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.

Today’s Reading: Matthew 9:35-11:1

“The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.” – Matthew 9:37b-38

Right after saying this, Jesus called his twelve disciples together and equipped them for ministry. He gave them the authority to cast out evil spirits and to heal every kind of disease and illness. He gave them instructions for ministry that are still helpful to us. He taught them to be generous (10:8), to be wise (10:16), and to make the most of every opportunity — even in the moments where ministry is hard.

“But beware! For you will be handed over to the courts and will be flogged with whips in the synagogues. You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell the rulers and other unbelievers about me.” – Matthew 10:17-18

Be filled with the Spirit.

“When you are arrested, don’t worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time. For it is not you who will be speaking – it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.” – Matthew 10:19-20

Be a humble follower of Christ.

“Students are not greater than their teacher, and slaves are not greater than their master. Students are to be like their teacher, and slaves are to be like their master. And since I, the master of the household, have been called the prince of demons, the members of my household will be called by even worse names!” – Matthew 10:24-25

Be strong.

“Don’t be afraid of those who threaten you. For the time is coming when everything that is covered will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all.” – Matthew 10:26

Be a voice.

“What I tell you now in the darkness, shout abroad when daybreak comes. What I whisper in your ear, shout from the housetops for all to hear!” – Matthew 10:27

Be God-fearing.

“Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both body and soul in hell.” – Matthew 10:28

Be aware you are valuable to God.

“What is the price of two sparrows – one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.” – Matthew 10:29-31

Be loyal and true.

“Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven.” – Matthew 10:32-33

Be faithful and put God above everyone else, including yourself.

“If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it” – Matthew 10:37-39

Be the body of Christ.

“And if you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded.” – Matthew 10:42

When Jesus had finished giving these instructions to his twelve disciples, he went to teach and preach in towns throughout the region (Matthew 11:1). Jesus taught his disciples by what he said and by how he lived. He ate with them and walked with them. By doing life with the disciples, Jesus was strategically positioned to teach them and to show them love. Jesus became an example of what it means to truly BE about the Kingdom of God – how to BE a servant and how to BE a follower. Now it is our turn to BE all God calls us to BE.

Today’s Reading: Matthew 9:18-34

As Jesus was saying this, the leader of a synagogue came and knelt before him. “My daughter has just died,” he said, “but you can bring her back to life again if you just come and lay your hand on her.”
So Jesus and his disciples got up and went with him. – Matthew 9:18-19

HE KNELT BEFORE JESUS.

Consider the posture of this leader as he approached Jesus. Consider the heart of this father as he responded to his grief by going to the one who had been healing so many others. In this moment of physical submission and emotional heaviness, this man of God did not make a request of Jesus but instead he made a statement of faith. This is, but you can; this happened, but I believe you are able.

Just then a woman who had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding came up behind him. She touched the fringe of his robe, for she thought, “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.”

Jesus turned around, and when he saw her he said, “Daughter, be encouraged! Your faith has made you well.” And the woman was healed at that moment. – Matthew 9:20-22

SHE REACHED OUT TO JESUS.

Consider the posture of this woman as she approached Jesus. She did not feel worthy of interrupting Jesus. She was not culturally as important as the leader of the synagogue and her illness did not compare to the death of a child. But what stands out to me in this passage is that she did not wonder if touching the hem of Jesus’ garment could heal her; she believed it would. This is, but you can; this happened, but I believe you are able.

JESUS TURNED AROUND.

Just as Jesus acknowledged the faith of the man, he responded to the faith of this woman. Feeling the power go out from him (Luke 8:46), Jesus turned towards the woman and he gave her his full attention. He called her “daughter” and he recognized the discouragement that had weighed her down after twelve years of bleeding. If she questioned her value in the eyes of God before this moment with Jesus, she now received the affirmation that her faith in Jesus had made her well.

When Jesus arrived at the official’s home, he saw the noisy crowd and heard the funeral music. “Get out!” he told them. “The girl isn’t dead; she’s only asleep.” But the crowd laughed at him. After the crowd was put outside, however, Jesus went in and took the girl by the hand, and she stood up! The report of this miracle swept through the entire countryside. – Matthew 9:23-26

SHE STOOD UP!

Consider the posture of this 12 year old — a posture that represents the healing power of Jesus. The fact that she could stand was evidence that Jesus lifts us up out of the death we are experiencing and gives us the strength to be upright. He breathes life into our darkest moments and takes us by the hand when we are waking up from our spiritual sleep. This is, but you can; this happened, but I believe you are able.

THEY FOLLOWED JESUS.

After Jesus left the girl’s home, two blind men followed along behind him, shouting, “Son of David, have mercy on us!”

They went right into the house where he was staying, and Jesus asked them, “Do you believe I can make you see?”

“Yes, Lord,” they told him, “we do.”

Then he touched their eyes and said, “Because of your faith, it will happen.” Then their eyes were opened, and they could see! – Matthew 9:27-30a

Believing that Jesus could heal them, the two blind men followed him. Knowing he had a reputation of compassion, the men called out to Jesus for mercy. When asked if they believed, they testified to their faith. And because of their faith, they were healed. This is, but you can; this happened, but I believe you are able.

How am I postured to receive Jesus today? I want my story to include kneeling before Jesus believing that he can do anything. I want to reach out in faith believing that Jesus has the power to heal. Recognizing the impact Jesus has had on my life, I want to stand in faith and follow his every lead. Lord, give me a faith that moves mountains and a heart that responds in mercy to the needs of those around me. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Matthew 9:14-17

One day the disciples of John the Baptist came to Jesus and asked him, “Why don’t your disciples fast like we do and the Pharisees do?”

Jesus replied, “Do wedding guests mourn while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. – Matthew 9:14-15

WHY AREN’T YOU FASTING?

People were watching Jesus and his disciples closely, and they noticed that Jesus did not lead his followers in a regular routine of fasting like the religious leaders did. He was not living in the way they expected him to, so they brought their question to Jesus. Perhaps this question was asked more out of curiosity than out of challenge.

WHY WOULD WE BE FASTING?

Jesus’ answer was thought provoking. What would be the reason for fasting at this time? It was not the Day of Atonement, they were not spiritually preparing themselves for something, and they were not in mourning. Perhaps it was at that moment that John’s disciples realized that fasting had become more of a ritual than a spiritual discipline. Their religious lifestyle had become routine, and they needed fresh perspective on why they were doing what they were doing.

Now was the time for celebration. The long-awaited Messiah had arrived and they had the opportunity to listen to him teach and watch his healing power. No more anticipation of the coming king; he was there in their presence.

Jesus fasted for forty days and nights when he was led into the desert to be tempted by Satan, so we should not take from this interaction that Jesus was telling the disciples to no longer fast. What Jesus wanted the disciples to understand was that fasting was not a requirement of salvation, nor did it earn them an eternal reward. Just going through the old rituals of religion was not enough. Why fast to draw closer to God when the Son of God is standing in front of you inviting you into a relationship with him? Perhaps Jesus paused to give them a minute of contemplation before continuing with his explanation.

“Besides, who would patch old clothing with new cloth? For the new patch would shrink and rip away from the old cloth, leaving an even bigger tear than before.

“And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the old skins would burst from the pressure, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine is stored in new wineskins so that both are preserved.” – Matthew 9:16-17

It was a new day. Jesus had not come to abolish the law and the prophets but to fulfill them (Matthew 5:17). He was inviting John’s disciples to take the faith of their childhood and to become a follower of Christ. With the arrival of Christ came a new gospel of grace and they needed to open their minds to what Jesus was teaching them.

Are we focusing on the rituals of religion to get us to heaven, or are our rituals making us authentic disciples of Christ? Are we taking the practices of the church and using them to draw us closer to God, or have we lost sight of the reasons why we do what we do? Is our idea of God limiting our faith or allowing us to stretch and grow in our understanding of who God is and the kind of relationship He is calling us to.

Father God, we thank you for the ways in which fasting helps us to focus our attention on you. May our hearts be willing to abstain from something when you call us to those moments of surrender. And may our hearts be prepared to receive the new work that you want to do in our lives. May we not be so set in our ways of religion that we miss out on the stretching and filling that you want to do today in order to make us a new creation in Christ. Our eyes are focused on you this morning, and we ask you to overflow our cup with all that you are and a clear understanding of all that you are creating us to be. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Matthew 9:9-13

As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him. – Matthew 9:9

Matthew was not the first person Jesus called to be his disciple. Jesus already had a group of fishermen who had left their nets and their boats to follow him. But there was something more offensive about Jesus choosing a tax collector than there was when he chose Simon Peter and the others.

Just like today, people in those times found a job that would support themselves and their families. If they were farmers, they could trade or sell their produce to others. If they were fishermen, they could take the catch of the day and trade with the farmers. If they were carpenters, they could use their talent to build homes or furniture for others in exchange for fresh eggs, woven fabric, or whatever produce that person had to offer. The people worked together for the good of both their families and the community.

But choosing to be a tax collector was different. Choosing to be a tax collector meant working with the Roman government, collecting taxes from the Jews in order to give the Romans what they demanded. Each tax collector would add on an additional amount to keep for themselves. They were known for greedily demanding more and more from their fellow Jews in order to get rich off the Roman oppression.

Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum?” – Matthew 9:10-11

The tax collectors had given the Jewish people plenty of reason not to like them. They were considered disloyal and dishonest, and the people did not trust them. So naturally they questioned Jesus when he agreed to go to Matthew’s home to socialize with those outside the church.

When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.” Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.” – Matthew 9:12-13

I WANT YOU TO SHOW MERCY.

When we recognize the sin in our own life and our own need for salvation, it changes our perspective on someone else’s sin. Humility helps us to recognize that our sin is just as ugly as the sin of our brother or sister. We see that others need Jesus in the same way that we do.

Jesus is calling us to extend mercy to those who are struggling with sin. Recognize the sin of self-righteousness in ourselves and start seeing others through the eyes of Jesus. God is in pursuit of their heart and we either need to help lead them to Jesus or get out of the way. Don’t be surprised when sinners sin, instead show mercy for the sake of their salvation.

Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. – Colossians 3:12-15

AND ALWAYS BE THANKFUL.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family! May God bless you and keep you as you seek to serve him with all of your heart, soul and mind — showing love and extending mercy to those around you.