QT 1/31/2022 Matt 18:23-27, Do we really understand the depth of our sin?

Matthew 18:23–27 (ESV) —

23 “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt.

 

NOTE: The purpose of the story is to shed light on the idea of forgiveness. The parable is easy to understand. The king is God and we are the servants. The ten thousand talents is an unimaginable sum, especially for an ancient mind-set (millions, if not a trillion dollars). Selling people into slavery was a common way to pay off debt. In the Jewish world, the period of slavery was limited to seven years. Still, even slavery wouldn't begin to the pay debt. But far more amazing, the King cancels the debt and forgives the servant. This is grace, unearned and unmerited favor. The debt is huge … and this is our position before God. We might think we are "good" people but we do not recognize the depth of our sin or the wide gulf that exists between us and God. We are the ones with a debt that could never be paid. In tomorrow's quiet time, Jesus will challenge us with what our forgiveness really means to us.

 

PONDER:

1. Do I truly understand how incredibly sinful I am before God?
2. Do I just think I am basically a good guy -- if so, I do not understand salvation?

 

PRAYER: Father, thank you for a salvation so great and amazing. I admit to not understanding the depth of my sin and for thinking I am not so bad. I really do not understand grace. You are amazing … far beyond my imagination of mercy and grace. Thank you, THANK YOU for my salvation. I do not deserve this amazing gift from you.

QT 1/28/2022 Matt 18:21-22, How often do we forgive?

Matthew 18:21–22 (ESV) —

21 Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.

 

NOTE: In context, we are continuing the discussion of conflicts between believers. We have already discussed the process and the authority of the leadership to resolve / judge disputes between believers. But Peter questions how many times they need to forgive their brother. Apparently, the Rabbis taught three times, so Peter's suggestion of seven times sounds better from the point of view of being more forgiving, and that it is a number equated with God. Jesus throws out a much larger number. Commentators suggest 77 as opposed to 70 times 7, but it does not matter. Jesus was not suggesting you start counting and when you hit 78 or 491, you don't have to forgive. Rather, in the new covenant, you always forgive, just as God always forgives us. Who has not committed one particular sin at least 78 or 491 times? What if God stopped forgiving us at that point? So, we have to forgive others (provided they are repentant--references the earlier verses) as many times as necessary.

 

PONDER:

1. Is there someone you are harboring a grudge against, that you cannot forgive?

 

PRAYER: Father, I am so thankful for your mercy toward me. I am so undeserving. I want to show the same mercy to others. Forgive me when I am angry at people for their actions. Forgive me when it is against brothers or sisters in the church. Give me the strength to always forgive and to always love the body.

QT 1/27/2022 Matt 18:18-20, The responsibilities of leaders

Matthew 18:18–20 (ESV) —

18 Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

 

NOTE: In context, this passage follows the previous discussion on reconciliation and of the practice of excluding non-repentant sinners from fellowship. Verse 18 gives the leadership the authority (keys) to judge believers. Verse 19-20 continue the same thought. The word for anything (pragma), is more often used in legal matters and could be translated as a concern or matter of law. The apostles, and in this context of as few as two or three, the elders of a church, have the authority to resolve spiritual matters. And the Lord promises to be with them with the full authority of the Father. Elders have a great responsibility. It requires spiritual wisdom and it is important that the elders are men of wisdom and strong biblical knowledge. And that they depend upon God in prayer. This job cannot be done in human strength or human understanding.

 

PONDER:

1. Do I depend upon God in making decisions, or do I use my own human thought processes?

 

PRAYER: Father, I want to wait upon you and seek you. Help me to not answer too quickly. Help me to think of the biblical principles that apply. Protect me from speaking too quickly.

QT 1/26/2022 Matt 18:15-17, Dealing with conflict

Matthew 18:15–17 (ESV) —

15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

 

NOTE: The primary first step is that the two individuals (the one hurt and the one who committed the action) should seek to reconcile privately. The word "alone" is prominent in the first verse. Only if the two cannot agree should they involve one or two others. While it does not suggest a particular person, such as an elder or deacon, it would fit the context that the person be unbiased, a person of integrity, and a fellow believer. Having failed to resolved the issue with the additional witnesses, the matter goes to the church. And finally, the person is to be excluded from all public activities of the church, and essentially shunned for fellowship.

 

In today's day and age, this is very difficult to put into practice. One, because people like to sue institutions, and so that places a lot of work on the church to make sure the process is clearly laid out and understood by all. Two, with all the emotional problems in a society sick because of sin, many of these issues require specific counseling because the wounds are so deep. Third, we are not a deeply integrated community. Most believers who are excluded from the church simply go to another church. In principle, the whole process is difficult to work out in practice. Still the first two steps are reasonable: meet alone to reconcile and then if that fails, bring an unbiased, spiritual third party to help resolve. At that point, it is difficult in today's age to fulfill the remaining portion of Jesus' command without a lot more changes in our church community.

 

PONDER:

1. Have I ever taken the first step toward reconciliation, or do I tend to gossip to another as my first step?

 

PRAYER: Father, protect us from bad relational practices, such as gossip and tearing others down. Give us gentleness to approach another when their actions have hurt us. Give both individuals a spirit of calmness to discuss hurts. Help us to know the difference between just being over-sensitive and seeing destructive behavior. Give us wisdom.

QT 1/25/2022 Matt 18:10-14, Caring about the one who leaves

 

Matthew 18:10–14 (ESV) —

10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. 12 What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? 13 And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. 14 So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

 

NOTE: In a certain ministry that I was involved, we used the term FAT (Faithful, Available, Teachable) to describe the type of person we should seek to disciple. A FAT person is the guy who shows up always, who is never too busy to help, and is willing to listen and respond when he is being taught something that might disagree with his old way of thinking. And certainly, I have seen great results with FAT people. And actually, out of one hundred, there are seldom ten FAT people. And so this one, out of one hundred, is probably as far away from FAT as you can get. He isn't in the top ten percent, He is not in the top twenty-five percent. He is not in the top half. He is the bottom one percent. Rather than being faithful, available and teachable, he is probably inconsistent, occupied, and arrogant (IOA). Yet, here is the key, Jesus goes looking for the IOA guy. He doesn't give up. We need to make an effort not to lose these men, but we also need to recognize that some men need to hit a brick wall before they turn around and start walking with God. The Father of the prodigal son did not go after the one prodigal, but he always kept looking for him from afar. When he returned, he ran to meet him. We can't forget our IOAs. We need to pray; we need to try to stay in touch (provided they are not in public sin); we need to be ready for their return; and we need to run and embrace them when they come back.

 

PONDER:

1. This is a hard passage, but when combined with other passages it gives us insight into our lost sheep. Do we still care and pray for those who are wallowing in the cesspool of this world's sin?

 

PRAYER: Father, I pray I would not forget those who struggle to walk with God. I do not want to only focus on the successful but on every person without prejudice. I want to have your concern for the lost.

QT 1/24/2022 Matt 18:7-9, The danger of sin affecting others

Matthew 18:7–9 (ESV) —

7 “Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes! 8 And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.

 

NOTE: Sin is going to bring you down. We are going to be tempted and we are going to fall, and by God's grace we will get back up. But the passage makes it clear that we do have some accountability, especially when it comes to our involvement with others. If our actions also lead others to fall, we have taken sin to another level of degradation. It is one thing to battle sin, but it is another thing entirely to involve others in your sin. Apparently we can fight that impulse to include others in our sin. We may struggle and fight (winning and losing) in the power of the Holy Spirit in our personal battle. But the involvement of others in our sin does not have any excuse. Jesus warns us with hyperbole to take drastic action against sin. I don't believe Jesus meant to maim our bodies, God's creation, but I do think the wording suggests very strong action. I remember playing a game in college that God convicted me was not a good game (whether it is or not is an individual choice, but for me God tested me). I had to throw away the game and the investment I made in expansions. Sometime later, I concluded that I was over that and could play the game again, so I bought a new version. Again, I ended up throwing it away. I went through the same sequence a third time before I finally let go. I wasted a lot of money, but I had to take drastic action.

 

PONDER:

1. Is there some issue in my life that I must take drastic action?
2. Are my actions involving others in sin?

 

PRAYER: Father, protect us from the allure of sin. May we never stop battling, may we never give in to its strong pull. Protect us and keep us.

QT 1/21/2022 Matt 18:1-6, Treating everyone as Jesus would treat them

Matthew 18:1–6 (ESV) —

1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them 3 and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

5 “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, 6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

 

NOTE: A common thing for a man is to determine what it takes to move up in the hierarchy. In light of Jesus' recent discussion of his death, and the fact that Matthew seems to be taking a more chronological approach as we come to the end of Jesus' ministry, the question seems odd, even insensitive. I don't think the child is the example so much as the child's position and secondly, our response to children. A child can be quite annoying and arrogant, but a child is dependent upon adults for his or her existence. So part of greatness, is not being self-sufficient nor is it being someone who accomplishes a task in their own strength. A great person brings others in and shows interdependence in their relationship with others. A second aspect is how we respond to children when we are not their parents. In the culture, children were not valued as having something important to say. I've seen the world's "great" persons; I've worked for them, high government officials, general officers, vice presidents of companies, ambassadors, etc., and I've seen many who will shut a person down because they don't think their comments are worth hearing. The lesson is that we need to value everyone's input and opinion, and give them the hearing they deserve (that is the meaning of respect). Great men treat everyone with dignity and respect, regardless of place in society.

 

PONDER:

1. How do I treat the janitor, the septic system maintainer, the nursery worker, the store salesperson, the cashier, the fast food worker, the noisy playground child, etc.? Is it different from the governor, my boss, or anyone else?

 

PRAYER: Father, remind me in my interactions today of how I am treating people. I want everyone to be important to me and to be treated as if they are the most famous person in the world.

QT 1/19/2022 Matt 17:22-23, Believe God is working good even in the worse of situations

Matthew 17:22–23 (ESV) —

22 As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men, 23 and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.” And they were greatly distressed.

 

NOTE: After Peter's last misstep, no one wants to try the "let's be positive" angle. Besides, who wants to be called Satan by their Lord? I say that tongue-in-cheek, but Jesus' response last time probably sobered everyone. He was serious -- Jesus was very serious. So the repetition (all three of the synoptic gospels have this passage as the second time), is taken quite differently. There are a lot of potential reasons for distress. One, the loss of their teacher and friend. Two, the loss of a dream to free Israel from the hand of the oppressor. And three, the potential loss of their own lives for being associated with a person that would be killed. I'm sure they assumed the Romans would be "the hands of men." I wonder if they realized that their own people would be shouting in the crowds, "crucify him" or that the religious leaders were the ones plotting his death. Little did they understand yet, that his death would give them new life, and that his resurrection would give them an exceedingly great hope -- a new sinless body that would never decay. At this point they are greatly distressed. Later they would experience joy unspeakable. We all suffer great distress at times. It is normal and natural. But if we believe God is truly in charge, we know good will come, and we know it can never take away our future or our hope.

 

PONDER:

1. Do I wallow in my pain or do I believe the scriptures that says for a true believer, God will bring about good (Rom 8:28) in my situation? Do I believe God?

 

PRAYER: Father, thank you for the reminder of your ultimate control. What we see in the world discourages us and grieves us. Yet, nothing is outside of your control or your will. Lord, they will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Come Lord Jesus, come.

QT 1/18/2022 Matt 17:19-21, Real faith believes God is working

Matthew 17:19–20 (ESV) —

19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” 20 He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”

Mark 9:29 (ESV) —

29 And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”

 

NOTE: Verse 21 does not appear in the oldest and most trustworthy manuscripts. It appears in more recent transcripts and was probably an attempt to match Matthew's quote with Mark's quote. A couple of problems: one, Mark's quote does not include fasting as does the later Matthew manuscript (you can view it in the KJV); and two, if Matthew did not include it, then we should not be correcting scripture. I have no doubt Jesus said it, but there is a reason the Holy Spirit excluded it in the context.

 

Now, getting to the passage. It is obvious that Jesus wasn't suggesting we move mountains. In this case, he was speaking in metaphor. The idea is that one can do amazing things with just a very small amount of faith. But it is not to show off our faith (like moving a mountain), but faith is used to advance the kingdom of God. The faith of the disciples was weak. And the faith of the people was worse. But when we are in the will of God, we can believe that he will accomplish his will. The results are not always what we want, but we will see his hand in the results if we but trust. And it doesn't take much to see amazing things happen.

 

PONDER:

1. Do I even stop to think about God's working in my life and the things that are happening around me? If not, I am one of those with weak faith.

 

PRAYER: Father, grow our faith. Use us to make a change in the world around us. Help us to see things from your perspective. Help us to get our eyes off of ourselves and onto you.

QT 1/17/2022 Matt 17:14-18, A faithless and twisted generation (sounds familiar)

 

Matthew 17:14–18 (ESV) —

14 And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and, kneeling before him, 15 said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he has seizures and he suffers terribly. For often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. 16 And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him.” 17 And Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.” 18 And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly.

 

NOTE: It is not immediately clear where Jesus' disappointment lies. In the verses that follow, the passage suggests it is the disciples' lack of faith. Or it could be the sin of the generation. What I mean is that while the illness sounds like epilepsy, the fact that the seizures have put his life in danger suggest something even more dangerous. It is demon possession, acting like epilepsy, but still demon possession. Demons are not like illnesses. The door has to be opened to a demon and that suggests some particular sin in the family that presented this opportunity. Jesus calls us (and I do mean us since we are probably even more wicked than the generation Jesus lived among) a faithless and twisted generation. Why faithless? Because we have taken God out of the equation of life and called him a myth suggesting that science explains everything (which is very untrue and as a scientist myself, I know that). Why twisted? This is even more obvious today, as we redefine what marriage means; we redefine what gender means (creating a number of additional choices); we redefine creation (not purposeful, but random); we redefine sin as personal choices, and the list goes on. We have twisted God's commands and we wonder why we deal with so many personal tragedies.

 

PONDER:

1. Where have I decided that the world's view is correct and the bible is outdated? It is not.
2. Where have I twisted God's word in order to do what I want?

 

PRAYER: Father, we are all sinners. Some have put our faith in the savior but we still struggle because we are holding on to sin. Give us the strength to say no to temptation and to walk in your love and power.

QT 1/14/2022 Matt 17:9-13, Who is Elijah really?

Matthew 17:9–13 (ESV) —

9 And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.” 10 And the disciples asked him, “Then why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?” 11 He answered, “Elijah does come, and he will restore all things. 12 But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man will certainly suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.

 

NOTE: This is one of my favorite passages of scripture, confusing and yet it makes sense. The nation of Israel rejects the Messiah (something God foreknew), but Elijah did come for the first visit (John the Baptist). We are now in the church age, but God is not finished with Israel, and so Elijah will come to restore all things. He will come during the tribulation period and prior to the Messiah's second coming, when Jesus will not come as a suffering servant to die for our sins but as the triumphant lion of the tribe of David to administer justice to the nations. So, was John the Baptist Elijah? Yes and No. Has Elijah already come or will he come still? Yes and Yes. I think Elijah comes again as one of the two witnesses in the tribulation. But, I certainly could be wrong. It is possible there is only one coming of Elijah and it has already happened, and the restoration of all things (the kingdom) is ongoing. But I think my first view makes more sense.

 

PONDER:

1. I don't have to know the answers to all the mysteries to be about the great commission. Am I doing anything to bring about the return of the Messiah or am I wasting my time just studying end times?

 

PRAYER: Father, I pray we would be living for you and not gazing at navels. We need to be about the work of the ministry. Help us to see and react to those opportunities.

QT 1/13/2022 Matt 17:1-8, All that matters is Jesus

Matthew 17:1–8 (ESV) —

1 And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. 3 And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. 4 And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 5 He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.” 8 And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.

 

NOTE: Jesus has just explained the end goal, to suffer and die in Jerusalem. They do not understand that Jesus must die. They do not yet understand the mission of the Messiah. In the midst of this spectacular event, the voice of God the Father again booms as it did at the baptism of Jesus, repeating the same words, and adding "listen to him." So at the start of the ministry, the Father speaks, and at the last stage, the march to Calvary, he speaks again. His "appearance" in voice is a witness to the truth of what is about to happen and that it is His will.  Moses and Elijah represent two periods in Israel where many miracles occurred. They were also transitional periods. Moses represents the law and the giving of the law. Elijah represents the prophets and a time of severe rebuke of Israel before they are taken away for their disobedience. The Jews relied on the law and the prophets. In verse 8, after God speaks and tells them to listen to his son, only Jesus remains. They no longer need the law and the prophets, they only need Jesus and his word. The old has gone, the new has come.

 

PONDER:

1. Do I still cling to OT teaching or is my focus on what is taught in the New Testament?

 

PRAYER: Father, your command is clear -- listen to him, Jesus. Help us to drown out the noise around us and listen to your word through the WORD.

QT 1/12/2022 Matt 16:27-28, Sacrificing for what is more important

 

Matthew 16:27–28 (ESV) —

27 For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. 28 Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

 

NOTE: This is a difficult passage when you add in Jesus' statement in verse 28. And I must admit to looking at other commentators to get their ideas. Of course if I had read the next few verses, I would have seen Matthew's view of Jesus statement. Matthew and many commentators saw the transfiguration as Jesus' fulfillment. Apparently Peter who was up on the mountain for the transfiguration view it that way as well when he says:

 

2 Peter 1:16–18 (ESV) — 16 For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” 18 we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain.

 

Peter even uses the word "coming" to cement it to Jesus statement. Still, this is just a follow-on to the previous message, "suffering must precede glory (Blomberg)." This is a message that we Christians don't want to hear. We'd rather hear the "health and wealth" gospel that God doesn't ever want us to be sick and God wants us to be wealthy. But that is not God's message, rather it is a message of the evil one who wants us to live for ourselves rather that sacrifice so that others can hear the gospel message.

 

PONDER:

1. If someone was to evaluate my life, finances, and passion, what would they say I am living for?
2. Do my actions match my words?

 

PRAYER: Father, this is a tough passage. Our sinful bodies want to live for ourselves. You call us to something much greater and with even greater reward in the future. But we lust for the now. Forgive us. Give us the strength to live for you today.

QT 1/11/2022 Matt 16:24-28, What kingdom is important to us?

Matthew 16:24–28 (ESV) —

24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. 28 Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

 

NOTE: This isn't the first time Jesus has said something similar (see Matt 10:38-39), and so I imagine it was something Jesus probably repeated often. As I have dealt with the concept of suffering (I bring that up because suffering seems to take away the life we want to live), I have realized that nothing makes sense without eternity. If life is only this material life we see, then life is more than unfair, it is cruel and completely without justice. Since Jesus did not focus on those aspects, I am sure it was because of his knowledge of eternity. As a missionary once said, "he is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." We must view this present material life as minute and infinitesimal small compared to eternity. On the timeline of eternity, our 70 years of material life, are but a blip on the line. And yet, they are also very important years. I don't believe we forget what we learn, nor does our personality completely change to a new individual. No, rather, these years are important for eternity, and we should treat them as such. Blomberg had a good comment of this passage:

 

Self-denial does not imply self-abuse or lack of self-esteem. As Jesus’ disciples believers should have a better self-image than any other people, but it should be based on God’s grace and not their merit. Self-denial does, however, mean putting God and his kingdom priorities first. (Blomberg, C. (1992). Matthew (Vol. 22, p. 260))

 

We can put God's kingdom first over our kingdom, because our kingdom is not going to last, but our future kingdom is for eternity.

 

PONDER:

1. What life am I living for -- this material life where I build my kingdom or my eternal home where God's kingdom dwells?

 

PRAYER: Father, thank you for the truth of your word. It is so easy in this life to be overcome by the material and to forget the immaterial spiritual unseen world. I pray our focus and priorities would be on advancing the spiritual kingdom.

QT 1/10/2022 Matt 16:21-23, Pain is a great teacher

Matthew 16:21–23 (ESV) —

21 From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” 23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

 

NOTE: The first attempt at "name it; claim it" falls flat on its face. You see, sometimes suffering, pain, and "not getting what you want" IS God's plan. In fact, "oftentimes" is probably a better adjective. Peter reminds me here of the spoiled child who always gets what he wants; who cries when anything goes wrong -- the perfect poster child for a snowflake. Well, I don't think that is the case for Peter, but the point remains, God uses pain for many purposes. Interesting point: the lack of pain is a definition of leprosy, where the nerves no longer send feedback to the brain. Satan is very interested in spiritual leprosy and "name it; claim it" is one of his tools. God uses pain to cause us to seek him more deeply. God uses pain to wake us up to bad decisions. God uses pain to soften our hardened hearts (in multiple areas). Rather than fighting pain, we need to be asking different questions:

 

PONDER:

1. What are the things of God that I am fighting against? What is God trying to teach me?
2. What are the things of man that I am living for, and am angry that I am not getting?

 

PRAYER: Father, protect us from spiritual leprosy. Pain is for our good. I admit, I don't like it (pain) and I don't believe I ever will. But pain has been a great teacher to me and it influences everything I do today. It woke me up to the shallowness of my relationship to you. It woke me up to my hard heart toward others who are struggling. It woke me up to my pride. It woke me up to my lack of thankfulness. And it broke me. And all I can say now is 'Thank you!'

QT 1/7/2022 Matt 16:17-20, Jesus introduces the concept of the church

 

Matthew 16:17–20 (ESV) —

17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.

 

NOTE: I believe this is the first mention of the church. It is a new entity. Paul calls it a mystery, one of seven things he labels as a mystery in his letters. The rock in relationship to the church must be Jesus, because the church is built upon Jesus as the foundation. It is also built upon our faith in Jesus, and Peter had just made a statement of faith, something that was revealed to him not from the flesh, but from God the Father. Jesus was the Messiah. Jesus was the Son of the living God. Jesus affirms these truths. A new entity is coming, the church, and it will continue to build the kingdom. We are nearing the end of the church age. Soon, the church will raptured up into heaven to be prepared for the wedding of the bride to Jesus. The church will return with Jesus at the second coming to establish his kingdom on earth. And the church will reign for one thousand years with Jesus. And then, after another moment of rebellion, a new heaven and a new earth will be created.

 

PONDER:

1. Am I working with God or against God? Does my witness draw people to the savior or turn them away from their savior?

 

PRAYER: Father, help me to share my faith respectfully and gently. Help me to be a great example of Jesus to those who live and work around me.

QT 1/6/2022 Matt 16:13-20, Believing is the first step to real change in our lives

 

Matthew 16:13–20 (ESV) —

13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.

 

NOTE: The opinion outside of the disciples, or at least what they heard, was quite diverse regarding the identity of Jesus. It is interesting that none of the answers was the "Messiah," suggesting the unpopularity of the belief or unbelief in general. Additionally, one wonders if a "cancel" culture might have existed in Israel for anyone to oppose the religious leaders suggesting Jesus was the Messiah. So, Jesus gets far away from Israel proper to the district of Caesarea Philippi to share the next stage. He asks them who they thought he was and Peter, speaking for the group, says that he is the Messiah (the Christ), the Son of the living God. He did not say, a son of God or God's son, he used a very emphatic statement. They believed, they did not understand everything. They would get a lot of things wrong, but they believed. And the start of change, all change, is believing.

 

PONDER:

1. Do I truly believe Jesus is the Son of the living God? It is an incredible statement if you spend just a little time thinking through the implications.

 

PRAYER: Father, I do believe your Son, a person of the trinity God, somehow took on human form, lived and died and rose again on Earth. It is unbelievable to think. I hope if I had lived in that time, I would have had the courage to join the disciples. But, I do believe today. And I have seen the incredible change in my life that believing in you does to a person. Thank you!

QT 1/5/2022 Matt 16:9-12, What is truth?

Matthew 16:9–12 (ESV) —

9 Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? 10 Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? 11 How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 12 Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

 

NOTE: So the religious leaders ask for a sign, and Jesus' response to the disciples afterwards is, "beware of the religious leader's teachings." Why? First, even the question is misleading. "If you are … prove it by …" The question appears to make sense, but it is not grounded in any formal declaration of life. I don't have to prove myself to anybody, nor am I bound by another's question. The question itself belies an attempt to assert their authority over Jesus. Secondly, the question ignores the previous information, that is all of Jesus' miracles. It is as if they were saying, because of our status, we can dismiss your previous proofs. That is an untrue statement. They can dismiss previous proofs, but only to themselves and only to their peril. The problem is that we expect leaders to give good information to more than just their selves, but to us and others who count on them for good information.

 

There is a great danger today because institutions that we counted upon for correct information are slanting the information. Some institutions that we thought independent, now work for the government or some political thought to ensure that only certain information is released. Is the information correct? Certainly not as a "fact," but rather as a view. Any contrarian views are dismissed. As opposed to presenting views correctly and letting the public decide (in cases where it is not clear). The result is that all institutions lose their credibility. Somehow, this is setting things up for the Antichrist, who by means of miracles will establish his credibility.

 

PONDER:

1. In Acts, Luke talks about the Bereans who were noble because they searched the scriptures on their own to see if things Paul said were true. Are we searching the scriptures daily or are we listening to the questions of the media regarding Jesus?

 

PRAYER: Father, keep us in your word -- thy word is truth. It is not opinion but it is absolute truth. Help us to see Jesus who is the word of God as our authority in all matters of spirituality and the root issues of life.

QT 1/4/2022 Matt 16:5-12, Today's new leaven

Matthew 16:5–12 (ESV) —

5 When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any bread. 6 Jesus said to them, “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 7 And they began discussing it among themselves, saying, “We brought no bread.” 8 But Jesus, aware of this, said, “O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? 9 Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? 10 Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? 11 How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 12 Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

 

NOTE: Jesus chides the disciples for missing the point. They were focused on the material, and more pointedly, their stomach or appetite. Jesus was focused on the spiritual which is affected by thoughts and attitudes. There is a Christian book called the "The Battle for the Mind" which I have not read, but the title alone suggests that spiritual battles start in the mind. Correct thinking is the best defense for correct behavior. Today, Jesus would say something like beware of the leaven of the television and media elites. I started to add "culture" to the end of the last sentence when I realized that television and the media elites have built the culture. What is their leaven? They promote sex before marriage, bisexuality, homosexuality, living together before marriage, marriage between the same sexes, racial angst, science as the solution for all problems (except when it disagrees with an anti-God or anti-moral narrative), etc. Jesus would warn us of these teachings.

 

PONDER:

1. How much have I bought into the lies of the media? How much do I even realize?
2. How often do I try to fit the bible's teaching into the world's teaching in order to fit into the culture?

 

PRAYER: Father, as Jesus chided the disciples, so I ask you to open my minds to the new leaven that spreads among our culture. It is evil and it is of the devil. Help me to share truth in a gentle and respectful manner. And help me to see the lies early.

QT 1/3/2022 Matt 16:1-4, There is no mistaking the signs

Matthew 16:1–4 (ESV) —

1 And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. 2 He answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ 3 And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. 4 An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” So he left them and departed.

 

NOTE: This is the second time the leaders (really the skeptics) ask for a sign. And Jesus' answer is the same one today for the atheists and the skeptics alike. No sign would be given. The reality is that many signs were given. Jesus fulfilled many prophecies. Jesus performed many outstanding miracles that were witnessed by multitudes. The leaders should have been able to figure it out. But he does promise one more sign for that group, the sign of Jonah. As Jonah was in the belly of a fish for three days, so Jesus would be buried in the belly of the earth for three days. Unlike Jonah, who others only thought was dead. Jesus died. And like Jonah, Jesus not only emerges, he emerges three days later, but in a resurrected body. This is the single most significant event of human history. The disciples chose martyrdom over denial because they and 500 others witnessed the fact and realized the implications. The leaders, the elites, the skeptics, and the atheists have no excuse -- a sign has been given.

 

PONDER:

1. Do I realize how important the resurrection was?
2. Do I realize the implications of this historical fact?

 

PRAYER: Father, help me to share the story of the resurrection. Help me to stand up and identify with my savior.