Today’s Reading: Matthew 15:1-20

One day some teachers of religious law and Pharisees came to Jesus and said, “Teacher, we want you to show us a miraculous sign to prove your authority.” – Matthew 12:38

THEY DEMANDED MORE.

The Pharisees demanded miraculous signs from Jesus. There was a popular expectation in Jewish tradition that the Messiah would perform spectacular miracles on demand when he arrived. So to test whether or not Jesus was the Messiah, the Jewish leaders demanded that he perform for them.

But Jesus replied, “Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign; but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights…” – Matthew 12:39-40

JESUS REVEALED MORE ABOUT WHO HE WAS.

Jesus was revealing to them THE most incredible thing that would happen in all of history and they missed it. The people of Nineveh repented when they heard Jonah’s message but the Jewish leaders refused to repent when they heard the gospel message straight from the Son of Man’s lips. The queen of Sheba had traveled a great distance to hear words of wisdom from Solomon and she was not disappointed at what she found, yet the Pharisees refused to listen to the words of wisdom spoken by someone SO much greater than Solomon (12:41-42).

Jesus told the religious leaders that he would spend three days and three nights in the heart of the earth or the grave, and it was as if they never heard him. Instead of listening closely and finding the powerful truth Jesus was revealing, the Pharisees DEMANDED AN EXPLANATION from Jesus.

“Why do your disciples disobey our age-old tradition of ceremonial hand washing before they eat.” – Matthew 15:2

Jesus answered their demanding question with a demanding question of his own: “And why do you, by your traditions, violate the direct commandments of God? For instance, God says, ‘Honor your father and mother,’…” (Matthew 15:3-4a).

Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. “Listen,” he said, “and try to understand. It’s not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth.”

Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you realize you offended the Pharisees by what you just said?”

Jesus replied, “Every plant not planted by my heavenly Father will be uprooted, so ignore them. They are blind guides leading the blind, and if one blind person guides another, they will both fall into a ditch.”

Then Peter said to Jesus, “Explain to us the parable that says people aren’t defiled by what they eat.”

“Don’t you understand yet?” Jesus asked. “Anything you eat passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer. But the words you speak come from the heart – that’s what defiles you. For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying and slander. These are what defile you. Eating with unwashed hands will never defile you.” – Matthew 15:10-20

Just as the religious leaders were revealing the sin in their hearts by the words they spoke and the demands they made, we also reveal our spiritual condition by what we say. When our heart is not completely submitted to what God has for us, we see the results of that in our behavior and our conversation. So choosing our words carefully and intentionally avoiding strong language does not have to be a sign of legalism, but can simply be the outflow of the Spirit’s work in our lives. He takes away the desire to sound like the world and behave in a way that does not bring Him glory.

Lord, we thank you for the ways your words continue to teach us today. We ask that you continue to do a work in our hearts and that you will be glorified in everything that we say and do today — not as a result of our human effort but as an indicator of the impact you are having on our hearts. Father, open our eyes to the miracles you are willing to perform all around us if only we will believe. Thank you for saving us from ourselves and teaching us your ways. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Matthew 14:22-36

Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home. After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone. – Matthew 14:22-23

JESUS SENT THEM OUT ONTO THE LAKE.

Jesus intentionally spent time alone in prayer. So much had happened and he had been consistently surrounded by people. It was time to spend the evening with God — to be refreshed, restored, and renewed. He knew there would be difficult days ahead for him and for his disciples. It was time to reveal himself to his closest followers in a new way.

Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!” – Matthew 14:24-26

Imagine what this might have been like for them. Many of them were fishermen, so this probably was not the first time they had been in a boat when the weather had turned. But perhaps they were farther out from the land than they had been during a storm; perhaps the waves were stronger than they had experienced before. In the midst of the familiar, there was a new challenge, and they were struggling.

JESUS WAS WITH THEM IN THE STORM.

The disciples were where they were told to be. Jesus had insisted they get into the boat and cross over to the other side of the lake. It had been a long day. It was time to send the people home and time to travel to the next place. It was in obeying Jesus that the disciples found themselves in a storm they could not get themselves out of. And in the midst of the heavy waves and strong winds, Jesus made himself known to them. In order to experience the power of Jesus, they had to fully experience the storm.

But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!”

Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.”

“Yes, come,” Jesus said. – Matthew 14:27-29a

JESUS INVITED PETER TO WALK OUT ON THE WATER TO HIM.

The invitation was clear — Jesus was calling Peter to come out onto the water, even though the waves were large and the wind was strong. Peter had a choice to make. He could experience Jesus from the safety of the boat or he could experience Jesus in a place that required a whole new level of faith.

So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.

Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?”

When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed. – Matthew 14:29b-33

Today’s Reading: Matthew 13:44-46, 53-58, 14:1-21

“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field.

“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!” – Matthew 13:44-46

Jesus painted a beautiful picture of what God desires from us — to be all in. He wants our full attention as we give ourselves completely to the life He is calling us to. Nothing is more important; nothing has more value than the Kingdom of Heaven.

The man discovered the treasure in a field. Perhaps he was not looking for it but knew the value of what he had found. He sold EVERYTHING in order to have the treasure. On the other hand, the merchant was searching. He was on the lookout and his attentiveness caused him to discover a pearl of great value. He was looking for choice pearls and found one of even greater value than he was expecting. He sold EVERYTHING. He bought into it and fully owned it.

The merchant was amazed at what he had found, just as the people of Nazareth were amazed at the wisdom and healing power of Jesus. They had known him as the son of Joseph, but they struggled to see him as the King of Kings.

When Jesus had finished telling these stories and illustrations, he left that part of the country. He returned to Nazareth, his hometown. When he taught there in the synagogue, everyone was amazed and said, “Where does he get this wisdom and the power to do miracles?” Then they scoffed, “He’s just the carpenter’s son, and we know Mary, his mother, and his brothers—James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas. All his sisters live right here among us. Where did he learn all these things?” And they were deeply offended and refused to believe in him.

Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his own family.” And so he did only a few miracles there because of their unbelief. – Matthew 13:53-58

THEY MISSED OUT ON THE EXPERIENCE OF JESUS.

They did not see Jesus as special. They went from being amazed by what Jesus could do to offended that he was trying to be anything other than the Nazarene carpenter’s son. They dug in their heels and refused to believe in him. And because of their unbelief, many went unhealed. Their experience of the ministry of Jesus was minimal because they lacked the faith to believe he could make that kind of impact on their town.

Upon hearing the news that Herod had put John the Baptist to death, Jesus went away to have some time alone. But crowds of people from many different towns followed him to that area and met him as he stopped out of the boat. Jesus had compassion on them and began to heal those who were sick.

THEY WERE HUNGRY TO EXPERIENCE JESUS.

That evening the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves.”

But Jesus said, “That isn’t necessary — you feed them.”

“But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish!” they answered.

“Bring them here,” he said. Then he told the people to sit down on the grass. Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he gave the bread to the disciples, who distributed it to the people. They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftovers. About 5,000 men were fed that day, in addition to all the women and children! – Matthew 14:15-21

So where do you see yourself in this morning’s coffee? Do you see the experience of Jesus as something worth seeking? Are you willing to give your all to that which has eternal value? Perhaps this describes who you used to be, when you were searching and discovering Jesus for the first time. But it is easy for the stories of Jesus to become so commonplace that we no longer treat them as special. We allow Jesus to be so familiar that we are no longer expecting something special from him.

Lord, we need a fresh passion from you this week. Give us a hunger to search your scriptures like a merchant searching for choice pearls. Open our hearts to the discovery of something of great value as we prepare our hearts for the celebration of your birth. May we be intentional to give you our full attention, experiencing you in new and powerful ways this Christmas. Surprise us beyond what we can even comprehend experiencing in you — a pearl of greater value than expected. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Matthew 13:31-35

Jesus always used stories and illustrations like these when speaking to the crowds. In fact, he never spoke to them without using such parables. This fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet: “I will speak to you in parables. I will explain things hidden since the creation of the world.” – Matthew 12:34-35

I love a good story. There is power in hearing a story and letting it change your life. Stories keep us engaged and help us remember God’s teaching. Jesus’ stories do the same thing. They bring theology into full color and make it easier to understand.

Jesus also said, “The Kingdom of God is like a farmer who scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, while he’s asleep or awake, the seed sprouts and grows, but he does not understand how it happens. The earth produces the crops on its own. First a leaf blade pushes through, then the heads of wheat are formed, and finally the grain ripens. And as soon as the grain is ready, the farmer comes and harvests it with a sickle, for the harvest time has come.” – Mark 4:26-29

We have to trust the way God uses His Word in the heart of another person. It is mysterious and beyond what my human effort can produce. I can plant the seed and I can pray for the harvest, but I have to leave the results up to the Lord. In the words of the apostle Paul: “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow” (1 Corinthians 3:6).

God calls us to plant the seed but what happens after that is beyond our control. We cannot make the decision for another person. We can stay close by to support them and encourage them and to answer their questions, but the decision to live for Christ is theirs and only theirs to make.

Here is another illustration Jesus used: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches.” – Matthew 12:31-32

What an encouraging verse! We cannot get discouraged at our small attempts to plant seed, even when we do not see immediate results. Like a farmer, we need to have patience and trust that there is growth below the surface that we cannot see. We need to have faith and believe that God can grow that seed into something large and spectacular – something that will one day help others who come to rest in its shade.

Jesus also used this illustration: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough.” – Matthew 12:33

The Kingdom of God is permeating and has the power to transform! Jesus started with 12 disciples, and now look how the gospel has spread across nations, cities, communities, and neighborhoods! One by one, the gospel is shared and new life springs up. The change in a new Christian is small compared to the work that God intends to do over time in the life of His children. Transformation and growth will take place and continue in that person’s life, and soon they will be planting seeds in the lives of those around them. This is how the message of Jesus spreads and takes root; this is how the Kingdom of God continues to increase.

Then Jesus told this story: “A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed. Finally, he said to his gardener, ‘I’ve waited three years, and there hasn’t been a single fig! Cut it down. It’s just taking up space in the garden.’

“The gardener answered, ‘Sir, give it one more chance. Leave it another year, and I’ll give it special attention and plenty of fertilizer. If we get figs next year, fine. If not, then you can cut it down.’” – Luke 13:6-9

Oh the love of our Jesus, that He would never give up on us.

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. – 2 Peter 3:9

If He does not give up on us, we should not give up on the lost. Even when we cannot see the growth that is happening below the surface, we must TRUST GOD FOR THE RESULTS. We must listen carefully and obey what He prompts us to do and to say. We must never give up on the seeds. We must see in it the potential of being the largest plant in the garden. For the sake of the birds who will someday nest in its branches, we must give it time, special attention and plenty of prayer.

Today’s Reading: Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43, 47-52

“A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart.” – Matthew 12:35

Good and evil. Jesus spoke of these two opposites many times, often in the context of judgment – judging what is evil and what is good, dividing the two and separating them into two distinct places, heaven and hell. Jesus told a story that answers the question that we continue to ask today.

WHY DOES GOD ALLOW EVIL TO CONTINUE TO IMPACT THE WORLD, LEAVING BEHIND A TRAIL OF PAIN, SICKNESS AND DEATH?

Here is another story Jesus told: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away. When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew.

“The farmer’s workers went to him and said, ‘Sir, the field where you planted that good seed is full of weeds! Where did they come from?’

“‘An enemy has done this!’ the farmer exclaimed.

“‘Should we pull out the weeds?’ they asked.

“‘No,’ he replied, ‘you’ll uproot the wheat if you do. Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn.’” – Matthew 13:24-30

God has not wiped evil off the face of the earth because He is not willing that any should perish. There are many who have yet to accept the gift of salvation and God is patiently beckoning them to Himself. God loves His children and desires for their destiny to be heaven and not hell, but He gives them free will – the choice between good and evil, between serving Him or serving themselves.

Peter understood what Jesus was teaching. Later he wrote: “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

God does not want anyone to be destroyed, or to perish. We do not like to talk about hell. It’s uncomfortable. We have softened our talk on hell enough that there are many who doubt its reality. But Jesus did not back down from speaking about the judgment day or the harvest when good and evil will be separated. The reality of this coming separation should not quiet our discussion, instead we should be busy planting seeds and spreading the gospel in order to save others from being “thrown into the fire.”

Then, leaving the crowds outside, Jesus went into the house. His disciples said, “Please explain to us the story of the weeds in the field.”

Jesus replied, “The Son of Man is the farmer who plants the good seed. The field is the world, and the good seed represents the people of the Kingdom. The weeds are the people who belong to the evil one. The enemy who planted the weeds among the wheat is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world, and the harvesters are the angels.

“Just as the weeds are sorted out and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the world. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will remove from his Kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. And the angels will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s Kingdom. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand! – Matthew 13:36b-43

“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a fishing net that was thrown into the water and caught fish of every kind. When the net was full, they dragged it up onto the shore, sat down, and sorted the good fish into crates, but threw the bad ones away. That is the way it will be at the end of the world. The angels will come and separate the wicked people from the righteous, throwing the wicked into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Do you understand all these things?” – Matt. 13:47-51

Jesus spoke of a day when evil will be separated from good. Until that day, we live in an imperfect world where evil and good coexist. We have a choice to either be influenced by the evil around us or to cling to the good. In the meantime, we have a responsibility to overcome evil and spread the good news to those around us.

“Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me.” – Matthew 12:30

Father God, remind us of our calling. Help us to see that there are those around us who need us to reach out and save them from the influence of this world. Let us not become so comfortable in our own salvation that we are no longer uncomfortable with the knowledge that others are without salvation. Remind us that you, God, can make great change in the lives of the unsaved around us, just as you are transforming our lives. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Matthew 13:1-23

On the same day that Jesus taught that good trees produce good fruit and bad trees produce bad fruit, he went out by the lake and sat down. Large crowds gathered around him, so Jesus stepped into a boat. The people gathered on the shore as Jesus began teaching them in parables — a simple story with a deeper meaning.

“A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear.” – Matthew 13:3b-9

My life has been greatly impacted by the book The 4 Disciplines of Execution by Chris McChesney, Sean Covey and Jim Huling. The book talks about using lead measures and lag measures when trying to obtain your wildly important goals. These concepts are making a huge difference on how much we get done each year at work and on where we place our focus.

Lag measures are the measure of the result you are trying to reach while lead measures are the measure of what will predictably influence the lag measures. Here is a simple example that helps these concepts make sense. I am trying to lose weight. How many pounds I lose will be my lag measure, but I am probably not going to lose weight if my focus is on how much I weigh each morning. Stepping on the scales each day is simply not going to take the pounds and inches away. I need to instead focus on the lead measures – how many calories I am burning and how many calories I am consuming. It is reasonable to predict that if I burn more calories than I consume, I will lose weight.

Now let us consider Covey’s concepts while reading the parable of the farmer scattering seed. If the farmer’s goal is to grow more plants, and he knows that the more seed he sows the more plants he grows, it makes sense for him to plant more seeds in order to grow more plants. It is predictable. If he wants his harvest to be a certain size, his focus must be on how many seeds he plants and how many fields he works in.

“Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” – Matthew 13:18-23

Not everyone who hears the message of salvation is going to accept it. Not everyone who hears how they can receive forgiveness and freedom from sin will choose to believe. Some of the seed we plant will fall on the footpath, some on rocky soil, some among thorns and some on good soil. If our lag measure is how many people pray to accept Jesus as their Savior, the lead measure is what? If we want to lead someone to Christ, not for our own gain but so that they can experience the joyful life we are blessed with each day, what do we need to do?

At the Pregnancy Resource Center, our desire is to equip women to make their pregnancy decision from a place of hope, faith, knowledge and support. So our lag measure is the difference we make in someone’s life but our focus needs to be on our lead measures. How many opportunities do we have each day to present a woman with her options, provide material assistance to help her prepare for the birth of her baby, talk about Jesus, and comfort a woman grieving from her abortion experience? If we want to make a bigger difference in our community, we have to have a strategy for getting the message out there of who we are and what we do. So client marketing is the lead measure we are looking at. After all, how can we help her if she does not know we exist?

If our mission as believers is to introduce others to Jesus or to see those around us accepting Jesus as their personal Savior, we could ask ourselves what we are doing to encourage those opportunities. In light of Jesus’ parable, we could ask how many seeds we are planting each day. If we don’t plant seeds, there will be no harvest.

I sat in a youth leaders meeting and someone voiced the burden they were carrying for some of our struggling teens. While encouraged by the spiritual growth taking place in the lives of some of our teens, we are also saddened by some of the choices being made by others. By the end of our discussion, we were reminded that we need to just keep “planting seeds” by creating opportunities for the teens to grow in their understanding of God as well as opportunities to live out their growing faith. We need to keep investing in their lives, trusting God with the results.

Where will my focus be today? Is it just another day about me or will I see myself as the farmer whose goal is to have a large harvest this year? If I do not set out with my eyes open for opportunities to plant seeds, I will most likely miss every chance that comes my way. But if I see myself as a planter of seeds today, I will look for opportunities to reach out to those around me, because it may just be the seed needed to grow a plant.

Today’s Reading: Matthew 12:15-50

Then the Pharisees called a meeting to plot how to kill Jesus. But Jesus knew what they were planning. So he left that area, and many people followed him. He healed all the sick among them, but he warned them not to reveal who he was. – Matthew 12:14-16

The Pharisees saw Jesus as a threat, but the people saw Jesus as the healer. The religious leaders wanted to silence him, but the people wanted to follow him. He was kind and compassionate, healing those who were injured or diseased. He came to bring justice, but what most received when they met Jesus was hope.

This fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah concerning him:
“Look at my Servant, whom I have chosen.
He is my Beloved, who pleases me.
I will put my Spirit upon him,
and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
He will not fight or shout
or raise his voice in public.
He will not crush the weakest reed
or put out a flickering candle.
Finally he will cause justice to be victorious.
And his name will be the hope
of all the world.” – Matthew 12:17-21

THE HOPE OF ALL THE WORLD

Then a demon-possessed man, who was blind and couldn’t speak, was brought to Jesus. He healed the man so that he could both speak and see. The crowd was amazed and asked, “Could it be that Jesus is the Son of David, the Messiah?”

But when the Pharisees heard about the miracle, they said, “No wonder he can cast out demons. He gets his power from Satan, the prince of demons.” – Matthew 12:22-24

A man was freed from the evil spirit living within him, and he was now able to speak and to see. He had his life back and it was all because of Jesus. Those who witnessed this healing were dumbfounded and began to ask if Jesus was the Messiah they had been waiting for. But the Pharisees dug in their heels and made up lies about Jesus. Instead of acknowledging that Jesus had been sent by God and was performing miracles by the power of the Holy Spirit, they accused Jesus of receiving his power from Satan.

“So I tell you, every sin and blasphemy can be forgiven—except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which will never be forgiven. Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, either in this world or in the world to come.” – Matthew 12:31-32

The Spirit was at work in Jesus, and Jesus was performing miracles through the power of the Holy Spirit. Rather than recognizing the wonderful things that were being accomplished through the ministry of the Messiah, the religious leaders doubted Jesus’ sovereignty and questioned his calling. They challenged Jesus instead of joining the crowd in their amazement of the difference that Jesus was making in the lives of so many.

A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. – Matthew 12:35-36

God, give us eyes to see the good you are accomplishing through the ministry of others. May we be quick to give you glory and celebrate the difference you are making in the lives of so many, rather than fall to jealousy and gossip. May your Spirit dwell within us and guide our hearts. Give us wisdom and discernment to recognize the work of your hands, and may we stand in amazement when we see others giving their lives to you. We recognize this morning that you are the hope of all the world, and we give you the praise! Amen.

Today’s Reading: Matthew 12:1-14

At about that time Jesus was walking through some grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, so they began breaking off some heads of grain and eating them. But some Pharisees saw them do it and protested, “Look, your disciples are breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath.” – Matthew 12:1-2

The Pharisees watched Jesus closely, especially on the Sabbath. They wanted to catch him breaking the Jewish traditions and laws so as to have grounds to accuse him and shut down his ministry. They had his disciples under close surveillance.

The question they asked Jesus also exaggerated the truth; it made it sound like the disciples were harvesting the fields on the Sabbath. The truth was that they simply broke off some heads of grain, rubbed off the husks with their hands, and then ate the grain. In other words, they fixed themselves a quick snack as they walked through the grainfields.

“The Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath.” – Luke 6:5

Jesus knew their thoughts. He said to the man with the deformed hand, “Come and stand in front of everyone.” So the man came forward. Then Jesus said to his critics, “I have a question for you. Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?” He looked around at them one by one and then said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored! – Luke 6:8-10

Wouldn’t you have loved to have been there in that moment as Jesus took the time to make eye contact with each and every one of his accusers? Jesus knew their thoughts and he knew their motives. He knew what he was about to do was going to make them very angry — angry enough to make them start plotting against him.

Jesus looks at the heart of each and every one of us — individually. He knows when we use the Sabbath as an excuse to make the day about ourselves when His intention has always been that the Sabbath would be about Him. The Sabbath is not a day for us to focus on our own needs for rest but to slow down the busyness of our lives and focus our attention fully on Him.

“I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.” – Matthew 12:7b & Hosea 6:6

When we are fully focused on Him and we feel His eye on us, God may move on our hearts to show mercy to someone or to do something for Him. Our response should be one of obedience. The Sabbath is a great day to worship God and a great day to hear from Him. Isn’t it also a great day to respond in obedience, no matter what He is asking us to do?

And he answered, “If you had a sheep that fell into a well on the Sabbath, wouldn’t you work to pull it out? Of course you would. And how much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Yes, the law permits a person to do good on the Sabbath.” – Matthew 12:11-12

Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath. – Mark 2:27

Mark describes Jesus as experiencing both anger at the Pharisees’ manipulation and sadness at the hardness of their hearts. Knowing how they were about to respond, he told the man to hold out his deformed hand.

Then he said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored, just like the other one! – Matthew 12:13

HOLD OUT YOUR HAND.

Jesus restored that which was broken and healed that which was wounded, but first the man had to hold out his hand — an action that showed obedience to the Lord’s instructions and faith that God can take our biggest weakness and restore it for His glory. Let’s respond to Jesus today by holding out our hands in faith, allowing God to use our hands however and whenever He asks.

Lord, give us a heart of mercy that sees the needs of those around us and puts their needs ahead of our own. Use us in ways we don’t expect in order to meet the needs of others. May we believe in faith that you are able to heal our body, restore our spirit, and build our strength. Lord, we hold our hands out to you this morning. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Matthew 11:20-30

Jesus traveled from town to town, preaching the message of repentance and performing miracles. But there were many who clung to their self-righteousness rather than recognizing their own need for salvation. While the unrighteous were turning from their wicked ways and asking for God’s forgiveness, the self-righteous were continuing to rely on their religious practices and traditions rather than respond to the message of repentance. They chose their own merit over humbling themselves and admitting that they were sinners in need of a Savior. Jesus had strong words for them:

Then Jesus began to denounce the towns where he had done so many of his miracles, because they hadn’t repented of their sins and turned to God. “What sorrow awaits you, Korazin and Bethsaida! For if the miracles I did in you had been done in wicked Tyre and Sidon, their people would have repented of their sins long ago, clothing themselves in burlap and throwing ashes on their heads to show their remorse. I tell you, Tyre and Sidon will be better off on judgment day than you.

“And you people of Capernaum, will you be honored in heaven? No, you will go down to the place of the dead. For if the miracles I did for you had been done in wicked Sodom, it would still be here today. I tell you, even Sodom will be better off on judgment day than you.” – Matthew 11:20-24

COME TO JESUS WITH CHILDLIKE FAITH.

At that time Jesus prayed this prayer: “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way! – Matthew 11:25-26

It is good to study God’s word in order to gain a better understanding; it is wise to spend time daily allowing the bible to mold us and teach us. To study the bible with the intent of finding errors, or to disprove the Spirit-anointed writings, is like the reaction of the religious leaders to Jesus’ teachings. They had a choice to receive the Messiah with childlike faith or to challenge the authority of Jesus. We see this same dichotomy in the church today.

“My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” – Matthew 11:27

God revealed Himself to HIs creation by allowing us to get to know the Son. When we study the life of Christ, we gain understanding of who God is and how deeply He loves us. We recognize our need to let go of our striving and attempts at righteousness in order to fully rely on the grace of God — undeserved, unmerited, and unearned.

COME TO JESUS IN HUMBLE SURRENDER.

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” – Matthew 11:28-30

Father God, we approach your throne today with all that is weighing us down. We are tired of making our best effort to serve you; we are weary of our self-righteousness. Lord, we thank you for the yoke that is placed upon us — that we can live this life in relationship with you. Teach us, lead us, guide us. We pray for the experience of childlike faith today, resting in who you are and what you want to make out of our lives. We love you, Lord. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Matthew 11:2-19

John the Baptist, who was in prison, heard about all the things the Messiah was doing. So he sent his disciples to ask Jesus, “Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?”

Jesus told them, “Go back to John and tell him what you have heard and seen— the blind see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor.” And he added, “God blesses those who do not fall away because of me.” – Matthew 11:2-6

John had been longing for the arrival of the Messiah. He knew the Promised One was coming soon because God had called him to prepare the way. He had dedicated his life to preaching this message — “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near” (Matthew 3:2). This was not only his purpose, it was his passion.

John sent his disciples to find out if Jesus was the One they had been waiting for. He knew Jesus was special, because he was there when the dove descended on Jesus as he came out of the water after John baptized him. He heard the voice say, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy” (Matthew 3:17). John’s whole life had been dedicated to this moment and he longed to know for sure whether or not Jesus was the Messiah. It was uncertain whether or not he would survive this prison, but he could die in peace if he knew with certainty that the Messiah had arrived.

There was a trail of evidence of Jesus’ power in every town he visited. Those who had been without sight could now see; those who had been crippled or sick were healed. The deaf could hear and those who had once been dead were now alive. The same Good News that John had preached was now being declared by Jesus. And the evidence of God’s blessing fell on everyone who chose to accept the words of Jesus rather than to find offense at what he said.

As John’s disciples walked away, Jesus turned to the crowd and revealed how the prophecies were fulfilled through the life of John the Baptist. John’s disciples were checking to see if Jesus was the real deal, and Jesus turned around and made sure the Jews knew that John was special: “John is the man to whom the Scriptures refer when they say, ‘Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, and he will prepare your way before you’” (Matthew 11:10).

John the Baptist was the fulfillment of Scripture but they did recognize the messenger because he did not appear as they expected him to. Jesus asked the crowd, “What kind of man did you go into the wilderness to see? Was he a weak reed, swayed by every breath of wind? Or were you expecting to see a man dressed in expensive clothes? No, people with expensive clothes live in palaces. Were you looking for a prophet? Yes, and he is more than a prophet” (Matthew 11:7b-9).

THE MESSENGER DID NOT APPEAR IN THE WAY THEY EXPECTED HIM TO; HE DIDN’T MEET THEIR EXPECTATIONS.

John dressed in camel hair and he wore a leather belt around his waist. He preached in the Judean wilderness, and he ate locusts and wild honey to sustain himself. They came from all over to hear him preach, and many repented of their sins and were baptized. Jesus took this time to affirm everything John had taught them.

“I tell you the truth, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least person in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he is! And from the time John the Baptist began preaching until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing, and violent people are attacking it. For before John came, all the prophets and the law of Moses looked forward to this present time. And if you are willing to accept what I say, he is Elijah, the one the prophets said would come. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!” – Matthew 11:11-15

John had not played their game and bowed to the wishes of the religious leaders or Roman officials. He did not behave as they expected him to so they criticized him. Jesus’ ministry would look different than John’s but he knew they would still not accept his words or his actions.

THE MESSIAH DID NOT APPEAR IN THE WAY THEY EXPECTED HIM TO; HE DIDN’T MEET THEIR EXPECTATIONS.

“To what can I compare this generation? It is like children playing a game in the public square. They complain to their friends, ‘We played wedding songs, and you didn’t dance, so we played funeral songs, and you didn’t mourn.’ For John didn’t spend his time eating and drinking, and you say, ‘He’s possessed by a demon.’ The Son of Man, on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say, ‘He’s a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!’ But wisdom is shown to be right by its results.” – Matthew 11:16-19

What if God does something in your life this week that you were not expecting? What if He challenges your way of thinking or asks you to do something you are reluctant to do? Jesus wants to be both our purpose and our passion, and we have the opportunity this morning to point others towards him. He wants us to bear fruit for His kingdom as we receive Him just as He is — even if He surprises us and does not match our expectations.