đđ» Heavenly Father â We return to You today to hear Your Word. Speak to our hearts, reveal to us what we are clinging to in this world so we may ask for Your help in releasing it. Then, bring us new life as a replacement. We ask this in the name our glorious savior, Jesus. Amen.
Where have we been so far? (Click here to jump to the recap of chapters 1 through 8.)
Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralyzed Man
9 Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town. 2 Some men brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, âTake heart, son; your sins are forgiven.â
3 At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, âThis fellow is blaspheming!â
4 Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, âWhy do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? 5 Which is easier: to say, âYour sins are forgiven,â or to say, âGet up and walkâ? 6 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.â So he said to the paralyzed man, âGet up, take your mat and go home.â 7 Then the man got up and went home. 8 When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to man.
Points to Ponder: The healings were quite the shiny objects wherever Jesus went; but healing people was not the goal of Jesusâ ministry. Crowds would gather to watch with amazement, but when Jesus shifted gears to announce the forgiveness of sins â that was a watershed moment â He was drawing a line in the sand.
He chose that moment when there are two notable groups present: the friends of the paralytic man, who had faith in Jesus to heal their friend and the teachers of the law, who lacked faith in Jesus. To the first group, He grabs their attention, by not healingž but by forgiving sins. This shocks the second group. The Jewish leaders considered such a statement blasphemy â only God could forgive sins and Godâs law clearly specified that only the Levite priests could perform the sacrificial ceremonies in Israel.
With all eyes fastened on Jesus â in a peak moment of confrontation â Jesus delivers one of the most powerful statements that all must meditate on. It is clear that Jesus declares to all who have seen or heard about the healings â that HE has the authority to forgive our sins.
The Calling of Matthew
9 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collectorâs booth. âFollow me,â he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.
10 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthewâs house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, âWhy does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?â
12 On hearing this, Jesus said, âIt is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: âI desire mercy, not sacrifice.â [Hosea 6:6] For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.â
Points to Ponder: The compassion of Jesus is on display here. Matthew was despised by his community â he was Jewish, but they worked for Rome to collect taxes⊠and a little more on top for his own pay. The only people who would associate with Matthew would be other Jewish outcasts and they join him for dinner with Jesus. (A beautiful picture of our eternal future â a banquet â redeemed sinners eating with their King. đ)
We see the religious leaders, the Pharisees, standing on the outside, looking in. Their consciences are alarmed â they see what Jesus is doing, but with all their training, they canât explain or understand Him. He is not what they expected. They direct their question to the disciples, but Jesus answers them with compassion. He is gentle in calling out their ignorance. He directs them back to their training from the book of Hosea. AND He gives them the correct way to interpret the scripture.
In these few sentences, Jesus gives the Pharisees enough to question their own perspectives. Isaiah 43:19 should be in their minds⊠how they choose to respond is up to them. (Jesus wonât force anyone into His kingdom⊠although He is sometimes pretty forceful. Think Jonah and Paul! )
Even religious leaders cannot presume righteousness. They too will need to humble themselves and admit their sins. These Pharisees can do all the sacrificial activities perfectly, but the sin if they cannot be merciful to those under their care.
Sometimes, it just so simple⊠Jesus came for sinners. (Paul, who was a Pharisee before being called to be an apostle to the Gentiles, says this clearly in Romans 3:10-12)
Jesus Questioned About Fasting
14 Then Johnâs disciples came and asked him, âHow is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?â
15 Jesus answered, âHow can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.
16 âNo one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. 17 Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.â
Points to Ponder: The first of the parables we see addresses how we are to accept Jesusâ new teachings. The disciples of John the Baptist and the Pharisees practice fasting often, but Jesusâ disciples didnât. The introduction of Jesus as the âbridegroomâ is brought up, but not developed yet. The mere mention of it, however, makes us want to smile. đ„°
In the natural world we talk about paradigm shifts⊠when the things we do that always fit in our worldview, no longer works⊠we are pressed to change our perspective. Jesus is telling them to expect something new, rethink everything. What Jesus is teaching still fulfills the Old Testament, but in a whole new way.
More mercy, less sacrifice â sort of.
Our sacrifices and offerings are poor at best⊠dirty rags! [Isaiah 64:6] Only the unblemished sacrifice of the perfect Lamb could atone for our sins! In light of the fact that this was already done for us â 2,000 years ago â we have NO business assuming that we can earn our salvation by anything we do on our own.Â
Look at that last story again and ask yourself⊠were you a sinner sitting at Matthewâs table and now you think you need to make yourself into a religious leader? If you do, you missed the point!
Jesus Raises a Dead Girl and Heals a Sick Woman
18 While he was saying this, a synagogue leader came and knelt before him and said, âMy daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live.â 19 Jesus got up and went with him, and so did his disciples.
20 Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. 21 She said to herself, âIf I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.â
22 Jesus turned and saw her. âTake heart, daughter,â he said, âyour faith has healed you.â And the woman was healed at that moment.
23 When Jesus entered the synagogue leaderâs house and saw the noisy crowd and people playing pipes, 24 he said, âGo away. The girl is not dead but asleep.â But they laughed at him. 25 After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up. 26 News of this spread through all that region.
Points to Ponder: Jesus raises the daughter of the synagogue leader back to life. On the way, a âbleeding for twelve yearsâ woman â i.e., ceremonially unclean; forbidden to worship at the temple â has enough faith to be healed. Jesus brings both these âdaughtersâ new life even though Jewish law implies this would make Jesus âuncleanâ. (Numbers 19:11)
Life is in the blood. (Remember Cain and Abel in Genesis 4:10? Or, Leviticus 17:11?)  When blood is spilled, it is the loss of life⊠death. The laws are meant to draw Godâs people away from death and into life. Jesus is the author of life and has authority over death â the message of the cross is the fulfillment of that authority on display for all who will see it.
Jesus Heals the Blind and the Mute
27 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, âHave mercy on us, Son of David!â
28 When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, âDo you believe that I am able to do this?â
âYes, Lord,â they replied.
29 Then he touched their eyes and said, âAccording to your faith let it be done to youâ; 30 and their sight was restored. Jesus warned them sternly, âSee that no one knows about this.â 31 But they went out and spread the news about him all over that region.
32 While they were going out, a man who was demon-possessed and could not talk was brought to Jesus. 33 And when the demon was driven out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowd was amazed and said, âNothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.â
34 But the Pharisees said, âIt is by the prince of demons that he drives out demons.â
Points to Ponder: Two of the biggest influences in our lives are what we see and what we hear. For they dictate what we think about and consider before we form decisions and take actions. Two blind men⊠who canât see, must have heard â for they have faith and honor Jesus with announcing the prophetic name for the Messiah, âSon of Davidâ [2 Samuel 7:12-13] as well as âLordâ. Like the woman in the last story, their faith is credited for their healing.
A mute, demon-possessed man was restored and the crowd is amazed. Except for the Pharisees, who can see, can hear, and unfortunately, can speak. Their pronouncement against Jesus is quite dishonorable.
The Workers Are Few
35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, âThe harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.â
Points to Ponder: The workers are few indeed. In this chapter we see the teachers of the law accuse Jesus of blasphemy, the Pharisees wanting to distance themselves since Jesus ate with tax collectors and sinners, other disciples wondering why His disciples do things differently, ONE SYNAGOGUE LEADER HAS FAITH, ONE OUTCAST WOMAN HAS FAITH, TWO BLIND MEN HAVE FAITH and the Pharisees accuse Jesus of being in league with the devil.
No wonder the crowds are flocking around Jesus â the intention of the law and Israel to be a nation of priests spreading the knowledge of God to the surrounding nations had been corrupted. When the crowds gather around Jesus â thirsting to hear more about His Kingdom â He has compassion for them, just not a lot of helpers.
Who will help lead the lost into the Kingdom? 2,000 years later and Iâm still praying for workers to go to the fields and reach those that I cannot. đ
Jesus Sends Out the Twelve
10 Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.
2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: âDo not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7 As you go, proclaim this message: âThe kingdom of heaven has come near.â 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.
Points to Ponder: Dang. Do you think those that professed to follow Jesus anywhere had this in their perspective? These apostles⊠Judas Iscariot, included⊠were given the same authority to do what Jesus had been doing as He called people to Godâs Kingdom.
And with that authority pronounced, Jesus adds a few more details⊠forget about everything else they thought they might need⊠money, clothes, props⊠Jesus is teaching them the value of the message and that they should listen and trust Him. To step out in faith⊠thatâs bold.
9 âDo not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your beltsâ 10 no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep. 11 Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay at their house until you leave. 12 As you enter the home, give it your greeting. 13 If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. 14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet. 15 Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.
Points to Ponder: More bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town. Sodom and Gomorrah [Genesis 18:16-18], the Old Testament towns that were annihilated by God for their sin was so grievous, not even 10 righteous men were to be found in the city of Sodom.
That event took place before the Old Testament law was given to the Jewish nation. One might argue that the people of Sodom were ignorant. Way before, Jesus walked this earth and sent His apostles to the Jewish people empowered with His authority to do miraculous signs. As the guardians of Godâs Word and these stories, they had little excuse to reject the message.
In terms of time, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah was way, way before the very Words of God were translated into our languages and made available for everyone to read for themselves. Do we have any excuse for rejecting the Gospel message?
16 âI am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. 17 Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. 18 On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, 20 for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
Points to Ponder: We saw these very warnings play out in the life of Paul in the Book of Acts.
21 âBrother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 23 When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
Points to Ponder: We see this play out today in countries where it is illegal to profess faith in Jesus.
24 âThe student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household!
Points to Ponder: We humbly remember to stay in our lane. Donât think you can determine what Jesus would do in a given situation⊠youâre not above the teacher or the master. Read these accounts carefully so you KNOW what the teacher or the master actually did in these circumstances.
Anyone who thinks their circumstances are unique because of the culture or time in which they live hasnât yet absorbed all that Scripture has to offer. [Ecclesiastes 1:9] We are responsible to walk in the way that we know from Scripture. We are also responsible to grow in our knowledge of Scripture. Submitting to the Spirit helps us in the gap. đ We are NOT responsible for how the message is received.
26 âSo do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Fatherâs care. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So donât be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
32 âWhoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.
Points to Ponder: He knows; He sees. Anyone who thinks Christianity is for the weak or should be more compromising, hasnât read V28 through 33. A similar warning for us is given in Luke 9:26.
34 âDo not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn
ââa man against his father,
    a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-lawâ
36Â Â Â Â Â a manâs enemies will be the members of his own household.â [Micah 7:6]
37 âAnyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.
Points to Ponder: This is one of the most difficult parts to read until we rethink the concept of self-sacrificial love that God has in mind â in order to save us and give us new life, He took on death for our benefit.
This difficult section is about priorities and love. Without making Jesus our priority, we will never mature into the human beings He designed and desires to have in eternity. We will never mature into human beings capable of loving others the way He loved us.
Quit expecting⊠wishing⊠hoping⊠praying for peace on earth! Jesus came to bring a âswordâ. His sword is His Word â the wisdom of God that crushes the wisdom we hear on earth. We think we know how to love our parents and our children, but if we arenât putting Jesus first, then we donât.
Notice the sword is dividing generations, not spouses. Of course, not spouses â for in a marriage, the two become one and no one should separate. [Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19:6]
But raising children is a different matter entirely. Children are to honor their mother and father â itâs a commandment. [Exodus 20:12] But corrupted generations and worldly wisdom have combined to make this a mess! Jesus came to fix this. Children shouldnât be lost because of disobedient parents who reject God. Parents are the adults⊠theyâre responsible. They need to be the ones who model the behavior that Jesus comes first.
As children get older, regardless of their upbringing, their consciences will make them thirst for God. They will then be responsible to make the choice to prioritize Jesus regardless of their parentâs influence.
We are ALL called to a spiritual awakening where we realize⊠Heâs first, Iâm not. Itâs at that time we put our old lives up on a cross, repent of what we must, turn and follow Him. And with that loss of our old life⊠we are reborn to find brand new life.
40 âAnyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. 41 Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophetâs reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous personâs reward. 42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.â
Points to Ponder: If you are bringing an invitation to the Kingdom to someone, you are going as an ambassador. Not only does He see your work, but He sees the responses of those you reach. Their kindness to you will not go unrewarded.
Summary: In these chapters we see a whole new way of life. It is different from the traditional understanding of âreligionâ. We hear that Christianity is not about religion but relationship. But that begs an explanation of how to have a relationship with an invisible God!
These chapters dive into the details of being ambassadors for Christ⊠being the hands and feet of Jesus. It wonât be easy, but we go on His behalf to bring others to the Kingdom. And when He returns to the earth, our work is done â let the feast begin! Start telling people thereâs a seat with their name on it if they will follow Jesus as you have done.
đđ» Heavenly Father â Every moment we spend in Your Word brings us new life. We are so grateful for all the moments of history that have led to this very moment of spending more time with You. We thank You in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.
- Chapter 1 â The genealogy of Jesus showing this has always been Godâs plan to restore humanity. GOD IS FAITHFUL.
- Chapter 2 â The wise men, the outsiders search for the king. His own people reject and try to kill Jesus. NOT ALL HAVE EYES TO SEE.
- Chapter 3 â John the Baptist prepares the way by calling people to repentance and baptizing Jesus. IF WE âSEEâ, HOW SHOULD WE RESPOND?
- Chapter 4 â Jesus is tested by Satan in the wilderness. He remains faithful and standing strong using the Word of God. Jesus begins His mission â gathering disciples, healing, and preaching about Godâs Kingdom. JESUS SHOWS US THE WAY.
- Chapter 5 â Sermon on the Mount â Part 1. Rethink everything! What it means to be blessed⊠what is our purpose⊠this was always the message of the Old Testament. You think you know right from wrong? Not just murder, but anger and dismissing others is wrong. Not just adultery, but leering is wrong. Divorce may be legal but it was never part of Godâs design â keep your promises â all of them⊠integrity matters to the people around you. Eye-for-eye? No! Learn to love your enemies.
- Chapter 6 â Sermon on the Mount â Part 2. Draw near to God, your father, in relationship. No showy religion when serving God or others. Pray to God, earnestly. Fast for a purpose. Do all this in secret where your Father sees you and rewards you in heaven. Donât worry about the things of this world⊠He sees your giving⊠he sees your working⊠he hears your praying⊠he sees and knows what you need? Trust Him â Seek Him first; everything else falls into place.
- Chapter 7 â Sermon on the Mount â Part 3. Living it out as a disciple of Christ. DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME… ALONE. đ Christian life is designed to be lived out in a community â connected to God through Jesus in order to connect to other believers. As this new life progresses, this life is designed to be generational. You start as a baby⊠you need to learn from your Christian siblings and your Christian parents. Donât judge others, youâre still a child! Pray always⊠continually⊠Heâs waiting to spend time with you! And be bold⊠try something new. Do something for someone else, that you would like. This is the way He told us to live â not everyone will be faithful, but you are in charge of your decisions. Building your life on the teachings of Jesus is akin to a house on a solid foundation.
- Chapter 8 â JESUS WALKS THE TALK. He teaches and He puts it into action â healing a leper, healing the servant of a Roman officer â nothing is outside of His domain. He heals those with fevers and those possessed by demons. People want a piece of the action, but He reminds them that He has no home here. If you want a piece of His Kingdom, you have to give up this one. (And if you still doubt the value of such a choice â Jesus spoke to calm a storm.)
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