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BIBLE READING: Matthew 24 DISCUSSION                                                      Matthew 24:29-31,36-51     The doctrine that Jesus will return to the earth and set up an earthly kingdom in Jerusalem is damaging to biblical teaching for a number of reasons.                   1.     It denies that Christ built His kingdom as He promised.   Premillennialism says:                         (a)   Jesus failed in His mission to set up His Kingdom,           ...

BIBLE READING: Matthew 23 DISCUSSION                                                                                  Matthew 23:1-39 If you have invited anyone to church, you have most likely heard the same excuse about not wanting to attend.  It is an excuse that cuts chillingly to the bone of most church goers when they hear it and instantly puts them on the defensive.  “I will not go to church, because the church is full of hypocrites.” Churches are filled with hypocrites.  Of course, the biggest of the hypocrites are those wagging their judging fingers at those who are at least attempting to d...

BIBLE READING: Matthew 22 DISCUSSION                                             Matthew 22:21 Speaking of taxes in our text, Jesus taught His disciples to “render . . . to Caesar the things that are Caesar's,” instructing His disciples to pay them. This teaching parallels the general principle that Christians are to be subject to the governments of this world ( Romans 13:1 ) yet to obey God rather than man ( Acts 5:29 ). In doing so, we are to be good citizens appreciating the privileges and opportunities extended to us. We are to submit to the nation's laws and regulations, as long as they do not conflict with the commands of God. If they do, we must be willing to submit to their penalties. Above all, Christians must follow Christ's teaching and example. Jesus neither attempted to reform human gov...

BIBLE READING: Matthew 21 DISCUSSION                                                          Matthew 21:1-11 Until the last week of His life, Jesus warned people not to disclose His identity ( Matthew 8:1–4 ; 9:27–31 ; 16:20 ). Any talk of His being a king would have aroused Rome’s rage and put His life at risk before the appropriate time. The emperor did not look kindly on potential rivals and would move quickly to crush any threat to his power.   Jesus’ approach to establishing His kingdom, however, was radically different than the many others who tried to overthrow Rome. On the outskirts of Jerusalem, Jesus orders two disciples to retrieve a donkey and her young colt from a nearby village (Bethany, see John 12:1–15 )...

BIBLE READING: Matthew 16-20 DISCUSSION                                  As we have finished up this week’s reading of Matthew 16-20, we have seen now that Jesus has foretold of His death and resurrection three times.  One would think that by now His disciples would begin to take him seriously, yet in all three it seems that his statements are either rebuked or ignored.  Let’s make sure we aren’t too critical of these disciples handling of Jesus’s comments, because I feel that we are guilty of the same thing.  We read about the impending judgement; repeatedly, we hear lessons about us giving account for our sins on a regular basis and we even have the faith concerning the events that will happen on the judgement day.  Yet how often do we seem to ignore the command to share the Gospel?  How often do we continue ...

BIBLE READING: Matthew 20 DISCUSSION                                                                        Matthew 20:1-16 Jesus was not only criticized in His day, but He is still criticized by many today.   In the Parable of the Vineyard we are shown attitudes about work.   In Christ's day there were those working just for the pay.   This attitude causes people to do less than their best.   They watch the clock, being concerned with putting in their time.   They observe what others do and compare themselves with their co-laborers instead of doing their best. Many workers enjoy their work and receive high levels of satisfaction from it. ...

BIBLE READING: Matthew 19 DISCUSSION                                                            Matthew 19:1-12 The verses of our reading today deal with divorce.   Those of us who are older can remember a time when divorce was not talked about as it is today.   This text discloses that divorce was a serious problem in the time of Christ, just as it is today.   Divorce had become so casual that men were putting away their wives for such trivial matters as burning their food or embarrassing them in public.   Jesus was not an advocate of divorce, and He certainly didn't command it.   Jesus was in the area of Perea, ruled by Herod Antipas.   This was where John the Baptist had been imprisoned a...

BIBLE READING: Matthew 18 DISCUSSION                                                                        Matthew 18:21-35 Some of the greatest lessons our Lord ever taught, are in this chapter.    He spoke about forgiveness - what it is and what it does. Forgiveness is a redemptive act essential to our own mental, emotional, and spiritual health.   Forgiveness is lacking among many Christians today.   It is not enough to say, "I forgive you"; nor is it enough to act civil toward a person who has wronged us.   Genuine forgiveness means moving past the hurt to reconciliation.   Failure to do so leaves an open wound that cannot heal. A...

BIBLE READING: Matthew 17 DISCUSSION                                                    Matthew 17:1-8 The Transfiguration of Christ is possibly one of the most significant happenings of His life or in the lives of His disciples.   There are at least five facts that come from this event.             1.   The Old Covenant was about to be replaced by the New Covenant.   Moses and Elijah were present with Jesus, but God said to hear to Jesus.   These Old Testament figures represented the Law and the Prophets, yet Jesus was the key figure.             2.   We don't cease to exist when we die.   Moses and Elijah had long be...

BIBLE READING: Matthew 16 DISCUSSION                                                                  Matthew 16:26 It would be hard to find another verse in the Bible that more clearly lays out our options in this life with reference to eternal life.   Anyone who has a working knowledge of Christianity is aware of the final destinies of the soul.   Even though this verse isn't stated as a choice, it clearly is. If a person's passion in life is to acquire great wealth, this will guide the kind of life he will live.   On the other hand, if a person wants to go to heaven, this desire will shape his life as well.   Jesus makes it clear that you can't have both.   E...

BIBLE READING: Matthew 11-15 DISCUSSION                                                                     Over the course of this week’s reading we have seen Jesus say many great things.  He has educated us on a tree being known by its fruit (Matthew 12.33-37).  He also reminded us that having the faith the size of a mustard seed can make a huge difference (Matthew 13.31-33).  Then, in the parable of the Sower, He explained to us just how valuable the seed of the Gospel is within our lives (Matthew 13.18-23).  We have also witnessed the power of the preaching of John the Baptist (Matthew 14.1-12), the faith of the Canaanite woman (Matthew 15.21-28) as well as...

BIBLE READING: Matthew 15 DISCUSSION                                                                                     Matthew 15:21-28 These verses contain the visit of a Canaanite woman to Jesus.   She cried out to Him, "Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is cruelly demon-possessed."(NAS)   The woman was a Gentile and Jesus reminds her that He was sent to the lost sheep of Israel.   This did not deter her continuing cry for help.   She bowed down before Him and worshipped Him.   The Greek word used here denotes an act of humility, and, in almost all cases, ...

BIBLE READING: Matthew 14 DISCUSSION                                                                       Matthew 14:17 God can bring great glory to Himself, through the use of things we might consider ordinary.   In Exodus, He uses an ordinary staff in the hand of Moses to deliver the plagues on Egypt and to part the Red Sea, bringing deliverance to His people.   In Judges, He used trumpets, pitchers, and torches in the hands of three hundred Israelites to defeat a horde of Midianites. In our text for today, Jesus used a young man's lunch to feed a great multitude.   What do we possess today, that might be considered ordinary that can be used for His...

BIBLE READING: Matthew 13 DISCUSSION                                                 As we come to the end of Matthew 13, we find of wealth of wisdom with the many parables that Jesus taught.  However, to me the most interesting thing is found in how the chapter ends.  There is no doubt that Jesus is teaching with a great deal of authority and with boldness even within His hometown; so much that it is even worth noting that they were “astonished” and asked, “Where did this man get his wisdom, and these mighty works?” (Matthew 13.54).  Yet, sadly no one wanted to attribute His wisdom and power to its true source of God.  They all kept saying things like “Isn’t this Joseph and Mary’s boy?” and “Aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas?”  In their minds, it wa...

BIBLE READING: Matthew 12 DISCUSSION                                              Matthew 12: 30 Today there are many who divide the world into various groups when it comes to religion and devotion to God.   Of course, there are those who go to church and live according to the Bible.   They see God as very active in the world and their lives.   He loves us and wants us to be with Him forever in heaven. Then there are those who are spiritual.   They don't go to church or try to live according to the Bible, but they are spiritual in the things they do.   They see God in nature and know that He is the creator and sustainer of the universe.   They believe they will go to heaven because they have been moral and have done more good than bad. The final group a...

BIBLE READING: Matthew 11 DISCUSSION                                                                                 Matthew 11:23 How often do we see people who oppose Christ appear to be successful in this life?   Perhaps they have high-powered jobs, large bank accounts, and luxurious homes.   By all physical indications, they appear to have everything.   They seem to be "exalted." Jesus warned that such exaltation is more imagined than real; it is only short-lived.   He denounced the city where He performed most of His recorded miracles because the people would not repent.   He said, "And you, C...

BIBLE READING: Matthew 6-10 DISCUSSION                                                                  As we have found within our readings this week, Jesus is the Key to the fulfillment of God’s Plan.  He came into this world with a unique authority, a unique message and a unique love.  If we follow Jesus, we will not only have an amazing life that is full of fulfillment, we will also enjoy an amazing life to come.  However, even though following Jesus seems to be our clear-cut answer to all our problems, that does not mean that following Him will be easy.  Even from His early followers we see that there is a cost to following Jesus (Matthew 8.18-22) and even then, persec...

BIBLE READING: Matthew 10 DISCUSSION                                                                 Matthew 10:38 No one who knows the Bible can read this verse without having their mind turn to the crucifixion of Christ.   The Roman guards in charge of crucifixion compelled the condemned to carry his own cross.   Some have suggested that the part that was carried was only the cross piece to which the hands were attached.   The cross may have been different than the way we imagine it looking, like a capital T rather than the common cross we think of.   None then less, Jesus bore His cross.   The cross was a symbol of suffering, shame, and ultimate death. In this passage,...

BIBLE READING: Matthew 9 DISCUSSION                                                                                       This chapter is filled with the miracles of Christ.   Jesus had the power to cure any human condition and undertook to heal anyone who came to Him seeking healing.   Needless to say, the religious leaders of the day resisted Jesus’ power to heal.   They said He was of the Devil and not of God.   His healings were the power of the Devil not the power of God.   They resisted Jesus because He healed on the Sabbath.   The leaders had to devise a pl...

BIBLE READING: Matthew 8 DISCUSSION                                                                                     Most likely, many diseases went under the heading of leprosy in Bible times.   Not everything that appeared to be leprosy was in fact that actual disease.   The process by which one was diagnosed by the priest is outlined in Leviticus 14:1-32.   Since there was no cure for the disease in that time, if a person was cleansed it was by the grace of God.   If cleansing did occur, there was a definite process for restoring the healed person to the community (Numbers 12:...

BIBLE READING: Matthew 7 DISCUSSION                                             Matthew 7:15-20 Jesus condemned hypocritical judging wherein one condemns another while engaging is similar or more grievous sins.   We tend to have lofty standards for others that somehow don't apply to us.   Our text for today is very simple, judge people by what they do. Too many times we judge others on what we think they are thinking or what they intended by something they did.   All this is speculation.   I can't read minds or the intents of the heart. However, it is easy to see what people do.   Christ says here that we will know everyone by their fruits.   If they are good, so is the tree (person).   If they are bad, the tree is bad.   If a tree is bearing bad fruit it is...

BIBLE READING: Matthew 6 DISCUSSION                                                                      The English word "worry" comes from an old Germanic word which means "strangle."   That is what worry does: It chokes the pleasure out of life and leaves us with more complications.   Due to their worries, many people chew their fingernails, pace, or stay awake at night wrestling with their thoughts.   Some develop addictions to cigarettes, alcohol, and habit-forming drugs.   Worry can certainly rob us of living the abundant life. Teenagers and young adults often worry about many things, including their friends, dating relationships, studies, and the ...

Reading:  Matthew 1-5 Text:        Matthew 2.1-2  In every century since the birth of Christ, the wise have sought Jesus. The Wise Men followed the star God set in the heavens to lead them to the babe.   Since that time, wise people have followed the Bible that has been set before us to guide all us to Christ.   If the Magi had followed another star, they would not have found the child they sought.   If we follow some way other than the Bible, we will find a different God than the One we seek. Unfortunately, there are those who would lead us away from Christ and God.   It would be impossible to know all the reasons or beliefs that people have in leading us away from God.   However, we can know the right way and the right motivations for finding and following Christ.   The Bible leads us to Him and instructs us what to do when we find Him.   No other way is right or safe. Jesus and His disciples used the word "bew...

Reading:  Matthew 5 Text:        Matthew 5.38-42 I sometimes feel that it is impossible to listen or read the news without someone demanding "rights." We live in the greatest country in the world.   With citizenship here, we are given certain rights.   These rights are not unreasonable but are said to be given to us by God.   However, our basic rights have been expanded into all kinds of rights for every kind of group.   We live in a time in which "self" is glorified.   From every corner we are encouraged to be self-centered, self-involved, and self-indulgent.   In this self-age, people demand civil rights, women's rights, victim's rights, prisoners' rights, etc.   People have become obsessed with rights, especially their own.   When our personal rights have priority, true righteousness if forgotten. Many have misinterpreted our text for today.   They say that Christians should not ever resist violence. ...