SHOWERS

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Matthew 12:38 – Then some of the Scribes and Pharisees answered him saying, "Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you."

However, if they truly considered Jesus as their master, they would have believed his words and been obedient to his commands.  Instead, we find them in rebellion.  Clearly, their words were empty phrases.  What about us?  Do we claim Jesus as Lord?  If so, our actions should testify to this fact. 

The insolence of these religious leaders is astonishing!  How dare they ask Jesus for yet another sign?  Jesus had already performed a large number of signs and wonders which proved he was the Messiah.  Indeed, the religious leaders had just witnessed Jesus healing the demon possessed man.  What further proof was needed to establish that Jesus was the Son of God?

Jesus is going to deny their request for an on-demand sign/miracle.  Why do you suppose he does this?  After all, the bible is full of instances where people asked God for a sign, and He willingly and lovingly gave them one (example: Gideon and his fleece).

Well in this case, it seems as though their request was not for the purpose of actually discerning the truth, but more for the sake of contention.  My guess is that one more miracle would still not have been enough.  Because their hearts had already rejected Jesus, they were looking for a reason NOT to believe, as opposed to looking for a reason TO believe.  They weren't really searching for the truth. 

Matthew 12:39 – But he answered them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah."

What does Jesus mean when he says the Jews are evil and adulterous?

The relationship of the Old Testament Jews to God was often represented as a marriage contract – God being the husband and the Jewish nation being his wife.  All unfaithfulness and disobedience were considered a breach of the marriage contract (adultery).

Jeremiah 3:20 – Surely, as a treacherous wife leaves her husband so have you been treacherous to me, O house of Israel.

We know the religious leaders had ample signs confirming Jesus as the Messiah.  These included the witness of John the Baptist, the voice from heaven when Jesus was baptized, numerous physical healings/miracles and evidence of authority over demon spirits.  To ask for an additional sign at this point was nothing more than an indicator of rebellion.  Clearly, they didn't want to believe!  

So, in light of the fact that none of his former miracles would convince the religious leaders, one final sign - different from all the rest - would be given to these obstinate, 'adulterous' people:  the sign of Jonah.

Matthew 12:40 – For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."

In case you are unfamiliar with the story of Jonah, let me give you a brief synopsis.  Jonah was a prophet in Israel.  He was commissioned by God to go and preach repentance to the wicked city of Nineveh, a sworn enemy of Israel. Jonah did not want this assignment.  In fact, he ran the opposite direction by entering a boat bound for Tarshish. 

While on the ship, God stirred up an immensely powerful storm and eventually, the sailors tossed Jonah overboard where a big fish swallowed him.  He was inside the belly of this fish for three days and three nights.  Afterwards, the fish vomited him up on land.  He then went and shared the message of God with the people of Nineveh and they subsequently repented of their sin and avoided destruction.

Jonah being swallowed by the fish was a picture of death.  Death was also going to "swallow" Jesus when he died on the cross. 

Entering into the fish's belly was a picture of being under the earth, or beneath the land of the living or in a grave.  After his death, Jesus was buried in a cave/tomb. 

Jonah was in the fish's belly three days and three nights, then he was vomited back onto dry land or the land of the living.  Jesus was in the grave three days and three nights, then he rose from the dead and returned to the land of the living. 

After his release from the fish (death), Jonah went and proclaimed repentance to the sinful nation of Nineveh.  After his resurrection, Jesus appeared to his disciples and commissioned them to preach the gospel to the whole world, including Gentiles.

This is the second time that Jesus has publicly announced his death and resurrection.  The first was during the Passover, after he cleansed the temple:

John 2:18-19 – So the Jews said to him, "What sign do you show us for doing these things?"  Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."

Side Note: The term 'three days and three nights' doesn't necessarily mean the same thing to us as it did to the Jews.  The Jews counted any part of a day as a whole entire day if it occurred at the beginning or end of a specified time period. 

For example, Jesus was in the grave part of a day on the day he was crucified, then that night, then the whole next day followed by a second night.  He rose the next day, which means that he was only in the grave for part of that third day.  That is a total of one full day and two partial days.  However, by the Jewish method of counting, this means Jesus was in the grave 3 days. 

The phrases 'on the third day', 'after three days' and 'three days and three nights' all refer to the same thing – a three day period where two of the days may be fractional days. 

Matthew 12:41 – The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.

The Ninevites were wicked people who knew nothing of the true God.  They heard a message of repentance from a single prophet, a foreigner, who delivered his message for a 40 day period without the benefit of any miraculous signs.  Yet, this message brought them to repentance and their repentance saved them from destruction.

The Jews, on the other hand, know all about God. They were in covenant with him.  They had a long, long history with him.  They heard Jesus preach for three years and saw his message confirmed with countless miracles.  Yet, his message caused them to harden their hearts, and the rejection of Jesus will result in their eternal destruction!

In the general resurrection, the men of Nineveh will stand up in the judgment as witnesses against these Jews because Jesus was superior to Jonah in every way, yet the Jews did not believe in him.

Matthew 12:42 – The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.

The queen of the South, or the queen of Sheba ruled in Arabia or possibly Ethiopia.  She came to visit King Solomon because she heard rumors about his great wisdom. She traveled over 1000 miles to meet with Solomon, hear his wisdom and discuss what was on her mind.  He answered all her questions; the bible says there was nothing Solomon could not explain to her. 

After meeting with King Solomon, she declares:

I Kings 10:6-7, 9 – …"The report was true that I heard in my own land of your words and of your wisdom, but I did not believe the reports until I came and my own eyes had seen it.  And behold, the half was not told me.  Your wisdom…surpasses the report I heard…because the Lord loved Israel forever, he has made you king that you may execute justice and righteousness."

She made a long, arduous journey in order to get wisdom.  She was astounded at what she heard and she treasured the wisdom Solomon shared with her.  She had great respect and reverence for Solomon, declaring that God has made him king in order to bring about justice and righteousness. 

Let's contrast that with the actions of the Jews.  One infinitely wiser than Solomon, the Son of God himself, was in their midst.  He was not wise like Solomon; He was wisdom incarnate, but rather than revering and respecting him, they slandered and despised him. 

Solomon was a fallen man, like all of us.  He could only bring about imperfect justice and righteousness.  However, Jesus is a perfect King who will rule with absolutely perfect justice and righteousness.  The Scribes and Pharisees despised Jesus because he failed to raise and army and defeat the Romans, but had they listened to him, they would have discovered that his kingdom was first going to manifest as a spiritual one, and later a physical one.

By rejecting Jesus, the Jews also rejected all opportunities to hear the wisdom Jesus could have given them.  For this reason, the queen of Sheba will testify against those Jews at the judgment.

Matthew 12:43-45 – When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. Then it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.'  And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order.  Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first.  So also will it be with this evil generation.

The parable found in verses 43-45 is a continuation of the warnings that Jesus is giving to the Jews.  First, we will take a look at how the parable applies to them.  Then, we will also see how it might apply to us as well.

The parable concerns the spiritual life of the Jewish nation.  It implies that there was a man who had an unclean spirit at one point.  The man represents the Jewish nation and the unclean spirit is the spirit of idolatry that plagued the Jewish nation from the time they entered the Promised Land until their exile. During this time, they consistently rejected Jehovah as their God and chose to serve Satan in the form of false idols.   Their idolatry is well documented in the Old Testament. 

Because of this besetting sin, God sent them into exile.  Once the Jews returned to their land, they never had a problem with idolatry again (notice its absence in the New Testament).  So, the exile set them free from the sin of idolatry. This corresponds to the part in the parable where the unclean spirit has departed out of the person.

Spiritually speaking, the heart of the nation is 'empty, swept and put in order'.  They are rid of the unclean spirit of idolatry and ready for Jehovah to 'move in'. 

Unfortunately, when the Messiah comes, they reject him, or at this point they are on the verge of rejecting him.  This leaves their heart/house empty; but spiritual hearts cannot stay empty.  They must be filled.  Seeing an opening, Satan gathers his forces and makes a move to re-enter. 

The 'seven other evil spirits' which entered the spiritual hearts of the Jewish nation and replaced Jehovah as Lord were things like ceremonial religious acts, outward shows of piety, worship of money, bitterness, pride, divorce, self righteousness, etc. 

Since they have rejected Jesus and opened themselves up to Satan once again, they are worse off than they were before. This makes sense, because they have heard and rejected the only thing that will set them free – the grace of God!  Subsequently, we see the downward progression of this particular generation:  They despised God's messengers, scorned the miracles of Christ and eventually crucified him on the cross.  

After this the temple, the capital and the people were given over to the Romans who virtually destroyed them.

What can we learn from this example? I believe it is a warning to all nations, not just the Jews.  If God begins a work of reformation in the midst of nation, those people needs to see it through.  They need to cast out evil and fully open themselves to righteousness.  If they do not, their end state will be worse than the first, because they too, like the Jews, will have rejected the one thing which can set them free. 

Do you think America fell into this trap following the 9/11 disaster?  Why or why not?  

Do you think that Americans will turn to God during the current Covid 19 crisis? If so, do you think these changes will be permanent or will people return to their old habits once the crisis is over?

If nothing else, this parable should call us into prayer for our nation.  We need God to send a spirit of revival into our midst that will free us from the bondage of Satan.

This parable might be applied to the church as well.  Look what Jesus says to the church at Ephesus:

Revelation 2:2, 4 – I know your works, and your labor, and your patience…  Nevertheless I have somewhat against you, because you have left your first love.

In our individual churches as well as our individual lives, we need to renew and focus on our relationship with Christ.  The closer we stay to him, the more righteous we will become.  We will welcome ever deeper levels of intimacy with him.  However, when we lose our ardent love for God, we fall into the same trap as the Pharisees, substituting pious acts for true relationship.  Take a minute and re-evaluate yourself.  Return to your first love, if you need to!

Matthew 12:46-47 –While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him.  Someone told him, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside asking to speak to you."

There is some discussion about whether these are the natural brothers of Jesus or some of his close male relatives (cousins).  There is also much discussion about the motives of his relatives. It has been speculated that they feared Jesus was offending the religious leaders which could lead to his arrest and death, or that they feared for his physical health, because the crowds were so great that he couldn't even stop to eat (Mark 3).  However, to dwell on either one of these points is to miss the main lesson of this passage.

The fact is his relatives were actually a hindrance or an obstruction to his teaching!  Notice that they were 'standing without' as opposed to being inside listening to his preaching.  While Jesus is busy with his heavenly Father's business, his earthly relatives disrupt him!   It is likely that this disruption was both unnecessary and unwelcome.  Had this happened to any of us, we might have reacted in anger or frustration.  However, Jesus, full of wisdom and love, respectfully turns the disruption into a teaching moment for the kingdom of Heaven.

Matthew 12:48-50 – But he replied to the man who told him, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?"  And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers!  For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.

Those who accept Jesus and obey the Father are grafted into the family of God.  As a disciple of Jesus we wear his name (Christian), bear his image, reflect his love, and display his nature.  We are children of God.  We are joint heirs with Christ.  Jesus has promised that there are many 'rooms' in his Father's house; he will prepare a place there for us.  He is our kinsman redeemer.  Clearly, we are one of the family!  

Let me give you a little encouragement and strength:   If you are a Christian, you are a member of the family of God!  Your Heavenly Father loves and cares for you!  You don't need to fear when events around you seem to spiral out of control, for he holds your future in his hands.  The psalmist tells us this:

Psalm 84:11 - For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

When you are a child of God, the Lord is your sun – he provides light, beauty, direction and fruitfulness.  He is also your shield – protecting you throughout all your earthly life and working things out for your eternal good.  He will give you grace and glory – unmerited favor, mercy and kindness which are yours forever.  God, in his eternal wisdom, knows what is best for you; he will never fail to bestow instruction, correction, strength, support, guidance, wisdom or any other thing that we need to be victorious in Christ!

Let me give you a little relief:  Do you ever lay awake at night wondering what the future holds?  Does the current world situation make you uneasy? Do you worry because you don't have any answers?  As we learned from our lesson today, Jesus is not wise, He is wisdom incarnate!  If you are uncertain as to what you should do, where you should go or what decisions you need to make, ask him. 

James 1:5 - If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men liberally, and reproaches not; and it shall be given him.

Notice that James does not say that God MIGHT give us wisdom, but that he WILL give us wisdom.  You don't have to go through life wondering if you are on the right path – just ask your heavenly Father, and he will tell you!

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Matthew 7:1-2 – Judge not, that you be not judged.  For with the judgment you pronounce, you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.

As we noted in a prior post, the Sermon on the Mount is recorded in chapters 5-7 of Matthew.  We now come to the final parts of that sermon.  This section begins with a lesson on how to conduct ourselves in reference to the faults of others.  This lesson was certainly applicable to the Scribes and Pharisees because they were full of pride and conceit.  They believed that they were more righteous and therefore better than 'regular people'.  As a result, they were quick to harshly judge others.  They didn't allow the facts or the true motivations behind a person's actions to stand in the way!  In fact, they would pass judgment without even taking those factors into consideration!

First of all, there are different types of judgment, and not all of them are included in this teaching of Jesus.

There is judicial judgment which happens in a court of law.  Jesus is not forbidding that kind of judgment.  In fact, several places in scripture God instructs judges to judge correctly/justly [for example, John 7:24].

There is judgment that occurs between those in authority and those under authority.  For example, if an employer finds that one of her employees is stealing, she may certainly bring judgment on that individual by firing them.  This is not the kind of judgment Jesus is forbidding.

A Christian may also judge the acts of another in the sense that they are obligated to discern good from evil and correct one another in love.  Jesus is not forbidding this kind of judgment either [Galatians 6:1].

And by the way, let's not forget self-judgment.  The person who can examine his own life and make righteous judgments is to be commended, not condemned.  This type of judgment is actually good.

The type of judgment that Jesus is forbidding here is rash, instantaneous judgment of one person toward another which frequently stems from our own jealousy.  It is done without love and is often peevish, harsh and unjustified.  This type of judgment is eager to find fault with people and then condemn them.  It is suspicious of the motives of people and looks for controversy and heresy.

For instance, in Mark chapter 2 we find the Scribes, Pharisees and other Jewish religious leaders condemning Jesus for eating at the house of a known 'sinner', Matthew the tax collector.  They immediately passed judgment on Jesus, labeling him as a base, vile sinner himself!  They wondered why Jesus would even eat dinner with these people.

Clearly, the religious leaders did not stop to investigate this situation.  They did not meet with Jesus privately to ask him why he was having fellowship with sinners.  They did not give Jesus any benefit of the doubt.  They did not stop to consider the good that he was doing. Instead, they were eager to find fault with Jesus.  They were eager to find controversy in the situation and accuse him of wrong doing.  In a spirit of jealousy and pride, they publicly condemned his actions.  We know their judgment was harsh and unjustified, for Jesus was NOT a sinner like the tax collectors. 

Unfortunately, every person (including you and I) is born with an inherent tendency to judge this way, so we must guard ourselves against it. 

Why is it so wrong to judge in this capacity? Judgment is an act of sovereignty; it is a level of authority that only God has the right to exercise.

Why is it so wrong to judge in this capacity? Judgment is an act of sovereignty; it is a level of authority that only God has the right to exercise.  Only God can truly judge the thoughts and motivations of a person's heart at any moment in time.  If we step into this realm of judgment, it is the same thing as sitting down on God's throne and usurping his rights and authority!

To make matters even more intense, if you do step in to judge someone, God will forgo mercy and judge you with the same level of harshness and severity that you used towards your brother.  I don't know about you, but I want to stay far, far away from this kind of judgment!

So if you see a situation that looks like it might be wrong, stop and investigate before you do anything else.  You may find out that you were wrong about the situation.

Matthew 7:3-4 – Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye', when there is the log in your own eye?

In this verse, the word 'speck' could also be translated 'splinter'.  The comparison between a splinter and a log is obvious – the log is billions and billions of times bigger.  Jesus is using this illustration to demonstrate the size of the sins we are so quick to judge in others as compared to our own shortcomings.  Just for the sake of clarity, your sins are the size of the log, whereas the other person's sins are the size of the splinter!

This illustration reveals several truths to us:

Truth #1:  Make sure that you are not indulging in the same areas of weakness as the sister/brother you are so quick to judge.  Before you publicly condemn someone for gossip, you better check yourself and make sure that you are not guilty of the same offence!

Truth #2:  Remember the incident of the woman caught in adultery?  We find the narrative in John chapter 8.  The Scribes and Pharisees caught a woman in the act of adultery.  They brought her before Jesus and demanded that she be stoned, because that was the sentence pronounced by the law [wow…no mercy there!].  Clearly, they were judging her.

What did Jesus do? He stooped down and wrote something in the dirt.  The scriptures do not tell us exactly what was written, but what if Jesus was writing out the sins of her accusers?  That would certainly give them pause, wouldn't it?  Jesus further calls attention to their sin with this statement:

John 8:7, 9 - And as they [Scribes and Pharisees] continued to ask him, he [Jesus] stood up and said to them, "Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her."  But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was let alone with the woman standing before him.

So we see that finding fault in others for their transgressions is a sign of hypocrisy when we ignore the transgressions in our own lives.  Don't be that person!  If you feel you are qualified to pass judgment on someone else, stop and "write in the dirt"… take an honest look at yourself and make sure you are not ignoring or minimizing your own short comings before you confront someone else about theirs.  If the Scribes and Pharisees had done that, they would not have been publicly embarrassed by Jesus.

My guess is that if we take time to examine ourselves, most of us will be so busy cleaning up our own lives that we will not have time to judge others!

Matthew 7:5 – You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

Truth #3:  If you are able to take a realistic look at your own faults, it will create compassion within you for the mistakes of others.  While sin should be dealt with and removed from our lives, compassion will keep us from crossing the line between restoring our brother and reckless judgment.

Truth #4:  One of the great benefits of acknowledging and dealing with our own sins is that it gives us the experience to be a comfort to others.  If you have been delivered and restored from a spirit of greed, you are in a good position to help restore someone else.  Admit your mistakes, deal with your sin, and allow your experience to be of good use in the Kingdom.

Matthew 7:6 – Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.

Imagine this scenario with me, keeping in mind the stereotype of a pig:  You are walking outside on a day filled with warmth and sunshine.  [This being winter time in Ohio, you will need your full imagination!!]  You are wearing a set of extremely beautiful and valuable pearls.  These pearls were a gift from the one you love the most and they are extremely precious to you. In fact, they are your most prized possession and you wear them everywhere.

As you wander the countryside, you suddenly smell a most horrible odor.  As you hold your nose and walk in another direction, you soon come to a wooden fence.  On the other side of the fence you find the source of the odor – a pigpen!  There are the greedy pigs, wallowing around in the mud and actually enjoying the filth.  They eat anything and everything that comes their way, without discernment or self control.  All they want is more!

Jesus is using this proverb to teach us a lesson about sharing the gospel message.  The pearls represent the whole gospel message.  The swine (and the dogs) represent men who are corrupt, polluted, profane, obscene and otherwise delighting in sin.  They have no regard for the value of the gospel.

Certainly we are to share the gospel message with ALL unbelievers.  However, there are some who will violently reject the message, and we need to use discretion and discernment in dealing with them.

If we continue to present them with godly wisdom, council and instruction it will not help; it will only enrage them.  There are people who hate the gospel so much that any sign or hint of it will not only repel them, but stir them up to abuse the message and the one who shares it.  These people should only be approached after prayer and with the power and leading of the Holy Spirit.  So, as a general rule, we are to preach the gospel to all men and see whether or not they are worthy of more.

The purpose of this proverb is to instill within us a measure of reverence and discretion as to the preaching of the gospel and statements of spiritual experience.

Matthew 7:7-8 – Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

Let us now consider the act of prayer.  Prayer is the privilege of every Christian.  It is a form of communion with God.  It's like meeting at His house to discuss matters of concern in this life.  While we recently discussed this issue when looking at the Lord's Prayer, we will review certain aspects of it here.  If Jesus wants to emphasize an issue, then we will too!

Asking, Seeking and Knocking are three different forms of petitioning God for what we want or need.  These phrases are not passive but active.  They imply earnestness, diligence and perseverance on our part.  However, they come with the promise that our efforts will be rewarded – God will answer!

1 John 5:14-15 - And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us: And if we know that he hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we desired of him.

However, this is to be interpreted as a general statement.  There are things which will nullify the promise of receiving what you ask for.

Matthew 7:9-10 – Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?

Are you a parent?  If your 17-year-old asked to borrow your car, the answer may very well be 'yes', because for them, it would be a good thing.  Likewise, God desires to give you what you ask, as long as it is beneficial for you.

Now if your 7-year-old asked to borrow your car, I am guessing you told them 'no', because you care for them and you deny requests that are harmful.

God is the same way.  He sees all things and when we ask something that is detrimental or damaging for us in some way, he will deny the request, the same as any loving parent.

If Father God says 'no', then we should be mature enough to realize that the thing we thought was 'bread or fish' was actually a 'stone or scorpion'.   Rather than acting like spoiled children and accusing Father God of being mean to us, we need to accept his decision and rejoice in his care for us.

Matthew 7:11 – If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

Human parents are imperfect and sinful.  They can be churlish, hateful, unjust and evil.  Yet, God has placed a compassionate inclination in the hearts of parents to provide and care for their children.  They will readily give good gifts to their children when asked.

How much more will Father God, who is perfectly good and perfectly loving, bestow blessings on us, his children?  We should never doubt him as we come to him in prayer.  He desires to give us good things!

Matthew 7:12 – So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

This verse is probably familiar to many people, even non-Christians.  It is universally known as 'The Golden Rule'.  It is not complicated or difficult to understand, but actually living this way can be very difficult!

It seems to be natural for us to favor ourselves while at the same time taking unfair advantage of others.  As discussed above, we have a tendency to be quick to judge others without compassion.

However, we must retrain ourselves to think and act a different way; a way that pleases God and fulfills the spirit of the Law and the Prophets.  We do this by loving our neighbor as our self.  We do this by putting ourselves in their place, and directing our conduct and decisions according to what we would want.   This will take practice and work, but it will please our Heavenly Father, which we all desire to do!

So, let me offer your some encouragement:

Don't ever allow your enemy to tell you that God does not hear your prayers or that He is incapable of answering your request.  That is a lie!  Likewise, don't fall for the lie that says God does not want to give you good things.  He delights in blessing you, so meet him in earnest prayer!

Psalm 37:4 - Delight yourself also in the LORD; and he shall give you the desires of your heart.

Let me offer you some relief: 

God loves you, more than any earthly father ever could.  He is not going to trick you. He is not going to give you evil things when you ask him for good.  So put aside any fears you may have regarding spiritual gifts, especially those found in 1 Corinthians 14.  If you are unsure about these gifts, go to God in prayer and ask him to reveal the truth to you.  Ask him to give you one of gifts. You can rest assured He will give you something amazing!

Let me offer you some strength: 

Judging others is a tendency that we are all born with.  Right now, it may seem like an automatic response that you cannot control, but that is not true.  It is possible to renew your mind with the word of God, and once your mind has been changed, you will respond differently. Keep that mouth under lock and key until you have control of it.  Whatever you do, get off that throne of judgment, because you have no right to be there!

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Luke 17:1-4

Luke 17:1-4 -  Jesus said to his disciples: "Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through whom they come.  It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.  So watch yourselves. If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.  If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says 'I repent,' forgive him."

I want to acknowledge that forgiveness is a very emotional issue.  Just the mention of it will send some of us into fits of rage/anger, some will experience great sadness or tears, some feel fear or frustration and many will be tempted to run away or avoid this topic for any number of reasons.

Some of you might cross your arms and say, "Sure I'll forgive her…When Gehenna freezes over."  Or, "How dare you tell me to forgive? You have NO IDEA what heinous and evil offences someone else has perpetrated against me or my loved one."

I'm going to answer this:  "You're right… I don't.  If I did it would probably make me just as angry as you are.  It would probably make me sick to my stomach.  

I assure you, your heavenly father, your savior, your redeemer, your shelter, your rock, your king, is not oblivious to the emotional, financial or physical damage that has been done to you.  In fact, right now, he is waiting for you to turn to him. He desires to heal you, to restore you and to set you free.  

Hebrews 4:15-16 -  For we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but one that hath been in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.  Let us therefore draw near with boldness unto the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace to help us in time of need.

My next post, 'Forgiveness Part II' will be dealing with all the emotions that go with forgiveness.  We will find out how to rule our emotions instead of them ruling us.  We will see that God has healing for our emotions.

In the meantime, let's begin to draw near to his throne.  Let's receive the grace and mercy we need to guide us through the sometimes difficult mandate of forgiving others.  

 This week, as hard as it may be, I want you to read this post with your intellect, not your emotions.

Let's start with this question:  Is it permissible for me as a Christian not to forgive?  Is that an option? Is there really a choice to forgive or not?

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

If we take Matthew 6:14-15 by itself, it may appear that there is no option. On the surface, it would seem that unforgiveness would send you to hell, but that is not the case.

Correct interpretation of scripture requires that all scriptures be interpreted in the context of the Bible as a whole. So let's look at forgiveness/salvation scriptures in general.

Mark 16:15-16 -  And he said unto them, Go you into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.  He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

Acts 16:30-31 – [The Phillipian jailer] brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?   And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

Romans 10:9 - That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

So we can see from these three scriptures (and others) that although there are many good reasons for you to forgive, your salvation is not dependent on forgiving others.

 Salvation comes by acknowledging/believing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that his blood cleanses us from all sin. Notice the verses below, which remind us that God saved us by his great mercy and the power of Jesus, not by any work which we have done.

2 Timothy 1:8-9  - Be not therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord… who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.

Titus 3:4-6 - But after the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;  whom He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior…

Think of it this way - If you had to forgive every single person who ever wronged you, or if you had to let go of every single grudge you ever held in order to be saved, then your salvation would in part be determined by your own works.  And that is not possible, is it?

Ephesians 2:8-9 - For by grace have you been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, that no man should glory.

You may find this shocking, but unforgiveness is not an unpardonable sin that will cast you into hell or cause you to forfeit your salvation. Rather, unforgiveness falls under the category of any other sin we commit, such as adultery, theft, gossip, envy, etc. Like any other sin, it needs to be confessed, dealt with and overcome.

So, you can harbor unforgiveness in your heart and still be saved.  There really is a choice to forgive or not.  BUT (notice the capital letters.  It's a BIG but)… Just as with any other sin, there will be consequences. There will be a price to pay.  What will unforgiveness cost me? What can I expect if I choose not to forgive?

I want to make you aware of five consequences of unforgiveness:

Matthew 18:21-22 - Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?  Jesus said unto him, I say not unto you, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

Here's the deal: Jesus commands us to forgive. If we don't, we are disobedient. Disobedience is sin.  Sin is not an action against an impersonal set of rules; it is rebellion against God's personal desires and requirements. Because God loves you, disobedience will always bring correction.

Hebrews 12:5-8 - And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."  Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?  If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.

You consider yourself a child of God, right?  Then at some point you can expect to be disciplined if you do not forgive.  That is not to say that God is up in heaven with a whip giving you 10 seconds to forgive.  The path to forgiveness is sometimes very short and uneventful, but at other times it is a twisting and crooked road that takes a long time to navigate. 

Revelation 3:19 -  Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent.

Do you want to dwell under the rod of God's correction? Do you enjoy hardship? Do you want to be permanently grounded? That is where you will live, if you choose not to forgive.

Alternatively, you can choose to walk in God's ways.  You can choose forgive and live under God's blessing.  

Psalms 128:1-2 - Blessed are all who fear the Lord; who walk in his ways. You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours.

Don't suffer because you won't forgive.  It isn't worth it.  Choose to actively seek and participate in forgiving others.  God will walk with you and bless you for it.

Matthew 5:25-26  - Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be put in prison.  Truly I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.

Instead of forgiving one another and trying to work it out, they choose to allow prison to severe their relationship. But here's the thing… not all prisons are brick and mortar.

Unforgiveness or unresolved conflict can lead to many types of prisons, and can exact penalties you never imagined in your worst nightmares.

Think about the last time someone offended you for any reason. It's like a wall between you and them, isn't it?  It damages the relationship.  If you are determined not to forgive, you will go to any lengths not to ask him/her for help. You would rather die than do one nice thing for them. You don't want to be generous or share with them. You will do anything possible to avoid that person; possibly you will go out of your way to cause them grief. You'll bad mouth them. You'll stab them in the back. If we are honest, we cannot deny that an unforgiven offence hinders or even kills our relationship with the one we hold a grudge against.

That is no way to live!  Don't let your relationships with friends and family be damaged or severed because of unforgiveness. 

Think about that wall of unforgiveness. What is that wall made of? The number one building block is anger.  If you have been wronged by another person, or even think you have been wronged by them, 99% of the time, you are angry.  It's not the only building block in the wall. Anger is never a lone wolf.  It always hangs out in packs with its friends like gossip, deceit, revenge, resentment, envy, rage, hate, hypocrisy, bitterness, even murder.

Remind yourself of the fruit of the Spirit:

Galatians 5:22-23 - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, self-control; against such there is no law.

Galatians 5:25 - If we live by the Spirit, by the Spirit let us also walk.

Think back to the last time you were wronged by another person. Did you feel like loving that person? Did you have an overwhelming desire to show them kindness or goodness? How was your self-control that day, especially your tongue? Were you experiencing joy and peace? [I doubt it!] 

The truth (which will set you free) is this: unforgiveness prevents you from consistently walking in the Spirit.  Therefore, the only choice open to you is to walk according to the flesh.

Galatians 5:16-17  - So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.  For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature.  They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.

Again, the choice is yours.  You can choose to forgive and walk in the Spirit, or you can choose not to forgive and walk according to the flesh. You can do one or the other, but not both.  If you choose the flesh, be aware that:

Galatians 6:7-8  - Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth unto his own flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption….

Corruption is a departure from what is pure or correct.  It is synonymous with depravity, decay, rot, spoilage.

Does a rotten, depraved, fruitless, frustrating life sound good to you?  Do you want to infect not only your relationships but your own self with decay, depravity and evil?  No problem. Walk according to the flesh. Walk in unforgiveness; it will take you there.

Or, do you desire satisfaction and fruitfulness and fulfillment in all of your life?  If so, it's best to follow Paul's advice in Ephesians:

Ephesians 4:31-32 - Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as Christ God forgave you.

Here's the kicker:  If you are harboring unforgiveness, it will eat you up on the inside, and will eventually spill out and touch your loved ones. The people you love the most will suffer right along with yourself and your perceived enemy.  Your spouse, your kids, your siblings, your boss, your coworkers, your church family, will all suffer to some degree from the unforgiveness you are harboring towards another.  You can't stop it. You can't control it.

Luke 6:45  - The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.

Charles Stanley in his book "The gift of forgiveness" says this: "The destructive nature of an unforgiving Spirit is such that it is not limited to one relationship. Resentment and other negative feelings spill over into other relationships. Unfortunately, people are rarely aware when hostility from one relationship affects their ability to get along with others. Eventually… they hurt people they love the most."

You may not want to hurt those you love, but that is one of the consequences of unforgiveness.  What will you choose to do?

This should be obvious, based on what we already examined. If you are walking according to the flesh, by default you are not walking with the Spirit. You are out of intimate fellowship with God. You are putting a wall between you and God. You are blocked from his blessing and he is blocked from using you to your fullest extent in his kingdom.

Remember the parable of the sower? Some seed falls on the wayside, some on the rocky soil, some among the thorns, some on good soil. 

Mark 4:7 - And other fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.

Jesus interprets the parable this way:

Mark 4:18-19 - Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word;  but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.

We most often consider the desire for other things to mean material possessions, but that is not its only interpretation.

Your desire to hold on to unforgiveness will choke the word in your life, rendering you unfruitful in the kingdom of Christ.  You can deny it all you want, but God himself says it is so.  I don't care how busy or involved you are in the church. If you are walking the road of unforgiveness, at best you are spinning your wheels. At worst, you are creating strife and division in the church.   

How can we convincingly talk to others about the forgiveness of God when we refuse to forgive those who have wronged us? We can't!

Joyce Meyer in her book "Do yourself a favor – Forgive" concludes this:  Unforgiveness "renders you unusable by God."

Is that a place you want to be? Unusable by God?  Then hold onto unforgiveness.

Or would you prefer to be used of God?

Ephesians 2:10 - For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Want to do those good works?  They are on the path or forgiveness.

Consider the words of Christ:

Matthew 5:23-24 -  Therefore if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar.  First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.

• What are gifts? In essence, they are a form of fellowship. 
• Do we give gifts to strangers? No, we give them to friends and family. 
• In what context?  Let's get together for your birthday, or Christmas, or a graduation party. 
• What happens when we get together? We visit and communicate and find out what is going on with each other.  We laugh and eat and make new memories. 
• We give gifts to each other. In short, we fellowship.  

Gifts are also a form of fellowship in our relationship with God (money, worship, praise, time spent in his presence). God desires our fellowship more than we realize. He died in order to attain it.  It is precious to him and important to him.  In fact, it's the culmination of this age.

Revelation 21:2-4  - I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes.  There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.

Fellowship with man is one of God's ultimate plans. It was his plan in the garden of Eden. It's his plan at the end of this present age.  And yet, as much as God wants and desires fellowship with us, what did he say back in Matthew 5?  God says: I choose to defer fellowship with you until you are in right standing with other people.  Then and only then, can we have intimacy with him and experience his manifest presence.

When you have been offended or wronged, it hurts you or makes you angry.  God does not always wave his hand and immediately change your painful circumstances. But what he does always do, is sustain us through them. Sometimes you still have to pass through the water or fire, but God promises to be with us.  

Job lost all he had… children, livestock, money, home, health, all of it.  Then his wife encourages him to curse God and die, and his friends accuse him of sin.  But as we know, Job was innocent. If anybody had an opportunity to be offended, it was him. He had an opportunity to be mad at God, mad at his wife and made at his friends. But at the end of Job's trials, he makes a very interesting statement about God.

Job 42:5 - My ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you.

In other words, before this trial, before these offences and hurts slapped me in the face, I knew about God.  But now that I have walked through this experience, now I truly know you in a more personal intimate kind of way. You will experience the same intimacy with God if you choose to walk the path of forgiveness.

Based on the facts presented here today (not on emotion but on fact), are you ready to choose to forgive those who have wronged you?

Let me give you some encouragement:  All things are possible with God.  Eventually, with his help, you will be able to forgive and move on in life.  It may be a long road, but God is with you every step of the way.  Who knows more about forgiveness than he does? 

Let me give you some relief: Forgiveness is often a process. It takes time to release the feelings of anger, hurt and betrayal you may be feeling.  That's okay.  Lean on God.  Confess to him that you desire or choose to forgive, and the Holy Spirit will guide you.

Let me give you some strength:  Despite what others have done to you, God has a perfect plan for you.  It is his desire to use forgiveness to set you free. He wants you to have life and have it more abundantly. He wants to give you peace that passes all understanding. His yoke is easy and his burden is light.  Healing, blessing, reward and abundant life are waiting for you on the road of forgiveness.

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Matthew 6:1-  Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

Again, this is a continuation of the Sermon on the Mount.  Jesus was on the mountainside teaching his followers the principles of the Kingdom of Heaven. His teachings were radically different from the legalistic rules laid down by the Scribes and Pharisees.  The minds and hearts of the Jews were stirred up by these remarkable teachings.

Chapter six offers some very practical advice on how to live a life that is pleasing to God.

Jesus begins his instruction with a summary statement in verse one: 

The true Christian is not to perform acts of righteousness in such a way as to bring glory to themselves.  If they do, they have no reward from God.

Jesus then uses the rest of the chapter to give specific applications of this principle. 

Matthew 6:2 – Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others.  Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

Here is the historical context of this verse:  In the time of Christ, there were Jews that went to the intersections of busy roads, where large assemblies were usually held.  I know that sounds strange to us, but remember, there was no social media or live streaming back then.  People had to actually meet in groups to exchange ideas and information!

In essence, they were hypocrites because they claimed to be giving out of devotion to God, but they were really interested in their own glory.

There is some dispute over the phrase 'sound a trumpet'.  Scholars disagree over whether this was a literal event or whether it is a metaphorical phrase.  In either case, the meaning is the same – Jesus was condemning the act of making a show or spectacle of giving to the poor with the intent of obtaining glory for one's self.

The Bible makes it clear that it is our Christian duty to perform good works and assist the poor.  It also tells us that there will be rewards for doing so.  Jesus confirms that in this scripture.  Now here comes the interesting part: Jesus points out that there are rewards that come from men and there are rewards that come from God.

Which rewards do we want?  Which rewards are best?

I guess the answer depends on what you are looking for.  The Scribes and Pharisees were definitely looking for the appreciation and praise of men and possibly a reputation for being charitable. Since they got what they wanted, I suppose they were happy with the results.  As a bonus, their reward came in the form of instant gratification, which we all love.  But, I can't help but wonder…did they cheat themselves? Is the shallow, fleeting praise of men really that satisfying and fulfilling?

If we take a moment to look at the rewards of God, I think we may prefer that option!

Matthew 6:3-4 – But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret.  And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

If you want to be rewarded by God, you should give generously, quietly and humbly out of obedience and love for your King.  When you do, God takes notice.  And he doesn't just see the action you performed, but also the motivation and love behind it.

Contrary to what some people think, God is anxious to bless you. Unlike the rewards of men, God's rewards endure not just for this life, but for eternity.

Psalms 41:1-2  – Blessed is the one who considers the poor! In the day of trouble the Lord delivers him; the Lord protects him and keeps him alive; he is called blessed in the land; you do not give him up to the will of his enemies.

Revelation 22:12 - And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

I don't know about you, but I feel this is a much better blessing than the empty admiration of men!

Matthew 6:5 – And when you pray you must not be like the hypocrites.  For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others.  Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

The hypocrites manifested the same spirit about prayer as gift giving: it was done in public places solely for public approval. They were not communing with God; they just wanted other men to see how pious and religious they were.

Here is the historical context:  The Jews of old observed specific, regular hours of prayer. You can find evidence of this in the scriptures. 

So basically, the hypocrites took great pains to be in a public meeting place such as a market or the city gates or at busy intersections at the specified times of prayer.  This gave them the opportunity to stop and "perform" the act of prayer.  "Perform" is the right word; they were putting on a show for their fellow man.

Obviously, Jesus is not condemning the practice of prayer.   It is the clear duty of every Christian to pray.  Prayer is communication with Almighty God, our creator, savior and protector.  It is a like a free will offering, dedicated only to him, and given with the utmost desire to know, love and serve Him alone.  Prayer is an admission that we are dependent upon God for all things.  It is not a thing to be trifled with.  When we sincerely come before God and offer heart-felt prayers, we are assured that God hears and answers.

Proverbs 15:29 - The LORD is far from the wicked: but he hears the prayer of the righteous.

To pray is to enter into the very presence of God.  What an astonishing gift! Before the sacrifice of Jesus, the throne room of God was shut; no man or woman could enter in.  Millions of people who desired intimate fellowship with God died without ever having the slightest chance of gaining access to Him.  But when Jesus died, the temple veil was torn in two; the way was open for us to freely enter God's presence.

Do you enter into intimate fellowship with him through prayer?  If not, why?  You might want to ponder this question before you get to heaven and meet up with one of those Old Testament saints who was denied access. Your shame for spurning this gift would be monumental.

Matthew 6:7-8 – And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

Empty phrases (your translation may say vain repetition), refers to idle babbling or using the same words over and over with no purpose, almost like a chant.  This was a tactic often employed by the worshippers of Baal (see 1 Kings 18:26-29).

This is different from repeating yourself in true prayer; Jesus prayed multiple times in the garden of Gethsemane that the cup would pass from him but his prayers were not vain.  Often times when we are moved by our circumstances we too may pray for a situation multiple times as we fervently seek the Lord.

Jesus also warns against using 'many words'.  This does not mean that long prayers are forbidden.  Jesus himself prayed all night on some occasions (Luke 6:12).

They also believed that the more they begged, pleaded or cut themselves, the more likely they were to receive a favorable answer.  Sadly, they did not understand that false gods are deaf and powerless, no matter how much they might cry out!

We cannot let that kind of wrong thinking enter into our prayers. Prayer is not designed to inform God of our circumstances. Nor do we need to beg him for assistance. Jesus reassures us that God the Father is already intimately acquainted with our circumstances.  He knows our needs, wants and desires.  He can see the motivation of our hearts and our love for him.  He already knows our weaknesses and strengths.  He already has the answer to every question and the solution for every problem we will ever face. We should seek him in prayer at all times and in all seasons.

Prayer causes us to humble our hearts as we acknowledge our dependence on God.  Prayer increases our faith, because in prayer we focus on the power of our God, not the difficulty of our problem.  We should come to God as his children – in simple faith and words, trusting that he will answer and take care of us.

Matthew 6:9 – Pray then like this:  Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.

The portion of scripture in verses 9-13 is often called the Lord's Prayer.  Sometimes we pray using these exact words, although there is no record in the scriptures of Jesus or his disciples praying this verbatim.  Rather than being a prayer itself, it is a pattern or a framework for the way Jesus wants us to pray.

Our first thought is that God is our Father.  Just like a good earthly father, he is there to teach, guide, protect, provide and love us. He wants us to be victorious in life.  He wants to have an intimate relationship with each one of us.  His goodness towards us knows no limits.

Secondly, God is in heaven, which speaks of his boundless power.  Heaven in his throne and the earth is his footstool.  Everything in heaven and earth are subject to his authority.

So, as our prayers commence, we are quickly reminded that we can place confidence in both the goodness and power of God.

We are to 'hallow' his name.  To hallow means to make holy, or to revere.  Therefore, our prayers should start with the praise and worship of God.  In fact, praise is what ushers us into his presence.

Psalm 100:4 - Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

As we praise his name, we are again reminded of his great power and faithfulness towards us.  As he is exalted, our faith rises while our problems shrink!  We have the confidence to approach him with our concerns, knowing that he loves us and he will work all things together for our good.

You don't need to wait until prayer time to praise his name – you can do it all throughout the day.  Try it.  You will be surprised how you will feel his constant presence with you.

Matthew 6:10 – Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

The kingdom of heaven began with the death and resurrection of Jesus and the coming of the Holy Spirit.  The preaching of the gospel expanded the kingdom outside the borders of Judea.  The inclusion of the Gentiles in the plan of salvation caused the gospel to spread over the known world.  This kingdom is still growing and will continue to expand until it encompasses the uttermost parts of the earth.  So, when we pray 'your kingdom come' we are praying for the gospel message to be advanced and spread throughout the world.

As a side note, we can and should do more than just pray.  We can personally share the gospel with others.  We can be involved in ministries that spread the gospel through radio, TV and social media.  There are almost limitless opportunities to share the gospel.  Are you involved?

To pray for God's will to be done 'on earth as it is in heaven' is to pray for the whole world to be in perfect conformity to the will of God.  What is God's will?

The revealed will of God is that men should love, obey and desire his law.  His law should become the basis for all our actions as well as our inward thoughts and motivations.  God's law is perfectly obeyed in heaven, and his true children most ardently desire and pray that it may also be done on the earth.

Obviously, this is easier said than done, so praying for our own lives to conform to his law should be a continual exercise.  Here's another thought:  You can't obey his laws if you don't know them, so take time to read the Word!

The object of the first three petitions (hallowed be they name, thy kingdom come and thy will be done) is that God's name should be glorified, and his kingdom established.  These are more important than our personal wants, and they should be first in our requests before the throne of grace. However, God graciously allows us to make requests on our personal behalf as well.

Matthew 6:11 – Give us this day our daily bread,

Daily bread refers to all that we need to sustain life, including food, shelter, clothing, etc.  We are instructed to ask daily, so that we remember to depend on God and not on ourselves.  We ask God to 'give' it, because it is not something that we can earn, but a blessing that God freely bestows upon us.

Matthew 6:12 - and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

In this verse, debt refers to sin.  We must ask God to forgive our sins because we could never pay the price for them.  As Christ has freely forgiven us, so we must forgive those who sin against us.

I recently posted a three part series on forgiveness. Please refer to those posts for a more detailed discussion and explanation of forgiveness.

Matthew 6:13 – And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

What is meant by the phrase 'lead us not into temptation'?  We know that God does not tempt man to sin.

James 1:13-14 – Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted with evil and he himself tempts no one.  But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.

However, God will allow us to be tempted by Satan or by our own lusts.  These temptations are a form of testing for our faith and obedience.  They produce many good and valuable results in our lives including humbleness, trust and dependence on God, conforming us to the image of Christ and displaying the glory of God to the world.

Temptation may also be defined as trial, affliction or anything that tests our virtue.  Trials and afflictions have a fringe benefit – they draw us closer to God.  In times of testing where do you automatically turn?  To your heavenly Father, right?  So trials actually bring us closer to God, which in turn strengthens and sharpens our faith and obedience making us even more mature in Christ.

Therefore in this part of the prayer model, the Christian is to pray for special protection and strength during heavy trials or strong temptations to sin, which are definitely going to come as a matter of everyday life.

Part of this prayer of protection should be that we are delivered from evil.  Based on what we just concluded, we would not expect God to completely remove temptations and trials from our lives, because that would deprive us of needful growth.  However, God can deliver us from evil by removing the temptation when it becomes too difficult for us to bear, by providing increased strength to fight against it, or by lessening its impact.

We can also take comfort in the fact that someday Jesus will remove all evil and sin from his kingdom.  In that day, we will truly be delivered from all evil.

Matthew 6:14-15 – For if you forgive others their trespasses, our heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Here is a truth presented in both its positive and negative aspects.  God has stated his desires twice; if he asks us to do something once we should listen, how much more attention should we pay to a command that is given twice?

In fact, this requirement to forgive others is constantly presented throughout the scriptures.  At some point, it must have irritated the disciples, because Peter asked how many times he was required to forgive someone.  He felt that 7 times was ample.  To this, Jesus responded:

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

God's free and unconditional forgiveness of our sin through Jesus is the basis of our relationship with him.  How then, can we not forgive our fellow man?

When we need forgiveness, we want to be pardoned, and treated as if the offence had never happened.  We do not want others to gossip about us or treat us badly.  We should be willing to do the same for our neighbors.

For a more complete study of forgiveness, please consult my three prior blog posts on forgiveness.

In the meantime, let me give you some encouragement:  The trials and temptations you now face are not a punishment but a gift in disguise.  They draw you closer to Christ and strengthen your faith.  Keep your eyes on Christ during these trials.  Pray to him for deliverance and strength to stand. Remember that God will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able to withstand. You can come through this trial better off than when it began!

Let me give you some relief:  I sincerely hope that you are not comparing yourself to other Christians.  Sometimes we look at others and think that they are spiritual giants who are either perfect or never have struggles with family, life or faith.  We sometimes put them on a pedestal and think we can never be as 'spiritual' as they are.  This is wrong thinking! Give yourself a break! All Christians have struggles and failures, including the one that you think is perfect!  You can be encouraged by their show of faith, and you can take comfort when you face the same kind of trial as they did, but you cannot feel inferior or condemned by their victory.  Those feelings are a burden that Satan wants you to pick up and carry, because it will eventually burn you out.  Don't take the bait!

Let me give you some strength:  Sometimes, the Christian life can be hard.  Sometimes you pray, but things don't change immediately.  During those times, don't give up hope!  Galatians tells us not to be weary in doing well, because in due season we will reap a harvest, if we do not faint and give up.  So if you are in the midst of a protracted situation, DON'T GIVE UP!  Stay the course!  Praise be to God, victory is on the way.

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Matthew 5:27-28– You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.'  But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Jesus continues with his teachings to the people. He again points out that the current spiritual leaders of the people (mainly the Scribes and Pharisees) were setting a wrong/bad example for the people they were leading. 

For example, if you asked a Scribe what the definition of adultery was, he would respond that it meant having sexual relations with a woman who was not your wife.  And he would be correct – that is the law's definition of adultery.

But remember that Jesus came not to destroy the law, but to fulfill it.  His definition of adultery was not only having sexual relations with a woman who was not your wife, but also looking at any woman with lust!  Jesus shows us that God is not just interested in our actions, but the thoughts and motivations of our inner most being.

While this seems simple enough to us, it was shocking revelation to those in Jesus day.

Matthew 5:29-30  – If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away.  For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away.  For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.

Wow!  Speaking of shocking revelations…

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.

We often use parts of the body as metaphors.  For instance, we use the word 'heart' to mean affection or feeling.  We use the word 'bowels' to mean compassion.  We use the word 'guts' to mean bravery.

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, but keep in mind  the warning of Jesus - if you don't, you could wind up in hell.

Here is a more subtle point – if Jesus is telling us to get rid of things in our life that cause us into sin, then it must be possible for us to do exactly that.  How do we cut off the thing that is causing us to sin?  What does that look like from a practical standpoint?  

First, you need to have genuine repentance for the sin.  If you are just giving 'lip service' to repentance, you will continue to be ensnared by the sin.  For example, let's consider the sin of gossip.  If a person recognizes that they gossip, they must first be truly repentant about that sin, before they can remove it from their life.

Second, the person should begin to pray that God will give them the strength to overcome that evil in their life.  They have been trapped in the snare of gossip and they should pray to be delivered from it.

Matthew 6:13 - And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

Third, the person should remove themselves from any occasion that makes that sin easy.  If they always gossip with the next door neighbor, they need to find a way to stop doing that; one possibility is to confess to the neighbor that they are not going to talk about people anymore.

Fourthly, the person can overcome gossip by using their mouth in accordance with God's laws.  They can begin to offer encouragement to those in trouble, rather than gossiping about them.  They can begin to pray and assist people rather than spreading rumors about their situation.

Fifthly, they need to keep a watch and a guard over their hearts so that the sin cannot gain a new foothold into their life once it is overcome.  If their mind starts thinking about gossip, they need to take control of those thoughts and replace them with the Word of God.

By the power of the Holy Spirit, it is possible to cast sin out of our lives.  

Matthew 5:31-32 – It was also said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.'  But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

This teaching involves an Old Testament law from Deuteronomy.

Deuteronomy 24:1 - When a man has taken a wife, and married her, and it comes to pass that she finds no favor in his eyes, because he has found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and put it in her hand, and send her out of his house.

The Jews had two interpretations of this law.  One group (the school of Hillel) believed that the true meaning of the law was found in the word 'uncleanness' and it referred only to adultery.  Therefore, adultery was the only true basis for divorce.

The second group (the school of Sammai) believed that the true meaning of the law was found in the phrase 'she finds no favor in his eyes' and interpreted that to mean that if a woman displeased her husband in any way, no matter how trivial, he could give her a certificate of divorce and send her away.  We have historical evidence of just how ridiculous this became – a man could divorce his wife if he did not like her cooking!

Not surprisingly, the second view became very prevalent amongst the Jews. And once again we find the Jews making the same serious mistake - adhering to the letter of the law, and believing themselves righteous for it, while at the same time completely ignoring their duty to God.

We will delve further into the divorce issue in chapter 19.  For now, let us understand that Jesus is calling his people do what is right before God; He is not just looking for adherence to rules and regulations.

Matthew 5:33-35 – Again you have heart that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.'  But I say to you, do not take an oath at all, either by heaven for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great king.

An oath is a solemn affirmation or declaration, made with a reverent appeal to God for the truth of what is affirmed.  Our society still uses oaths today, for example, in a court of law.  In the Mosaic law, oaths were not only allowed, but required in some instances (see Exodus 22:11, Leviticus 5:1, etc).

However, the Jews were using oaths in a far different way.  They were using oaths, or swearing, in their everyday common conversations.  To make matters worse, they had silly traditions that made most of these oaths null and void.  Thus, they were using the sacred name of God in an irreverent and profane manner. 

They were making a mockery of oaths, which in reality, was a very serious thing because they called God as a witness to the actions of man.  When the Jews trifled with oaths, and did not consider them binding, they were also trifling with the power, authority and majesty of both God and his creation.  This was a form of profanity and Jesus told them to knock it off.

Perhaps this is a good time to take a quick inventory of our own words.  Are we constantly 'swearing to God' or otherwise using his name in vain?  If so, we need to knock it off too!

Matthew 5:36-37 – And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.  Let what you say be simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything more than this comes from evil.

A man or woman who is of a good character and who is a faithful follower of God does not need to swear or take oaths in daily conversation.  Because they are honest, sincere and upright in heart, their simple declaration of 'yes' or 'no' will be believed and accepted.

What about your own personal life?  Are you a man or woman of your word?  If you give a 'yes' or 'no' answer to someone can they believe you without an oath?

Matthew 5:38-39 – You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.'  But I say to you, do not resist the one who is evil.  But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.

'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth' is indeed part of the Old Testament law.  It is also known as the Law of Retaliation and it can be found in several Bible passages including Exodus:

Exodus 21:24 - Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot…

Here is an important fact: this law was given as a rule to regulate the decisions of judges.  As a judicial rule it is both fair and just.

The Jews, however, took this law, extended it to private conduct and then used it as a means to exact revenge on their fellow man.  They believed they had every right to injure someone else, as long as they were not the one to attack first.  Revenge was often carried out to the utmost extremity and more evil was returned that had been received.

Jesus challenged the Scribes and Pharisees on their personal conduct.  He made it clear that the law of retaliation did not apply to the behavior of individuals.  As children of God, the Jews were not to give evil for evil, or hold a grudge or avenge themselves.  Instead, they were to forgive and overlook the petty injustices done to them.

Matthew 5:40-42  – And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.  And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.  Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

Jesus then takes this teaching one step further.  Rather than just bearing the injustice, we are to respond with goodness.  This teaching is reinforced in the book of Romans:

Romans 12:19-21 -  Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, says the Lord. Therefore if your enemy hungers, feed him; if he thirsts, give him drink: for in so doing you shall heap coals of fire on his head.  Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

The key part of this passage is in verse 21 – Be not overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good.  Jesus gives us three examples.

  This example refers to insults, verbal persecution or slander.  Have you ever had someone insult or mock you and at the time you couldn't think of anything to say, but later you thought of a clever comeback?  We've probably all been there but it's honestly a good thing that you didn't think of a quick insult to fire back, because that is not what Christ wants us to do.  Admittedly, this type of attack is one of the hardest to let go; our nature is to have a flash of anger and return an insult that is equally as humiliating as the one we received.  But the spiritually correct thing to do is to bless instead of curse.

The meaning of this example has to do with petty litigations.  Again, Jesus is telling his followers to settle with their adversary before going to court.  If the matter is truly petty, let your adversary have his way and even more, for this gives you an opportunity to display the rich and undeserved love of Christ.

Let's examine this in historical context.  In the days of Jesus, there was no Post Office.  The Romans had horsemen stationed along regular intervals on the king's highway.  They passed notices and messages from hand to hand until the message was delivered.  The officials at these stations had the right to force any common person as well as any horse, donkey, boat or other vehicle to carry the message or notice to the next station.  I imagine this would be extremely annoying to people who were trying to travel or conduct business.  This is really a type of forced labor.

The person pressed into service was not to be hateful or annoyed; Jesus instructs that they should not only go to the next station without complaining, they should willingly travel two stations.

As we consider all three of these examples, we have to admit a couple of things.  One, it would be difficult to do these things out of love.  We might do them with clenched teeth, but that is no good. Remember, God is looking at our hearts, not just our actions.  Don't fall into the same trap as the Pharisees, who thought that only actions mattered.

Two, if we can train ourselves to act righteously in these situations, what a testimony it will be for the King of Kings! I guarantee that unsaved people are not reacting this way. 

Perhaps there are even some Christians that are not reacting this way.  So for those of us who can train ourselves in righteousness, our actions will stand out like a light in a very dark place.  We will be lifting up Jesus and showing his love to the world.  Isn't that worth bearing a little grief in life?

One final word of caution – this section concerns petty or insignificant injustices.  Jesus is not telling us to surrender all our character, property and time to those who will abuse us.

Matthew 5:43-46 – You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.  For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.  For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have?  Do not even the tax collectors do the same?

The Old Testament law did command the Jews to love their neighbors as themselves:

Leviticus 19:18 - You shall not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.

However, the law did NOT command anyone to hate their enemy.  That bit of instruction was handed down from earlier generations and enforced by the Scribes and Pharisees.  The Jews frequently considered other Jews to be their neighbors, and Gentiles to be their enemies.

Jesus corrects this teaching by telling his followers to love their enemies.  Does that sound unreasonable or even absurd to you?  It certainly did to the Jews.  Why is that? Because fallen man is governed by the flesh, and the natural reaction of the flesh is to hate our enemies.

But if we receive a new nature by being born again, we can choose to be governed by the Spirit, who gives us the ability to love.

Love can be divided into two pathways:  Love for a person and love or approval of their conduct.  Accordingly, it is possible to love a person, but hate their behavior and actions.  In fact, many of you may have a friend or family member that you love and perhaps even pity, while at the same time you cannot love or approve of their life choices.  So we are directed by God to love the person, while we can still hate their sin.

We are to pray for those who persecute us.  This helps us as well as our tormentor.  If the Holy Spirit moves upon the heart of the wicked and he becomes saved, he will then stop persecuting us.  Praying for our adversaries identifies us as genuine sons of God.

Matthew 5:47-48 – and if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others?  Do not even the Gentiles do the same?  You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Even sinners will commonly render good for good.  The followers of Christ must be willing to do something different – render good for evil.

It is the duty of Christians to desire and to press towards perfection/completeness in grace and holiness, working to conform ourselves to the example of Jesus.

So, let me give you some encouragement and some relief: When someone treats you unjustly, it is normal for your first reactions to be anger and revenge rather than love.  That doesn't mean you are not a Christian.  It just means that you have some maturing to do.  Remember, we can train ourselves in righteousness. With the help of the Holy Spirit we can love people as Jesus does, and we can learn to overcome evil with good.

Let me give you some strength:  Taking control of your thoughts and guarding your mind are essential keys to defeating sin in your life.  They are keys that YOU control.  Begin to be aware of what you are feeding your mind and what you allow to dwell there.  If you find some things that need to go, cast them out immediately and replace them with thoughts of righteousness.  You have the spiritual power and toughness to take control of your mind, so do it! 

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Matthew 5:13 – You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored?  It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.

We are still looking at teaching from what is known as the Sermon on the Mount.  Our last post pointed out that Jesus taught while sitting on a mountain slope.  This setting allowed him to be both seen and heard by all those who came to hear him.  It was obviously not a truly remote place, because the crowds were able to get there, but it was far enough away from the hustle and bustle of daily life to allow the hearers to concentrate on what Jesus was saying.

Here is a fact about salt that you may never have considered before:  You only salt things that are dead.

Now, I admit, that sounds strange, but if you think about it, you will find that it is true.  We don't go out into our gardens and salt the green bean plants; we add the salt after the beans are picked and we are cooking them.  Since the beans have been separated from the plant, they are technically dead and eventually they will rot.

We wait until the animal has been butchered, then add a sprinkle or two of salt on a steak as we are grilling it.

What does salt do for dead things?  It preserves, it enhances flavor and texture and it is also a binding agent in foods like sausage.

In the same way as salt preserves, enhances and acts as a binder for food, the Christian acts as a preservative, enhancer and binder for the human world.

It is the faith, works and prayers of Christians which bring the blessings and favor of God down upon our society.  Without Christian influence, the world would soon become totally corrupt and rotten, much like a steak left in the hot sun for a few days.  We already have evidence of this; the bible tells us that during the time of Noah, there were only a handful of righteous people left.  The rest of the world was entirely unrestrained and corrupt.

Genesis 6:11-12 – Now the earth was corrupt in God's sight, and the earth was filled with violence.  And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.

This was not a 'one time' exception; any generation left without a witness to the truth and power of God Almighty will end up in the same state of death.

Psalms 14:2-3 – The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God.  They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt, there is none who does good, not even one.

Therefore, it is essential that each disciple of Jesus act as salt in his/her community. In order for the salt to do its work, it must be separate/distinct/different from the food it is preserving.  Otherwise, it can do no good.

In the same way, we must stand out and be different from the culture around us.  If there is no discernable difference between you and the world, how can you function as salt?

One way to measure your influence as salt is to see how you are different from those around you.  For instance, do you have the same goals as those without Christ?  I certainly hope not!  They are looking to gain the whole world, while you should be looking for a heavenly home.

The world seeks to spend their days in idleness and pleasure.  You should be working in the fields of righteousness, because there is a great harvest of souls to be gathered, but the workers are few.

The world is fearful of the future, but you are a person of peace – peace that passes understanding.

The world seeks to find meaning and satisfaction through money, power, sex, alcohol, drugs and other things.  However, the Christian knows that true satisfaction and fulfillment are found in a relationship with the God of the universe.

The bottom line is this – If you are going to be the salt of the earth, you must be different from the world. Your holiness and good works will stand in contrast to the carnality of your generation, giving unbelievers an example of the love, peace and fulfillment available to those who follow Jesus Christ.

If we are no different than the unbelievers around us, then we have lost the ability to act as salt; we can no longer preserve or enhance or hold together the society in which we live.  If that is the case what good are we to the world around us or to our King?

Matthew 5:14-15 – You are the light of the world.  A cit set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.

The 'light' metaphors in these verses are much the same as the 'salt' metaphor above.  Just as God designed the sun to illuminate the earth, so he designed the Christian to illuminate the hearts and minds of those around us to the gospel of Christ.

If a city is built on a hill, it will not be a secret, especially at night when the lights are on.  Anyone will be able to see it, even from a distance.  The city will be a place of refuge and respite for the weary traveler.

In the same way, the church of Jesus Christ is like a city.  It is not hidden, but it is out in plain view shining with the light of Christ.  Anyone who looks for it can see it.  The church should be a place of shelter and comfort to those who are weary from life.

Matthew 5:16 -In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Live your own life by the light of the gospel.  Let the world see your holiness and your good works to others.  Let them notice and marvel at your love for all mankind.  Let the world see the true peace and joy that you posses, which is not affected by either good or bad circumstances.  Let them see you glorify and praise your King.  Let them eat of the fruit of the Spirit that you bear in your life.

In so doing, you will point them back to your heavenly Father.  He is to receive the glory and honor and praise for all the good things exhibited in our lives.

This is the opposite of what the Pharisees of Jesus' day were doing.  They performed good works and prayed public prayers so that they themselves would receive the glory of men.  This is not true Christianity, which acts in order to glorify God alone.

Matthew 5:17 – Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

The ancient scriptures (what we know as the Old Testament) had three divisions:  The Torah, the Prophets and the Writings (Ketuvim).

The Torah is the law of God as revealed to Moses, which is recorded in the first five books of the Old Testament. It is also called the Pentateuch.

The Prophets are just what you imagine – the Old Testament books written by the prophets.  These include (but are not limited to) Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Samuel, Joel, Jonah, Micah, and others.

The Writings were everything else, including the Psalms and Proverbs.

Essentially, when Jesus speaks of the Law and the Prophets, he is referring to the whole Old Testament or the current covenant between God and the Jews.

Let's consider these words from the Jewish point of view.  If you were a devout, God fearing Jew back then, you would probably be alarmed at Jesus' teaching.  You might naturally assume that if the kingdom of heaven was at hand and a new era was beginning, that the law you so loved and cherished would be destroyed.  This would almost be considered blasphemous by the devout Jews, because the law was clearly the word of God.

On the other hand, if you were a Jew who despised the law, you might be very glad to hear that a new covenant was at hand – perhaps it would be more to your liking that the strict rules of the law!

However, Jesus makes it clear from the beginning that he has no intention of destroying the law.  Rather, he has come to fulfill it.  Jesus will be the literal fulfillment of the ceremonial law; he will be the true, perfect sacrificial lamb who would atone for the sins of all mankind.  He would also be the fulfillment of the moral law.  This means that by his life and doctrine Jesus would establish, illustrate and live out the highest meaning of moral law.

It makes sense that Jesus was come to fulfill the law rather than to destroy it.  After all, the Old and New Testament scriptures form a single unified whole.  The law and the gospels are not opposing teachings; they are a single perfect unified whole.  God's revelation would never contradict itself.

This brings us to another point.  The moral law as taught and lived by Jesus was going to look a whole lot different than the moral law as practiced by the Pharisees and other religious leaders.  This accounts for a lot of the tension between Jesus and the religious leaders of his day.

Matthew 5:18 – For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.

Clearly, Jesus is teaching that the law was to remain in full force until it was fulfilled.  He is also telling us that the smallest or least element of holiness in the law has more reality and durability than the whole visible universe.  The heavens and the earth will one day pass away, but not the word of God!

Matthew 24:35 – Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

Matthew 5:19 – Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

The religious leaders of Jesus day had a bad habit of dividing up the commandments of God into 'lesser' and 'greater' commands.  If you broke one of the lesser commands, it meant you were guilty of only a trivial offence.  If you broke one of the greater commands, that was a serious offence.  Then, there were the commands that did not suit the purposes of the religious leaders, so they maintained that their traditions made those commands null and void!

While that may seem laughable to us, don't mock them just yet, because we do essentially the same thing!

For example, which sin is greater:  a little white lie or murder?  How about cheating a little on your taxes or robbing a bank?

You see, even our generation considers some sins to be little (the white lie or cheating the IRS) and some sins to be big and serious (murder and robbery).

God doesn't see it that way at all.  Each and every breach of the law is sin.  Jesus was saying that he was going to raise, not lower, the standard of righteousness which had previously been accepted by the Jews.  We will find him teaching on this subject in greater detail very soon.

Matthew 5:20 – For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the Scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

The righteousness of the religious leaders was based on the outward observance of ceremonial law.  They offered sacrifices, fasted regularly, never missed ceremonial washings and paid tithes down to the exact amount of spices in their gardens!

But Jesus wasn't speaking of outward righteousness.  He is concerned about the righteousness that springs from the heart of a person.  It consists of things like justice, truth and purity of heart and mind.  If we have righteousness in our hearts, our actions will follow suit.

Matthew 5:21-22  – You have heard it said to those of old, "You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.  But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says 'you fool' will be liable to the hell of fire.

Jesus now goes on to give an example of his previous statement.  The teachers of the law told the people that if you murder, you are liable to judgment.  There can be no doubt that this was a correct interpretation of the law.  However, their conclusions and teachings are solely based on outward actions.  No concern is given to the motivations of the heart.  This was the fundamental mistake of the Pharisees and other religious leaders, which they continued to make again and again. 

Jesus, however, is teaching that the law entails more than just your actions – it also includes your inward thoughts and motivations.  Thus, anyone who has malice, hatred, ill-will or scornful anger against a brother is also guilty of murder, just like the man who literally kills his neighbor!

Matthew 5:23-24 – So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go.  First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

The religious leaders believed that as long as a person performed an external act of worship, they were in right standing with God, regardless of what was in their heart.  For instance, they believed that a person could pay his tithes and it would be an acceptable sacrifice to God, even if he had hatred or jealously or pride in his heart against a fellow man.

But Jesus teaches something far different.  He exemplifies the fulfillment of the law when he says that we cannot offer acceptable worship to God while holding hostile feelings toward another person.  Neither can we offer acceptable worship to God if we have failed to make restitution to someone for an injury we have done to him.  So Jesus explains that we must defer our worship until we make peace with our brother.  Only then will our sacrifice be acceptable to God.

Matthew 5:25-26 – Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison.  Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.

Here Jesus gives a real world example of his teaching.  The gist is this:  if you have a quarrel with someone, you need to make things right as soon as possible, before your adversary sets the law into motion.  Once that happens, you will suffer the unrelenting wheels of justice where you will be held responsible to pay every last cent.  Instead of doing that, cast off your pride and anger; make peace with your adversary so you are not caught in judgment.

Likewise, we need to make things right with our fellow man during the time that mercy is still possible.  If we are stubborn and refuse to lay down our pride and anger, we will soon enter a time when judgment without mercy is the only possible outcome.

I hope you are enjoying our study of Matthew!  Before we end this installment, let me give you a little encouragement:  As a Christian, you shine the light of Jesus to a lost and dying world!  What an honor it is to reflect the love and grace of our Savior and King.  I encourage you to shine your light just a little brighter this week.  Try being just a little more bold in expressing your belief in Jesus!

Let me offer you some relief:  If you have a long list of rules for being a Christian, ease up on yourself a bit.  Rather than focusing on 'do's and don'ts' keep a close watch on the intents and motivations of your heart.  If your heart is right, your actions will follow.

Let me offer you some strength:  It is our job to lift up Jesus; it is the Holy Spirit's job to call people to repentance.  That means that you may do a fine job being salt or light, but others may still reject your witness.  Don't be worried if this happens; you may be watering or planting a seed that will sprout up at another time.  Continue to shine your light and let the Holy Spirit worry about the results.

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Matthew 6:25 – Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on.  Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

Overall, Jesus is commanding his followers to trust in their loving heavenly Father for their daily needs.  What does that really mean?  We can best explain it by first examining what he is NOT saying.

The Holy Scriptures fully support both the idea of work and the principle of providing for our families.

Genesis 2:15 - And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the Garden of Eden to work it and to keep it.

1 Timothy 5:8 - But if any provide not for his own, and especially for those of his own house, he has denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever.

So, let's be clear on this.  Jesus never forbids us to work for our daily needs like food and clothing.  He never forbids us to prudently plan for the future.  If you need training or schooling to make a good living, by all means invest in that.  Once you have a job, by all means start a retirement fund or a college fund, pay off your house, give generously to God and make other sound financial decisions.

Likewise, Jesus never forbids us to use common sense.  So make a reasonable family budget and stick to it.  Use some self control in your spending. Live within your means.  Plan so that you can not only take care of your own daily needs, but help others.

Now that we know what Jesus is NOT saying in this verse, what is its true meaning?

What Jesus is forbidding in Matthew 6:25 is anxiety over daily needs. What exactly is anxiety?  Webster gives this definition:  Concern respecting some event or thing, future or uncertain, which disturbs the mind, and keeps it in a state of painful uneasiness.

If you are working and doing your absolute best to live prudently but you are still so worried about food, shelter and clothing that you can't think of anything else or you can't sleep at night, you have the anxiety that Jesus is speaking of.

If you are so worried about a dip or drop in stock market that you can't enjoy the company of your family and friends, then you have the anxiety that Jesus is speaking of.

If you are glued to the news 24/7 because you are frightened or obsessed about the next economic disaster, then you have clear signs of anxiety!

Why does Jesus forbid anxiety over daily needs?  First of all, if your mind is constantly disturbed and troubled you won't be able to focus on anything other than your problem.  This renders you incapable of prayer, praise or faith, which make up the lifeblood of all Christians!  You need to recognize that this kind of anxiety is actually a hidden fear that God is not good father and that he is either unwilling or incapable of taking care of you.

Stop and think with me for a moment.  Only one of the following two statements can be true in your life.  Which one is it?

1. God loves me.  He gives me the power, strength, ability and opportunity to meet my needs and the needs of my family.  He will provide for me when I cannot.
2. God claims he loves me, but deep down, I doubt it.  I don't trust him enough to believe that he will make up for any lack that I might experience.  Therefore, I must provide for myself strictly through my own strength.

He would love nothing more than for you to doubt the love and provision of Father God.  Here's why:  that seed of doubt takes the burden of provision off of God and places it on your own shoulders. It makes you solely responsible for your earthly provisions, and the only strength you can tap into is yourself. 

That is a very heavy, debilitating burden that you were never meant to carry; it will fill you with anxiety. It will choke your spiritual man and leave you with nothing except the cares of this world.  If you submit to that yoke of bondage, it will destroy you very quickly.  Wouldn't Satan just love that?

However, as a Christian, statement number one should be true in your life.  When you are wise and diligent with what God has given you, then be still and trust in him.  He will make a way.  You can live in peace knowing that God is carrying the burden of your daily needs, and he has resources for you to tap into that are beyond your comprehension!

Romans 8:32 – He [God] who did not spare his own Son [Jesus] but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

Do you understand what this verse is saying?  God sacrificed Jesus so that we could be set free from sin and made joint heirs with Christ.  Because of this sacrifice, we share in all that Jesus possesses! If God was willing to give us something as precious as the life of his Son, why would he withhold something as trivial as your daily provision?  That wouldn't make any sense, would it?

We looked at the fact that Jesus does not want us worried about daily necessities because that is a burden we were not meant to carry.  So what are we meant to do?

God has created you and I for a much higher purpose than just worrying about food and clothing.  We have been created to be in fellowship with God at all times.  He has designed us to be kings and priests in his kingdom.  We were created to rule over the earth.  We are to join Jesus in destroying the works of the devil – and so much more!

Jesus is cautioning his followers not to get caught up in the needs of daily life, because it is easy to get stuck there.  If we constantly worry about those things, we will never reach our true calling and destiny in Christ.

So take Jesus advice - don't sweat the small stuff!  Do you part and live in faith; God will take care of the rest.

Matthew 6:26 – Look at the birds of the air:  they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not of more value than they?

Now Jesus is going to reinforce his point with several practical examples.  He calls their attention to the life around them.  God's love and care for the birds is easy to observe.  They are well fed and housed, despite the fact that they do not work or store up provisions for the future.  They do not experience anxiety regarding their daily needs, even in the cold winter months.  Instead, they live lives that fulfill the purposes God has created them for.  And they sing joyfully and beautifully while they do it!

Does God love the birds?  Of course, but at the same time, God places a higher value on mankind than on fowl.

Luke 12:7 – Fear not therefore, you are of more value than many sparrows.

Since that is the case, it would be foolish to think that God would provide for the lesser of his creation (birds), while ignoring the needs of his own children (men).  Therefore, do not have anxiety over your daily needs!

Matthew 6:27 – And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?

Picture this:  You get up and go to work.  At work, they made you dig a hole five feet deep, five feet wide and five feet long.  So you spend all day doing your best job on this hole in the ground.  You went home tired and muddy, but with a good feeling, because you did a good job.

The next day, your boss told you to fill the hole back in with the earth you just dug up.

Would you be feeling good about work?  My guess is no!  I know that by the third time I was told to dig the same hole, I would be angry for being forced to perform a back breaking, useless task!  No one wants to do a useless job.  It is frustrating and demeaning and it makes no sense.

Here is the lesson to be noted: Anxiety is not only needless, it is also useless, just like digging the same hole over and over!

If you can't add to your lifespan by worry, then why do it?  There is no benefit; it will only result in frustration.  Instead, why not place your trust in God and spend your energy joyfully praising his good name and enjoying what he has given you?  Why not move on to doing useful things like fulfilling the destiny God has already laid out for you?  That is where you will find peace and fulfillment.

Matthew 6:28-29 – And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow:  they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

Once again, Jesus points his followers to the life around them.  Flowers are even lower in the created order than birds, yet God still has his eyes upon them.  They do not work or toil, yet they are beautiful in appearance because God has ordained it.  How much more will God clothe his own children?

Matthew 6:30 – But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

The historical context of the verse is this:  Back in the day, poor folks used to have clay ovens.  They would heat these ovens by burning grass and twigs either inside them or below them.  Once the oven was sufficiently hot, thin pieces of dough were spread on the inside of the oven and quickly baked.

Did God know that his beautiful plants were going to be burnt up in the ovens?  Of course he did, yet he still chose to 'clothe them magnificently' or make them beautiful.

So here is the point:  If God gives beauty and glory to disposable things which have very little value, how much more will he take care of his children, who are precious in his eyes, and designed for important services in the world?  Are you getting the point yet?

Matthew 6:31-32 – Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'what shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'  For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.

The heathen nations were anxiously concerned with the basic necessities in life (food, water and clothing).  This is not surprising, since they are without a heavenly Father that they can trust to supply their needs.

The Jews, however, were well acquainted with the providence of God.  So in these verses, Jesus is giving a slight rebuke to the people of God.  The Jews looked down upon the heathen as being ignorant of God and his ways, yet they too were anxious for the very same necessities!  How then, were they different than the heathen?

What about you?  Are you different than the 'heathen' or are you still anxious about your needs?

1 Peter 5:6-7 - Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he cares for you.

God's people were carrying a burden of anxiety and worry, when they should have been casting their cares on God and trusting in him to meet their needs.

Let's not make the same mistake.  If you have done all you can do to meet your needs, then trust God to make up any lack that you have.  You will be surprised at what he will do!

Matthew 6:33 – But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.

As Christians, we have more important things to be seeking after than food and clothing.  We need to seek the lost and introduce them to Jesus.  We need to seek the filling of the Holy Spirit so we have the power to minister to those who are in bondage to Satan.  We need to seek God's will for our lives.

Here is a guarantee that will set you free to seek God:  Jesus promises that if we seek him first, the daily necessities will come.

Matthew Henry puts it this way in his commentary:  "O what a blessed change would it make in our hearts and lives, did we but firmly believe this truth, that the best way to be comfortably provided for in this world, is to be most intent upon another world!" 

Matthew 6:34 – Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.  Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Part of the definition of anxiety is concern/fear of something that is future or uncertain. 'Tomorrow' clearly fits that category.  Satan wants to bait you into spending all your time and energy worrying about things that God already has under control, or worrying about things you cannot change.

Don't take the bait!  Be prudent in your affairs, then trust God.  Spend your life seeking God, and he will take care of you!

Let me offer you some encouragement:

God loves you more than you know or realize.  Never doubt that!  Use the words of Jesus in Matthew 6 to reassure you of his love.  Based on the knowledge of that love, start to make some changes.  Recognize when you are trusting in yourself, then stop and turn it over to God.  Even if the change occurs little by little over time, that is okay.  Begin to trust God at whatever level you can, then build on that trust until it is complete.

Let me offer you some relief: 

Are you overwhelmed and plagued with anxiety about life?  You don't have to be.  Make some prudent plans for the future, then when trouble or problems come, seek God.  Let Him make up the difference in what you lack.  YOU were NEVER designed to carry around those heavy burdens, so LET THEM GO.  Cast those cares upon God, and let him worry about your provision.  His supplies are unlimited!

Let me offer you some strength: 

Perhaps you are guilty of being anxious (my guess is we are all guilty to some degree), but you don't have to stay in that mindset.  God is bringing it to you attention right now, because the time is right for you to deal with it.

It seems like a scary thing to do, but the rewards are rich and eternal.  God would not ask you to do something that you weren't capable of doing.  So start today.  Give him your concerns regarding provision, then willfully set your mind on spiritual things.  Praise Him.  Worship Him.  Pray for others.  Follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.  Mind the things of God, and He will take care of you!

You have the strength to make the change – and Jesus will walk with you every step of the way!

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Matthew 4:12 – Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee.

There is a gap of time between verses 11 and 12 of about a year.  What happened during that time?  The book of John gives us some of the details.  Jesus was very busy ministering to people. He preached in the synagogues, attended Passover in Jerusalem (John 2), had a discussion with Nicodemus (John 3), spoke to the woman at the well (John 4), performed a miracle at the wedding at Cana and much more.

So we see that for a time, the ministries of Jesus and John overlapped.  Both of them were both calling people to repent in light of the coming Kingdom of Heaven.   God was allowing time for John to fully complete his ministry of preparing the way for Christ.  Once that was done, John's ministry needed to decrease while Jesus' ministry increased.  Otherwise, people would be divided with some following John and some following Jesus.

Matthew 4:13-16 – And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: 'The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles – the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.'

'By the sea' refers to the sea of Tiberias also called the lake of Gennesaret.  This place was in the ancient territory of the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulun.  Isaiah prophesied about this land back in chapter 9 of his book.  He declared that a great light would dawn on this region, which had been dwelling in the shadow of death.

Back in the era of 2 Kings 15 this was literally the case because that region was the first to be attacked by the Assyrians.  There can be no doubt that those people were indeed living in the shadow of death.

However, there was more than one kind of death going on.  There was physical death from the Assyrians, but there was also spiritual death for those Jews who had rejected the covenant with God.  In other words, dwelling in the shadow of death was the same as living in sin, because the final outcome of sin is always death.

To those who are living in sin (spiritual death), the preaching of Jesus were a great light, which led them to salvation and eternal life.

 So it is for us.  We were in the darkness of sin and under the influence of spiritual death.  We could not rid ourselves of the stain and bondage of sin.  What we can do is embrace the light of the gospel when it is shined on our lives.  In so doing, Christ cleanses us and sets us free from death, through his blood sacrifice.

What a blessing it is to read that Christ's message reached far and wide, extending even to Galilee of the Gentiles.  Thus, we see yet another hint of God's great plan to offer salvation to the Gentiles.

Matthew 4:17 – From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

After John's imprisonment, Jesus continued to preach the message of repentance.  Repentance is always the starting point of spiritual life.  We must first repent before we can obtain salvation.  We must obtain salvation before we can reach great heights of faith and spiritual maturity.

Matthew 4:18 – While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.

The time had come for Jesus to gather his disciples to himself.  These men would be witnesses – witnesses of miracles, witnesses of healing, witnesses of the power of God over the enemy and witnesses of the gospel message.  In fact, after the death and resurrection of Jesus they would be preaching of the gospel after being baptized in the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost.  God would then work similar miracles through these men, just as he had through Jesus.

Matthew 4:19-20 – And he said to them, "Follow me and I will make you fishers of men."  And immediately they left their nets and followed him.

We can't help but notice that Jesus did not go to Jerusalem to find his disciples.  He did not choose anyone from among the chief priests, the elders, the Pharisees, Saducees or Essenes.  He did not choose men who were refined or noble.  Rather, he choose the humble of this world.  Galilee was a remote part of the nation and its inhabitants were not cultivated or refined as those of Jerusalem.  In fact, they were considered 'coarse'.  Yet, these were the people God chose.

1 Corinthians 1:27 - But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty…

This shows that you can be used by God no matter what your station in life.  You can be rich or poor, smart or simple, educated or uneducated; God can (and will) work through any person who yields themselves to his will.  Get into alignment with what God is doing, and watch him work through you!

Matthew 4:21-22 –And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them.  Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

The men that Jesus chose were uniquely qualified to fulfill their purpose.  They were laborers.  They were used to hard work and long hours.  They were content without luxurious clothing and food.  They were used to being wet, cold and uncomfortable.  They were no strangers to peril.

Similarly, we remember that David and Moses were both shepherds before rising to positions of prominence in God's kingdom.  Their early training helped prepare them for future ministry.

Just like David, Moses and the disciples, you are uniquely qualified to serve God.  Your talents and experiences make you different from everyone around you.  So let me ask you this - are you actively seeking the good works that God has prepared for you to do?  Are you advancing the kingdom here on earth?

If not, look around you and find a place to begin ministering.  Once you have begun, other doors of opportunity will open for you.  Just like the disciples, you may be surprised where God takes you!

Matthew 4:23 –And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people.

Here we have a great example of how to spread the gospel.  People came to Jesus with physical needs; he met those needs then introduced spiritual healing as well.  People know when they have physical needs, but they don't always understand that they are spiritually sick as well.  Therefore, the physical need opens the door to preaching of the gospel, which heals the soul.

This example still works today.  The church should not be a closed community of righteous people.  Rather, sinners should feel welcome there.  This does not mean that we embrace and love their sin; it means we love them as they repent.

This also means that all of us need to support our local churches financially so that the church can reach out to the needs of the community around them, bringing both physical and spiritual hope and healing.

Jesus also gives us hope for the future.  By atoning for sin, he has broken the curse of sickness and death.  One day, these will be totally destroyed!

Matthew 4:24-25 – So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, epileptics and paralytics, and he healed them. And great crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decapolis, and from Jerusalem and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.

Wherever Jesus went he confirmed his divine mission with miracles performed by the influence and power of the Holy Spirit.  No sickness, disease or torment was powerful enough to stand against him.  He healed them all.  But he also brought an even greater miracle – healing of the soul by becoming a sacrifice for our sin.

Let me give you some encouragement, relief and strength: There is no one on planet earth like you! Don't try to imitate others; be yourself. You can do things for God that no one else can - step out in faith and begin to minister for Jesus. There's no telling where you might end up!

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Matthew 4:1 – Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

We should not be surprised that Jesus was tempted to sin because Satan tempts all people, however, this was no ordinary temptation.  The outcome of all that God had pledged to do for mankind hung upon this encounter.  If Jesus failed/sinned, he was no longer fit to be the Messiah. The eternal outcome of all mankind was on the line that day in the wilderness.

The problem of sin started back in the Garden of Eden.  As you recall, Adam was in perfect relationship with Father God.  He lived in a place of beauty.  He had all he wanted to eat. There was no such thing as sickness or death.  In this state of perfection, Satan came to tempt him.

The temptation of Adam contained the three principle classes of sin:  the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life.  Adam failed in all three categories, bringing sin and death upon all men.

1 John 2:16 –For all that is in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life – is not from the Father, but is from the world.

The temptation of Jesus must also include the three classes of sin.  He must also face temptation as a man, but he must overcome it, so that he can be the perfect blood sacrifice for sin.  Praise be to God, Jesus was victorious over Satan!  Because of this victory, we can be justified by faith in the sight of God.

Romans 5:19 – For as by the one man's disobedience (Adam) the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience (Jesus) the many will be made righteous.

While Jesus' victory over sin allowed him to be our savior, it also had another benefit.  The temptation allowed Jesus to experience and understand what it is like for you and I to be tempted.  Since he knows what it is like to be tempted, he can help us in our times of temptation.

Hebrews 2:18 – Because he [Jesus] himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Not only does he sympathize with us, he also makes a way of escape for us!

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.

Think about that for a minute… when we are tempted, we are not doomed to fail, rather we are set up to win!  Jesus has made it possible for us to resist sin and send the devil away empty handed.  How can we accomplish this?  Let's take a look at how Jesus did it.

Matthew 4:2-3 – And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.  And the tempter cam and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread."

Interestingly, Moses fasted 40 days up on Mount Sinai, before God gave him the old covenant/law (see Exodus 24).  Now Jesus fasts 40 days before embarking on the ministry that would bring us the new covenant.

Jesus' baptism marked the beginning of his public ministry, which would end in his sacrifice on the cross.  It makes sense that immediately after his baptism, he separated himself for a time, in order to prepare himself for the three year ministry that he was about to perform.  In preparation, he spends 40 days in fasting and prayer.

It is during this time of weakness that Satan tempts Jesus with the first temptation, the lust of the flesh.  And the temptation is very tricky, isn't it?  Jesus has just recently been declared the Son of God.  He has power and authority.  He is very hungry.  What could be easier than turning the stones into bread?  What could be sinful about using his power to satisfy his own needs?  After all, it wasn't God's will for him to starve to death, was it?

By telling Jesus to turn the stones into bread, Satan implies that God is not a good Father; that he does not care about Jesus or his needs and that he cannot be trusted.  If that is the case, then the logical thing is for Jesus to use his power to take care of himself in the way that seems best to him; Jesus should rely on himself and not the wisdom and provision of his heavenly Father.  Essentially, this is rebellion against God.

Notice how closely this mimics the fall of Adam and Eve!  Satan came to them in the Garden of Eden and got Eve to point out that there was a single tree they were not permitted to eat from.  He tells Eve that they would not die if they ate its fruit, in fact, they would become as gods, knowing good from evil.

Satan implied to Eve that God was not a good Father.  He was holding out on her – he had wisdom and knowledge that she needed but he would not allow her to have it.  Therefore, she should take matters into her own hands.  She should use her power to pick the fruit and eat it.  Thus, she and Adam were both convinced to rebel against God and sin entered the world.

Jesus, however, was not so easily fooled.  Jesus was fully convinced that his Father cared for him and would not refuse to give him any gift or provision that would be good for him.   He also knew that God would deliver those provisions at the perfect time; to use his own power to make it happen sooner would be to short circuit the plan of God and it would be tantamount to rebellion.  Also, Jesus was not taking council or orders from Satan.  He consulted God, he waited for God and he would receive all that God had for him at the perfect time, including bread.

Hint:  Satan tempts us in the same way.  For example, maybe you are looking for a spouse to share your life with.  There is nothing wrong with that desire, in fact the Bible says it is a good thing.  But maybe, even though you have prayed about it, the right person has not come along.

At that point, Satan is likely to come and whisper things in your ear like these:  God isn't very good to you, is he?  It's God's fault that you are lonely.  He could give you the perfect spouse right now but he won't because he is keeping all the good stuff from you.  Or maybe he hasn't given you a spouse because he forgot to make one for you!  How careless of him!  Since God does doesn't care about your and isn't stepping up for you, why don't you just take matters into your own hands?  Why not relax your standards a bit and find a fun exciting new mate on your own!  You can be married by the end of the year, if you want!

Sometimes the thing Satan tempts you with is not an evil thing. 

Sometimes it is a good thing (like bread or a spouse), but if you try to obtain it in a sinful way or through sinful means, it becomes a sin and a snare to you.

Matthew 4:4 - But he answered, "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God."

Jesus shows us how to recognize and repel this attack of Satan.  We do it through the word of God.  Notice that in all the temptations of Satan, Jesus uses the word to defeat him.

Interestingly, Jesus himself was the word of God incarnate, yet he does not quote himself to defeat Satan.  Instead, Jesus quotes the Old Testament law, which was the current covenant during his temptation.  There were no secret unattainable documents - he used a resource that was available to everyone.

In the same way, we can use the word of God, the Bible, to repel the attacks of Satan.  The truth of the word will give us that 'escape hatch' whenever we are faced with temptation.

The key is that you have to know it!  You can't wait until the time of the temptation and then wonder what the scripture has to say.  You have to read it now and hide it in your heart as a weapon to be used in combat.

Psalms 119:11 – They word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee.

Why not begin today?  Pick up your Bible and read it consistently, even if it's only 15 minutes a day.  You have 15 minutes don't you?  You can access the bible on your tablet, cell phone, computer or you can use an old fashioned paper copy.  No matter how you access it, make the time to read it on a daily basis.  Use it to fill up your arsenal of weapons against the enemy.

Matthew 4:5-7 – Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle o the temple and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, "He will command his angels concerning you," and, "On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone."   Jesus said unto him, "Again it is written, you shall not put the Lord your God to the test."

This second temptation involves the sins of pride and presumption.  Satan and Jesus are at the tallest point of the temple, a holy building which was revered and admired by all people.  Satan is encouraging Jesus to do as he wishes or to do what he 'feels like' doing (in this case, jump off the pinnacle) regardless of what God's will was for him.  Presumably, if Jesus jumped, it would force God to come to his rescue because of the promise of protection in Psalms 91.

Satan correctly states that God has ministering angels which protect the saints of God.  However, he leaves out a key phrase in the promise of Psalms 91 which is "to guard you in all your ways'.  In other words, the promise of protection is for children of God who are walking in the ways or paths of righteousness that God has laid out for them.  It does not apply when we are intentionally sinning and going against what we know to be God's will.  We cannot manipulate God into performing for us by twisting his word.  If we could, it would be like blackmailing God.  Therefore, since it was not God's will for Jesus to jump off the pinnacle of the temple, the promise would not apply and Jesus may have jumped to his death.

This brings up a couple of important points for our consideration.  First, you need to know the scriptures, because Satan knows them too and if you are not knowledgeable, you can be tricked by him.  There are even ministers and teachers who twist the word of God, so be on your guard against false teachings even when they come from a pulpit!  Make sure that everything you are being taught is lining up with the Bible.

Second, don't try to manipulate or blackmail God to do your bidding.  Do not presume to sin thinking that all will be well because you can run into grace.  The scriptures are very plain that as Christians, we are to lead lives of personal holiness, following God's plan for our lives. Only then can we lay claim to his many life-giving promises.

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, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me."

We do not know exactly how Satan did this, but we can be sure it was done and that it was a very real and difficult temptation for Jesus.

Imagine the dazzling things that Satan showed him.  All the glory, splendor, adoration, power and pomp of the mighty kingdoms of earth.  All the food, entertainment, wealth and luxury imaginable.  How wonderful it all must have looked!

The 'lust of the eyes' is one of the three major categories of temptation that Satan uses (pride is also at work in this temptation as well).  Our eyes have a habit of being dazzled by vanity or empty promises while being blind to the sorrow and horrible consequences that come along with sin.

Such was the case here.  Satan's bait really contained three snares:

Satan was offering dominion of the earth.  However, that was a lie because he could only offer Jesus a temporary dominion over the earth, while Father God was going to grant Jesus an eternal kingdom that was spiritual and also physical.

Satan was offering immediate gratification – Jesus could be king right now presumably without any pain or work involved.  However, that was not God's plan.  Jesus would be the eternal, almighty King of Kings, but that honor and title came only through obedience to the cross.  It came with a price.

Satan did his best to tempt Jesus to worship him.  If Satan could get Jesus to gain a kingdom by bowing down to him, that would make Jesus a servant of Satan and all his rule and authority would come from Satan, not from God.  What a tiny, limited, futile kingdom that would be!

Satan offers us a similar deal.  We are willing to bow down to false idols of money, pleasure, entertainment and other things as well.  There is nothing wrong with these things, but we must acknowledge that all good things come from God, and they must be kept in their proper perspective – secondary to the will of God for our lives.  If they take precedence over God, they become an idol and worshipping an idol is the same as worshipping Satan.

Matthew 4:10-11 – Then Jesus said to him, "Be gone, Satan! For it is written, "You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve."  Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.

Jesus again uses the word to rebuke Satan.  You can almost hear the disgust in his voice as he strikes the winning blow and sends Satan away.  In this case, the scriptures he used were Deuteronomy 6:13 and 10:20.  These are scriptures that we should remind ourselves of daily!

Three times Satan had tempted Jesus and three times he was soundly defeated.  Victory over sin is ours, through Jesus Christ our Lord!

So let me offer you some encouragement, relief and strength:  Temptation does not have to be a losing battle.  Through the Word of God and the blood of Jesus, you can resist the devil and he will flee from you!

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Matthew 3:1 – In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea…

Matthew introduces John the Baptist rather abruptly in his narrative, but fortunately the gospel of Luke gives us a much fuller picture of this prophet.

John was the son of the priest Zachariah and his wife Elizabeth.  Interestingly, Elizabeth is a relative of Jesus' mother Mary, which makes John the Baptist a relative of Jesus; possibly a cousin.

Luke also reveals to us that John is 6 months older than Jesus.  Since we know that Jesus began his public ministry at around 30 years of age, we can surmise that there is a gap of about 25-28 years between Matthew chapter 2 and chapter 3.  John the Baptist and Jesus are both about 30 years old during the events of Matthew chapter 3.

John's ministry did not take place in the city of Jerusalem, but out in the 'wilderness'.  What do you picture in your mind when you hear that word?  Do you picture thick forests with wild animals where no one lives?  Or do you perhaps think of a barren desert plain? Both of those descriptions would fit our modern understanding of the word, but it meant something a bit different back in the time of Christ.

Back then, a wilderness was an area that was thinly populated and somewhat mountainous. Although it had trees, it was not an impenetrable forest.  It was better suited for pasture than growing crops.  For the most part, the land was unsettled.  Today, we would say that John ministered in the 'country' or 'countryside'.

Matthew 3:2-3 – …and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."  For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.'

John was the last Old Testament prophet.  God used him as the transition between the old covenant of the law and the new covenant of grace.  He clearly proclaimed that the kingdom of heaven and the coming of the messianic age had arrived; as a result of that transition, people should repent.

First, we must remember that John was speaking exclusively to a Jewish audience.  Based on Old Testament scripture, [Daniel 7:13-14, Jeremiah 33:14-18, 1 Kings 2:4 and many others] the Jews expected that the Messiah would be the successor to the throne of David and that he would be a great national deliverer.  They believed that his coming would usher in judgment, that the dead would be raised to life, that the enemies of the Jews would be destroyed and that the Jews as a nation would be elevated to a place of great national honor.  They were expecting big changes here in the physical world.

In light of this, we can see why the Jews, who had long been under the rule of ruthless Gentile powers, were eagerly looking for the coming of this messianic age. 

But were the Jews correct in their views?  The answer is both 'yes' and 'no'.  Or perhaps a better answer is that they had a limited understanding of what God had planned to do. 

The bible does speak of the literal reign of Jesus on earth in many different passages, like these:  

Jeremiah 23:5 – Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.

Revelation 20:4 - …I saw the souls of those who has been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus…they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

But the reign of the Messiah actually began in the spiritual realm.  We find evidence of this when Jesus spoke to Pilate just before his crucifixion:

John 18:36 – Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world.  If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews.  But my kingdom is not from the world."

So we see that God first establishes his spiritual kingdom, and when that comes to full fruition, he will establish his earthly kingdom where he will reign for a thousand years, as stated in Revelation chapter 20.

This explains why John preaches a message of repentance.  Instead of gathering an army and practicing military exercises, which would have been in line with the Jewish expectations, John called them to a change of life – repentance – which was in complete alignment with the spiritual kingdom of heaven coming to earth.

This is probably a good time to look at the concept of repentance.  What exactly is repentance?  It means that you acknowledge that you have sinned against a holy God and that you are sorry for the offences you committed.  It also means that you make a conscious effort to turn from your transgressions and seek to live a holy life.

In other words, repentance has two aspects or parts:  sorrow/regret that you have sinned and a change of your conduct.

Matthew 3:4 - Now John wore a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.

A lot can be said about John's manner of dress, his food and his lifestyle.  But all of these are secondary to the most important thing – fulfilling the task or purpose that God intended for his life.

What about you?  Do people judge you on your clothes or your weight or the car you drive?  Remember this:  other people don't determine your true value; God does and you are priceless to him!   Man can only look on the outward appearance, but God is looking at your heart.  He created you with a purpose in mind.  Are you seeking his direction in life?  If so, you can be sure you will find the awesome plan he has for you!

Matthew 3:5-6 – Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

These verses show that there was a constant stream of people coming out to the Jordan to be baptized by John.  What is baptism?

Baptism means to cleanse or wash by the application of water.  Did John invent the concept of baptism?  No; it was a rite already used by the Jews, especially after the Babylonian captivity.  The Jews would administer the rite of baptism or washing to any Gentile who became a convert (proselyte) to the Jewish religion.  The purpose of the baptism was to signify that they renounced their errors/sins and worship of pagan gods.  By being baptized, they were purifying and committing themselves for service to Jehovah.

So, the Jews used baptism to call the Gentiles into a new dispensation of religion, namely Judaism.

Likewise, John used baptism to call the Jews into a new dispensation of religion, namely the kingdom of heaven under Jesus the Messiah.

When John baptized people in the Jordan, it signified the repentance from their sins and the putting away of impurity.  It was a commitment to change the way they were living and to ready themselves for service to the Messiah.

Have you been baptized since confessing your sin and accepting Christ as your savior?  If not, please consult your local church.  God places a high priority on obedience and since Jesus was baptized we should follow that example.  If you were baptized as a child by your parents, you might want to consider being baptized a second time so that you can reaffirm the rite of baptism as a consenting adult.

Matthew 3:7-8 - But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers!  Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?  Bear fruit in keeping with repentance."

The Pharisees and the Sadducees were sects or subgroups of the Jewish religion (there were actually three subgroups, the two listed above and the Essenes who are not mentioned in the scriptures).

The Pharisees devoted themselves to strictness in the practice of their religious beliefs.  They not only adhered to the law but to many ancient traditions.  Unfortunately, this did not bring them closer to God.  Instead, it made them proud/haughty and self righteous.  They thought of themselves as better than ordinary Jews.  They were very big on external cleanliness and ceremonial washing.  They were also very 'showy' in their religious acts.  In other words, they would wait until a large crowd gathered before giving a big offering, or they would pray loud prayers while standing on street corners, so all the world could see.

Meanwhile, the Sadducees rejected all tradition and believed only in the law.  They were not as concerned with public displays of worship nor did they practice great amounts of ceremonial washing.  They are mostly remembered for their belief that the soul dies at the same time the body does, and there is no resurrection of the dead.  This sect was much, much smaller than the Pharisees, but it had a very great number of wealthy men. The Sadducees, like the Pharisees, believed that they were righteous before God because they were offspring of Abraham.

They were excited to think that the Messiah was coming and they were all about repenting and getting ready.  Therefore, we are not surprised when the Pharisees and Sadducees also come to see John, although their motivation may not have been to repent, but rather to see what all the fuss was about.  They were probably ready to pass judgment upon John and his message.

When they arrived, I don't think they received the welcome they were expecting!  Instead of addressing them with a title of respect like 'Rabbi', John addresses them as a generation or brood of snakes!  John recognized that they were full of the poison of self righteousness, pride and wickedness.  They loved to serve God on external matters, but their hearts were hard and full of sin.

John wasn't being mean; he was attempting to break through their hard hearts with a message of truth – they too needed to repent.  All of their external works were not enough to make them righteous before God.  They needed to comply with the two parts of repentance – sorrow over sin and a change of ways – just like everyone else.

Matthew 3:9 – And do not presume to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father,' for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.

Here John 'touches a nerve' so to speak.  The Pharisees and Sadducees knew that they were descendants of Abraham, who was the father of the Jewish nation.  This was one of their main sources of pride.  They felt that because they were physical descendents, they would automatically inherit or obtain the kingdom of Heaven.

However, John is telling them that physical genealogy meant nothing.  God is looking for people who are spiritual descendants of Abraham, that is, people who will inherit the kingdom through faith in God and the blood of Jesus.

Matthew 3:10 – Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees.  Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

John is giving a word picture. The unrepentant religious leaders are like trees that bear bad fruit and as a result of that, they are about to be cut down/destroyed.  The meaning of the picture is that God is offering a chance for repentance and mercy, but you must accept his offer quickly and repent, or destruction will overtake you.

Matthew 3:11 – I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry.  He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Here John is comparing his ministry to the ministry of the Messiah.  John baptized people with water, which was an external rite.  It was a symbol or pledge of repentance.

Jesus, however, would soon baptize people with the Holy Spirit which was an internal baptism.  This baptism was first bestowed on the followers of Jesus on the day of Pentecost.  You can read about that astonishing event in Acts chapter 2.   Through the blood of Jesus, people could repent and be truly cleansed from sin.

Matthew 3:12 – His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.

Here is another word picture from John, which would have been easily understood by those who were listening.

  The worker would use the fork or shovel to throw the strands up in the air.  Since the stalk was light and useless, it would blow away in the wind while the grain would fall to the ground in a pile.  The grain was then gathered up and stored for use, while the stalk was lost.

John was using this agricultural illustration to demonstrate a spiritual truth.  Jesus was coming to preach the gospel.  The effects of the gospel would separate the spiritually worthless people from his true followers.  These saints would be 'stored up' or be admitted to his kingdom, but all those who practiced empty religion would be lost or burned up, meaning that they would be utterly destroyed.

Sadly, there are also people who hear the gospel and refuse to believe it.  What have you done with the gospel message?  Have you trusted Christ as your Lord and Savior?  If not, don't delay!  Stop right now and pray for Jesus to be Lord and Savior of your life!

Matthew 3:13-15 – Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him.  John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented.

Jesus was sinless and did not need to repent.  So why did he come to be baptized by John?  Jesus tells us the answer – he submitted to the rite of baptism to fulfill all righteousness.  Here are a couple things to consider:

The book of Hebrews tells us that Jesus is our perfect High Priest.  All of the things that pertained to the Old Testament priesthood were a foreshadowing of the perfect priesthood of Jesus.

Hebrews 2:17 – Therefore he (Jesus) had to be made like his brothers in every respect so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

When the Old Testament priesthood was established, the priests were washed before assuming their office:

Exodus 29:4 – You shall bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tent of meeting and wash them with water.

So, by submitting to John's baptism, Jesus was fulfilling the Old Testament law by being 'washed' before he assumed his public ministry.

Another reason to be baptized is found in that same verse in Hebrews.  He was identifying with us, sinful man, and showing us that baptism (and repentance) were commanded for those who would be a part of the kingdom of God.

Also, baptism was a perfect bridge to his public ministry.  John had been recognized as a prophet of God with a single message – repent for the kingdom of Heaven was at hand; the long awaited Messiah was coming!  Therefore, it made sense for Jesus to be a part of John's ministry; it connected Jesus to the role of Messiah in the minds of the people.

Matthew 3:16-17 – And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."

And here we see that God sanctioned all that Jesus did regarding baptism.  The appearance of the Holy Spirit and the voice of Father God were signs of his approval.  Jesus had started his Messianic work.

He entered into the work with the Holy Spirit upon him; the Spirit qualified and equipped him to perform his duties.  If Jesus needed the Holy Spirit, how much more do we need to be baptized by him?  Fortunately, on the day of Pentecost Jesus made the Holy Spirit available to all of us!  All we need to do is ask him for this great blessing to assist us in doing all that God has called us to do for him!

Let me give you some encouragement: If you have neglected to be baptized, why don't you just go ahead and submit to this act of righteousness?  God will be pleased by your obedience.

Let me give you some relief: You don't have to walk alone in this life!  God has given us the gift of his precious Holy Spirit.  The Spirit's work in our lives is invaluable.  He guides us, reveals the word to us, helps us pray and many, many other things.  You can talk to the Holy Spirit the same way you talk to Jesus or the Father.  Invite him in today and find out what a help he can be!

Let me give you some strength:  The kingdom of Heaven has come and if you have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, you are a part of it!  So take heart – our king has overcome the world and through him, you are also an over-comer.  One day, Jesus will return to earth to establish his earthly kingdom, just like the Jews pictured.  It will be a glorious time for all who belong to Christ.  Lets vow to work for the master here on earth while we still can!