Matthew 24

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The Lord's prophetic words regarding the future New Testament era were very difficult to understand when He first spoke them, and they still remain challenging today. Godly readers need to focus on the clear teachings in His oracles to His disciples and allow that which is most clear to shine light upon phrases that are more obscure. There are at least four very plain and obvious points that we must learn from Matthew 24.

First, Jesus correctly warned His followers that their impressive place of worship in Jerusalem would be destroyed. This happened in AD 70 when Roman armies brought the fullest measure of their discipline upon the city of Jerusalem. The New Testament emphasis for God's children would no longer be on one facility in the city of David but on the amazing expansion of a new “temple” of the Holy Spirit made up of all those who would call upon the Name of the Lord (1 Corinthians 3:16).

Second, the “gospel of the kingdom” must be “proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations” before “the end” comes. The church, as she pursues this mission, will battle persecution and apostasy, but the Lord will ultimately rescue His “elect.”

Third, at just the right time and when it will not be widely expected, the final “trumpet” will sound. Christ will come again in a way that no one on earth could miss. Therefore, reports of any secret arrivals of a messiah figure should be completely ignored. They cannot possibly be accurate.

Finally, until the return of our King, the Lord's faithful servants should be spiritually awake and ever ready to meet our Maker. Through all of the tumult of the New Testament era, it is our privilege to serve God by worshiping Him and feeding His sheep with the Word of Christ.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Almighty God, You are building a wonderful living temple of worshipers. We want no false prophets or pretend Messiahs. We need only Jesus Christ. The love of many has grown cold, and there is much trouble all around us, yet we will follow Your Word today. You warned us that times of tribulation would come. Thank You for cutting short any period of testing, for You know our weakness. Come quickly, O Lord, and deliver us from every evil! Shine upon us in Your glorious return with all Your heavenly host. May our eyes soon witness the resurrection. Though we do not know the day and hour, we know You. We do not yet see Your kingdom in full glory, but we gaze upon the face of Your Son through the Scriptures. May the gospel be preached everywhere, and may we be found faithful and fruitful, as those who endure to the end.

Matthew 23

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Jesus was confident and forthright in His critique of the scribes and the Pharisees. They were “hypocrites” who taught, but did not truly practice, a burdensome school of Judaism that was out of accord with a biblical understanding of the Law. Their focus was on their own “honor” in the view of those around them and not on the glory of the Almighty.

“Woe to you,” said Jesus regarding these teachers who would soon imagine that they had defeated Him. They missed a perfect opportunity to have their theology and behavior corrected by the Lord of Hosts. Christ could have been their “instructor,” but instead of opening their hearts to Him, they held tenaciously to a model of mission and ministry handed down to them by rabbis and elders of the past. Their heroes had added a mountain of ceremonial regulations to the commandments of God.

Over the centuries the Pharisees had created many rules about matters such as making religious oaths and tithing. They took godly practices and turned them into twisted patterns of showy piety more for the love of money and praise than for the worship of Yahweh.

Like all of mankind, the best and the brightest among the first century Jews had an inner malady of the soul that only the Creator could heal. Rather than come to Him for mercy, they sought to put to death the one Man who was the true hope for every needy sinner.

Many Israelites from previous generations had treated the Lord's messengers with great disrespect. Now the “blind guides” of Jesus' day were about to fulfill the ugly pattern of their ancestors in seeking the destruction of the Messiah. What they meant for evil, God would turn around for great good. They wanted to murder a Man who had become a thorn in their sides, but His blood would bring life to countless sinners who could never have had peace with God by their own efforts.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Lord of Hosts, we cannot have peace with You through any system of law. We must have Jesus, the only Redeemer of mankind. People everywhere have ways of boasting in themselves while acting like they are submitting to You. Please save Your children from this deep deception. Conquer all religious hypocrisy within Your churches by the gospel of Your Son. Cast away from us all false pretense of holiness, and teach all who would worship You about our need for You. We can only have the gift of righteousness because of the cross of Christ. If we do not have Your presence in our lives then we have nothing, and we will never move forward in Your service.

Matthew 22

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God is the King over His kingdom, and He intends to have “a wedding feast for His Son.” In the parable that Jesus spoke in the hearing of His adversaries, the guests that were invited “would not come.” They even committed acts of violence against Jehovah's prophets. The Lord would invite others to the celebration, “both bad and good.” All would need the righteous robes of a perfect Redeemer as a “wedding garment.” The key to inclusion was not personal moral excellence but a response to the divine invitation.

Pharisees, Herodians, and Sadducees all proved their unworthiness when they refused to believe in Jesus as the Son of God. Some tried to get Him into trouble with the authorities concerning Roman taxes. Others hoped to embarrass Him as an ignorant rabbi who believed in strange doctrines concerning a future “resurrection” of mankind. Still others hoped to trap Him as a pretender to divinity using the well-known verse from Deuteronomy 6:4 about giving your whole heart to the one true God.

All of their rude plans were overturned by Christ. Whether through the use of Caesar's image on a coin, or by the accurate exposition of important Bible passages from the Law and the Psalms, the Messiah exposed their “malice” and their ignorance until they did not “dare to ask Him any more questions.”

How could these brilliant and accomplished men make such a mistake in their assessment of Jesus? Some had too quickly rejected the truth of the Scriptures and had imagined themselves to be smarter than God. All were lacking a genuine receptivity to the work of the Holy Spirit. They did not yet comprehend the abundant life that God had for all who would trust in the only Redeemer appointed by the Almighty. The “Son of David” was right in front of them, but they could not fathom how this Man was the Son of God and the Lord's Christ.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Father, the cross is a glorious story of covenant mercy, but it is also shocking to our sensibilities. You sent Your Son to suffer greatly and to die. Through the shedding of His own blood, He provided for us the spotless garments of righteousness necessary to have peace with You. Men of malice tried to trap the One who came to atone for the ungodly. Others thought that they could make Him look like a fool, but how wrong they were. Jesus is Your wisdom and Your power. We bless Your Name for this Word of life given to us. He loved You with all His heart, soul, mind, and strength; and He loved His neighbor as Himself. Our Redeemer is the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets. Thank You for this holy Messiah who is both David’s Son and David’s Lord.

Matthew 21

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As Jesus “drew near to Jerusalem,” He received a hero's welcome from the crowds, but the religious leaders did not join in the celebration. Christ was fulfilling important Messianic passages in the Psalms and the prophets, and performing miracles of healing and signs of judgment as the Son of God. Many ordinary men and women concluded that He was “the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee” and the long-awaited “Son of David.” The “priests” and “scribes,” however, were not shouting “Hosanna!”

The spiritual rulers among the Jews were “indignant” and openly dismissive of the Man who made the deaf hear and the blind see. They said to Jesus, “Do you hear what these are saying?” He offered no apology for the reception He received from the eager throng, but only quoted Psalm 8:2, “Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies You have prepared praise.” The events taking place in those final days of His life were the fulfillment of centuries of Old Testament promises.

The “fig tree” of Israel was fruitless and would be judged by the Almighty. God would raise up a new assembly of worshipers to follow the King with faith and obedience. “The tax collectors and the prostitutes” would enter the courts of the Lord “before” the Sanhedrin. The recognized pillars of society who were called “the builders” in Psalm 118:22 had “rejected” the Lord. Christ was the “stone” upon which the church would be raised up. The haughty had not repented at the message of John the Baptist, and now they would “fall” on Jesus and be “broken to pieces.”

The “kingdom” would be “taken away” from the chief men of the holy city and be “given to a people producing” appropriate “fruits.” Proud priests and Pharisees knew that Jesus was speaking parables against them, but what could they do? The crowds “held Him to be a prophet.” The truth was that Yahweh had come in person.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Father God, You are in charge of every detail of our redemption. In the most important week of human history, You sent Your Son into Jerusalem in complete fulfillment of all prophecy. The salvation that He won for us is greater than we can even imagine. We ask You to purify our worship and to make us whole in body and soul. We look for increased fruitfulness in Your church. Bless us with faith that is able to move mountains of unbelief. Help us to submissively hear Your voice in the Scriptures and to obey. Cast out of us any spirit of arrogance or evil. We want to follow You, O Lord, not only with our lips, but especially with our lives. Bring many into Your kingdom even today. You have accomplished a powerful work of grace. Grant us faithfulness in Your service forever. Our entire being is built upon the Stone that the builders rejected. He is the one source of eternal life.

Matthew 20

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“Many who are first will be last, and the last first” (Matthew 19:30). Matthew 20 begins with a parable that explains this final verse of the previous chapter. In the story, God is the “Master of a house,” and He has most unusual hiring practices. He recruits more workers for His vineyard even when there is only one hour left to serve. Stranger still is His way of compensating the laborers. The last are payed first, and they receive a full day's wages. When those who have sweated all day take home the same amount, they grumble about the Master. His response? “Do you begrudge My generosity?” The Lord's mercy is dispensed on His own terms. Heaven comes through God alone from beginning to end.

Who pays the price for the Lord's lavish gift of salvation extended not only to Jews (the first) but also to ungodly Gentiles (the last)? Christ would be the lowest of all; condemned by Jewish leaders, delivered over to Roman soldiers, and then “mocked and flogged and crucified.” Yet He would be “raised on the third day.” The Man who died for us on the cross would one day reign on high, and He would redeem sinners.

The mother of James and John wanted the most privileged places for her sons, but she could not understand the ways of the kingdom of God. The best Man ever born would suffer greatly. This would also be the path to eternity for her beloved boys where they would reign with the King who came to be a “slave” and would soon “give His life as a ransom for many.”

What kind of people would Jesus deliver from bondage? Despised men like the two blind beggars sitting by the roadside who insisted on shouting, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” The crowd tried to get them to stop yelling. What did the amazing King from heaven do? “Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately they recovered their sight and followed Him.”

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Lord God, Your kingdom has come to us by Your sovereign pleasure. We should always receive it with the greatest joy and gratitude. Yet we find this disturbing tendency within us: We act as if we have worked for eternity by our own strength, when it is clearly the richest kindness that could ever be extended to anyone. Remind us again of the meaning of the cross. Let our eyes be open to the wonder of Your love so that we might more fully believe the gospel and follow Jesus. Change our hearts and enable us to embrace the suffering that You have ordained for our lives. Your Son came as the lowest servant. We offer up everything to Him now as our glorious King.

Matthew 19

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God's plan “from the beginning” for His image-bearers included the gift of marriage. He “made them male and female.” A man from one family and a woman from another would form a new and exclusive relationship with the possible fruit of precious new lives.

People throughout history have celebrated the taking of solemn vows of the “two” becoming “one flesh,” yet because of our “hardness of heart,” sins and offenses have led to the destruction of these important covenants between husbands and wives. Nonetheless, it remains God's directive that what He has “joined together,” people must not “separate,” except in the case of union-destroying offenses such as “sexual immorality.” Even then, though, we can hope for reconciliation.

The only godly alternative to a public wedding prior to conjugal intimacy is the Lord's special provision of celibacy. Not everyone can live in singleness with joy. Some few may conclude that they will serve the Lord best without the relationship that Adam and Eve first celebrated. “Let the one who is able to receive this receive it.”

For the great majority of human beings, family life will mean important binding commitments of love and submission. Many see the little ones that may come from a God-designed sexual union as an inconvenience. Jesus had a different agenda. “Let the little children come to Me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”

When we contemplate our record of honoring God's Law, we especially feel the guilt of our failure to care for those in our own households. We must remember that “there is only One who is good.” Human beings can only take refuge in Christ. He is the best of all husbands and He will protect His bride forever. All who give their lives to Him will gain far more than they give away for His sake. The only Man that we can trust for eternal life is Jesus.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Our Father, You have given many in Your church the blessing of having lifelong partners in marriage. This one-flesh relationship is such a wonderful provision, so why do we engage in entangling sins that are so destructive? There is much sadness all around us. We mourn our sinful thoughts, words and actions. We regret the seed of hate that has brought about the destruction of countless families, particularly among Your people. Help us to find life again after such significant loss. Lord Jesus we hear Your call to us that we should follow You in this and in every way. We offer up to You now all that we are and everything that we possess. Your demand for our obedience is absolute, but complete faithfulness seems impossible. You have the power to do things that we cannot do. Please give us the fullness of Your kingdom, and fill us even now with the joy of holiness.

Matthew 18

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The disciples asked Jesus, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” The Lord responded with a commendation of lowliness: “Whoever humbles himself” is the one who is considered to be on the very best pathway. In contrast, the arrogance of stubborn pride is an enemy of a life-giving faith and leads to all kinds of serious troubles that hurt God's children.

Those who wander from the safety of a close relationship with the Almighty will end up in danger. Such dear ones need to be lovingly disciplined before they hurt themselves and those around them. Tempters will try to move even the Lord's followers in a bad direction for their own evil purposes, but God is able to bring all His children home again with rejoicing.

The church of Jesus Christ must have the same mind as our Master concerning both sin and forgiveness. We certainly must never minimize offenses against the great I-AM, but we also passionately desire the restoration of every offender and are willing to take actions that could lead to reconciliation. The process that God gives His people in Matthew 18:15-17 is a necessity for any church that cares for troubled souls.

Unforgiveness can never be the Christian response to situations of even weighty and repetitive offenses. The King of kings has pardoned the unfathomable debt we brought upon ourselves by our willful violation of His righteous standards. How can we then hold a grudge against others who have wronged us?

Only God can make the necessary change within our hearts to move us from our old spiritual and relational self-preoccupation to a new life consistent with the kingdom. When we become a community of people that will sacrificially love our enemies, we show that we are beginning to understand what the Lord Jesus has done for us.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Sovereign Lord, help us to be like children in every appropriate way, that we might know what it is to walk by faith in Your kingdom. We turn away from all wickedness. We lift up the most vulnerable in our midst, and pray that You would lead them in paths of righteousness for Your Name’s sake. Teach us to be wise in dealing with offenses, and restore those who repent. Fill Your church with extravagant forgiveness, for we have been released from a massive debt. Our sin against You was a burden that we could never bear. We have experienced a new life with You only because of Your merciful grace. Will we now treat others as if peace comes by Law? We will truly extend mercy to one another from our hearts even now, for we have been invited into Your family through the kindness of Your Son.

Matthew 17

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The leader of the apostles wrote about “the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Peter, James, and John were “eyewitnesses” of Jesus' “majesty” at His transfiguration (2 Peter 1:16). They saw His luminescent face and clothing, and heard the voice from the glory cloud of God that “overshadowed them” saying, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him.” Such a powerful glimpse of the divine King was formative for the three apostles, yet they were instructed by their Master: “Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.”

Later Peter would write to “the dispersion” of a great community of faith regarding their possession of “living hope” through “the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” There can be no doubt that he had a very credible testimony about our “inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven” for all who put their trust in Jesus (1 Peter 1:3-4).

When they were coming down the mountain, they did not understand many things about the present and the future. Their friends were unable to help a desperate father whose boy had epilepsy. Jesus told them what their problem was: It was “because of your little faith.” The Lord's time in this world of unbelief was challenging to Him. “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you?” Even so He could not leave before finishing His work. “The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him, and He will be raised on the third day.”

Meanwhile Jesus continued to accomplish heavenly miracles, even taking care of Peter's tax problems through the catch of a fish with a “shekel” in his mouth! “Take that and give it to them for Me and for yourself.” Only the great Lord of the resurrection could defeat both death and taxes! One day the true “sons” of the kingdom will be freed entirely from both.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Father, when our Savior ministered in this place of death, You gave us an amazing glimpse of His glory in the Transfiguration. We long for that vision today! Teach us to see with trusting eyes and to live by Your Word. Move us ahead in works of love according to Your commandments. It is impossible to please You without the gift of faith. Jesus accomplished the highest righteousness through the cross. By His sacrifice we who were in such great need have been made sons and daughters of the Kingdom. What looked like utter failure in the sight of the world was truly the greatest of victories for Your people.

Matthew 16

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Both the Pharisees and the Sadducees of Jesus' day had false teaching that needed contradiction. The true good news of a glorious future resurrection through the work of a Messiah was the only safe message for the church.

While Peter was able to eventually confess that Jesus was “the Christ, the Son of the living God,” he could not fathom that the achievement of God's ultimate purposes required the cross. Jesus would use His chosen friends to proclaim the truth of the Scriptures, but He Himself would be the Rock upon which He would build His church. Only our Lord could ever have been the “Cornerstone” in “Zion” (Isaiah 28:16 cited in 1 Peter 2:6).

The “gates of hell” would not be able to “prevail” against Christ's worshiping assembly. Jesus would grant the “keys of the kingdom of heaven” to fallible human beings within His covenant community. They would preach the gospel, administer sacraments, and pastor the flock, making their assessments regarding rightful participation in the Lord's assembly based on the Word of the Almighty.

Though God would have a special role for such shepherds and teachers among His people (Ephesians 4:11), all of those who enjoyed the communion of His table would need to have a fuller appreciation for the work of Christ than Peter originally understood. They would need to embrace the unique role of the Son of God as the Sin-Bearer, following their Lord in a life of sacrificial love. “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross.”

The life of blessing that God envisioned for humanity would not end with the death of Jesus on the cross. That one sacrifice would be the beginning of a new reign of heavenly love. The doctrines of the Pharisees and Sadducees could never have brought the world such a glorious hope.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Great God, why have we been so slow to love and follow You? Why do we approach Your Word with doubt? Please grant believers a fuller measure of faith. The leaven of false teachers and hypocrites finds a ready ear even among Your disciples. Send us the Spirit of Christ and build Your church. Move us forward with the message of the forgiveness of sins. Help true preachers to proclaim the glory of the cross, for Your children walk too quickly in the direction of worldliness. Set our hearts upon Your ways, and show the faithful Your kingdom.