Readings for Lent: Matthew 7

Jesus Taught

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?” (Matthew 7:1-3).

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened “ (7:7).

“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets” (7:12 ~ The Golden Rule).

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many” (7:13).

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered by thornbushes, or figs from thistle? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit…” (7:15-17).

Do the Will of God

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  On that day, many will say, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then, [Jesus says] I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” (7:21).

Build Your House on the Rock

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it” (7:24-27).

When He Finished Teaching

“And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes” (7:28-29).

Application

As we read Jesus' teachings in Matthew 7, we are reminded again that God created us with a mind and a will so that it is up to us to choose to seek God, to follow Him, and to learn His principles and commandments. Doing these things demonstrates our faith in God.

Readings for Lent: Parables in Matthew 5-6

Jesus Taught Us in Parables

These teachings are from Matthew 5-6, as part of the New Testament 40-Day Challenge on the YouVersion mobile phone or computer application. Jesus often used parables to help explain and illustrate. These are brief excerpts from what is recorded in Matthew 5-6.

What You Are

You are the salt of the earth, but if salt loses its saltiness, how can it be restored?

You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden, nor do people light a lamp and hide it under a basket. Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Christ Came to Fulfill the Law

The Son of God (Jesus) did not come to abolish the Law or the Prophets of the Old Testament, but to fulfill them. Jesus said, "Whoever relaxes the commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called the least in the kingdom of heaven...but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven."

Anger

You have heard it said, "Do not murder." But, Jesus says that whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults, liable to the council; whoever says, "You fool!," will be liable to the hell of fire. So if you are offering a gift to God at an altar and you remember you have something against a brother, leave your gift there and go reconcile to your brother. Then come offer your gift to God.

If you have an accuser taking you to court, come to terms quickly with him, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge and the guard, and you be put in prison.

Lust

You have heard it said, "Do not commit adultery." But, Jesus says, "Whoever looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. Better to lose one of your members than have your whole body thrown into hell."

Divorce

It was said in the Old Testament, "Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce." But, Jesus says, "Everyone who divorces his wife, except on the grounds of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery."

Oaths

You have heard it said, "You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn." But, Jesus says, "Do not take an oath at all...Let what you say simply be, 'Yes,' or 'No.' Anything more than this comes from evil.

Retaliation

It was said in the Old Testament, "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth." But Jesus says, "Do not resist the one who is evil...if someone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other one also."
"If someone sues you to take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well...If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles."

Matthew 5:42, "Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you."

Love Your Enemies

"Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven" (5:44)

Giving to the Needy

When you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so your giving may be in secret. Your Father who sees in secret will reward you (6:3-4).

Fasting

When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. Anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting will not be seen (noticeable) by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you (6:16-18).

Lay Up Treasures in Heaven

Do not store treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (6:21).

You cannot serve two masters; you will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money (6:24).

Do Not Be Anxious

"Is not life more than food, and the body more then clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?"

Consider the lillies of the field, how they grow: they neigher toil nor spin, yet...even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. (6:28-29).

"But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you..." (6:30).

"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you" (6:33).

It is never too late to live a life of righteousness. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).

Readings for Lent: Matthew 5

Sermon on the Mount

Already on day 3 of my reading, and my blog is only on day 1! There is so much to take in when reading Matthew.

In Matthew 5, Jesus gives a teaching to his followers, which is now called the Sermon on the Mount. 

The Beatitudes

The beatitudes in 5:3-12 are indeed poetic and beautiful, but it takes pulling each sentence apart to really understand the tragic truth that it contains.

Jesus saw the crowds coming to listen to him, and he went to the top of a mountain, and when he sat down his disciples came to him. And it says, “he opened his mouth and taught them saying…”

Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn,
for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek,
for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they shall be filled.

Blessed are the merciful,
for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be called the sons of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when men revile you, and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for my sake.

Rejoice and be very glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in this manner they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Definition of Blessing

According to one definition from this online dictionary, "blessed," means "blissfully happy, contented..." You can find a great description of the meaning of blessing on this webpage.

Those who follow the teachings of Jesus and choose to live a godly life are not perfect, and they are promised a great deal of trouble, as well as their reward from God, in their pursuit of a righteous life.

Descriptors of the Children of God	Their Reward from God
Poor in spirit	The kingdom of heaven is theirs
Will mourn	Will be comforted
Meek (humbly patient, docile, under provocation from others, submissive, compliant)	Will inherit the earth
Will hunger and thirst for righteousness	Will be satisfied
Merciful, yet also in need of mercy	Will receive mercy
Pure in heart	Will see God
Peacemakers	Will be called the sons (children) of God
Persecuted for righteousness’ sake	The kingdom of heaven is theirs
Others will revile, curse, utter evil against them falsely because they follow Jesus’ teachings	Will be rewarded greatly in heaven

And after all this, in Matthew 5:12,

"Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

Application

We are not promised a life of ease, although in the end we are blessed with favor that comes from God and lasts for eternity.

Readings for Lent: Matthew 1-4

Leading up to Easter, Christians worldwide choose to take a journey of reflection and repentance to prepare our hearts for the celebration of Easter. I confess I do not usually participate in Lent, it is usually more of a pledge I enjoy talking about, similar to a new year’s resolution. But, I was inspired yesterday (yes, yesterday!) to make my own journey of reflection and remembrance of my Christian faith for this Easter season. I will be reading and summarizing what I learn from my YouVersion mobile app., Bible Plan, 40-Day New Testament Challenge, the English Standard Version (ESV).

The season of Lent begins today, February 18, and ends on Easter Sunday, April 5^th this year. There are 7 Sundays leading up to Easter, which means 40 days of readings, and 7 Sundays for rest. To accomplish a summary of these daily readings, my posts may be rather lengthy…but, enjoy!

Matthew 1

The Genealogy of Jesus Christ – we see how important it is in the Old Testament and New Testament to trace the family lineage of the Son of God. In brief, there are 42 generations, as defined by Matthew, whereas Luke (later) gives the maternal line geneaology. I found these graphics to give a visual.

The geneaology of Jesus through Solomon (on the paternal side)

The Geneaology of Jesus through Nathan (on the maternal side)

And in verse 1:16, “and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.”

There are fourteen generations from Abraham to David the king, from David to the deportation of Jews from the ancient kingdom of Judah to Babylon, and 14 generations until the promise of a Messiah was fulfilled in Jesus. I found this table and history illustrated at this page. Click on the link to read more.

The Birth of Jesus Christ

Mary and Joseph were engaged, but Mary “was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit” (v. 1:18). Joseph was a just man and honorable. He was not the father of this child and resolved to divorce her quietly rather than put her to shame for her situation. An angel appeared to Joseph in a dream saying,

Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.

This happening fulfilled an Old Testament prophecy from Isaiah 7:14 (read it here).

Joseph woke from his sleep and did as the angel commanded him. He married Mary, but he did not have relations with her until the son was born, and he named him Jesus, “Immanuel, God with us.”

The Visit of the Wise Men

Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod. Wise men came from the east following a star and asking where they could find this born king of the Jews. King Herod was troubled and threatened by this and inquired about its meaning. The chief priests and scribes explained its prediction in the Old Testament (1 Chronicles 5:2) 

King Herod told them to find this child and report back to him so that he could also worship this king of the Jews. But the wise men were warned in a dream to not return to King Herod. After finding the child with Mary his mother, they fell down and worshiped him and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Then they departed to their home land another way to avoid King Herod.

 

gold is a precious metal worthy to give to a king on this earth

frankincense (incense) was a luxurious ingredient used in anointing oils or perfumes

myrrh (an embalming oil) reminds of mortality and eventual death

King Herod was furious and ordered the murder of all male children two years old or under in Bethlehem and that region. Joseph was warned in a dream to take Mary and the baby Jesus to Egypt; they stayed in Egypt until Herod died. Then they returned to Israel, but not to Judea where Herod’s son was reigning, instead they withdrew to Galilee, in the city Nazareth. This fulfilled an O.T. prophecy that the Messiah would be a Nazarene.

John the Baptist

John the Baptist was a man preaching in the wilderness of Judea. He wore clothing of camel’s hair and a leather belt. His food was locusts and wild honey. He warned everyone who would listen in the region of Judea to repent, confess sins, and be baptized in water. He explained that relying on their trust in Abraham’s faith was no longer enough; true repentance brings about a changed person who lives a life that demonstrates righteousness, or lives “as a tree that produces good fruit.” He said, “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me [Jesus] is mightier than I…He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire…but the chaff [trees that do not bear good fruit], he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

The Baptism of Jesus

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan River to John the Baptist, to be baptized by him. John argued that it was he who should be baptized by Jesus, but Jesus answered, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.”

When Jesus was baptized in water, immediately he saw the [Holy] Spirit of God descending on him in the form of a dove, and a voice from Heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

The Temptation of Jesus

Jesus was then led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. For 40 days and nights, he fasted and was very hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” Jesus answered, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). Then the devil took him to the pinnacle of the temple in the holy city and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and ‘On  their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone’” (4:6). Jesus said to him, “Again, it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test’” (4:7). Finally, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. He promised, “All these I will give to you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve’” (v. 10). Then the devil left him, and angels came to minister to Jesus.

Jesus Begins His Ministry

Jesus left Nazereth and traveled throughout the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali and lived in Capernaum by the sea (vv. 15-16). He began to preach and call his first disciples while walking by the sea of Galilee. He saw two brothers, Simon and Andrew, fishermen. He called to them and said, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately, they left their nets and followed them. From there, he called two other brothers, James and John. They left the boat and their father, Zebedee, and followed Jesus.

                      

Jesus taught repentance throughout all of Galilee, teaching in synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom of God, healing every disease and affliction among the people. His fame spread and people came from all over Syria, bringing those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, epileptics, and paralytics, and he healed them! (Matthew 4:24). The crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decapolis, and from Jerusalem and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.

This was just the beginning of the ministry of Jesus. His parables and teachings can be found in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John in the New Testament. Continue your own journey online at www.biblegateway.com.