Matthew 13:24-27

Matthew 13:24-27

He set another parable before them while saying, “The kingdom of heaven was being like a man who sowed good seed into his field.  But in the sleeping of his men, his enemy came and sowed undesirable seed upon and in the midst of the wheat.  And he went away.  And when the grass sprouted and made fruit, then the undesirable seed also appeared.  And after the slaves of the master of the house came, they said to him, “Lord, did you not sow good seed into your field?  How then does it have undesirable seed?”

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Jesus begins the parable by saying that the kingdom of heaven is like a man who started with great intentions.  The man sowed good seed.  There was nothing wrong with his effort.  This is equivalent to God creating the world in perfection.  There was nothing wrong with God’s creation.  The world started in perfection – God’s perfection.

Do you believe that God’s creation was perfect?  If it was perfect, then what happened to it?

Second Thought:

Notice that nobody saw that anything was wrong until the seed that had been sowed matured.  This tells us just how hard it is to distinguish between God’s perfect hand at work and the sinfulness of the world around us.  Of course, that doesn’t mean that sinfulness can look like perfection.  What it means is that to tell the difference you have to intimately know.  You can’t often tell true good from true evil until you look and examine very closely.  What sometimes looks to be good turns out to be horribly wrong.  What sometimes looks questionable is actually God’s plan!  Through all of this, Jesus is not only telling us that we must look closely but also that we shouldn’t be so hard on ourselves if we miss something.  Sometimes we cannot tell the difference until enough time has passed for fruit to be borne.

Have you ever had a hard time distinguishing between good and evil?  What makes some situations difficult?

Third Thought:

Notice also that the servants come and question their master.  They don’t doubt him, per se.  Neither do they assert that he is wrong.  But they do admit their confusion.  They do admit that the present reality isn’t matching up with what they thought should be happening.  How often we as human beings are quick to turn back to God and ask Him why things aren’t perfect if He’s in control!  How often do we turn to God and ask why the present reality doesn’t match our expectations!

Do you ever ask God why your present reality doesn’t match expectation?  Why is that an understandable – but wrong – human reaction?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 13:28-30

Matthew 13:18-23

Matthew 13:18-23

Therefore, hear – you all – the parable of the one who sows.  While anyone hears the word of the kingdom and while not understanding, the evil one comes and snatches away that which has been sown in his heart.  This is that which was being sown over the road.  And that which has been sown upon the rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and the one who immediately receives it with joy.  Yet it does not have root in himself but rather it is temporary.  And after affliction or distress becomes because of the word he immediately stumbles.  And that which is sown into the thorny space, this is the one who hears the word and the concern of the world and the deception of wealth and it becomes unfruitful.  Ant that which is sown upon the good earth, this is the one who hears the word and who understands.  Indeed, he bears fruit and even produces a yield in one case a hundredfold, in another case sixtyfold, and in another case thirtyfold.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

There is a neat point to consider in Jesus’ explanation of the seed sown over the road.  Notice what Jesus says.  Anyone who hears while not understanding.  Jesus isn’t trying to insult the dumb or those who simply aren’t intellectually gifted.  He’s trying to send a message to those who are lazy!  If you hear and don’t understand, the natural conclusion is that you should ask a question about it!  So if you hear and you don’t go to the person sharing with you and ask for more understanding, shame on you!  Jesus is telling us that in such times we are doing nothing than giving Satan the time he needs to snatch away what we might have heard.  When we hear, do not understand, and do not take the time to understand, we get what we deserve and keep on failing to understand.

Have you ever been in a place where you heard but didn’t understand?  Did you seek understanding or let the opportunity pass you by?  Why would you occasionally let an opportunity pass you by?

Second Thought:

With respect to the seed of the rocky soil and the thorny soil, Jesus gives us two other common issues with coming to a relationship with the Father.  It is common for persecution to come.  It is common for us to have to make tough choices to follow the Father obediently or fall bake into the comfort of a self-centered world.  It is common for our goals to be shifted off of godliness and onto wealth or other joys in the world.  We can either be scared away from God or drawn away from God.  Jesus is telling us that there are many reasons that we do not grow closer to God when we have every opportunity to grow closer to Him.

When are you likely to be scared away from God or even persecuted because of your faith?  When are you likely to be drawn away from God by the lures of this world?  What can you do to help prevent either of these circumstances?

Third Thought:

Finally, we also get to the good soil.  Notice how Jesus characterizes the good soil.  All he says about it is that there is a production of fruit.  There is a yield.  Faith is passed on.  There is transmission of relationship with God.  Those are the terms that Jesus uses to describe the seed of the good soil.

Does your life have a yield?  Is there a transmission of faith from you into others around you?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 13:24-27

Matthew 13:16-17

Matthew 13:16-17

But your eyes are blessed because they see.  And your ears are blessed because you hear.  For amen I say to you all that many prophets and righteous ones longed to see what you all see – and they did not see – and to hear what you hear – and they did not hear.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Jesus tells His disciples just how precious their situation is.  They actually got to walk with the Son of God.  They got to hear perfect love, perfect righteousness, perfect correction, and perfect teaching.  Of course, the same could be said for the people who rejected Jesus while He lived on earth.  So certainly not everyone saw and believed.  But Jesus’ disciples did.  They got to experience it all first-hand.

Have you ever wished you were there among Jesus’ disciples?  What about that opportunity might you relish?  Can you understand why they were blessed?

Second Thought:

That same blessing applies to us.  In fact, some might say that we are even more blessed.  We not only get to hear Jesus’ teaching, but we get to hear it all in the perspective of knowing the end result: the resurrection.  We get to have the witness of Paul and all of Jesus’ disciples who were beaten and abused for their faith.  We get to have their faithful witness added to Jesus’ perfect teaching.  We may not walk hand in hand with Jesus in a physical sense, but we get to live completely with an awesome perspective of what exactly God was doing and is willing to do.

Do you feel as blessed as Jesus’ own disciples?  Do you feel blessed in that you get the opportunity to live after the story has been told and fully revealed?

Third Thought:

Then we get to a very humbling realization.  The disciples were blessed because they got to live with Jesus.  We are blessed because we have the perspective of the end of the story.  But there were scores of people who lived before Christ.  There were scores of people for whom just the promise of Christ was enough.  Now that’s faith.  Those are people worth holding in high regard.  Those are people who reveal to us what living in the hope of a promise looks like.  As we look towards eternal life with God, the prophets and righteous people who lived before Christ can show us what such a life looks like lived in hope. 

Do you live in hope?  Do you know others who live in hope?  How can you look to the prophets and righteous people of old for inspiration?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 13:18-23

Matthew 13:10-15

Matthew 13:10-15

And after the disciples came they said to Him, “Because of what reason do you speak in parables to them?”  And the one who answered said to them, “Because to you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of heaven.  And to those it has not been given.  For whoever has, it will be given and it will be present abundantly.  But the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.  Because of this I speak to them in parables: because while seeing they do not see and while hearing they neither hear nor understand.  And the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled to them while saying, ‘By hearing you all will hear and you all should surely not understand.  And while seeing you all will see and you all should surely not behold.  For the heart of this people was being made thick and they heard with heavy ears and they closed their own eyes lest they should see by the eyes and they should hear with ears and they should understand with the heart and they should turn their life back and I will heal them.’”

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Look closely at the disciples question to Jesus.  They say to Jesus, “Why do you speak in parables to them?”  They are noticing a change in how Jesus teaches the crowd versus how Jesus teaches them.  They don’t ask, “Why do you use parables?”  They ask, “Why do you use parables with them?”  This sheds great light upon the post that I wrote two days back.  Jesus is using parables with the crowd while not using them with His disciples because they are already His disciples.  There is no need for Jesus to see who is really interested among His disciples.  The truth is that they are already interested!  Thus, Jesus absolutely employs a different methodology when teaching the disciples than He uses when teaching the crowds.  When Jesus is teaching the disciples, He speaks truth – sometimes hard truth – all up front.  But when Jesus instructs the crowd He’s giving them truth, but He’s doing it in a way that allows Him to discern who is really seeking the truth and who is really willing to pursue it.

How does the disciples’ question to Jesus help you understand the use of parables?  Does the disciples’ question help you discern you own ability to use parables?

Second Thought:

Jesus’ reply to the disciples is blunt.  Jesus essentially says, “You all want to know, so I speak it plain to you and give you as much as you can handle.  However, those people haven’t decided that they want to know.  So until they decide that they are willing to pursue the truth even what they do know will be put in question.”  You don’t get more blunt than that.  Those who come to Jesus in honest and submitted faith will receive truth – even difficult truth.  But those who are just looking for a spectacle or a free meal will walk away with just as many questions if not more.

Does this make sense to you?  Why would it make sense that those who come with a submitted and seeking heart will find that for which they are looking?  Does it make sense to you that those who come only looking for their own interests would walk away with as many or more questions about Jesus and God?

Third Thought:

The quote from Jesus always makes me sad when I hear it.  It shows us once more what we find all over the Gospels.  The main reason that people reject God and reject Jesus is because it inherently implies change.  One cannot genuinely believe in God without also believing all that for which God stands.  When one truly comes to God, we have to abandon our own ways and embrace His.  That’s a hard decision to truly make.  Many people do not want to make that decision.  So they shut their ears, close their eyes, and block out their mind.  People have every right to make that decision.  But it saddens me that people turn away from God because they desire to live their life their way more than anything else.

Do you open your ears to God?  Do you open your eyes to God?  Is your mind open to God’s truth?  Are you willing to reform your life so that rather than you living it is God who is living within you?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 13:16-17

Matthew 13:3-9

Matthew 13:3-9

And He said many things to them in parables while saying, “Behold!  The one who sows went out to sow.  And in one case in his sowing it fell over the road.  And after birds came they consumed it.  But in another case it fell upon the thin soil with bedrock beneath it where it was not having much soil.  And it sprouted leaves immediately because it did not have a depth of earth.  But after the sun rose it was being scorched and because it did not have any roots it was being withered.  But in another case it fell upon the thorny plants.  And the thorny plants grew and they choked it.  But in another case it fell upon the good earth and it was giving fruit: in one case a hundred, in another case sixty, and in another case thirty.  Let the one who has an ear hear!

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

I think this is one of my favorite parables because there is such depth to it.  I think it is also one of my favorite because I know all four levels of the parable speak into different times of my life.  For example, take the seed that falls onto the path.  Have I had times in my life where people were trying to pour God into me and I just wasn’t interested?  Of course I have!  I know what it is like to be the path.  I know what it is like to have that kind of life where I know God is trying to come in but I’m just not that interested.

When are you most likely to be the path?  When are you most likely to have people who want to pour God into you and you just aren’t interested in it?

Second Thought:

Take the second type of ground: thin soil.  I used to always call this the rocky ground.  But then I learned that the word here in the context of Palestine doesn’t mean ground with a bunch of rocks in it.  Instead, it is referring to a ground type that is common in the area of Palestine.  It is referring to soil that has a very thin layer of topsoil spread thinly over a thick layer of bedrock.  It isn’t soil that has rocks in it; it is soil that is thin.  Of course, this understanding makes much more sense in the parable!  I certainly know what it is like to receive God’s teaching but not really apply it to my life.  I know what it is like to memorize Bible verses without actually living them out.  I know what it is like to pray by just going through the motions without actually meaning it.  I know what it is like to receive the Word of God but not really let it change who I am.

When are you most likely to be thin soil?  When are you most likely to receive the Word of God but not really be interested in letting it change you?

Third Thought:

The third type of soil is equally as common in my life.  I know what it is like to receive the Word of God and even want to apply it into my life – yet I am unable to do so because I’m just to busy and have far too many other things on my mind to really let it sink in.  I want to listen.  I want to obey.  I want to change.  But I know what it is like to not do any of those things because the cares of the world are too overwhelming.

When are you most likely to be the soil that is full of thorns?  When are you most likely to hear, to even want to change, but to be unable to do so?

Fourth Thought:

The fourth type of soil is the prize soil, but it is often the soil to which I am striving as opposed to the soil that I am living in.  It is a blessed thing to be able to hear and receive God’s truth and actually have it change who you are.  It isn’t easy.  It certainly isn’t always fun.  But it is good to be in a place in life where we are actively changing because of the truth being sowed into us by God.

When are you most likely to be good soil?  When are you most likely to actually change and truly draw near to God?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 13:10-15

Matthew 13:1-3

Matthew 13:1-3

In that very day, after Jesus went out of the house, He was sitting beside the sea.  And great crowds were being gathered to Him so that after He got into the boat to sit down, even the crowds had stood upon the beach.  And He said many things to them in parables …

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

In this section we see a very important transition that is easy to miss because we can immediately focus upon the parables of Jesus that are so prominent in this chapter.  Notice that Jesus leaves His house and is now teaching upon the shoreline.  Jesus had begun His ministry teaching in the synagogues.  He had gone to the more religiously inclined people first to give them an opportunity to hear.  However, that door was now closing to Him.  As His popularity grew, He was increasingly less welcome in the more traditional places where God was talked about.  As Jesus fit less and less into the traditional box, He likewise became less and less welcome.

Why is it important to notice that Jesus’ location of ministry has this change?  How does this help us understand the crucifixion of Jesus?  How does this story likewise foreshadow what happens to Paul and some of Jesus’ other disciples?

Second Thought:

Another important thing to note is that Jesus did not stop.  Just because Jesus didn’t fit into the traditional places of religion doesn’t mean that He stopped.  We don’t find Jesus sulking and brooding in His house.  We find Jesus continuing to go out into the world.  We find Jesus preaching in more natural settings like beside a lake.  We need to make sure that If we follow Jesus in persecution that we also follow Jesus’ example in pushing through the persecution.  We may be told to move along, but we should never allow ourselves to be told that our voice is silenced.  There are many in this world who deserve the chance to hear about God even if there are people who demonstrate that they do not want to hear it from us.

Have you ever allowed the world to silence your voice?  Why do we often allow ourselves to be silenced when we feel unwelcome?  How can Jesus’ example here be inspiring to us?

Third Thought:

Finally, notice that Jesus teaches in terms of parables.  I’m going to make a short list of why it is important for Jesus to do so:

1. Parables help make the abstract become concrete.  Parables allow us to take a broad idea and make some very discernible points in concrete example.  Parables begin the process of taking truth and helping us apply it properly to our own life.
2. Parables also help us grow.  In order to learn something we do not understand, we usually start with what we do understand.  As our understanding increases, so does the number of places that other teachers can use to begin new teaching within us.  This is what allows our understanding to grow exponentially in many instances.  This is what allows rapid growth to occur – especially when things are new and we are learning many new small things quickly.
3. Parables draw interest.  Anyone can talk about theoretical.  But we we start talking about the experiential things become interesting because they truly take root and have implications.
4. Parables are a great place for master teachers to get the students to discover truth for themselves.  A master teacher can use a story and then ask, “So what in it do you think is important?”  Parables can help students learn to draw their own conclusions and then weed out the good answers from the bad.
5. Parables also allow for great listening opportunities.  A master teacher can relate a story and use it to help them hear where their listeners are in their life and where they need to teach.  When a teacher speaks in parables and the students ask questions, the teacher can use that information to focus their teaching in and around the same areas about which the students are asking.
6. All of these reasons point to perhaps the greatest reason.  Parables allow for a weeding out of the lazy and the unmotivated.  Anyone can hear a parable.  Anyone can even hear a parable and draw the simple conclusions.  But in using a parable, a master teacher can see who the truly motivated students by watching who the ones are that continue to come back and ask more questions, wrestle with the initial content, take the content into other areas in their life, etc.  Parables put the responsibility of learning upon the shoulders of the student, which is truly where it belongs.

How skilled are you at using parables?  How skilled at using parables are the people in your life who have made the greatest spiritual impact upon your life?  How do you think people get skilled at using parables as a foundation for teaching?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 13:3-9

Matthew 12:46-50

Matthew 12:46-50

While He still spoke to the crowd, behold!  His mother and his brothers had stood outside while seeking to speak to Him.  And someone said to Him, “”Behold!  Your mother and brothers have stood outside while seeking to speak to you.”  And the one who replied said to the one who spoke to Him, “Who is my mother and who are my brothers?”  And after stretching out His hand upon His disciples He said, “Behold!  My mother and my brothers!  For whoever should do the will of my Father who is in heaven – he is my brother and sister and mother.”

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

I’m going to be frank for a moment – although note that at the end of this thought I will temper my frank speech.  We know from other places in Matthew, Mark, and Luke that Jesus was not understood by His family while He was doing ministry.  They came to Him because they thought He was insane.  See Mark 3:21.  How sad is it that even Jesus’ family struggled to accept what He was!  What we can learn from this is that even people who should know better can doubt God’s work.  We as human beings are prone to doubts and questions when God seems to be working outside the box we’d rather put Him in.  It’s not right, but it is natural.

I said I would temper this, and I will.  We know that Mary was at Jesus’ crucifixion and likely was one of the major resources that Luke used to write his Gospel.  Several of Jesus’ brothers came around to see what Jesus was about after Jesus’ death and resurrection – James and Jude even have letters in the Bible named for them.  So while they went through periods of doubting and questioning, they also finished well!

Have you ever doubting what God was doing in your life?  Have you ever questioned God?  Why do we as human beings tend to have moments like this?

Second Thought:

 Let’s talk a bit about the qualification that Jesus lists for being Jesus’ brother, sister, or mother.  Jesus says that His mother, brother, and sister are those who do the will of the Father in heaven.  To put it bluntly, Jesus is talking about people who are both submitted to God and united around the common purpose of God’s will.  We become family with Jesus not through physical blood but through spiritual alignment with the Father’s will.

Are you pursuing God’s ways?  Are you family with Jesus?

Third Thought:

Of course, Jesus is making a really incredible claim about His family.  As Jesus spreads His hands out over His disciples, remember the differences among His disciples.  Fishermen.  Tax collectors.  Religious zealots.  Roman sympathizers.  Sibling pairs.  Once more Jesus reminds us that if we are truly pursuing God, we should be able to get along with other people who are pursuing God’s ways.

What purpose unites you with other disciples of Christ?  Are there any places of your agenda that divides you from other disciples of Christ?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 13:1-9

Matthew 12:43-45

Matthew 12:43-45

And when an unclean spirit should come out from the person, it comes through waterless places while seeking a place to rest and it does not find any.  Then it says, “I will return into my house from which I came.”  And after coming it finds it empty having been swept clean and made beautiful.  Then it goes out and takes with it seven other spirits more evil than itself and after entering in live there.  And the last condition of that man becomes worse than the first!  Thus it will also be for this evil generation.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

 Here is a scary thought that we can glean from this passage.  Notice that when Jesus speaks about an evil spirit coming out of a person that Jesus does not talk about the evil spirit being destroyed.  The spirit is driven away.  It is chased away.  But Jesus knows something true about humanity and the fallen condition of this world.  Evil can never be utterly and totally destroyed in this life.  God will deal with that after this world passes away.  But we will be wrestling against evil all of our life.

Is it depressing to think that we’ll never be free of evil in this life?  In what way can this truth actually be reassuring with respect to our faith?  Is complete freedom from evil ever possible on this side of the resurrection of the dead?

Second Thought:

Jesus is also giving us a hint of human psychology.  Any person can be reformed if through will-power, effort, and constant resistance to evil.  But look at what Jesus says.  If all that happens is the evil influence is removed, then the house – that is, the person – is swept clean but it remains empty.  Thus, what Jesus is telling us is that part of reforming the human being is not just cleaning house but changing house.  The time we used to spend doing evil must be filled with something good!  If I have a sinful vice that I want to stop, it will be easier to reform my thoughts and behavior if I stop doing it in conjunction with also starting a better action.  If we want to conquer evil and put it aside, we need to do more than restrict behavior.  We need to restrict behavior in conjunction with supporting positive action.  In this sense, religion that is all about “Thou shall not do” will never be enough.  We need to say, “This behavior will lead to bad consequences so instead do this positive action.”

When have you been successful at eliminating evil from your life only to fall back into the bad behavior later on?  Why did you fall back into the bad behavior? 

Third Thought:

Let’s also look at the consequences of not filling our life with good.  When we don’t fill our life with good, Jesus reminds us that evil is likely to bring friends.  In fact, Jesus tells us that the ending condition will be worse than the starting condition!  When we don’t fill our life with good, we are simply asking for evil to come in, take root, and grow into worse behavior.  I believe this is along the same lines as the old proverb that “Idle hands are the Devil’s playground.”  It’s not enough to just not do evil.  If all we do is “not do evil” we are just setting ourselves up for a time that we do find ourselves slipping into evil behavior.

Where in your life have you seen idle time drift into sinfulness?  Do you think humans beings are prone to trouble when we are idle?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 12:46-50

Matthew 12:38-42

Matthew 12:38-42

Then some of the scribes and Pharisees replied to Him while saying, “Teacher, we desire to see a sign from you.”  But the one who answered said to them, “And evil and wicked generation desires to experience a sign, and a sign will not be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.  For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a large sea monster, the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.  Ninevite men will stand up in the judgment with this generation and pronounce a judgment upon it because they repented into the preaching of Jonah.  And behold, one greater than Jonah is here!  A queen of the south will be raised up in judgment with this generation and pronounce judgment upon it because she came out of the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon.  And behold, one greater than Solomon is here!

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Isn’t it really interesting that the Jews come and ask for a sign?  In fact, in 1 Corinthians 1:22 Paul tells us that “Jews ask for a sign.”  I’ve also experienced that Christians often ask for a sign.  In fact, I think that occasionally it is the people who claim to know God that demand the most miraculous things!  It is almost as though in order for us to believe that God could speak through someone that they have to do something astoundingly incredible!  It is sad how people who should understand the concept of faith the most often seem to be the least likely to lean upon faith.

Do you ever find yourself wishing for a sign from God from time to time?  Why is this a bad path to go down? 

Second Thought:

To push this point further, Jesus even turns around to the Jews and tells them point blank that the people who demand a sign from God are an “evil and wicked generation.”  Those are not flattering words that Jesus uses to describe those who want a sign!  Again, what makes us evil and wicked when we want a sign is because it inherently shows a lack of a willingness to rely on faith.  I think we all know that it is human nature to want a sign.  But human nature is evil and wicked.  God calls us to rise up above our human nature.  God wants us to lean on and desire faith, not that which our own human nature demands.

In those moments when you want a sign, do you ever consider that desire to be evil and wicked?  How can you remember to be content in faith without needing a sign?

Third Thought:

Jesus wraps up this section by talking about two examples of people who heard God’s wisdom and approved of it.  The people of Nineveh were about to experience God’s wrath, and they repented!  God relented because they were willing to act upon faith that they heard.  Jonah didn’t do any incredible sign among them.  The people of Nineveh heard Jonah’s message and they were changed.  The queen of the south – the Queen of Sheba, if you will – traveled long and far to just have an opportunity to hear God’s truth through Solomon.  Here is a person dedicated to the Word of God more than the power of God.  Jesus values those who hear God and respond to His Word.  God wants us to know Him, His ways, and His truth.

Are you satisfied with the Word of God?  How quick are you to repent when confronted in word?  What makes it easy or hard to repent?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 12:43-45

Matthew 12:33-37

Matthew 12:33-37

Either make the tree good and its fruit good or make the tree of little value and its fruit of little value.  For out of the fruit the tree is being known.  You offspring of vipers!  How are you able to say good things while being evil?  For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.  The good man casts out good things out of his good treasure; and the evil man casts out evil things out of his evil treasure.  And I say to you all that every thoughtless word that mankind will say, they will give an account regarding their word in the day of judgment.  For out of your words you will be made righteous and out of your words you will be found guilty.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

The opening statement in today’s passage should be seen as a transitional phrase from what we spoke about yesterday and what we are going to speak about today.  Jesus is not saying that we can “make” the tree good or bad.  What Jesus is doing is telling the Pharisees from yesterday’s passage to decide for themselves if the tree is good or bad.  Jesus is telling them to decide if He is worth listening to because of His fruit or if He is not worth listening to because His fruit is bad.  This is the fundamental question that we all must face.  Is Jesus worth listening to?  Is He worth following?

What do you think?  Is Jesus worth following?  What will you give up to follow Him?  What is your final opinion on Jesus?

Second Thought:

Then Jesus gives us a really good teaching.  It is out of our heart that our mouth speaks.  We could also add that it is out of our heart that our actions come.  It is not our words and our actions that make our heart corrupt.  It is our corrupt heart that leads us to harsh words and poor actions.  If I strive for goodness to live within me through God, then it will be goodness and God that comes out of me.  If we treasure righteousness and God’s ways, then it is righteousness and God’s ways that will be modeled coming out of me.

What comes out of you?  Are you a fountain of good because God dwells within?

Third Thought:

Notice the emphasis of Jesus on the words that we say.  Jesus tells us that it is thoughtless words that will get us in trouble.  Another translation of the Greek word argos (ἀργός) is careless.  Jesus tells us that it is when we speak without thinking that we get into trouble.  It is when we speak without intention that we get into trouble.  Jesus is cautioning us to measure the words that we use with care.  Our words should be about godliness and drawing people into a relationship with God.

What do your words say about you?  How often do you speak without thinking?  How often do you regret things that you say?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 12:38-42

Matthew 12:29-32

Matthew 12:29-32

Or how is someone powerful enough to enter into the house of a strongman and forcefully take away his property – unless he should first bind the strongman?  And then he may thoroughly plunder his house.  The one who is not with me is against me.  And the one who does not gather with me scatters.  Because of this I say to you all: every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven to mankind, but the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.  And whoever should speak a word against the Son of Man – it will be forgiven to him.  But whoever should speak against the Holy Spirit – it will not be forgiven to him neither in this age nor in the age that is about to come.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

There is something that needs to be understood for this section of verses to make sense.  Jesus fully understands that God is the primary power in the universe.  However, Satan is the prince of this world.  Satan is likewise powerful – although certainly not as powerful as God.  But in order that human beings have free will to choose love of God, Satan’s power must be acknowledged and respected.  In that light, Jesus sees Himself as breaking into a world full of sin.  Jesus is the one breaking into the strongman’s house.  We need to respect and acknowledge the power that Satan does have in this world.  We should not follow it nor use it.  But we should acknowledge that in this parable Jesus compares himself to the one breaking into the strongman’s house.  Of course, Jesus likewise compares Himself to the one binding the strongman and plundering his house, too.  Satan may be powerful, but Jesus exerts power over Satan’s domain, too.

Why is it significant to understand that Jesus is comparing himself to a person breaking into a strongman’s house?  Do you see yourself as being in the same role as Jesus?  How might this affect how you see the world around you?

Second Thought:

Then Jesus makes a great pair of statements.  The one who is not with Jesus is by default against Him.  The one who is not gathering with Jesus is by default scattering.  I think this is a very imposing teaching.  Even if I am not antagonistic to Jesus I can still be against Him.  If I am pursuing my own agenda, then I’m not pursuing God’s agenda!  Even if my agenda is not contrary to Christ, the reality is that it is not in agreement with Him.  We like to think that there is neutral territory.  But there really isn’t.  Either I am actively helping to draw people closer to God through Christ or I’m not.

Are you with Christ, against Him, or for yourself?  Are you gathering with Christ?  How do you know?

Third Thought:

Finally, Jesus talks about forgiveness and things that will not be forgiven.  This is a very neat and confusing passage.  Jesus tells us that all sins against mankind can be forgiven.  Lying, sexual immorality, adultery, drunkenness, anger, even murder can be forgiven.  So what cannot be forgiven?  Humanity will not be forgiven when we speak out against the ministry of God.  The Holy Spirit is that which convicts us, draws us to God, and calls us forth.  When we deny the Holy Spirit’s call in our life – when we deny drawing closer to God in the first place – we will not be forgiven.  Human beings make all kinds of mistakes.  Those can be forgiven.  But what we will not be forgiven of is ultimately turning our back upon God.

How does it make you feel to hear that all things can and will be forgiven so long as we do not turn our back upon God?  Why is it important to understand our position with God and be open to His calling in our life?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 12:33-37

Matthew 12:25-28

Matthew 12:25-28

And having known their thoughts, He said to them, “Every kingdom after being divided against itself – or every city or every house after being divided against itself – will not continue to be set in place.  And if Satan casts out Satan, he was being divided against himself.  Therefore how will his kingdom stand?  And if I cast out demons in Beelzebub, in whom do your sons cast them out?  Because of this they will be your judge.  But if in the Spirit of God I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you all.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

I can’t help but be amused at Jesus’ quip about the sons of the Pharisees.  After all, Jesus is clearly giving the glory to God all throughout His ministry.  It’s not like He’s looking for His own glory, or His own wealth, or His own power.  He is doing all of these incredible acts all while giving glory to God.  If in doing this he is actually accused of doing it by Beelzebub’s power, then who is to say anyone is doing it by God’s power?  If we can’t trust a person who is giving all the glory to God, how we trust anyone – even the children of people we deem to be religious?

Why is it dangerous to denounce those who claim to be doing things in God’s name and genuinely not seeking their own fame or fortune?

Second Thought:

Jesus makes another great point about kingdoms being divided.  After all, if Satan was helping Jesus get rid of demonic possessions, then Satan’s kingdom would be working against itself.  We would naturally assume that when Satan’s kingdom fights against itself that humanity and the kingdom of God benefits!  If there is civil war in the ranks of Satan, that’s a good thing!  Of course, this naturally means that Satan would not act in such a manner.  Why would Satan want to help the kingdom of God?  No, it just doesn’t make sense that Satan would give Jesus the power to undo work that he had already accomplished.

Do you agree with Jesus’ logic?  What does this tell us about anyone who is claiming territory for the kingdom of God?

Third Thought:

Finally, Jesus reminds us that if demons are actually being cast out by the Spirit of God, then God’s kingdom is coming into our midst!  That’s reason to celebrate!  We return back to the point that we spoke about yesterday.  How sad is it that the kingdom of God comes into the midst of humanity and human beings reject it and even try to denounce it?  We should be celebrating the coming of the kingdom. 

How often do you think about the events in your life with respect to the coming of the kingdom?  Are you tuned in to what God is doing in your life on a regular basis?  How well are you celebrating His work in the world?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 12:29-32

Matthew 12:22-24

Matthew 12:22-24

Then a blind and mute man – while being possessed by a demon – was being brought to Him.  And He healed him in order for the mute man to speak and to see.  And the whole crowd were amazed and said, “Perhaps this is the Son of David?”  But after the Pharisees heard it they said, “This one does not cast out demons except in Beelzebub, the ruler of demons.”

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

I love Jesus’ compassion in this passage.  Here is yet another opportunity for Jesus to land on the wrong side of the religious leaders.  But Jesus does not shy away from the opportunity.  He steps up to the challenge and heals the man.  Jesus knows that this will be one more reason for them to hate Him, but He does the healing anyway.  The true follower of Jesus will be like Him.  The disciple of Jesus will not shy away from an opportunity to put God on display when he is called to do so.

Are you ever timid in your faith?  When is it easy for you to be bold and act as God calls?

Second Thought:

The crowd sees what Jesus is doing and they are amazed.  They begin to ponder and wonder about Jesus.  They begin to question His identity in a good way.  They see and want to make sense about their world.  This is a great thing.  They have a natural curiosity.  However, we shouldn’t get too high on this point, either.  While they are naturally curious, there are not many who follow Jesus.  So we need to understand that humanity has a natural curiosity and we need to use that to our advantage.  But we also need to understand that not all who are curious will ultimately follow.

Where have you seen people be curious about Jesus or faith?  How can you use that curiosity to help draw people to God?

Third Thought:

Of course, we have the reaction of the Pharisees to talk about.  How sad is it that this miracle of Jesus be denounced?  How sad is it that this time of demonic victory was coming to an end in a man’s life and the Pharisees couldn’t find themselves able to do anything except accuse the very Son of God!  There are always people who will take God’s work and turn it against us when we don’t fit inside their box.  Unfortunately, this is more true as people find themselves more and more empowered.  People in power do not want change; they want to maintain their power.  This is why many people deny the new things that often God tries to do in our lives.  This is why the Pharisees deny Christ.

When have you denied something that God was trying to do in your life?  Why did you deny God’s hand at work?  When have you been rejected because you were being obedient to God?  Were you rejected for the same reasons as Jesus was rejected here?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 12:25-28

Matthew 12:15-21

Matthew 12:15-21

And Jesus, after knowing, withdrew from there.  And many followed Him and He healed them all.  And He rebuked them in order that they should not make Him known in order that the words that were being spoken through the prophet Isaiah should be fulfilled while saying, “Behold, the servant whom I chose.  My beloved in whom my soul was being pleased.  I will place my Spirit upon Him and He will announce judgment to the nations.  He will neither argue nor shout out, nor will anyone in the avenues hear His voice.  He will not break a reed having been bruised.  He will not extinguish a wick while smoldering until He should cast out judgment into victory.  And the nations will hope by His name.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Today we start with an interesting point.  Jesus withdrew.  Jesus knew that people were seeking to destroy Him and for the time being He simply withdrew.  He went elsewhere.  He preached to a different audience.  Those who wanted to follow did.  But I think that this is a great point to understand.  There would be a time for Jesus to be crucified.  There would be a time for Jesus to draw the line in the sand.  This was not the time.  So Jesus withdrew, went somewhere else, and continued to be obedient to the Father.  So often we think that if we back away we are being disobedient.  So often we think that if we don’t choose to be martyred that we aren’t strong enough.  Jesus withdrew here.  He knew that the time for His martyrdom wasn’t right.  There is nothing wrong with that decision.

Have you ever fought (and maybe been martyred) when you shouldn’t have?  How does that feel?  Have you ever backed off when you should have?  How does that feel?  Have you ever been made to feel bad for choosing not to fight when the time for fight didn’t seem right?  Why do people make us feel that way?

Second Thought:

I want to speak a bit regarding the original context of Matthew’s quote from Isaiah 42:1-4.  The interesting point about these verses is that when Isaiah wrote them he was originally talking about Cyrus, a Persian king.  It is Cyrus that brings the Babylonian rule to a complete halt and begins the process of allowing the Hebrew people to return to Israel.  Cyrus is a Gentile that God speaks frequently about being His anointed, and remember that the Hebrew word anointed means Messiah.  What I think is really cool about this passage is that here are words that were originally about a Gentile actually find their true fulfillment in Jesus!  I find this absolutely marvelous today.  For me, this is evidence that God fully intended to include Gentiles into His kingdom.  Yes, Jesus was a Jew and He is often said to be of the line of David, which He was.  But He also had a forerunner archetype in a Gentile, too.  God is the God of both the Jews and the Gentiles.

Do you find this thought interesting?  Why is it important to you to understand that God is the God of both Jews and Gentiles?

Third Thought:

Within this quote, we hear some great words about Jesus.  Jesus will not break a bruised reed, which can hardly stand on its own anyways.  He will not argue.  He will not shout aloud with a raised voice.  He will not be heard by people in the avenues, which is a way of saying that He will not spread His business around in a gossiping manner.  He will not extinguish a wick that is almost ready to go out on its own.  What is Matthew trying to say about Jesus?  Remember that in the prior section Jesus said that those who follow Him would find His yoke easy.  Jesus isn’t about yelling at us.  Jesus isn’t about seeing us in our weakness and criticizing us.  Jesus isn’t about spreading our faults around in order to shame us.  Rather, Jesus is about comforting us and protecting us – even when we are our most fragile.

Are you comforted that Matthew teaches us that Jesus is about gentleness?  Why is it important to know that Jesus plans to take us and mold us gently rather than yelling at us or spreading our faults around?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 12:22-24

Matthew 12:9-14

Matthew 12:9-14

And after moving on from there, He came into their synagogue.  And behold!  A man while having a withered hand!  And they asked Him while saying, “Is it permitted to heal on the Sabbath?” in order that they should bring serious accusations against Him.  And He said to them, “What man will be out of you all who will have one sheep – and this sheep should fall into a pit on the Sabbath – will not seize it and raise it up?  Consequently, what greater value this man has than a sheep!  Therefore, it is permitted correctly to do this on the Sabbath.  Then He says to the man, “Stretch out your hand.”  And he stretched it out and it was being restored as healthy as the other.  But after the Pharisees went out they took counsel against Him in order that they should destroy Him.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

As if it wasn’t bad enough for Jesus’ disciples to pluck grain on the Sabbath, Jesus now heals on the Sabbath.  Eating grain out of the fields was questionable work because as we say yesterday, it was a permitted practice.  However, healing someone was clearly work.  There was effort involved in a healing.  There were witnesses involved in a healing.  Here Jesus sets up a very powerful teaching.  Bringing people out of their bondage and into the love of God is more important than observing tradition.  Again I am reminded of Hosea 6:6.  God desires love and not sacrifice.  He desires knowledge of God and not burnt offerings.  Bringing people into relationship with God is superior to any human ritual or tradition that we might impose.

What do you think about Jesus intentionally conflicting human traditions about the Law?  Do you think Jesus is being intentionally antagonistic?  Could Jesus have waited a day without the paralyzed man suffering?  How does this help heighten the lesson that Jesus is making about the choice between obeying tradition versus helping people find God?

Second Thought:

Jesus makes another appeal against tradition.  He appeals to reason.  Jesus reminds the Pharisees that it is lawful to rescue a sheep on the Sabbath.  Doesn’t logic say that if we can rescue a sheep then we should be able to rescue a human being?  Are not human beings more valuable than sheep? Not only is Jesus making a point about prioritizing mission over tradition, Jesus is making a point about prioritizing human souls.  Sheep and animals are important, but mankind is more important.  If we bring this into the modern world, how much importance are we likely to put on things like our homes, our cars, our clothes, our phones, our computers, or our televisions?  Yet how much do we care about the person in the car next to us on our daily commute?  How often do I care about the person in the line ahead of me in the grocery store?  We should see through eyes that prioritize relationships.

Do you prioritize relationships?  Are you concerned about the people around you?

Third Thought:

I find this last verse in this section incredibly sad.  God’s power is on display.  You would think that God’s power on display would lead people to God.  But that isn’t at all what happens.  Jesus puts God’s power on display and the religious leaders around Him seek a way to destroy Jesus.  This verse speaks loudly to the human condition.  Rather than celebrate God’s power on display, we often seek to destroy those among us who are different, unique, and putting God’s power on display.  We like conformity.  We like people who behave as we want.  When people don’t conform – even if God is clearly with them – human beings often seek to destroy the ones who are different.

Have you ever rejected someone because they put God’s power on display in a way that you didn’t appreciate?  Why is it hard to go outside of our box of faith?  Do you think God exists in any human box?  If not, why are we content to exist within a box?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 12:15-21