Matthew 13:24-43 Tares and Wheat

Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field.  But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away.  But when the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the tares became evident also.  The slaves of the landowner came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?'  And he said to them, 'An enemy has done this!' The slaves said to him, 'Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?'  But he said, 'No; for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them.  Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn."'" [Matthew 13:24‭-‬30 NASB]

A little later Jesus explains this parable. "Then He left the crowds and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him and said, "Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field." And He said, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man,  and the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one;  and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels.  So just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age.  The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness,  and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.  Then the righteous will shine forth as the  sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear." [Matthew 13:36‭-‬43 NASB]

First, note that the field represents the world. It is not talking specifically about the church in this parable. Although there are applications within the church, it is not the main subject.

The wheat represents true believers in Jesus Christ, and the tares represent those who are not His followers.

Here, Jesus answers the question so many have asked throughout the ages. Why does God allow evil in the world? The answer is: for us.

He has the power to destroy everything and everyone that is evil and ungodly in the world. But He doesn't because He doesn't want to lose any one of us. Peter says, "The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance." [2 Peter 3:9 NASB]

You see, there is one aspect that this parable doesn't address, which is redemption. At one time we were all tares. But He has the power to turn tares into wheat. We know that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," [Romans 3:23 NASB]. "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." [Romans 5:8 NASB]. Like the wicked ones of the world, we were destined for eternal fire, but He has saved us from the fire, and brought us into His kingdom. "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." [Romans 6:23 NASB].

If the Lord swept all evil from the world now, it is possible that many who would have repented of their sins would perish without the opportunity to know Jesus. Thus far, He has delayed His judgement for your sake and mine. He continues to delay judgement for the sake of others.

One day, He will know that the time is complete. All who will come to Him will have come. Then, when the time is right, He will pour out His judgement and wrath upon the earth. 

Until then, let us do the work of the kingdom. Let us continue sow His word into the world, that as many as would come to Him would have the opportunity. And instead of moaning about the slowness of His return, let us rejoice that He is taking the time to turn tares into wheat.

Matthew 13:1-23 Parable of the Sower

That day Jesus went out of the house and was sitting by the sea....And He spoke many things to them in parables, saying, "Behold, the sower went out to sow;  and as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up.  Others fell on the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil.  But when the sun had risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.  Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out.  And others fell on the good soil and yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty....When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road.  The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy;  yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away.  And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.  And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty." [Matthew 13:1‭-‬23 NASB]

It was announced in my local church recently that over 600 people have accepted Jesus as Lord this year for the first time. Amidst all the rejoicing over saved souls, I looked around, and saw that there are just as many seats filled now as there were 6 months ago. So I ask myself, where did they all go? If 600 have received Jesus in just this year, the church should be bursting with people and flowing out into the streets.

I think the answer - at least in part - lies in this parable.

Most people who attend a church service for the first time do so at the invitation of another. They see the joy and feel the energy of worship, they hear the message, but they don't really understand what they see or hear. They may even raise their had at the end of the service indicating that they have accepted the Lord, but because they don't understand what they are doing, it has no meaning. They go home, shrug it off, and go about their business.

Next, there is the person to whom the Holy Spirit has granted understanding. He hears the preaching of the word, and joyfully receives Jesus as Lord. You will see a person with great zeal and enthusiasm, ready to serve - for a while. When somebody makes a joke about his faith, or dismisses it as worthless, he shuts down. The joy has been robbed, the emotion is gone. Without the emotional high to sustain his faith, he falls away.

Or, perhaps, it is his own fleshly temptations that pull him away. When the old self pulls him away into sin, he cannot reconcile his actions with the holiness of the Spirit. Faced with a choice between his desires and total surrender to Christ, he chooses his desires.

Then there's the person who understands the preaching and receives Jesus as Lord. He doesn't need the emotional high to maintain his faith, and is able to rejoice at the taunts and jeers of the world. But, ultimately, he is unable to integrate his new found faith into his life. He has to work, pay bills, and plan for his retirement.

We know that worry opposes faith. Jesus said, "Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?'...But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." [Matthew 6:31‭, ‬33 NASB] Worry is a hard habit to break, and is not easily let go. Some worry so much about how to survive, that they worry themselves right out of their faith.

Worry is only one side of a coin. Success has its own pitfalls. Jesus said, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” [Mark 10:25 NASB] There is a sentiment that I have heard expressed more than once. "I know that God is blessing me because He has blessed me with money." There is a trap in that line of reasoning. It is entirely possible in this world to make a lot of money by hard work and ingenuity. There is nothing wrong with that unless you equate wealth with God's blessing. By that reasoning Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk would be two of the holiest men in America. Wealth is a subtle deceit. The rich Christian spends more and more time accumulating wealth, believing himself to be more and more blessed by God. And slowly, his thoughts turn away from God and towards making more money, or buying a bigger house, or buying a showier car. Until God is no longer in his thoughts at all.

Finally, there are those who receive the word and grow in the faith. They are the ones who settle in and begin to faithfully do the work of God.

So what we see in the local church is a trade. New people come and go. Some stay, others leave. Hopefully, more will stay than leave.

When we who are experienced know of a new Christian we should encourage them as much as possible, and be available to answer questions, helping them to grow in Christ. Ultimately though, their faith is in their own hands. Jesus has called them, the Holy Spirit has drawn them in, but they need to provide the fertile soil for His word to grow.

As for you, encourage new believers, but don't get dragged back into the world with them. As Paul said, "Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted." [Galatians 6:1 NASB]

Matthew 12:46-50 Family

While He was still speaking to the crowds, behold, His mother and brothers were standing outside, seeking to speak to Him. Someone said to Him, "Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside seeking to speak to You." But Jesus answered the one who was telling Him and said, "Who is My mother and who are My brothers?"  And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, "Behold My mother and My brothers!  For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother." [Matthew 12:46‭-‬50 NASB]

The Catholic church gives much honor to Mary, the mother of Jesus. I agree that she deserves to be honored. As Elizabeth prophesied when filled with the Holy Spirit, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!" [Luke 1:42 NASB] Mary found favor with God, and was blessed. But a line is crossed when honor becomes worship. We are not to bow down to any image, nor are we to pray to anyone but God. "You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you." [John 15:16 NASB]

Jesus' own attitude towards Mary was expressed when He said, "Who is My mother and who are My brothers?" He didn't drop everything and go running to her. She didn't receive any preferential treatment from Him. Nor did the rest of His family.''

After Jesus was born, Mary and Joseph had other children, some of which are named, "“Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary, and His brothers, James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? “And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this man get all these things?”" [Matthew 13:55-56 NASB] Jesus went on to say, "A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.”" [Matthew 13:57 NASB] That His own family didn't yet believe in Him is made clear, "For not even His brothers were believing in Him." [John 7:5 NASB] Although James, the brother of Jesus, would eventually go on to be the leader of the Jerusalem church.

Jesus preferred His disciples over His natural family, because His disciples were doing the will of the Father. He wasn't being spiteful, but simply dealt with them according to their choices. Notice that the disciples were inside, while His family waited outside. The disciples were listening, but His family wanted to speak. He was going about His Father's business, but they were interrupting.

Jesus took the opportunity to define spiritual relationships. "Behold My mother and My brothers!  For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother." We have been adopted by the Father, "For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”" [Romans 8:15 NASB] If we do the will of the Father, then Jesus calls us "brother" of "sister".

Jesus clarified relationships by His example. He said, "If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple." [Luke 14:26 NASB]

Please understand the word "hate" is not used in the way we normally use it. We are to love them all and wish them well. But, if we are to make a choice between Jesus and our own family, we must choose Jesus. If we are to choose between Jesus and our own life, again we must choose Jesus. This doesn't mean we stop caring for our family. Jesus expressed His concern for Mary while on the cross. "When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, "Woman, behold, your son!"  Then He said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!" From that hour the disciple took her into his own household." [John 19:26‭-‬27 NASB]

We must always put Jesus first in our lives. Before we were married, My wife and I agreed to this priority. Jesus first, spouse second, children third, then church, friends and family. I believe that keeping this priority has made for many happy years of marriage, and is the key to all relationships.

Matthew 12:38-45 Worse Than Idolatry

Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from You." But He answered and said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet; for just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth...."Now when the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and does not find it.  Then it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came'; and when it comes, it finds it unoccupied, swept, and put in order.  Then it goes and takes along with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. That is the way it will also be with this evil generation." [Matthew 12:38‭-‬45 NASB]

 The first thing to notice about this passage is the context. Jesus had just cast a demon out of a blind and mute man, so that he was able to both see and hear. The Pharisees not only saw this miracle, they condemned it as an act of the devil. So when they asked Jesus for a sign, it was clearly for the purpose of antagonizing Him. Essentially, what they were saying is, "we see the miracles, now show us a sign that these miracles are really from God."

This was a logic trap. If Jesus gave them a sign, such as calling lightning and thunder out of a clear blue sky, then they could continue accuse Him of sorcery and grandstanding. By doing nothing they could accuse Him of being a charlatan and a false prophet.

Jesus responded by calling them, "an evil and adulterous generation". Jesus is addressing the Pharisees, but he is also speaking to the entire nation of Israel. Keep in mind that only a handful of Jews (a remnant) followed Jesus. The nation as a whole followed the direction of its leaders and rejected Him. This was in spite of all of the miracles He performed, and even though thousands came out to hear Him speak, they did not ultimately become followers. Even so, God has never rejected Israel, but has always maintained a remnant. (Romans 11:1,5)

The only sign that Jesus promised was "the sign of Jonah." The book of Jonah prophetically represents the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.

After this, Jesus uses a parable to describe the generation of unbelievers. A demon is driven out and later returns to find the house (person) empty. Then He says, "and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first."

A reading through the Old Testament shows that Israel as a nation was, more often than not, idolatrous and rebellious. In order to purify the nation, God allowed them to be conquered and taken into foreign lands. After 70 years of exile, He brought Israel home again.

Through the parable of the demon, Jesus is telling the Jews that they were in a worse state than when they were openly idolatrous. It is true that the Jews didn't have idols, or bow down to images. Instead they had an empty religion in the name of God. Through their pride and tradition, they profaned the name of God. By their false practices, they made Yahweh Himself an idol, because they worshiped their own image of what they thought God should be rather than God as He revealed Himself. They turned God into a caricature.

There are many Christian religions in the world. They each have their own idea of what God should be, and believe different things about His actions, words or character.

For example, some believe in a strict, legalistic God who is ready to punish any offense, while others believe in a God of love and grace. Some believe that once you are saved, your salvation is eternally guaranteed no matter what you do, while others believe you can fall out of His grace.

These varying beliefs contradict one another, all in the name in Christ. It is important that you know who God truly is. Don't just continue to repeat what you have been told, but study the Bible for yourself to know what it says about God. Know why you believe what you believe. Spend time with Him in prayer. Not just a morning or evening devotional or a recitation of prayers, but actually spend quality time talking with God, and getting to know Him.

Don't be like that generation who have built an image of God in your mind, and by worshiping a false image of God in the name of Jesus, find yourself worse off than the pagans who bow down to idols.

Matthew 12:30-37 Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit

He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters.   "Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven.  Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.  "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit.  You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.  The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil.  But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment.  For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." [Matthew 12:30‭-‬37 NASB]

 Jesus' words about the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is in direct response to the Phariesees accusation than Jesus was casting out demons by the power of the devil. He had said, "But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you." [Matthew 12:28 NASB]

As I have stated previously, I once had someone plant himself right in front of my face and say, "Healing is of the devil!" Beyond the fact that I cannot find anything in the Bible to support that statement, I have to wonder.

If God makes you sick, but Satan heals, what does that say about the character of God, and the character of Satan. Moreover, if healing is a gift of the Holy Spirit as is stated in 1 Corinthians 12, then what does that say about the character of the Holy Spirit.

If you are one who says that healing and miracles are of the devil, as I understand the scriptures, you are speaking blasphemy against the Holy Spirit and will not be forgiven.

You say, "But I am a born again Christian. But Jesus says, "Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven." [Matthew 7:21 NASB]

You say, "But my salvation is eternal." But we are told in Hebrews, "For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame." [Hebrews 6:4-6 NASB]

Your words reveal your heart. You can speak to the glory of God, or you can speak disdain for Him. You can lift people up or you can tear them down.

If you speak evil words, you reveal the evil in your heart.

You say, "But I don't mean any harm." But Jesus said, "But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment."

Be careful of your words. Don't speak carelessly. When speaking of God, glorify Him. Glorify His works. Recognize the power of the Holy Spirit, and receive the kingdom of God.

Matthew 12:22-29 Plunder

Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus, and He healed him, so that the mute man spoke and saw. All the crowds were amazed, and were saying, "This man cannot be the Son of David, can he?" But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, "This man casts out demons only by Beelzebul the ruler of the demons."  And knowing their thoughts Jesus said to them, "Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and any city or house divided against itself will not stand.  If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand?  If I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? For this reason they will be your judges.  But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.  Or how can anyone enter the strong man's house and carry off his property, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. [Matthew 12:22‭-‬29 NASB]

When the crowds saw the demon-possessed man healed so that he could speak and see, they were amazed. This confirmed their expectation that Jesus was the "Son of David". The use of this title indicates that they were still expecting the Messiah to come and establish an earthly kingdom after driving out the Romans. The thinking was that if He had the power to heal and cast out demons, then He would have the power to raise and army to cast out the Romans.

When the Pharisees heard this, they became afraid. For all of the talk of hating the Romans, and wanting a free Israel, the Pharisees loved the status quo. The Pharisees held a place of respect and power. If Jesus were to be the one to overthrow the Romans and establish a kingdom, then that would change. Jesus had already called them out for their hypocrisy. By opposing Him early, they had demonstrated their animosity towards Him, and couldn't expect favors in the new kingdom.

So they started saying (paraphrased), "His healings are of the devil. He's using sorcery or witchcraft to cast out demons."

Even today, when the Spirit of God moves in power, and people receive miraculous healing, those with a Pharisaical mindset say, "God doesn't heal anymore. Healing is of the devil." Yet, in all of my reading and searching in the Bible, I have never seen a passage that says that Satan goes about doing good and healing the oppressed.

Jesus' argument still stands. A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand. Satan is evil, but he is not stupid. Why would he cause the the name of Jesus to be glorified?

Jesus said, "But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you." It is clear that Jesus is referring to the kingdom of God in a very different sense than what the crowds expected. They wanted a physical kingdom, but Jesus gave them a spiritual kingdom.

Don't think of the kingdom of God as something that will come when Jesus returns to rule for a thousand years, nor of the eternal New Jerusalem. The kingdom of God is here, now, in our midst. It is a spiritual kingdom that unites all believers as citizens of Heaven, regardless of nationality or language.

The kingdom of God exists in each one of us who believe, and it seen by the world when we do God's work, whether that be charitable good works in the name of Jesus, or demonstrations of power with miracles and healing.

Satan is the strong man in this world. But with His death and resurrection, Jesus has bound the strong man once and for all. The world, which is the kingdom of Satan, is plundered when we show love and compassion to the world, when those who are oppressed are set free, and when souls are saved. Let us go out and plunder the world.

Matthew 12:15-21 He Healed Them All

But Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. Many followed Him, and He healed them all, and warned them not to tell who He was. This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: "Behold, My Servant whom I have chosen; My Beloved in whom  my soul is well-pleased; I will put  my Spirit upon Him, and He shall proclaim justice to the Gentiles." He will not quarrel, nor cry out; nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets." A battered reed He will not break off, and a smoldering wick He will not put out, until He leads justice to victory." And in His name the Gentiles will hope." [Matthew 12:15‭-‬21 NASB]

Aware of the plot to kill Him, Jesus moved on. He wasn't afraid, and didn't go into hiding, considering the crowds were still able to follow Him. No doubt, He could have hidden Himself entirely if He had chosen to do so.

It is more likely that He withdrew so that the religious leaders wouldn't hinder His ministry.

There are a few special occasions where the Bible records that Jesus "healed them all".

This should not be used to create a doctrine that Jesus will heal everybody. The fact is Jesus didn't heal everybody in Israel, nor did He heal everybody He met. It only means that on this one occasion, He demonstrated His compassion by healing all who came to Him.

I believe that Jesus still heals. The gifts of God are irrevocable (Romans 11:29), and the gift of healing is still valid. I believe that we should pray for healing.

I am also aware of the reality that not everyone is supernaturally healed. I don't know why, but I do know that it would be a mistake to attribute a lack of healing to a lack of faith.

Timothy, who is named an apostle (though not one of the twelve), was frequently ill (1 Timothy 5:23). Paul prayed for a healing and was told, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” [2 Corinthians 12:9 NASB]

My point is not to weaken your faith regarding healing, but to help you avoid stepping into a trap.

I have heard it preached that the only reason people are not healed is because they lack faith. I have heard a preacher boast that he never gets sick because his faith is so strong. Ah, the arrogance!

I have also seen Christians who believe that message struggle, unnecessarily, with doubt and self-condemnation because of their own lack of healing. I have listened to them lament as they say, "Why am I not good enough to be healed?" They begin to doubt God's love. No matter what, you can be sure that God loves you more than you will ever know. As for being good enough, we know that all of God's blessing are by His grace, and not our own merit. 

I do know that God heals. I have witnessed miraculous healings. The Bible says "Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him." [James 5:14-15 NASB]

I have no answer as to why some people are healed and others are not. It is not based on merit, nor is it based entirely on faith. One day we will know even as we are known. Until then let us trust God in all things, and in all of our trials and circumstances.

Matthew 12:1-14 The Sabbath

At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and His disciples became hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat. But when the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, "Look, Your disciples do what is not lawful to do on a Sabbath." But He said to them...For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."   Departing from there, He went into their synagogue. And a man was there whose hand was withered. And they questioned Jesus, asking, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?"-so that they might accuse Him. And He said to them, "What man is there among you who has a sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out?  How much more valuable then is a man than a sheep! So then, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."  Then He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand!" He stretched it out, and it was restored to normal, like the other. But the Pharisees went out and conspired against Him, as to how they might destroy Him. [Matthew 12:1‭-‬14 NASB]

Prior to this, Jesus violated the traditions of the Pharisees in order to point out their hypocrisy. For the first time, He shows Himself to be above the Law.

There is much written in the Law about the sabbath. It is one of the Ten Commandments, "“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy." [Exodus 20:8 NASB]

Expanding upon it, the Law says, "‘For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there is a sabbath of complete rest, holy to the LORD; whoever does any work on the sabbath day shall surely be put to death." [Exodus 31:15 NASB]

Then an incident occurred, "Now while the sons of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering wood on the sabbath day. Those who found him gathering wood brought him to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation...Then the LORD said to Moses, “The man shall surely be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him with stones outside the camp.”" [Numbers 15:32-35 NASB]

The Pharisees were actually justified in their accusation against the disciples. Picking the grain in the fields constituted work, and was a direct violation of the Law of Moses.

Jesus responded by reminding them of occasions when the law was broken with God's blessing, But He said to them, "Have you not read what David did when he became hungry, he and his companions,  how he entered the house of God, and they ate the consecrated bread, which was not lawful for him to eat nor for those with him, but for the priests alone?  Or have you not read in the Law, that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the Sabbath and are innocent? [Matthew 12:3‭-‬5 NASB]

He then makes the remarkable statement about Himself, "But I say to you that something greater than the temple is here." [Matthew 12:6 NASB] The temple was the house of God. It was the place where God resided. The only thing greater than the temple was God Himself. Then He said, "the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."

Jesus further offends by healing the withered hand of a man on the Sabbath. The Pharisees, being mired in the legalities and letter of the Law, did not see the awesomeness of God restoring a withered hand. They only saw a violation of that which they hold most dear.

As Christians, we know that we are not under the Law, but have the grace of God. So, let us not make the same error as the Pharisees. When a fellow believer thinks differently, worships differently, dresses differently, or listens to different music, let us keep in mind the words of Jesus. "But if you had known what this means, 'I desire compassion, and not a sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the innocent." [Matthew 12:7 NASB]

Let's not be quick to judge, but rather, to show compassion.

Matthew 11:28-30 Rest For Your Soul

"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." [Matthew 11:28‭-‬30 NASB]

Being a Christian isn't supposed to be hard work. Living a life of righteousness and holiness isn't supposed to be a struggle.

That is not to say we won't face problems in life. In fact, we are virtually guaranteed trials and persecutions on life. Jesus said, "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit." [John 15:1-2 NASB] The pruning process is a painful cutting back of the branches.

Peter tells us, "In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;" [1 Peter 1:6-7 NASB]

The trials we face help us grow, but they don't define us. As Christians, we are defined by who we are in Christ. Going back to the image of the vine, Jesus said, "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing." [John 15:4-5 NASB]

As we abide in Christ, we will find rest. Abiding means having a permanent residency. It does not mean visiting occasionally. It does not mean visiting once, twice, or three times a day, but it means dwelling continuously.

Abiding in Christ can also be described as walking in the Spirit. Paul said, "The requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit." [Romans 8:4-5 NASB] And again, "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh." [Galatians 5:16 NASB]

So overcoming the flesh, that is, living a life of holiness, is not accomplished by fighting the flesh, but by walking in the Spirit, or abiding in Christ.

Waling in the Spirit is as easy as setting your mind on Him. This is not a strenuous concentration. You don't need to squeeze closed your eyes or screw up your face, or clench your fist. It is not an effort of willpower because that is of the flesh, and the flesh cannot please God.

If I ask you to think of a tree, you don't need to work to do so. In fact by merely mentioning a tree, it is most likely that you pictured a tree in your mind, without even trying. That is what I am talking about.

Now think about Jesus. Don't put any effort into it, just let it happen. If it helps, say His name aloud. Now practice abiding. Let your thought continuously dwell on Him. If your thoughts stray, that's alright. There's no condemnation. Simply turn your mind back to Him. Keep it up and eventually, it will become a habit. In this way, you will transform your mind.

Remember, Jesus said, "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me...and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." Jesus does all the work. Through His death on the cross he accomplished our salvation and our sanctification. Any attempt to work for our own sanctification is an insult to His grace. Failing to abide in Him, or any effort on our part to overcome our own flesh by willpower, or adhering to rules, is the same as throwing His yoke off of us and saying, "I can do it better myself."

Through the Holy Spirit, He is abiding in each one of us who call Him Lord. It is He who makes us holy. It is He who overcomes the sin of our flesh. And it is easy, if we abide in Him.

Matthew 11:25-27 Wisdom and Foolishness

At that time Jesus said, "I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants.  Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight.  All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. [Matthew 11:25‭-‬27 NASB]

Jesus isn't saying that only stupid people follow Him. Rather, He is talking about those who consider themselves to be wise and intelligent.

Intellectuals, whether philosophers or engineers find it hard to follow Jesus. Even if they come to a saving faith, a life in the Spirit tends to elude them. This is because they get wrapped up in their own head.

I once had a frustrating discussion with a philosophical intellectual. He asked me about Jesus, so I shared my faith. He came back with a comparison to Kant and Nietzsche. I spoke of spiritual things, he spoke of the mind. Paul said, "But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised." [1 Corinthians 2:14 NASB]

Paul echos Jesus' thoughts when he says, "For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble." [1 Corinthians 1:26 NASB]

We live in a society that deifies the intellect. Science is the god of the modern man. 

The world will tell you that creation is a myth, and refer to the big bang. They say that God did not create man, and cite evolution. Yet no man saw the big bang. Nobody witnessed the evolution of man. But they believe it because they have faith in science. They have faith in their god.

Don't get drawn in to their arguments. They will tell you that you are foolish to believe in God, while they believe in theirs. The will tell you that they believe only what they see, but they haven't seen what they believe.

Yes, there is true science that deals with the natural world around us, and is separate from belief. But when science delves into speculation, it is no longer science, but religion in the name of science. When is allowed to replace God as the ultimate authority, it becomes idolatry.

It is possible for Christians to compromise their faith with the teachings of science. We are told, "Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry." [1 Corinthians 10:14 NASB]

I had a conversation with a Christian woman who testified that she believes in Jesus, and He is her savior. But she doesn't believe that God created man with a word, but used evolution. She believes this "because of science." In order to believe this, it is necessary to disregard what the Bible says. This leaves a person in a quandary. If you believe that one part of the Bible is false, where do you draw the line? How do you pick and choose which parts to believe? If you can disregard part of it, why not all of it? 

The Bible says of itself that it is true. "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;" [2 Timothy 3:16 NASB] So if you believe part of it is false, then you must believe that all of it is false. But if you believe that the Scriptures are true; that Jesus died for your sins and rose again, then you MUST believe all of it.

Paul also said, "but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise...But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption," [1 Corinthians 1:27-30 NASB]

The world will consider you foolish for believing in Jesus. They will say that you are naive to believe the Bible. But our wisdom does not come from the world, but from God.

Matthew 11:20-24 The Curse of Grace

Then He began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles were done, because they did not repent. "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles had occurred in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.  Nevertheless I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you.  And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You will descend to Hades; for if the miracles had occurred in Sodom which occurred in you, it would have remained to this day.  Nevertheless I say to you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for you." [Matthew 11:20‭-‬24 NASB]

We generally agree that grace is a wonderful thing. Our sins are forgiven and we receive he love of God through no merit of our own. But there is another side to grace. Jesus gave this parable.

"And the Lord said, "Who then is the faithful and sensible steward, whom his master will put in charge of his servants, to give them their rations at the proper time?  Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes.  Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions.  

But if that slave says in his heart, 'My master will be a long time in coming,' and begins to beat the slaves, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk;  the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces, and assign him a place with the unbelievers.  And that slave who knew his master's will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will receive many lashes,  but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few. 

From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more." [Luke 12:42‭-‬48 NASB]

Before Jesus came into their midst, the residents of these towns were ignorant of grace. By coming to them, preaching the kingdom of God, and performing miracles in their midst, Jesus extended His grace. This required of them a response, either for or against Him.

Had they chosen to follow Jesus, how blessed they would have been. The few who, indeed, became His followers were indeed blessed. And the twelve apostles will be memorialized in Heaven for all eternity.

Since they chose to denounce Jesus - and rejected grace - they received a curse. The residents of these cities will stand before God individually in the time of judgement. As for the cities themselves, they are all in ruins to this day.

Before Jesus came, no one could have imagined the world of grace that we live in today. The gospel is preached in all the world. God's love has been offered to us freely. We have forgiveness of sins. It is ours for the asking.

Even so, the world overwhelmingly rejects Him. In the judgement, it will be worse for all the generations after the coming of Jesus than for those before.

If you have never accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, I urge you do do so now. We are told, "that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved: [Romans 10:9 NASB] He will forgive your sins, and call you His child. Please don't wait. You never know what tomorrow will bring.

Matthew 11:16-19 Jesus and John

"But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market places, who call out to the other children,  and say, 'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.'  For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon!'  The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds." [Matthew 11:16‭-‬19 NASB]

The generation that was alive at the time of Jesus' earthly ministry was the most unique in history. They had both John the Baptist and Jesus as ministers.

John represents repentance and grace under the Old Covenant, while Jesus represents repentance and grace under the New Covenant. During this brief period of time there was an overlap. While the New Covenant wasn't sealed until the death of Jesus, He brought the kingdom of God to people, and extended New Covenant grace to them, as He met them.

The Jewish establishment of the time rejected John the Baptist. They, like many others, considered that he might be the Messiah. They questioned him, "This is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent to him priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?" And he confessed and did not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Christ." [John 1:19‭-‬20 NASB]

John was the consummate Old Testament prophet. He called out the sins of the people, including the religious leaders, and while he had some followers, he was overwhelmingly rejected by the religious leaders. They didn't want to hear about their sins, even if it meant repenting of them and being forgiven. He required of them to bear fruit in keeping with repentance. In other words, they needed to be as righteous as they claimed to be. He was like the one singing a dirge, and they accused him of having a demon.

Jesus ushered in the New Testament kingdom of God. Instead of crying out in the wilderness, He went to the cities and homes of the sinners. He required nothing of the sinners before forgiving them. He simply forgave them and told them to go and sin no more. Jesus laughed and ate with the lowest of the low, bringing forgiveness and joy. He was like one who played a pipe, and they accused Him of being a glutton and a drunkard.

With the death of Jesus, God made a New Covenant, not only with Israel, but with the whole world. There are many today who like to live with one foot in the Old Testament, and one in New. They  apply Old Testament promises to their lives, but leave out the Old Testament requirements that go along with it. Or they cherry pick the commandments that they will choose to keep. This will not work. If you keep one point of the Law, then you are obligated to keep the whole Law (Galatians 5:3), but "whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all." [James 2:10 NASB]

These are the people who accept the New Testament teaching that salvation is by grace through faith. They will say that they are New Testament believers, and not under the Old Covenant. Then, by every good intent of trying to be good, they stumble over the Law. One of the first things new Christians learn is to keep the Ten Commandments. But the Ten Commandments are part of the Old Testament Law. We are taught that we need to tithe, but tithing (and the promises associated with it) is also part of the Old Testament Law.

Which brings us to the New Covenant that Jesus bought for us. "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws upon their heart, and on their mind I will write them," [Hebrews 10:16 NASB] As we walk in the Spirit of God, He will put His law in our hearts. We are not to follow rules, but the Spirit of God.

This is radical thinking for many Christians because they have not been taught this way. There is a sense in which it is easier to follow the boundaries of rules than it is to live without rules. 

Many Christians are in the same limbo as the Jews of Jesus' generation. They reject the Old Covenant Law as being a part of the past, but, by clinging to rules, refuse to walk in the full freedom of the New Covenant.

In order to live without rules, you must live entirely by faith in the Holy Spirit to guide you. With this faith come absolute freedom, not to sin, but to live a life more righteously than you can ever imagine living by following the rules.

Matthew 11:1-15 Expectations and Doubts

When Jesus had finished giving instructions to His twelve disciples, He departed from there to teach and preach in their cities.  Now when John, while imprisoned, heard of the works of Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to Him, "Are You the Expected One, or shall we look for someone else?" Jesus answered and said to them, "Go and report to John what you hear and see:  the  blind receive sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the  poor have the  gospel preached to them .  And blessed is he who does not take offense at Me."   As these men were going away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John, "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?...Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.  From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force.  For all the prophets and the Law prophesied until John.  And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is Elijah who was to come.  He who has ears to hear, let him hear. [Matthew 11:1‭-‬15 NASB]

John the Baptist had his doubts, even though he was a prophet, and had recently testified about Jesus that He would be baptized in fire and the Holy Spirit, and even though he saw the Holy Spirit descend upon Jesus like a dove and remain.

The wording of this passage reveals what the problem is. In spite of his status as a prophet, John did not understand the nature of the kingdom of God. John was a prophet under the Old Covenant, and was not a part of the New Covenant kingdom of God. As Jesus said, "Among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he."

The prevalent belief of the time was that the Messiah would come to overthrow the Romans, and establish a kingdom in Israel.

When John was thrown into prison, he apparently began to doubt his own testimony about Jesus. After all, Rome was still in power, there was no Jewish army being raised, and John remained imprisoned. He began to despair. So he sent his disciples to ask Jesus. Paraphrasing, he said, "Hey! Are you going to step up and overthrow the Romans, or should we be looking for someone else to be the Messiah?"

Jesus did not condemn John for his doubts. If fact, He did something for John that he refused to do for the religious leaders: He defended His ministry. "Go and report to John what you hear and see:  the  blind receive sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the  poor have the  gospel preached to them .  And blessed is he who does not take offense at Me." In essence, Jesus is saying, "I am the one, but my mission is not the one you were expecting."

The Greek word that is translated "to take offense" is "skandalizo", from which we get the English "to be scandalized".

Sometimes, Jesus doesn't meet our expectation of what we expect from Him. Perhaps we've prayed for a healing that didn't come, or a ministry that never materialized. When a prayer appears to not be answered, it is easy to become discouraged.

There are two very important things to remember.

First, Jesus will not condemn you for your doubts. It is a part of human nature to have doubts. When we get discouraged, we should do what John did - take it to Jesus. Tell Him about your doubts, and allow him to encourage you.

Second, we need to understand that if Jesus doesn't meet our expectations, the problem is with our expectations, and not with Jesus. If you are discouraged because it seems that Jesus didn't keep a promise, then study the scriptures. Allow the Spirit to teach you. I will go out on a limb and say that the expectation of the promise doesn't match the actual promise in the Bible.

It may be that a promise is based on a condition. Or maybe you've had poor teaching. For example, a commonly quoted scripture is "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart." So you ask yourself, "Since I love the Lord, why don't I have that Lamborghini that I desire?" Perhaps it's because you overlook the first part of the verse. If you truly delight yourself in the Lord, then what you desire will be the Lord. In other words, if you delight yourself in the Lord, then He will give you Himself. If your delight is in the Lord, then He will be you desire.

Always be willing to adjust your expectations to match Jesus. Don't expect Him to change in order to match your expectations. If you do this, you will have no reason to doubt.

Matthew 10:40-42 Rewards

"He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.  He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.  And whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward." [Matthew 10:40‭-‬42 NASB]

Jesus has been instructing His disciples before sending them out for ministry. He has told them to expect opposition, not only in the short term, but throughout their lives. They will have lies told about them, they will be brought before judges and kings, and some will be killed because of their testimony of Jesus.

He finishes his instruction with a more positive note. Although they will face opposition, the disciples will also be received and welcomed by some.

Jesus is making it clear that whatever is done to a disciple in His name is the same as doing it to Him. If we speak ill of Jesus' representative, then we are speaking ill of Jesus. If we bless Jesus' representative, then we are blessing Jesus.

Jesus said in a parable, "Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? ‘And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? ‘When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ “The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’" [Matthew 25:37-40 NASB]

He goes on to explain that the opposite is true. "Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?’ “Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ “These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”" [Matthew 25:44-46 NASB]

When we give in support of a ministry, it is as if we are giving to Jesus Himself. In this, I would urge discernment. Jesus also said, "For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect." [Matthew 24:24 NASB] He said, "Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. “You will know them by their fruits." [Matthew 7:15-16 NASB]

Use discernment to support the true ministers of Jesus. Do what you can to help them. It is not the size of the gift that Jesus rewards, but the heart of the giver. Remember the poor widow who was praised for giving more than those who were wealthy, even though she gave only a penny. Give what you can, and you will not lose your reward.

Matthew 10:32-39 Public Confession

"Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven.  But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.   "Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.  For I came to set a man against his father , and a daughter against her mother , and a daughter-in-law  against her mother-in-law ;  and a man ' s enemies will be the members of his household .   "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.  And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.  He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it. [Matthew 10:32‭-‬39 NASB]

Christianity is not a secret society. There are no secret passwords or secret handshakes.

Jesus has just finished saying, "What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops." [Matthew 10:27 NASB] In church we try to make it easy for people to accept Jesus as their savior. "Every head is bowed, and every eye is closed, so in complete secrecy, if you will accept Jesus as your savior today, raise your hand." If you accepted Jesus in this way, but haven't spoken to anyone about it since, then I have to wonder if you have truly accepted Him as Lord. What's more, I wonder if He's accepted you as His disciple. If this is you, then I recommend that you go to the church where you made your decision and tell someone about it. Then request to be baptized as a public confession of your faith. It is important that you confess Him before men. Silence is the same as a denial.

When you tell people about your relationship with Jesus, you will encounter a variety of responses. Those who are already in Christ will rejoice with you. Some will view your announcement with confusion or suspicion. Then there will be those whose animosity towards you and Jesus is evident. Some of your most vocal opponents may be those within your own household.

As the Prince of Peace, Jesus' words in this context seem to be at odds with His general ministry. "I did not come to bring peace, but a sword." Jesus was not a proponent of war or of fighting. This statement simply predicts peoples reaction towards Him and you.

When I first came to Christ, the response in my family was, I think, typical of a non-Christian, non-religious family. From my parents, I experienced confusion and doubt about my choice. As time went by, and it became apparent that I was not just following a fad, they became curious. Within a year of my salvation, both of my parents were also saved. from my siblings I saw apathy, some curiosity; from my "religious" brother there was animosity because I didn't fit into his brand of religion; and from my thoroughly secular and intellectual brother I received ridicule. (Yes, I came from a large family.) Regardless of their reactions, they all know where I stand and Who I stand for.

I made the conscious choice to love Jesus above all others. Before my wife and I were married, we agreed to prioritize our relationship - Jesus first, spouse second, child third, then church, family, and friends. Putting Jesus first in our marriage has profoundly affected how we treat one another. I consider her happiness to be more important than mine.

Jesus expects that the decision to follow Him will have a profound impact on your life. You have to be willing to lose the life that you're living to follow Him. As you live in the Spirit of Jesus, the desires of the flesh will fall away, so that you no longer want to hang out with the old friends and do the same kind of things that you have always done. You will find new relationships forming with fellow Christians who are on the same spiritual playing field, and with whom you can talk freely about spiritual things.

If you love your old life - the one that you lived without Jesus - then He says you sill lose your promise of eternal life. But if you forsake that old life, and live for Him, then you will find eternal life.

Matthew 10:24-31 Do Not Fear

"A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master.  It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign the members of his household!   "Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.  What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops.  Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.  Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.  But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows. [Matthew 10:24‭-‬31 NASB]

Three times in this passage, Jesus says, "Do not fear."

He begins by telling us that we are not to expect better treatment from the world than He received. They call Him Beelzebul, which is synonymous with Satan. If they were willing to say such lies about a man who preached peace, and did good works, who healed the sick and forgave sins, how much more will they feel free to speak against us, who, in spite of our best efforts will never be as good as Jesus.

No matter what they do to us, they did it to Jesus first. If it is our goal to become like Jesus (and that should be our goal) then we must be ready to accept the consequences of that effort.

Jesus said, "Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known." There are two meanings to this. One is implied, and the other is revealed. First, do not fear them, because their lies will be revealed. In the end, the truth will be known. Sometimes that happens in this life, and sometimes we will have to wait for it to be revealed by God at the time of judgement.

Jesus states the less obvious meaning, which is that we should not leave anything hidden. Rather, we should speak the words of our Master boldly and in the light. If the consequence of that boldness is ridicule or persecution, then so be it.

Jesus said, "Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul" In other words, the very worst they can do to you is kill you. If they do, then you have become like your Master in your death. He said, "fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." I generally think of the phrase "fear God" to mean "have a sense of awe and respect." But that is not what Jesus is describing here. He is describing the consequence of denying God.

Picture the complacent Christian going about his life, keeping his head down, and never speaking up for God. When the time comes to confess or deny Him, they deny. Remember what Jesus said, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. " [Matthew 7:21‭ NASB]

Jesus said, "Do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows." A sparrow has almost no value, yet God is aware of every one of them. And He knows EVERYTHING about your life. He even knows how many hairs are on your head.

Just as a sparrow doesn't fall to the ground without the knowledge of the Father, so it is with you. He doesn't promise that you will not fall, only that He will be there when you do. It is hard to imagine, sitting safely here in America, but there are many parts of the world today where Christians are being killed because of their faith and testimony. Our Father is not faithless to allow such things. In fact, He promised that it would happen. Those believers who so identify with Jesus in His death will be received by the Father in Heaven, and great will be their reward.

Matthew 10:16-23 Persecutions

"Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.  But beware of men, for they will hand you over to the courts and scourge you in their synagogues;  and you will even be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.  But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say.  For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.   "Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.  You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.   "But whenever they persecute you in one city, flee to the next; for truly I say to you, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel until the Son of Man comes. [Matthew 10:16‭-‬23 NASB]

Although Jesus was only sending His disciples to the cities in the Galilee region, His instructions were much broader in scope, and prophetic in nature. He told them that they would stand before kings, and be a testimony to the Gentiles. They were instructed to not rehearse what they would say, but to trust the Holy Spirit to speak through them.

Jesus warned that persecutions would come, and that His disciples would be hated by the world. Satan hates the things of God, and will stir up his people to hate them as well. We see it in politics all the time when certain politicians propose laws that are in defiance of the Christian standards of decency. We see judges ordering Christians to violate their conscience to uphold these ungodly laws, or else lose their means of earning a living.

Jesus gives us an interesting response to these persecutions. Run away. He said, "But whenever they persecute you in one city, flee to the next." Sometimes it's not possible to run away, in which case we have instructions throughout the New Testament to endure persecutions, and to persevere. Nowhere do I see instructions to take up arms against the persecutors, nor to battle them in court. Jesus said, "“Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison." [Matthew 5:25 NASB]

And He said, "You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. “For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? “If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?" [Matthew 5:43-47 NASB]

Then Jesus said, "you will not finish going through the cities of Israel until the Son of Man comes." This has been the source of a lot of confusion and debate among Christians. Let's see if we can simplify it.

First, when Jesus refers to Himself as the Son of Man, He isn't just using a generic term to say "Look at me, I'm human." All of the Jews in Israel at the time would have understood the prophetic reference from the book of Daniel.

"I kept looking in the night visions,
And behold, with the clouds of heaven
One like a Son of Man was coming,
And He came up to the Ancient of Days
And was presented before Him. “And to Him was given dominion,
Glory and a kingdom,
That all the peoples, nations and men of every language
Might serve Him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
Which will not pass away;
And His kingdom is one
Which will not be destroyed." [Daniel 7:13-14 NASB]

By calling Himself the "Son of Man" Jesus is saying, "I am the King that was prophesied by Daniel." Please keep in mind that the Kingdom of God is not an earthly kingdom, but a spiritual one. The Kingdom of God is in our hearts. Through His miracles of healing and casting out demons, Jesus gave a taste of the kingdom. As He said, "But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you." [Matthew 12:28 NASB]

To the first century Jews, this was confusing, because they were expecting a king like David to raise an army, overthrow the Romans, and establish his kingdom in Jerusalem.

To many Christians today, it is confusing because we anticipate His second coming when He will establish His kingdom on earth.

But the kingdom of God was established when Jesus died on the cross. As of that moment, He established a New Covenant and fulfilled His own words that the Son of Man would come.

One day Jesus will return to reign on earth, but He is already a King, enthroned in Heaven, seated at the right hand of the Father. His kingdom, spiritual in nature, is real, and is in our midst even now.

Matthew 10:9-15 Support For Ministry

Do not acquire gold, or silver, or copper for your money belts,  or a bag for your journey, or even two coats, or sandals, or a staff; for the worker is worthy of his support.  And whatever city or village you enter, inquire who is worthy in it, and stay at his house until you leave that city.  As you enter the house, give it your greeting.  If the house is worthy, give it your blessing of peace. But if it is not worthy, take back your blessing of peace.  Whoever does not receive you, nor heed your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet.  Truly I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city. [Matthew 10:9‭-‬15 NASB]

Jesus is speaking to the apostles, and by extension those in ministry who follow in their footsteps. He speaks to the expectations of the minister, and also to the responsibilities of those being ministered to.

He's telling them, don't take what you need for your journey, but let people provide for your needs.

The principle is that the minister's needs should be met by those who receive his ministry. This means they have live by faith that God will move the hearts of people to provide. If you are in the ministry, this means you should be able to receive freely so that others may give freely. For many, it is more difficult to receive than it is to give.

There are others who go to the opposite extreme. They go beyond receiving to fleecing the flock. I have spoken to pastors who feel justified in believing that they should live at least as well as the wealthiest member of their church. But what they describe is greed and envy. If John Smith drives a Porsche, the pastor must drive a Porsche. If Mr. Smith lives in a 5 million dollar home, then the pastor must live in a 5 million dollar home.

But that is not what Jesus is describing.

As for those who are receiving ministry, I would remind you of what Jesus said in a different context. "Freely you have received, freely give." I don't believe the pastor should be the richest man in the community, but neither should he be the poorest.

When you speak in the name of Jesus - whether that be in full time ministry, or while on break at work, or volunteering in the community - you will encounter some who are open to what you are saying, and others who will oppose you.

Jesus instructed his apostles to give a blessing of peace to those who receive them, and take it back if they don't. Regarding those who reject the message of Jesus, the disciples were instructed to walk away and shake the dust off of their feet.

Those of us who know Jesus want to share His joy and love with the world. But the sad truth is that the world will overwhelmingly reject Him.

There are those who are on the fence about the gospel. They haven't accepted Jesus, but they don't outright reject Him either. There are many who will hear the message as seed that is planted, that God will water and make grow. They deserve our blessings and our prayers.

Then there are those who are hostile to anything related to Jesus. They reject any action or word of faith on your part. Jesus said to shake their dust off your feet. This is not a curse, nor is it a judgement nor a pronouncement of guilt on those who reject you. Rather, it is for your own benefit. We may feel sorrow or even guilt when people reject the gospel. You should feel free to absolve yourself, and recognize that they are in God's hands.

They may yet come to Him, as His Spirit draws them, but if they don't, they are God's to judge.

Matthew 10:1-8 Sent Out

Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness....These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them: "Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans;  but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.  And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.'  Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give. [Matthew 10:1‭, ‬5‭-‬8 NASB]

At the end of chapter nine, Jesus said, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.  Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest." [Matthew 9:37‭-‬38 NASB] Immediately thereafter, He called His disciples to send them out.

There is a principle here. Sometimes the Lord will show us where a need lies. I'm not talking about grand spiritual visions, but simply that we recognize that there is a need. It could be any need at all, from helping a neighbor who is sick or injured, or traveling overseas to feed the poor and preach the gospel. Don't think that any need is too small and not worthy of attention, nor that a need is too great and impossible to fulfill.

If you see a need, pray that God will fill that need. You may find that you are the answer to that prayer.

Let me take a moment to say this: Don't Panic!

A Christian will intercede for many needs in the world. Just because you pray about a need, doesn't mean that you will be called to fulfill it. But, you should be willing to go and fill the need you pray for if God calls you to do so.

If you feel called to fill a need, let me say this: Don't Panic!

Jesus didn't just randomly pick some people out of the crowd and send them out. The were His disciples. They had been learning from Him, and were trained by Him before they were sent out. And when He sent them, He empowered them. He gave them authority and power to do exactly what they were instructed to do, which is to preach the gospel, cast out demons, heal the sick, and raise the dead.

Jesus said, "freely you have received, freely give." He does not ask us to give more than we have received. Are you called and gifted to be a pastor? Don't try to be an evangelist. Are you called to be an evangelist? Don't try to be a pastor. Give freely of what you have received, but don't try to give what you haven't received.

The key here is to find your gift - that which God has given you. Perhaps your gift is hospitality, and you can host dinners to encourage friendship and fellowship withing the church. Or God might bless you financially so that you can give to the needy. You may be gifted at organizing events, or listening to people who need emotional support, or...the list goes on and on. There is no calling too small or too large. It is God who calls, and He will equip you for whatever He calls you to do.

If God calls you to heal the sick and raise the dead, He will give you the authority to do so.

Matthew 9:27-38 Compassion

As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!" When He entered the house, the blind men came up to Him, and Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They said to Him, "Yes, Lord." Then He touched their eyes, saying, "It shall be done to you according to your faith."...As they were going out, a mute, demon-possessed man was brought to Him. After the demon was cast out, the mute man spoke; and the crowds were amazed, and were saying, "Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel."...Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness. Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest." [Matthew 9:27-38 NASB]

Jesus felt compassion for the people. That's what motivated Him.

The blind man called Jesus "Son of David". This wasn't a term that was used loosely, and it wasn't simply an acknowledgment of His lineage. The "Son of David" was to be the heir of David's throne. It was expected that the "Son of David" would raise an army to overthrow the Romans, drive out the Gentiles, and win Israel back for the Jews. He was to be their Messiah. When they called Him "Son of David", it is likely that they had this secular viewpoint, and the expectation that Jesus would rise up become an earthly king.

When Jesus heard them call Him "Son of David", he ignored them and kept on walking. He knew what the people expected of the heir of David, and didn't want to encourage that line of thinking.

It wasn't until He entered the house that Jesus healed the blind men. By moving indoors, he was away from the crowds, thus making the event less spectacular. This demonstrates the character of Jesus, that He wasn't motivated by fame or spectacle. He didn't grasp for power. As King and Creator of the universe, Jesus had the right to take power, and claim authority over all the earth. Instead, he chose to humble Himself.

When Jesus encountered the demon-possessed man, he changed how he operated. In the previous healings, He said to those who were healed that it would be "according to your faith." He makes no such requirement of the demon-possessed. Perhaps He knows that the demonic influence prevents the man from making a statement of faith. Nonetheless, His compassion is such that He delivers the man from the demon, allowing him to speak again.

Jesus walked to cities throughout the region, preaching and healing every kind of sickness. But as a man, He was limited, and could only reach a small portion of the people. But, having compassion for them, He wanted to reach them all. And He had a plan.

Jesus told His disciple to pray to "the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest." He did this knowing that He was going to send out His disciple to do the same work that He was doing. I find it interesting that He asked them to pray, then made them the answer to their own prayers.

"Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd." The world around us today is like that. Just as Jesus had compassion for the first century people in Israel, so He has compassion for the world today. Let's pray together that the Lord will send workers into the harvest today.