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Matthew 1 & 2
I see several times, (4) where Matthew refers back to the Old Testament scriptures to verify this was the promised Messiah. Evidently he was doing his best to convince the people he was writing to of this truth. That would suggest to me his main target would be Jewish leaders who knew the scriptures well. Put that all together for a moment and we can readily see we need always to consider both the Old and the New Testament when we are seeking answers to our issues.

Notice how King Herod and all of Jerusalem were disturbed when they heard of the birth of Jesus. Have you also noticed how often people today, both the religious and non-religious become disturbed when Jesus is truly born in someone’s life? But also notice how many are blessed as well. Truth being, what blesses one person disturbs another and visa versa.

After Jesus was baptized in water the Spirit led Him into the desert, there he was tempted by the devil. While He was fasting He became hungry and that is when Satan came to see him.

One thing for sure Satan will always come to visit us. He always seems to know just where we are vulnerable. Sometimes it is our strength, sometimes our weakness, but always a time and place where we are easy prey. Jesus was hungry, a natural need. That is where He was tempted.

Men, by nature are sex driven some more than others. Satan uses that natural drive to trap us time and time again. We see and we lust, we lust and we give in. We become deceived and useless or at least weakened in spiritual matters. The Kingdom of God suffers because of it. How do we get victory? Notice in verse 10 Jesus says “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.” Can I use sex as an act of worship? I believe so. If and when I can use the intimate time with my spouse as a way to praise God in the same sense as I do on Sunday
Morning Worship when I forget about everything and everyone else and concentrate on pleasing Him, my natural sex drive becomes an act of worship. I will have a much stronger marriage and my lusting eyes will not even think of looking for satisfaction in forbidden places.

Just in case you missed it, pleasing her is in effect pleasing Him. That is one of my reasonable sacrifices and acts of worship. While pleasing myself is nothing more than self-serving lust Satan uses again and again to make me weak and in-effective.

Matthew 8
This chapter tells us much about healing. Notice how much of it was for persons outside the loop of the normal church; leprosy, a Roman soldier, and two demon possessed men. Then there was Peter's mother-in-law, a woman. Women were considered less than equal in so many ways. In some cases they were completely useless.
The great religious traditions were being slapped in the face as Jesus made His healing rounds. Their leaders just couldn't get the idea Jesus was the King they had been promised and whom they had read about. Their idea of the Kingdom of Heaven was nothing like this where the riff-raff of the community came in. Neither could they see Jesus as a King of anything. He was a lowly Galilean carpenter born out of wedlock and raised by His mother.
But here He was casting out demons, healing the sick and even calming the weather patterns. They witnessed all this yet they could not believe the Kingdom had arrived. We say, "How slow they were to learn."

But how much different is it today? People around the world are witnessing the same miracles today as the Jews did in that day, yet a great percentage of them deny the very existence of the Kingdom and are waiting for some other great sky-splitting event to happen. Will we never believe, are we so dull, is our faith so non-existent we cannot see Jesus as the King reigning over His Kingdom on this earth even as I write this message? The people of Jesus time were told that very same thing--dull, slow, and faithless. Let us not find ourselves stranded outside looking in burying the dead when we should be living with the living.

Matthew 10 (v.7)
Notice the very first message Jesus instructed the disciples to preach was; "the Kingdom of Heaven is near." Has anything changed, do we need a new or different message. I think not. Even today when the message of the Kingdom is preached with all its light and glory people, communities, towns, and even countries are changed.
Much to the joy of the enemy, the message of the kingdom either has been or is being replaced with a different message. That message depends mostly on how we are taught in the church we attend now or the one we first started out with.

I heard a statement some time ago that I totally agree with. It was in essence, the message Jesus preached was the Kingdom of God, not the message of salvation that we so often hear.
To that I add, the Kingdom brings with it a way of life that is above and beyond anything we ever hoped for or deserved. That is what Jesus died for. His death brought in the Kingdom. That is so much more far reaching than an experience of personal salvation. Yes salvation is a part of it, but the Kingdom is so much more. We too often get stuck on the salvation message, a very small and personal thing and neglect the Kingdom message which brings so much more to all.

As we finish reading chapter 10, is there any wonder why men do not take God at His word. If we become dynamic men of faith and proclaim the message of the Kingdom, look what will happen to us as described in these verses. Evidently we have not recognized who is in control and our faith is somewhat wanting otherwise we would not care what men say but would be concerned what the Father says. Evidently we have a greater awareness of what men will say or do than we do of
what the Father says or does.

I share with you something I read not long ago about faith. "What could I accomplish if I took God at His Word?" Faith is the foundational principle of the Christian life. Believing who God is, what He says, what He has done, and what He will do defines the kingdom of God. Furthermore, faith is the essence of the Christian's day-to-day activity. Paul wrote: "As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him" How did you receive Christ? By faith; how then are you to walk in Him? By faith; in Scripture, walking refers to the way you conduct your everyday life. Victorious
Christian living and spiritual maturity are determined by our belief in God.We tend to think of faith as some kind of mystical quality which belongs only in the realm of the spiritual. But everyone walks by faith. It is the most basic operating principle of life. The question is, in what or in whom do you believe? We are challenged to believe in God and take His Word seriously. Quite a challenge isn’t it? How many accept it? Do you, do I? I say, “count me in” but my life doesn’t always show it nor do I really want it to, I might get persecuted, or disliked, or some other horrible thing like ignored.

Matthew 12:15-18
The disciples became aware the people would soon be hungry so they told Jesus to send them to the nearest village to buy food for them. How like that we are even today. We meet someone who is hungry for the bread of life and we want to send them off to the nearest church (village) or make sure they get to our own church.

Jesus told his disciples and most likely is telling us today, “Don’t send them away, you feed them”. Take what you have and share it with them and that will be more than enough to satisfy their hunger. There will even be some left over for another time. The number doesn’t really matter in this incident nor should it matter in our own life. In fact it may be a determent. Often we want to feed thousands but we only have enough for that one who comes to us. We should recognize that fact and offer what we have to whom ever desires it at that specific time and not worry if we are feeding the multitudes.

Matthew 13 (v 31-32)
A man took a seed and planted it into the field and it grew to a huge tree, so large the fowl of the air came and lodged in its branches. I try to make is short but there is so much meaningful truth it may be difficult. I like parables or analogies. These in this chapter are especially strong to me.

The man here is Jesus, the seed is the church (or Kingdom of God), and the field represents the world. Jesus came planted a very small seed into the world of mankind. Yes it was a very small beginning it has grown into a great institution recognized the world over. So large that every kind of foul bird can come and nest in it without ever contributing anything to its growth. It comes; it rests, nests, raises it’s young, and sheds its dropping over all the other branches.

I would think one should consider being a part of the true branches rather than just roosting on them. I know true fruit comes from the branches not the nest of some bird regardless of how beautiful the bird may be. It makes a very heartwarming story for the shelter, repose, and blessings it brings to the entire world and its inhabitances. And while there is some truth in it, I cannot believe it was for that purpose the Kingdom was established.

Remember, Jesus said Luke 4:43 "I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent." and Luke 4:18-19” The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." I believe this to be the purpose of the Kingdom and why it was established.

Personally I want to be a part of the branches of the Tree and I do not want to just sit on the branches enjoying the comfort of the shade and pooping on everyone under me.

V. 52 He said to them, "Therefore every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.
Somehow it is difficult to understand the scope of the kingdom of heaven if we do not look at its place in the Old Testament. So much is written about it there. We see shadow after shadow or inference after inference in the Old Testament without a clear view of its total picture. It is much like looking at a negative of a real picture. However in the New Testament the Kingdom really comes to life. We see not only the magnitude of it, but also the results of it. The healings, the setting captives free, releasing the power of the Holy Spirit etc.

This verse tells us if we are teaching about God’s great provision we cannot ignore the Old. We are to bring out the Old and place it with the New. In fact it is all but impossible to separate the two in this area.

My analogy would be like a person who was having an estate sale. When you attended the sale you would see many old things that were very useable for their day that would not come close to the needs of our day as well as many new things we need today. Take the telephone for example. You might see an old fashion crank type phone along with the new modern picture phone. While there is a great difference the two, you cannot separate one from the other as for its main purpose--communication. It was from the old crank that the new picture phone derived. It’s just the difference in cultures and times. At one time the old phone was the useable mode of communication. Times were much simpler then. Now times require a much more sophisticated mode of communication.

The same is so with the teachings of the kingdom then and now. Without the old the new would not make much sense, and without the new it would be far less than effective for today and for you and me. This verse tells us teaching about the kingdom requires we see it both in the Old Testament and the New Testament. The store room is full of treasures from both.

Matthew 17:14-20
Has this happened to you? You have an experience when you feel the presence of the Lord so real and close that you want to just stay there. You want to remove yourself from everything else and just bask in the glory of the Lord.Most likely you have and most likely too it wasn’t long after you experienced a moment of great defeat. That seems to be the way things happen to us. I must
always be aware and on guard or I will forget who I am in the Kingdom and who Christ is in me. (Satan’s way to defeat me)

Then: Is Jesus less than pleased with our times of defeat as He seemed to be with the disciples? After all He had given them power and instruction earlier to heal, deliver, and restore. He has given us this same power and we too often are not as productive as we could be. And look at His answer at how to get it done; Prayer and Fasting!

Is it truth to say as a group we spend a greater portion of our time eating than we do praying? Has anyone out there set three times a day to spend at least one half hour in prayer like most of us do for meals

Matthew 19 v14-15
This is the second time little children came to Jesus. It is also the second time the disciples wanted to send them away. This is the second time Jesus told them “child likeness” is the answer to entering the kingdom of heaven.

Let your thoughts run with me for a while. What is child likeness?
1. Little children worship and adore their father.
2. Little children trust their father implicitly for everything, protection food,
shelter, and so much more.
3. Little children would try to please their father no matter what the consequences.
4. Little children want to spend all their time with their father.
5. Little will tell everyone they talk to about the greatness of their father.
6. Little children will always want to climb into the fathers lap and just stay there.
7. Little children always want the father to see what they are doing or accomplishing.
8. Little children know their father will always have their best interest a heart.
9. Little children know their father will come to their rescue when they are in trouble or danger.
10. Little children know their father will discipline them when they are less than obedient.

Matthew 20:1-16
Have you ever noticed how easy it is to get caught up in this same situation of complaining of how I have done so much and John Doe has done so little yet Mr. Doe gets far more credit than I? Isn’t that just disgusting, especially if I am doing it for the sole purpose of gaining approval? I would seem to me if I was doing it as a worship time or an offering to the Lord God it really would not matter how long I worked and who got what credit. Perhaps I should make an adjustment in my thinking how about YOU?

Matthew 21:5
How about this incident in the life of Jesus, the leader in every sense. Look, your king (king denotes power, pomp, riches, celebrity etc) but not Jesus. His demeanor, His appearance, His attitude was nothing like a king. It was nothing like anyone before had ever been and probably not since. He is King yet so lowly in appearance. Is it any wonder the people of the day did not believe in Him?

Could that be the reason it is hard for us to believe in Him completely? We can’t stand to be humiliated in the least yet it is inevitable if we follow Him we will be humbled even crushed.
Who will say to himself, “I want to be humiliated so I will seek Jesus?” Often we seek Him because we want Him to do something for us. Usually it is to fix something we have broken because of our stubborn pride. Jesus knew what was to happen to Him, yet he came into the city, not with show of pride and strength but with a show of humility and meekness and a gentle spirit.

I remember a few things that have happened to me along life’s path and how anger and indignation have risen up and was very hard to put away. I also remember and am so thankful for the grace of God that comes in these times and sees me through when my spirit is so troubled.

Matthew 22:29
Jesus told His critics they were in error because they didn’t know the scriptures. How about you and I? Do we often error because we are not familiar with the Word of God? Ultimately who is to say what this scripture or that scripture really means? We can listen to learned and experienced teachers tell us about them and certainly they can bring light to any subject but in the final analysis it is the
Holy Spirit that reveals truth to us.

I would think we need to be very intimate with Jesus and the Spirit in order to really understand and live out the real truth. We all have seen and heard how the scriptures can be turned, twisted, and abused in order to get across some particular point or behavior pattern. Sometimes this is very good and sometimes not so good. However when we truly seek the Spirit’s guidance and interpretation we are far less prone to error. Beware of those who would use the Holy Bible to seduce you.

Matthew 23
Neil Anderson (author of the 7 step program) has written some very good comments regarding some of these issues. I want to quote some of his thoughts something I don’t often do but he makes it so clear.
Neil Anderson writes: The Talmud, a collection of ancient rabbinic writings, relates the story of Rabbi Akiba, who was imprisoned. Rabbi Joshua brought him some water, but the guard spilled half of the container. There was too little water to both wash and drink, and Rabbi Akiba faced the possibility of death for lack of water if he chose to use the water for ceremonial washing. He reasoned, “He who eats with unwashed hands perpetuates a crime that ought to be punished by death.
Therefore it is better for me to die of thirst than to transgress the traditions of my ancestors.”
Jesus responded harshly to such reasoning. He cautions that the weightier matters of the law, (such as justice and mercy) are overlooked when attention focuses on strict observances of religious practices. This leads to a corresponding negligence of the eternal laws of God. Jesus told people to pay more attention to cleansing their hearts and not be like their leaders who cleanse only their hands.
The laws of God are liberating and protective. They are restrictive only when they protect us from the evil one. The rules of any institution should ensure the freedom of each individual to reach his or her God-given potential. They should serve as a guide so we don’t stray from our purpose, and they should protect us from those who abuse the system.

The principle that Jesus modeled could be stated as follows: If people are commanded to follow a traditional practice that makes life more difficult and no longer contributes to the purpose of the organization, then we must not participate as a matter of religious conscience. Jesus simply didn’t observe such traditions, and He defended His disciples for not observing them as well.
(End of quote )

Here are my thoughts. Man is always making rules and then is always seeking ways to break them and justify his action i.e. our own US constitution. How many rules have been added to it in order to keep men from being punished for breaking the original ones?
I believe this happens in everyday life, institutions of all kinds including the church make rules which are broken then justified in order to avoid punishment of some kind. (In the church “someone may be offended”)
I also believe even more strongly' within the church, every time a rule is made the spirit dies just a bit. Paul wrote in 2 Corn. 3:6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant-not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. (In this context the letter means the law)

In spiritual matters when we make a rule, we take away a freedom. When enough rules are made we live by the rule and not by the spirit. Then would I say we need no rules? Never! I would say we need to check our motives. An intimate relationship with Jesus will cause us to want to obey the Spirit and that should be the entire motive we need. A rule should only be made as a guideline not the law.

Matthew 24
is a place in the Scriptures that is so abused by so many teachers or preachers and layman. My thoughts here are so different than most people believe, heard or have been taught I cannot even begin to convey them in such a small context so I won’t even try.
My one over-riding thought I will convey perhaps it will be enough said. If the sick are being made well, the blind are receiving their sight, the lame walking, the dead rising, and the gospel of the Kingdom is spreading, then surely the Kingdom of God is upon us. Jesus told the disciples these things would happen when the Kingdom comes in power. It makes no sense to me whatsoever, for any body of believers large or small to claim these and other happenings are taking place and at the same say the Kingdom is coming sometime in the future.

If I get caught up in all the different interpretations of the “last day” theology and try to decipher them out I will most certainly miss out on what God is doing today in my life.

Matthew 28 includes among other thoughts a command to baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Water baptism is always a time of rejoicing for the local body. I will challenge you to think beyond the physical act of water baptism into something more of the spiritual nature. I am NOT minimizing the act of baptism, not in the least. I just want to plant a thought that takes us much deeper.

We are all familiar with the different methods of baptism, washing, sprinkling, immersion etc. This was a practice way back when. In the times of Jesus, the priest, the teachers, and all the leaders were always concerned about the washing away of dirt. The strove to be ceremonially clean. It was their religious traditions. John came using the baptism in water for the remission of sins this was good too. For the people then it was a sign of repentance of their many faults and shortcomings, sins.
They heard the message of John and were willing to change their ways, baptism was the outward sign.
When Jesus came He was baptized in order to fulfill all righteousness. What a difference, John’s baptism was for the remission of sins, Jesus was baptized to righteousness.

Later on Jesus tells the disciples, “John’s baptized with water, but I will baptize you with fire and the Holy Spirit. Indeed the disciples were baptized with both. Then he tells them to go into the world and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Teach them to obey. I have said (written) all of that to say this:

When we read this verse we automatically think of water baptism. Is this as far as it goes or is there so much more intended here? Remember in your bible studies how a name always had meaning in those times. There is meaning in the Name of Jesus, the Name of God, and the Name of the Holy Spirit. If somehow we could be immersed in these names, if they so permeated our being in a spiritual manner that our first thoughts were always the same as any or all of them. If our whole spiritual being was so in touch with theirs what would it be like for us? Would we be cleaner than any washing of our body parts in water, any immersion in water, any sprinkling with any holy or unholy water? If our beings were immersed in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and they were the ones cleansing us in all ways, would not the acting out our lives hold so much more meaning than a symbol of repentance, death, and resurrection baptism?

I suggest being baptized in water is good; baptized into all righteousness is “gooder”. Again I want you to understand I am not talking against water baptism, I am talking for something beyond that symbolism. If you can hear this it is great, if you cannot hear it that is great as well. I don’t plan on starting some new fad. These are just some thoughts as I read this chapter. Perhaps you have some as well you would like to share with all of us.

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