Matthew 15

Read Matthew 15

The religious authorities came from Jerusalem with a question for Jesus. “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” Scribal Judaism was full of man-made ceremonial rules in our Lord's day, just as Isaiah had said it would be. They were “teaching as doctrines the commandments of men” (Isaiah 29:13). The Lord was interested in healing “defiled” hearts and not in ritual washing.

Meanwhile, “a Canaanite woman” was begging Jesus for some help for her daughter who was “severely oppressed by a demon.” While still preserving the distinction between Jew and Gentile, Jesus was able to teach all who were paying attention about the only way to obtain divine favor for those who were far from God's covenant. “O woman, great is your faith!” It was by trusting Jesus that she received a gift from the Almighty.

The Messiah went up a mountain by the Sea of Galilee “and sat down there.” Great crowds were following Him in order to be made whole, and soon everyone beheld “the lame walking and the blind seeing.” If we stop to imagine what it must have been like to observe such astounding deeds of power, we should have the same reaction that they did. “They glorified the God of Israel.”

As in the previous chapter, Jesus was again in a remote place with a hungry crowd that had “nothing to eat.” The Lord used His disciples to do the impossible and to distribute food to everyone with “seven loaves and a few small fish.” Without anyone seeing how the miracle was accomplished, “they all ate and were satisfied.”

The contrast between Jesus and His religious adversaries could not be greater. They were ready to condemn the guiltless, and He had divine strength to restore the broken and to feed the hungry. The kingdom of God had come to earth and a most unexpected Man was at the center of it all.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Lord of Glory, help us to distinguish between the traditions of men and the Word that comes from above. Cleanse us from within, that we would no longer be filled with sinful thoughts. Have mercy upon us and our children. Defeat the forces of evil that oppress the church. Grant to true worshipers a crumb from the table of the kingdom in the midst of this world of death. Thank You for such kind compassion lavished upon us in our time of need. Use Your chosen servants day by day as agents of abundant divine love.

Matthew 14

Read Matthew 14

“The people” believed that John the Baptist was “a prophet.” His notoriety did not protect him from the wrath of King Herrod's wife who wanted John to be killed. John's purpose was to prepare the way for Jesus. As his time on earth eventually came to a violent end, the ministry of the Messiah went forward toward the central events of human history.

Crowds followed Jesus even when He went to “a desolate place by Himself.” People everywhere looked to Him as the immediate answer to their various distresses, and He “had compassion on them and healed their sick.”

When evening came and the people needed to eat, the disciples began to panic. Who would feed all of these hungry souls? Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” How could this be accomplished? When the meal was over, thousands had been amply fed with just five loaves of bread and two fish. Who was this teacher and healer?

A few hours after midnight Jesus walked on the water to draw near to His frightened followers. “They were terrified,” but He reassured them with the Name of Jehovah. He literally spoke the words “I-AM,” the simple phrase that God used in the Old Testament to refer to Himself. They all “worshiped Him” and said to Jesus, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

When they crossed over to the other side of the lake in the early hours of the morning, large crowds again sought Him for miracles. Anyone who just touched “the fringes of His garment” was made well.

Jesus is the great “I-AM” and the “Son of God.” He knows about the restless hearts of suffering mortals. We hear His gentle rebuke, “O you of little faith,” and we turn to Him again as our best hope in a difficult world.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Father God, the fact of an uneasy conscience cannot be wished away. Only through the blood of Your Son can we truly have rest. Have compassion upon us, O Lord. Help Your church to experience true forgiveness and restoration. Feed us with bread from heaven. Speak to our hearts in a way that will satisfy our deepest needs and desires. Send Your covenant community forth in peace that we may serve You. Teach us to pray with a secure faith, for we know that You control all things. Come to Your servants in our moments of fear. Take hold of us when we doubt, and don't allow us to sink under the weight of many cares. We long for the day when sickness and disease will be far from all of Your people. Until the trumpet sounds and the new life of resurrection appears, keep our eyes fixed upon the face of our Redeemer.

Matthew 13

Read Matthew 13

When “crowds gathered about Him,” Jesus “told them many things in parables.” In Matthew 13 we have a record of seven brief stories that teach us about the Lord's work in the new gospel age.

The crowd could not comprehend it all since He did not explain the symbolism to them. As Isaiah had prophesied, God would speak through His ambassadors to many who would “hear but never understand.” The plain teaching of the Bible is that God would not give the gift of faith to everyone, “lest they should … understand with their heart and turn” (Isaiah 6:9-10). Salvation belongs to the Lord.

The Messiah's chosen disciples would learn important truths about His work when He explained these matters to them privately. What did Jesus tell them?

At least four important points are revealed here. First, consistent with Isaiah 6, the “kingdom” is God's. He grants understanding to human beings according to His own plan. Only then will people receive His Word and “bear fruit.” Second, we may find it challenging to distinguish between “wheat” and “weeds” in the “field” of this world, but at just the right time the Lord will send out His angels and those heavenly servants will make the proper distinctions without error. Third, God's kingdom starts out small but it expands everywhere. Finally, if we have to give up everything we own to gain eternal life with Jesus, it is still more than worth it.

These are the messages that Christ gave to His chosen flock. Many people “took offense at Him.” Those who knew His mother and siblings were especially skeptical. Yet Jesus indicated that some of the scribes who so often considered the Redeemer their enemy might yet be granted ears to hear. Even they could be “trained for the kingdom of heaven” by divine grace so that they would bring forth “treasure” from “what is new and what is old.”

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Lord of Hosts, You have spoken by Your servants. We pray that we might be good soil, fruitful for Your service. Father, there is an enemy who is ready to take away the Word before we even hear it. Keep him far from our hearts. There is a world of distraction all around us. Clear the rocky ground out of our minds. Root out the thorns that would hide Your teaching. Though Your church may contain both weeds and wheat in this present age, You shall surely make a distinction between them at the harvest. Have mercy upon us and forgive our debts. Build up Your covenant community for the glory of Your Name. Bring all of Your elect into Your home. We long for the day when the righteous will shine like the sun in Your kingdom. Grant us clarity of thought, speech, and action. Remove from us all the fogginess and confusion of sin. We honor You, O God. Do many works of blessing through the people who look for Your Son’s appearing.

Matthew 12

Read Matthew 12

The Pharisees were convinced that Jesus and His disciples were violating true religious standards by plucking grain on the Sabbath and by healing a man with a withered hand on that holy day. The Lord used Bible history and His accusers' moral inconsistencies to teach them about mercy. The result: “The Pharisees went out and conspired against Him, how to destroy Him.”

Matthew presented Jesus as the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophesies concerning the Messiah. His miracles of healing were done by a divine hand. As God had said so long ago, “I will put My Spirit upon Him.”

The religious authorities of Jesus' time refused to view the Son of God in that correct light. They knew He was not the Messiah because He did not follow their traditions. His works of power were undeniable, so they insisted that it was by “the prince of demons” that Jesus was accomplishing such notable victories against unclean spirits.

Our Lord warned His enemies concerning the danger of attributing the works of the Spirit to Satan. He also insisted on the consistency between His heavenly character and resurrection deeds. “The tree is known by its fruit.”

Those who spoke against Christ on so many occasions still wanted to see what He could do. They would only be given “the sign of the prophet Jonah.” His resurrection from the dead would be like Jonah coming back to life after “three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish.”

Many Jewish leaders were unwilling to receive the Lord's words. Only those who would listen to God's Suffering Servant and do the will of His “Father in heaven” would be counted as children in the household of faith. He was and is greater than the Sabbath, the temple, all angels, and every prophet. It is a great honor for us to be included in His family.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Almighty God, Your Son understood the Law of Moses perfectly. Even more than this, He obeyed every divine commandment entirely. He came as the One who was greater than the temple. He is the Lord of the Sabbath and the Messiah King. You have given us a powerful expectation of the fullness of our rest in Him. Show us how to set our hearts on the coming resurrection and to conduct ourselves as those who have already been made alive in Jesus. He is the descendant of David who defeats all the works of Satan. It is a privilege to be a part of His Kingdom. Teach us how to gather people as ambassadors for Christ. Help us to walk in the goodness and love that comes from above, and to speak as those who know and honor the truth. Thank You for the glorious sign of Your Son’s victory over the grave. In Him we have the greatest gift known to humanity. Your church will live forever with the Man who rose from the dead. All Your children will have the wisdom of the Holy Spirit through the King who is wiser than Solomon. We hear His Word, and we believe.

Matthew 11

Read Matthew 11

Followers of John the Baptist were sent to Jesus with a question: “Are You the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” Jesus replied with the evidence that proved His identity. He was performing the signs of the Messiah as predicted in Isaiah 29:18-19. “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight … and the deaf hear.”

Earlier in Isaiah 29 the Old Testament prophet spoke to Israel regarding the battle between the scribal Judaism of the Pharisees and the miraculous works of the Christ (Isaiah 29:13-14). “This people … honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me.” They were more devoted to man-made commandments than to the Word of God.

John had prepared the way for the coming of the Son of God (Malachi 3:1 and Isaiah 40:3). The leaders of Israel did not appreciate John and they were also ready to reject Jesus. John had appeared in the desert as the future “Elijah” and Jesus was the Messiah that John pointed to, but many people invented reasons to be disappointed with both of them.

Jesus, as John himself knew, was the far greater Servant. All who had “ears to hear” should have been able to conclude that this miracle worker was the Christ that Isaiah had written about so many centuries earlier. This same ambassador had also prepared them for the truth of the future suffering and death of the Christ at the hands of those who hated Him (Isaiah 50:4, 53:3-9).

The “Lord of heaven and earth” reveals the truth of Jesus to “little children” who receive Him as their Savior. The great God/Man who is fully sovereign over all creation, together with His Father, invites the lost to find their wholeness in Him. “Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Almighty God, You sent Your Son to teach and to perform the signs of the Messiah. Why should anyone have been offended by Him? John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus so long ago, and down to the present hour people are still coming into Your Kingdom. Men and women all over the earth have discovered truths in Your Word that prophets of old longed to see. They hear about Your Son’s mighty works and believe that He is the Anointed One. We too come to Him again this day, and in Him we find rest for our souls.

Matthew 10

Read Matthew 10

Our Master Teacher called His followers to go to the towns and villages of Israel in His Name. He gave them authority to do mighty deeds as they proclaimed that “the kingdom of heaven” was “at hand.” The disciples needed to trust Him for every provision as they journeyed. If anyone refused to listen to their words, they were to “shake off the dust” from their feet both as an indication of future sanctions for the unrepentant.

The church could expect persecution in this divine endeavor. God would give His people the right message in times of difficulty, but they still would be “hated by all” because of their association with Jesus. “If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household.”

Despite the mortal danger, Jesus insisted that His ambassadors should “have no fear of” rich and powerful adversaries who might “kill the body,” but could not eradicate the soul. There remained no middle ground for halfhearted worshipers. “Everyone who acknowledges Me before men, I also will acknowledge before My Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies Me before men, I also will deny before My Father who is in heaven.”

Christ gave us no expectation that His words would produce immediate peace. Even the most intimate family relationships would be challenged by the need for a higher devotion to the Lord. “Whoever does not take his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me.” What a shocking statement! Jesus demanded an extraordinary commitment to Himself and to other “little ones.” The King of the kingdom promised to bring great rewards to those who would show even the smallest acts of charity to any of His children. Our Lord still instructs us to serve in this way. Why would we ever refuse Him?

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Lord God, You are building Your holy temple on the cornerstone of Your Son and the foundation of apostles and prophets. We rejoice in Jesus Christ and in His glorious Word. Use Your servants as messengers of life in a dangerous and dying environment. Grant Your Spirit to the church that we might speak the truth with power and love. Bring to light all that is necessary for the conversion of a great multitude. May many people acknowledge You before men, for it is a horrifying choice to deny You. We take up our cross and follow Your Son. We gladly receive Your children and care for their needs. This world is passing away, along with all of its pride, but Your kingdom is forever.

Matthew 9

Read Matthew 9

Jesus traveled all over Galilee “proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom” and healing “every affliction.” Beginning with “His own city” of Capernaum, the Lord responded to the simple faith of those trusting in Him by working wonders. Some rejected Christ and attributed the power they observed to an evil source. “He casts out demons by the prince of demons.”

Wherever the Messiah went many were stuck in disease, oppression, and sin. The “Son of David” healed them all. Enemies devoted to the prevailing tradition-driven, scribal Judaism increasingly hated the Man at the center of the message. They especially would not tolerate His simple words of absolution: “Take heart, My son, your sins are forgiven.”

Jesus' works of physical restoration were signs of His authority over everything. He insisted that the “Son of Man” was able to free men and women from the dungeon of their offenses against the Law of God. The crowds loved what they saw and heard, but the Pharisees accused Him of blaspheming.

Meanwhile Jesus was meeting new friends and disciples among “tax collectors and sinners.” He made God's mercy real to those who knew they were spiritually “sick” and in need of a “physician.” Others who imagined that they were doing “well” without a Savior could not abide with His violation of religious norms. For instance, our Lord's disciples did not fast. His explanation? “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them?”

We who follow Jesus today are still called to a life of faith and joy. “The harvest is plentiful” and we are “laborers” in God's vineyard. We go to “cities and villages” near and far, teaching about the King and His kingdom. People hear the message of forgiveness as we shower the world with the practical evidence of the mercy of God.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

O God, grant us faith to trust You in every trial. Our Savior has come and is calling all kinds of people to follow Him. We are those who are sick, and He is the most powerful doctor. We rejoice in the presence of Your Son, but we also long for His return. We have already received much grace, and we taste the blessings of heaven even now. Nonetheless, we cannot be satisfied without the full arrival of the age of resurrection. Open our eyes and give us the words to speak that we might rightly live out the good news of the kingdom. Send forth laborers into Your harvest field. May many captives of sin and death be freed by Your gospel.

Matthew 8

Read Matthew 8

Jesus not only taught with authority, He cast out demons, cleansed lepers, healed paralytics, and raised up those who were on their sickbeds. Christ demonstrated complete control over enemies seen and unseen, sending a demonic host into a herd of pigs. He was even able to quiet the wind and the waves when His disciples were quaking with fear. They wondered, “What sort of man is this, that even the winds and sea obey Him?”

Jehovah God had come in the flesh, but not everyone reacted appropriately. One centurion impressed the Son of God because he showed more trust in the Messiah than the Jews did. Jesus said, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith.”

What was the content of the centurion's belief? First, he said, “Lord, I am not worthy.” The religion of the scribes insisted that the way of acceptance by God was plain enough for all who were willing to keep Jewish traditions, but the Roman leader was right. “None is righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10 citing Psalm 14). Our unworthiness is an essential element of Christian doctrine. Second, the soldier was confident in Jesus' ability to overturn human disability. “Only say the word, and my servant will be healed.” As Psalm 115:3 teaches, “Our God ... does all that He pleases.”

Despite the obvious greatness of Jesus, our Messiah had “nowhere to lay His head.” The Lord demanded complete submission to His commands, yet He meekly left a town where He was not wanted. The demons knew who Jesus was, and they sought to trip Him up at every turn. They said, “What have You to do with us, O Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?” Though they may have hoped to stop the Lord of glory, they could not thwart His perfect plan. In every generation, those who acknowledge their weakness and place their hope in the Redeemer's divine strength show that they have been given the gift of true faith.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Father God, You have made us clean from the leprosy of sin. Though we were not worthy of having You dwell with us, Christ has come with great works of healing. May the sickness of unbelief be driven far from His church. Those who claim the title “Christian” need to be up and serving You. May nothing be allowed to stand in our way. You are able to turn away every obstacle from our hearts and minds. Defeat all the proud adversaries who would defy You. Save us by Your mighty presence and matchless Word.

Matthew 7

Read Matthew 7

In every place and time there are contending religious systems that stand against a true relationship with Yahweh. In the days of the Sermon on the Mount, the prevailing spiritual consensus among serious Jews was found in the teaching of the scribes and the Pharisees. They had a list of right views and practices for their disciples to follow. Jesus also cared deeply about doctrine and ethics, yet when He taught the people, they knew that they had heard a very different message than what others were saying.

Who was right? Jesus insisted that you could tell the real followers of the Almighty “by their fruits.” Those who were full of hypocrisy and judgment could not possibly have a vital connection with the great I-AM as the foundation of their lives. Nonetheless, such false teachers might be so convinced of their own excellence that trying to introduce them to the better way of life was useless. They were blind concerning the Lord while remaining fully convinced of their own perfect eyesight.

The genuine gifts of heaven would not come through the instruction of such misguided men. Instead, real worshipers needed to appeal to the Father above. As Jesus had said, “Ask, and it will be given to you.” How could people know that they had received life from above? Our Lord gave them a simple commandment as a test of what was inside their hearts. “Whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” A good yield would proceed from a new soul.

Many of the most eminent religious superstars of the first century carefully followed the teaching of the best scribes, but Jesus would one day say to them, “I never knew you.” Those who heard His words about the kingdom of a heavenly Father would be very different from the rest. Their eternal “house” would be built “on the Rock” of Jesus.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Sovereign Lord, we feel the weight of our own sin, and we mourn. Teach us how to live as forgiven sinners in a world full of transgression. We truly repent and come now to You for help. We ask for You. We seek You. We knock at Your door. Fill us with Your Spirit. You are our Father, and we know that You will give us good gifts when we approach You through Your Son. Grant us perseverance in the way that leads to life. Bless us with true and lasting fruitfulness. Above all, we beseech You that we would be known by You on the Day of Judgment that is coming upon the earth. We stand in union with our Redeemer upon the rock of His Word. In Him we not only hear Your voice, we also do what you command. Have mercy on us in our foolish doubts and wanderings.

Matthew 6

Read Matthew 6

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them.” Although the church is supposed to be a visible display of their invisible God, God's children are not to do religious works with the goal of winning the approval of friends and neighbors. When worshipers give alms, pray, and fast, they should keep their eyes on the Lord only.

Jesus did not teach His disciples to strive for recognition on earth. Quite the opposite. “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.” In the same way, the best prayers to God were to be simple, following Christ's example. Worshipers needed to speak for the ears of the Almighty with a generous forgiveness towards others who may have wronged them. Also, spiritual fasting was to be a humbling of oneself before God Most High and not a picture of “gloomy” spirituality calculated to show off a supposed holiness to all who might notice.

The best way to follow Christ is to value God and His heaven, investing in eternal realms with the expectation that “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Worldliness will not lead to lasting fruit, but only poor spiritual vision and much stumbling in the dark for those who set their affections on money rather than God.

Jesus taught an entirely different life of religious devotion from those He rightly criticized as the “hypocrites” of His day. Seeking after the applause of human beings will never cause anyone to grow in the peace that passes understanding. Only resting in Jehovah can help His image-bearers to abandon their perpetual anxiety.

People may find themselves worrying continuously about food and clothing. For believers, the Man who died for our sins has taught us a better path for life: “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Father God, bless us with a deep desire for secret opportunities to do what is good. Show us how to pray as those who love Your smile more than the praise of men. We look for the glory of Your Name, the progress of Your church, and the beauty of Your holy will. As we serve You day by day, we humbly ask that You would supply our needs, cancel the debt of our transgressions, and lead us away from every snare of evil. We willingly forgive everyone who has ever sinned against us. We mourn our own depravity and weakness, and ask for the power of Your presence among us. Will we be caught again in the clutches of money? We claim that we are free from such base impulses, yet we are easily anxious about food and clothing when there is even a slight danger of poverty among us. Teach us to seek first Your Kingdom and Your righteousness. We know that You will take care of us now and forever.

Matthew 5

Jesus, the great I-AM, taught with authority. What was His message? He began by declaring “blessed” what the fallen world counts as unfortunate. When “His disciples came to Him,” the Lord spoke about those who were needy, sad, weak, and longing for a better world. He had a divine promise for people who were merciful and pure despite being hated and persecuted by others. Jesus told them that instead of being downcast, they could “rejoice and be glad” because their “reward” was “great in heaven.” They would be “sons of God,” and one day they would “see God.”

True followers of Christ have found these words strangely satisfying. They are the “salt of the earth” and “the light of the world.” As they live for the God of heaven, others see their “good works” and “give glory” to God.

Is this Sermon on the Mount a rejection of the Old Testament Law? Not at all, for Jesus came not to abolish God's commandments, but “to fulfill them.” In fact, the life of love that became the New Testament ethic has always been God's best pathway for those who desire to imitate Him. Now they can understand murder, adultery, and false witness in a deeper way. The intentions of the heart that lead to obvious sins are already serious violations of the Lord's statutes. Hatred is murder, lust is adultery, and avoiding sincere commitment through deceptive scheming is false witness.

Strengthened by a fuller appreciation for God's holiness, Spirit-filled worshipers love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them. The new path that Christ walks with His disciples is the only honest way to keep the old commandments. “You therefore must be perfect, as Your heavenly Father is perfect.” Does this greater vision of God's moral absolutes crush us and cause us to despair? No, the one Man who accomplished these moral directives from beginning to end has given His life for us.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Lord God, our Savior came to teach us and to die for our sins. There is a perfect connection between His instruction and His cross. He has blessed us greatly and we are glad, even though men may hate us. We look to the age to come according to Your promise. Grant that we would enjoy today a glimpse of Your eternal light. Your Son has obeyed all Your commandments for us. He calls us to follow Him in the way of righteousness. Help us to hear His voice in the Scriptures so that we will not grieve Your Spirit. Show us how to live now in the simplicity of love.