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. As the Son of God, they had no right to question him, and Jesus would not submit to their authority.

Matthew 21:25-26 – The baptism of John, from where did it come?  From heaven or from man?"  And they discussed it among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say to us, "Why then did you not believe him?"   But if we say, 'From man,' we are afraid of the crowd for they all hold that John was a prophet.

Now the religious leaders have a problem.  If they acknowledge John's mission to be the forerunner of the Messiah, it would obligate them to acknowledge that Jesus was the Christ, exactly as he claimed to be.  John testified more than once that Jesus was the Messiah.

John 1:29 - The next day John saw Jesus coming unto him, and said, Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.  

However if they deny John's authority they feared that the crowd would stone them.  The common people believed that John was a prophet sent by God.  Great numbers of them had submitted to his baptism.  And his death did not hurt his reputation one bit – he was held in high esteem long after Herod removed his head from his shoulders.  

Matthew 21:27 – So they answered Jesus, "We do not know."  And he said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."

The only safe answer for these petty tyrants is not to answer!  What great lengths the leaders go to in making themselves spiritually blind, deaf and dumb!  

Matthew 21:28-29 - What do you think?  A man had two sons.  And he went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work in the vineyard today.'  And he answered, 'I will not,' but afterward he changed his mind and went.

Jesus now gives this very short parable in order that the religious leaders might feel some conviction about their attitudes and actions.  If they will allow themselves to be convicted, it will lead them to repentance.

The first son seems to be wicked for he refuses to go and work for his father.  This son represents the publicans and harlots who were the 'wicked sinners' of that day. 

At first they refused to do the work that God requires of them.  However, upon hearing Christ's message and seeing his miracles, they repented and believed.  In the words of the parable, they 'changed their mind and went'. 

Matthew 21:30 – And he went to the other son and said the same.  And he answered, "I go, sir,' but did not go. 

The second son is represented as a hypocrite, who says the right thing, but does another.  This clearly represents the Jewish leaders.  They gave lip service to the father (God), but did not do as he asked of them. 

They pretended to have great concern for the church as if they were its faithful and honest guardians.  But in reality, they obstinately opposed Christ, denied his miracles and eventually lobbied to have him crucified.

Matthew 21:31 – Which of the two did the will of his father?  They said, "The first."  Jesus said to them, "Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you.

Thus, the worst and vilest sinners entered the kingdom of God before the religious leaders because they had no illusions about their spiritual state.  They did not trust in their own righteousness; they were sinners and they admitted it.  Thus, they were open to conviction and repentance, which lead to eternal life.   

However, the proud religious leaders continued to rely on their own righteousness.  They were blinded by vain hope and confidence in their own works.  They refused to be convicted of sin, and were thus unable to come to repentance.  They forfeited eternal life. 

Matthew 21:32 – For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him.  And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him.

When John preached the message of repentance, the publicans and prostitutes embraced his message.  Their hearts were prepared to receive salvation through the forgiveness of their sins.  They found eternal life and reconciliation to God.   

Sadly, the religious leaders witnessed this, yet they were not provoked to jealously by it.  In fact, they were completely unmoved by the life altering changes that the gospel produced in their Jewish brothers and sisters.

We can only hope that this parable stuck in the minds of the religious leaders and eventually produced some repentance. 

Let me offer you some encouragement:  Today's lesson involves some teaching about answered prayer.  Prayer is a vast and wonderful topic of study and discussion. In fact so much has been written about it, you probably couldn't even read it all in your lifetime! 

Don't be overwhelmed by the volume of material out there.  The best way to find answers to prayer is to get alone with God.  I strongly encourage you to spend time with God in prayer.  Just do what seems natural to you.  God greatly desires to fellowship with you, and he will meet you there.  If you are not receiving answers to mounting moving prayers, ask God to reveal the problem to you.   

Let me offer you some relief:  Jesus tells us that the vilest sinners were eligible to come into the kingdom of heaven, once they repented.  Maybe you were like that at one time.  But this should give you some relief - there was nothing that was so bad that it could not be forgiven by the blood of Christ. 

You can be sure that the enemy, Satan, will try to bring your past up as often as possible.  He is trying to make you feel guilty and ashamed.  If he can do that, he will affect your relationship with God, and possibly halt your ministry.  Don't fall into that trap!  Once you are forgiven, your past becomes a testimony to the power and grace of God!  So don't be ashamed of where you came from.  

Let me offer you some strength:  This lesson speaks about bearing fruits of righteousness.  And it is true that all Christians should bear fruit.  But keep in mind that in the natural realm, fruit does not suddenly spring up overnight.  It starts out small, then grows and matures slowly over time. 

What fruit is the Holy Spirit growing in your life?  Don't be impatient or don't be frustrated if progress is sometimes slow.  The Holy Spirit will continue to mold you into the image of Christ until he returns, or calls you home!

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Matthew 14:13 – Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there into a boat to a desolate place by himself.  But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns.

Upon hearing of the execution of John the Baptist, Jesus and his disciples withdrew to the region across the Sea of Galilee.  This was a sparsely populated region chiefly used to pasture flocks.  It was under the jurisdiction of Herod Philip.

This journey served a dual purpose.  First, it removed Jesus and his disciples from close proximity to Herod Antipas.  Herod believed that Jesus was actually John the Baptist, risen from the dead.  There was a very real danger that Herod would try to kill Jesus out of hate, fear or guilt. 

Also, the disciples were no doubt shaken by the death of John; time alone with their master was much needed.

Second, there was bound to be public outcry over the sudden unjust death of John and Jesus probably did not want to get caught up in that drama, as it would detract from his mission.

Have you ever been pulled into a drama?  One of the dangers of being involved is that it takes up a lot of your time and attention, so instead of using your energy for the kingdom, you end up wasting it on drama.  Be careful not to fall into this trap.    

Another possibility is that Jesus had planned this time alone with his disciples before the incident of John's death.  They had recently returned from their mission to spread news of the kingdom of Heaven and it is very possible that he already scheduled a further time of refreshing and training for them.

However, there was to be no respite from the crowds.  The people saw them leaving in the boat, and hurried to the eastern shore on foot.

Matthew 14:14 – When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.

The gospel of Mark gives some additional insight:

Mark 6:34 – When he [Jesus] went ashore, he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like a sheep without a shepherd.  And he began to teach them many things.

In their zeal to hear of the kingdom of heaven and be healed, great crowds of people hurriedly walked away from the ease and comfort of their homes and traveled to a remote deserted area.  This shows that they were so hungry for spiritual guidance that they were reckless with their own well being.  

How hungry are we for spiritual teaching or a touch from God?  What would you be willing to walk away from to get it?  Entertainment, sports, work, Facebook?  The scripture says that if we draw near to God, he will draw near to us.  If we lack wisdom in some area, he will impart it to us.  When we spend time in his presence, we are always spiritually refreshed.  So what are you waiting for?  Travel to your prayer closet to meet him!  He is waiting there for you!

Well, the duty of the shepherd is to care for the flock.  He is to feed it, protect it from predators and lead it to green pastures and still waters.

Spiritually speaking the Scribes and Pharisees were supposed to be the shepherds of Israel.  They were to feed the people with the word of God.  They were to protect the people from false teachings and false gods.  They were to lead the people into a relationship with God that resulted in peace and prosperity.

Unfortunately, they did none of those things. They were haughty and full of pride.  They despised the common people, and seldom bothered to instruct them in the ways of God.  When they did attempt to teach or instruct them, they often led the common people astray or laid tremendous burdens upon them. 

So, it was not surprising that the multitudes were hungry to hear what Jesus had to say.

It is also not surprising that Jesus had compassion for these lost and dying souls.  I hope that when we are confronted with spiritually lost and dying people we too will show compassion, not anger or frustration if our plans are interrupted. 

Matthew 14:15 – Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves."

Jesus begins to teach and to heal.  The proceedings continue, hour after hour.  Soon it is noon, but still the ministry continued.  No one got up and left.  Finally, it reaches 3 pm. 

At this point, the disciples recognize that the crowd is hungry (they probably are too). It appears from the text that they have already considered the situation.  The time is late, the crowds are large, there is no pizza delivery or nearby village with a grocery store and they themselves had nothing on hand that would feed such a gathering. 

From a human perspective, the only logical thing to do was to stop the proceedings and send them away.  So, they approach Jesus with their plan. 

Matthew 14:16 – But Jesus said, "They need not go away; you give them something to eat."

Can you imagine the look on the disciples face when they heard that?  I wonder if their mouths dropped open in shock or their knees became weak.  There can be no doubt that they immediately recognized their inability to perform the task at hand.  They knew there was no possible way for them to feed this multitude.

This was because they were looking through their fleshly or worldly eyes.  Jesus was about to teach them to look through their eyes of faith.  God is sovereign over all of nature and with him, all things are possible.

Matthew 14:17-18 – They said to him, "We have only five loaves here and two fish."  And he said, "Bring them here to me."

The loaves were made of barley.  Barley was about 1/3 the cost of wheat, so most poor people regularly ate barley.  Fish was a common food for everyone in the region. 

We know that Jesus could have miraculously turned the stones into bread to feed these people, but he didn't.  Why not?

When God calls us to a task that is too great for us, we should begin by rounding up what we have, and giving or dedicating it to him.  This principle applies to our time, our skills/talents, our resources and even our relationships.  When we give our all to Christ, there is room for him to come in and accomplish what we cannot do.  

The next step is to stay close to God, listen to his voice (not the voices of those around you!) and follow his direction no matter how strange it may seem.  In this case, Jesus told the disciples to have the people sit down in groups.  Think about this: at the time the disciples organized all those people into groups and had them sit down, there were still only 5 loaves and two fish! 

Soon, Jesus would give the loaves and fish to his disciples and tell them to distribute them to the crowd.  The disciples were following the directions of Jesus by faith.  We must do the same.

Matthew 14:19 – Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing.  Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.

The people are commanded to sit down or recline, on the grass.  Mark and Luke both tell us that the people sat down in companies:

Luke 9:14 – and he [Jesus] said to his disciples, "Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each."

Once organized this way, it would be very easy to calculate the approximate number of people at a glance.  Once everyone was seated, Jesus said a prayer of thanksgiving for the food.  In Jewish households, the father would say a prayer of thanksgiving acknowledging God as the source/provider of all their food.  Some of these prayers have been preserved for us in Jewish writings.  For example:

"May God, the ever blessed One, bless what He has given us."

"Blessed be thou, O Lord our God, the King of the world, who has produced this food and this drink, from the earth and the vine."

I'm sure the Jews who were present at the time were very thankful for the earthly food that sustained their physical bodies.  They probably did not attach any spiritual significance to what was happening. However, those of us who are looking back on this historical event cannot help but see Jesus as the Bread of Life who will very shortly have his own body broken that he might provide spiritual life for us.

This miracle is the only one that is recorded by all four gospel writers.  It plainly shows that God is sovereign over nature.  He has creative power.  The religious leaders might possibly cast doubt on the miracles of healing, or the miracles of casting out demons, but there was no way to deny the miracle of multiplication that occurred here.  Therefore, the Jewish leaders had to acknowledge that God was in their midst.  To deny it at this point, defies all reason and logic.

Many, many lessons can be found in this miracle: 

Jesus gave the food to the disciples, who in turn gave what they had to the people.  God gives spiritual wisdom to pastors, apostles, teachers and prophets, they in turn give what they have to the rest of the body.  You too can share your spiritual wisdom with those around you. 

Like the widow's oil in the Old Testament, the food was multiplied as it was given out.  Don't be afraid to use what you have.  Don't be afraid to give.  Jesus assures us that when we give, it will be "given back to us, good measure, shaken together and running over" (Luke 6:38).  This is one of the great mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven.  In the natural, you get more by hoarding what you have.  In God's economy, you get more by giving what you have!   

In this case, Jesus satisfied those who were hungry in the flesh.  Likewise, he promises that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness shall be filled.  If we desire to know heavenly things, Jesus will answer our request.  All we need to do is slow down and take time to ask him.  

The disciples could not feed the crowd in their own power.  It took a partnership between them and Jesus.  Likewise, we need the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit to bring spiritual food to the starving world in which we live.

Matthew 14:20-21 – And they all ate and were satisfied.  And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over.  And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

The miracle is all the more astonishing when we see that more was taken up in the form of leftovers than was originally served as the meal!

We are not told the size of the baskets, but it is surmised that they were containers often used by Jews who were traveling. Jews always carried their own food to make sure that they not only had provisions, but that those provisions met their clean/kosher standards.

Let us take note that God is never out of resources. His supplies never run low.  There is no lack in the kingdom of our Lord.  Anything that the church of Jesus Christ needs in order to carry out the gospel mission will be provided, even when it requires a miracle.

Let us also remind ourselves that nothing is impossible with God!

Matthew 14:22 – Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.

In the gospel of John (6:15) we are told that after this miracle, the crowd was convinced that Jesus was the Messiah.  They were planning to take him by force and make him king.  

It is also possible that the disciples were in favor of this plan. They were already convinced that Jesus was the Messiah.  They knew that Old Testament prophesy said he would one day rule the earth.  They may have believed this was the time to form an army and make Jesus king.  After all, hadn't God gathered together this 5000 for a reason?

Jesus, however, knew that his time had not yet come.  He immediately separates the disciples from the crowd, and orders them to get into the boat and leave without him. 

The disciples probably didn't want to do this.  At the very least, they would not have wanted to leave Jesus because of the close relationship they had with him (can you imagine leaving your leader behind?).  Besides, if Jesus was going to be made king, they didn't want to miss that!  But in the end, they are obedient to his command.  Without having a full explanation or understanding of what was happening, they did as Jesus instructed them.

In many ways, our walk with Christ mirrors that of the disciples.  Often, God will call us to do something without giving us a full explanation.  Sometimes we go through situations that we don't fully understand.  Sometimes we think the time is right for a change or a breakthrough, but God still asks us to wait.  One thing we can be sure of – God sees the full picture.  He knows what is around the next corner.  So, in every instance, the best thing we can do is trust and obey him.  He will never fail us! 

Matthew 14:23 – And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray.  When evening came, he was there alone.

Remember the temptation in the wilderness?  In one of those temptations, Satan offers to give Jesus all the kingdoms of this world:

Matthew 4:8-9 -  Again the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.  And he said to him [Jesus], "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me."

In this temptation, Satan was offering Jesus an easy way out.  He was offering to make him king of the world, without going through the suffering of the cross.

This situation after the feeding of the 5K was much the same.  We have already discussed how the people wanted to make Jesus king.  However, this would have been a sin just as surely as if Jesus would have taken Satan's offer, because once again, it offered Jesus kingship without going through the suffering of the cross.

I imagine that this was a difficult time for Jesus.  Even though he was God, he was also human and no human being wants to suffer.  All of us are inclined to take the easy way out, if one is presented to us. 

Thus, it makes sense that Jesus retreats to a solitary place, where those voices of temptation are silenced.  It makes sense that he spent the night in prayer, gaining strength from the Father to carry out the mission that lay before him – death on the cross.   

We too can turn to God in our moments of weakness and temptation.  If we flee to him, he will provide a way of escape from the temptation:

1 Corinthians 10:13  - There has no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above that you are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it.

Let's turn to God in our moments of temptation, expecting and looking for that way of escape.  He will strengthen us just as he did Jesus.

Matthew 14:24 – but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them.

Meanwhile, the disciples were having trouble.  The sea was about 10 miles across.  The gospel of John tells us the boat had traveled 25-30 furlongs, which is about 4 miles.  They are practically in the middle of the sea. 

In this region, it is common for storms to suddenly pop up.  The colder wind from the surrounding mountains rushes downward and encounters the warm air above the water and presto – you have a storm.  Some of these squalls can be quite ferocious, which seems to have been true in this case.  The storm was so severe, the disciples were fearful of their lives.

A couple of things are worth noting here.  First, the weather was fine when the disciples began their journey. There was no mention of bad weather on the horizon when Jesus broke up the meeting and sent them on their way. 

Have you ever started a new ministry or project for the Lord and everything started off smoothly?  How long was it until you encountered your first problem or difficulty?  Anytime we do something for the kingdom of Heaven, it stirs up our enemy to come against us.  We should not be surprised at this, in fact, we should expect opposition anytime we work for the kingdom.  Thankfully, we have victory over the enemy through Christ Jesus our Lord!  

Second, there can be no doubt that the disciples were in the perfect will of God when they encountered this storm.  Let me repeat that:  The disciples were smack dab in the center of the perfect will of God when their problems started.  Remember, Jesus himself had audibly spoken to them and told them to get into the boat and depart (you can't get any clearer direction than that).  Clearly, being in God's perfect will did not guarantee smooth sailing! 

The same is true for us.  Being in God's perfect will does not guarantee the absence of problems and difficulties. However, God does guarantee that he is watching over us, and he will work all things out for our good.  It is often the times of trial/testing that bring about the greatest spiritual growth.  Times of difficulty prompt us to turn to the Savior and keep our eyes on him.  As he works out the situation, our faith and trust in him grow.  As our faith grows, we are ready for bigger and bolder work for the kingdom.

Also, notice what the disciples did NOT do:  they did not turn back.  They heard from the Lord and they moved forward, through the difficulties.  There was never any discussion about going back.

The same should be true for us.  Whatever God has called you to do, do not give up!  At the perfect time, God will be there to rescue you, if the need arises.  Do not give in to the suggestions of the enemy that you should turn back or quit.  He is trying to rob you of your purpose and destiny.  He knows that you will be victorious in Christ if you don't give up, so he will do everything he can to stop you.  Don't fall for his lies!

Matthew 14:25 – And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea.

The fourth watch of the night is 3 am.  Now I feel extra sorry for the disciples – not only did they have a long day of ministry, but now that they should be sleeping they are awake and terrified and working to keep their boat from sinking.

Then, Jesus comes to them walking on the water!  If the miracle of the loaves and fish did not prove that Jesus was sovereign over creation, this certainly should have done it!

We notice that Jesus knew the distress the disciples were in and he came to their aid.  He knew exactly where they were, even though they were in the darkness, on a moving boat in the midst of a violent storm.

Likewise, God knows every nuance of your current situation.  He understands every relationship, every lack, every emotion, every difficulty and every impossibility.  Maybe your problem was one of your own making, brought about by your own bad decisions.  It doesn't matter.    Jesus is the perfect one to turn to in times of trouble, because he cares for you.  His love is not dependent on your perfection; it stems from his own nature.  It knows no bounds.  After all, he loved you so much that he died for you.  What more proof of his love do you need?  Furthermore, I stress once again that nothing is impossible for God.  He walked on the water to get to his disciples.  What more proof of his power do you need?

Call upon him right now.  Pour out your heart to him.  He will come to you in the midst of your storm.  He already knows where you are; he is just waiting for you to call on him.

Matthew 14:26 – But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, "It is a ghost!" and they cried out in fear.

We might be tempted to scoff at the disciples, but give them a break.  They were tired.  Tension/fear was at an all time high.  The storm was raging and it was dark.  The introduction of an unknown supernatural element naturally brought them fear.

Matthew 14:27 – But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Take heart; it is I.  Do not be afraid."

'Do not be afraid' or 'fear not' are common sayings in the bible.  God is constantly telling us not to be afraid.  To the child of God, these words should dispel fear, bringing inward peace and strong confidence.

2 Timothy 1:7 – For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love and of a sound mind.

Perhaps you have experienced some fear during the recent pandemic.  Fear is very destructive.  It focuses your attention on the 'storm', not on the greatness of God.  It causes you to doubt God's love for you.  It causes you to question whether or not God can or will take care of you.  It robs you of faith and peace.  Clearly the source of fear is our enemy Satan, whose ultimate plan is to steal, kill and destroy. 

The disciples experienced fear at night in the midst of a storm.  Likewise, Satan will attack you and I with fear in the lonely hours of the night, when we are in the midst of a difficulty.   But we can be victorious over him through Christ!

The fear of the disciples fled when they knew they were in the presence of Jesus.  Our fears will also flee when we enter into his presence.  God has revealed to us that praise and thanksgiving are the doors to his throne.  Once we are in his presence, fear melts away because we realize how much God loves and cares for us.  We remember that he is all powerful; sovereign over all of creation.  We are reminded that he never leaves or forsakes us and that he has plans to prosper us.  Strength returns to our spirit as we understand that all storms will pass and we are victors through Jesus our King.  So if you are experiencing fear at this time, PRAISE HIM.  Spend time worshipping your Lord and Savior.  Fear will melt away in the all consuming fire of God's presence.  

Matthew 14:28-30 – And Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water."  He said, "Come."  So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus.  But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, "Lord, save me."

When Jesus walked on the water, a purpose was served – to get to his disciples in their time of need.  But in Peter's case, there was no clear purpose for walking on the water.  In fact, Jesus never asked Peter to do so.  The whole thing was Peter's idea. 

What are we to make of Peter's request?

I think it shows how much we are like him!  Peter has a mixture of faith and yet unbelief.  Faith calls Jesus 'Lord' or 'Master', but doubt says 'if it is you'.  Getting out of the boat and walking on water demonstrates faith, but being overcome with fear and sinking shows unbelief.

Most scholars view his request as presumptuous.  In his confidence and zeal, he desired to do something that he was not capable of, nor was he called to do.  In this case, Jesus granted the request so that Peter might learn a valuable lesson – to be humble and walk where God leads, not where we want to go.  The secondary lesson is also valuable – do not take your eyes off Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith.  If you look at your circumstances instead of your God, fear will overtake you and you will fall.

Matthew 14:31 – Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"

In a way, we could say that Peter experienced failure in the midst of success.  He started off strong, but then stumbled.  Yet, Jesus did not abandon him.  He was right there when Peter called out in his distress.

Sometimes we fail in the midst of our endeavors for Christ.  But when we get into trouble, all we need to do is turn to Jesus.  He will reach down and rescue us, while teaching us a valuable lesson at the same time.   In the end, our faith is strengthened even by our failures.

Matthew 14:32-33 – And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.  And those in the boat worshipped him saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."

Suddenly, the trial is at an end.  Be comforted - your trials will also have an end, even though you may not see it right now. 

Looking back on this event, we can see that:

The storm ceased when Jesus entered the boat.  Jesus is the Prince of Peace.  When we open the doors of our lives and allow him to come in, he brings peace into our situation, no matter how violent it may be.  

We must always keep our eyes on Christ.  As long as Peter's eye/focus was on Jesus, he was victorious; he was able to walk on the water.  But when he focused his attention on his circumstances (the wind and the waves), he sank.  When we endure trials (and we certainly will, at some point), we can stay in faith and block out fear by keeping our mind centered on Christ.  Reading the word, praying and engaging in praise/worship are wonderful ways to keep our minds centered on the Savior.  If we stop looking through our eyes of faith and focus on our situation, all will be lost, for we will immediate sink into fear.

There is no situation in which Christ cannot help us.  Peter was in an impossible situation - sinking into the oblivion of a dark sea during an immense storm on a gloomy early morning.  There was no human who could have rescued him.   Yet, it was a small thing for Jesus to reach down and save Peter.  I assure you that even though your situation seems impossible, it too is a small thing for the God of the universe. 

Peter was the architect of his own problems – he was the one who suggested that he get out of the boat in the first place; he climbed out of his own free will.  Yet, when he failed, Jesus was there to pick up the pieces.  Perhaps you have gotten yourself into a bad situation.  Maybe you have made some wrong/poor choices in your life. Cry out to Christ.  He is there to love and rescue, not to condemn.  

The disciples never expected to see Jesus walking on the water in the midst of that storm, yet it happened.  God often does unexpected things.  He allows donkeys to speak.  He pays taxes from money found in a fish's mouth.  He causes water to flow out of rocks.  He parts the sea.  He makes axe heads float.  He brings dry bones to life.  The list goes on and on.  The bible says that his ways are not our ways and his thoughts are not our thoughts.  So let's not get too set in our ways.  God wants to do something astonishing in this generation, and he is calling upon us to partner with him.  So listen closely and be ready to experience a new move of God!   

Christ was glorified.  It is unlikely that the disciples were alone on the boat.  There would have been sailors and some other passengers as well.  The disciples already believed that Jesus was the Son of God, so those who fell down and proclaimed this truth were probably the unbelievers in their midst.  The trial of the disciples demonstrated the power of God to the unbelievers around them.  The same is true for us.  When we trust Christ in the midst of our storms, when we glorify him in the midst of our struggles, unbelievers will see it and recognize him as Lord and Savior too. 

Matthew 14:34-36 – And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret.  And when the men of that place recognized him, they sent around to all that region and brought to him all who were sick and implored him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment.  And as many as touched it were made well.

The men of this region had heard of Jesus.  They went out and rounded up all the sick people in their neighborhoods and brought them to Jesus for healing.  And Jesus did not disappoint.  He healed every single person who touched him. 

We know Jesus as Lord, Savior, King, Provider, Protector and the Prince of Peace.  There is a world full of scared, lost people right in our own towns and neighborhoods.  Let's seek them out and take them to Christ, so that they too can be children of the King.

So let me offer you some encouragement:  Trials and tribulations come to us all.  As a Christian, make sure you keep them in the proper perspective.  They are opportunities for spiritual growth.  They are opportunities to reflect the love and power of God to a lost and dying world.  Someday, all your trials and tribulations will be over - so make good use of them now while you still have them!   

Let me offer you some relief:  All of us make bad decisions or poor choices at one time or another.  When we do, Satan loves to try and convince us that Jesus won't help us because the problem is our own fault.  Don't believe that lie!  No matter what the source of your problem is, Jesus is standing by ready to reach out and save you.  He will give you beauty for ashes.  He will take what was intended for evil and make it into something good.  So don't wait another second – call on him today!

Let me offer your some strength:  We looked at the people who were so hungry for spiritual food, they gladly went out to meet Jesus in the wilderness/desert.  They were willing to walk away from comfort and routine to find God.  My guess is that they probably found even more than what they were expecting or looking for.  What about us?  Can we make a commitment to put aside some of our comforts in order to draw closer to God?  What eternal benefits could be reaped by spending an hour less per day on reading, or surfing the net or watching TV?  There is only one way to find out – give it a try!