death, taxes, and heaven’s king

Posted on July 8, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

Matthew 17 17 Matthew 17.  A few disciples got a preview of Christ in his coming glory on the mount of transfiguration.  They heard the voice of the Father himself say “this is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.  Listen to him.”  You would think that such a glorious person would not have to deal with the mundane indignities of life. Surely he wouldn’t have to bother with the two sure things – death and taxes.  But he does.  Jesus was one of us.  He lived his entire life in the shadow of death on the cross.  He paid all his debts, even if he had to go fishing for the money.  He lived among a frustrating, faithless and twisted generation, not above them.  So do we.

LORD, we know we are destined for your glory.  Help us to honor you by being faithful now among the faithless.  Help us to stay straight, so that we might reach this twisted generation with your gospel.

“O faithless and twisted generation…”  17:17

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revelation about heaven’s king

Posted on July 7, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

Matthew 16 17 Matthew 16.  Jesus warned his disciples to stay away from the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.  They seemed like experts in the things of God, but they were not privy to a real understanding of what God was doing in the world.  They could not interpret the signs of the times.  They sought miraculous signs from Jesus to prove what he said, but the real revelation was Jesus himself (1-12).

  1. Jesus was the awaited Messiah of Israel, the Son of the living God.  Peter made this declaration after God had revealed it to him.  Jesus rewarded his courage to confess that reality by giving him the honor of witnessing the birth of the Christian church.  He would be there when the gospel bore fruit in Jerusalem at Pentecost, in Samaria, and among the Gentiles (with Cornelius). He would serve as a foundation rock for the New Testament church (13-20).
  2. But Peter had trouble with the next thing God chose to reveal.  Jesus explained that he would have to go to Jerusalem, suffer and die.  These too were “things of God” that he was revealing.  Jesus rebuked Peter for not accepting the whole of what God revealed (21-23).
  3. The next revelation about Jesus is that he is coming again with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge the earth.  For that reason, Jesus challenged his disciples to deny themselves, take up their crosses, and follow him – to death.

LORD, thank you for what we know about you – what you have revealed to us.  Give us the wisdom to walk in the light of this revelation.

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Israel and heaven’s king

Posted on July 6, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

Matthew 15 6 Matthew 15.  Jesus and his  disciples were in the middle of a concerted campaign to reach “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” with the gospel.  They are proclaiming his message, and he is backing up their words with miracles (29-39).  Matthew records two incidents that highlight the difficulty that they face reaching ethnic Israel.

 

  1. The Pharisees and scribes object to the disciples of Jesus because they do not ritually cleanse their hands before eating.  If the disciples had done that, they would have identified themselves as followers of the traditions.  Jesus wanted the crowds to know that following the traditions was not the way into the kingdom.  He explained to the scribes and Pharisees that one could follow the tradition of outward washing and still be spiritually unclean.  In fact, the false witness and slander brewing in the hearts of those critics were more defiling than any unwashed hand (1-20).
  2. In God’s providence, a Canaanite woman appeared when Jesus and his disciples were in the northern cities.  She needed her daughter delivered from a demon.  When Jesus ignored her, she went after the disciples.  They asked Jesus to send her away. She was distracting them from their ministry!  He refused again, saying that he was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.  She returned to Jesus, and responds “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from the master’s table.” Jesus grants her request.  She is a foreigner, but her faith is greater than that of the religious experts in Israel (21-28).

LORD, may we have the courage to forsake any tradition that keeps us from obeying your commands.  You are our master.

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a day in the life of heaven’s king

Posted on July 5, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

Matthew 14 27 Matthew 14.  Herod celebrated his birthday by murdering John the Baptist.  It was a tragedy for the kingdom of heaven brought about by the lust and fear of one of earth’s kings. 

 

  1. Later, when Herod learned of the success of Jesus’ ministry, his fears returned. He was sure that John had been raised from the dead to torment his guilty conscience (1-12).
  2. Meanwhile, at the end of a busy day of ministry, Jesus learns of his friend’s senseless death.  He sought to get away and grieve privately, but the crowds kept coming, even in the desolate place.  There he fed the 5000 (13-21).
  3. He finally got the chance to go up on the mountain by himself to pray.  Hours later, his disciples are in trouble in the boat, so he walks out to greet them.  Peter learns a lesson about faith (22-33). 
  4. The next day is also filled with ministry as the region all around Gennesaret flock to see Jesus, and many are healed simply by touching the fringe of his garment (34-36).

LORD, we are thankful that you always make time to show compassion on us.  You will always be there when we need you. We don’t need to be afraid.

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the future and heaven’s king

Posted on July 4, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

Matthew 13 11 Matthew 13.  This chapter consists mostly of parables and is directed towards the crowds – not the disciples.  The disciples were privy to insider information that served as a key to interpreting the parables (10-17).  In two passages, Matthew records Jesus’ explanation of a parable.  By these we understand that Jesus is talking about present realities in terms of their future significance.  All of the parables here can be explained in reference to the future they predict.

 

  1. The LORD is changing lives with his word, producing a harvest of changed lives for the future kingdom (3-9; 18-23).
  2. The LORD allows his harvest to mature amidst weeds (sons of the evil one).  The angels will rescue the harvest and gather the rest to be destroyed by fire in the future (24-30; 36-43).
  3. The kingdom harvest has a small beginning, but its future will be great (31-33).
  4. The future life promised in God’s kingdom is worth everything one has today (44-46).

Jesus invites the crowds to train for the kingdom of heaven.  He offers them a chance to prepare for this future he promises (51-53).  Sadly, the crowds – like the inhabitants of his hometown Nazareth – are not ready to follow him into the future (53-58).

LORD, we are ready to follow you into the future.  Change us with your word, so that we become who we will be.

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blasphemy and heaven’s king

Posted on July 3, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

Matthew 12 30 Matthew 12.  The scribes and Pharisees condemn Jesus for what he is doing.  They do not realize it, but they are committing the unpardonable sin.  They are attacking the work that God is doing through his chosen servant (15-21), empowered by the Holy Spirit. 

 

  1. They accuse his disciples of breaking the Sabbath (1-8),
  2. They accuse Jesus himself of breaking the Sabbath (9-14),
  3. The accuse Jesus of being possessed by Beelzebul, the prince of demons (22-32),
  4. They challenge Jesus to produce a sign (38-42).

They will get a sign.  They will see God’s Messiah raised to resurrection glory after three days in the tomb.  God had provided something greater than the temple, Jonah and Solomon (6,41,42) but they had rejected him.  Have you rejected Jesus? That is blasphemy!

LORD, make us open to what you are doing in our lives.  May we not miss out on the joy of seeing you work among us.  We welcome your Holy Spirit.

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disappointment and heaven’s king

Posted on July 2, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

Matthew 11 28 Matthew 11.  The tone of Jesus’ preaching ministry changes a bit in this chapter, as he adjusts to a time of disappointment.

 

 

  1. John the Baptist had been violently taken by force.  Even John was beginning to question whether he had got it right.  He asked through his disciples if Jesus was “the one who is to come.”  Jesus proclaims that he is the Messiah, and that John the Baptist was “the “Elijah who is to come” – the forerunner (1-15).
  2. Like a prophet of old, Jesus rebukes the cities in which he had shared the gospel because they wanted the kingdom on their terms (17-19).  In spite of the great miracles Jesus had done there, still many rejected the kingdom, and will suffer in hell for it.  On the day of judgment, even Sodom will fare better (24).
  3. Yet even in this time of disappointment, our king thanks his Father for those who have responded to his message.  Even though weary from his own rejected labor, he continues to call out to the weary and burdened, offering rest for their souls.

LORD, we know that times of disappointment will come.  Even Jesus experienced them.  During those times, may we trust in your sovereignty, and find rest in your yoke.

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mission and heaven’s king

Posted on July 1, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

Matthew 10 16 Matthew 10.  Chapter 9 had concluded with Jesus commanding his disciples to pray for more harvesters.  Chapter ten begins with commencement day.  Jesus calls his twelve disciples and tells them  “You know those apostles you have been praying for? – You are them!”

  1. Everything that Jesus said and did in the previous chapters can be explained in one word: authority.  Now Jesus gave that same authority to the missionaries he commissioned (1-4).
  2. Their mission was limited.  Jesus sent them “to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” to proclaim “the kingdom of heaven is at hand” and they would demonstrate their message with miracles (5-8a).
  3. The mission itself was their motive.  They were not allowed to accept gifts beyond food and lodging. If they were rejected, they were to just move on.  Success was not the measure of their mission. Obedience was.  (8b-15).
  4. Their mission would encounter opposition.  They were to expect it.  They would divide families, and be hated by all for Christ’s sake.  Jesus called for them to endure the persecution for the sake of their mission and their master (16-25; 34-39).
  5. Their mission would be dangerous.  They might even face death for Christ’s sake.  They should not fear a temporary death at man’s hands, because permanent death at God’s hands (destruction in hell) is much worse (26-33).
  6. They would have supporters.  Whoever receives them, receives the ones who sent them.  The supporters will be rewarded.

LORD, we accept your mission.  Use use to reach the lost sheep.  We are willing to be the answer to our prayers for missionaries.

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expectations and heaven’s king

Posted on June 30, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

 Matthew 9 17 Matthew 9.  In this chapter, Matthew reveals how much Jesus challenged the status quo as he ministered in Capernaum.  He was not what people expected of the Messiah.  Questions emerged everywhere he went – some out of opposition, but others out of righteous concern.  Jesus spent so much time outside the box. 

  1. Some of the scribes were there when Jesus healed that paralytic  — throwing in “your sins are forgiven” for good measure.  They wondered how he could say such a thing. No, it wasn’t blasphemy. He is who he is. Deal with it (1-8).
  2. Matthew records his own call to discipleship, and the time he invited a bunch of his out crowd friends to spend time with Jesus.  The Pharisees did not see that coming.  Jesus responded to their complaint by implying that if they think they are worthy of his company, they are not (9-13). The Pharisees also could not explain Jesus’ miracles. They imagined that the devil must be behind them (32-34).
  3. John’s disciples thought Jesus and his group should be fasting, not feasting.  Jesus patiently taught them that there was room in the kingdom for some new things (14-17).
  4. The professional mourners at a girl’s funeral did not expect Jesus to show up and tell them that she was just sleeping.  They couldn’t help but laugh.  Jesus woke her up. He’s going to wake all the dead some day (18-26).
  5. Two blind men had faith for Jesus to heal them, but they didn’t expect him to command them to keep quiet about it.  Jesus wants our faith and our obedience (27-31).  The disciples themselves did not expect Jesus to ask them to pray for more harvesters.  They expected him to be “it.”

LORD,  we know you are going to surprise us. We expect the unexpected.

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the authority of heaven’s king

Posted on June 29, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

Matthew 7 29 Matthew 8.  At the conclusion of his sermon on the mount, the crowds were astonished at the authority with which Jesus had taught (7:28-29).  Authority is the right to decide things.  It is the ability to make commands in a certain sphere – commands which will be obeyed.  Matthew illustrates the scope of Christ’s authority with a few stories from his early ministry.

  1. Notice how “in control” Jesus was with the incident of the leper.  Jesus commands him to become clean, to say nothing about it until he gets his clearance from the priest, and to pay the price for the clearance. The only thing the leper had to do was obey (1-4).
  2. The centurion asks Jesus to “say the word” and expects his servant’s paralysis to disappear.  This is the kind of faith the kind demands.  Even the “sons of the kingdom” who think that they were born into it will discover that.  When the great celebration begins, they will be thrown out with the trash. The king has the authority to decide who gets in and who does not (5-13).
  3. Peter’s mother-in-law gets it.  Jesus takes away her illness, giving her life back, and she immediately picks up a servant’s towel.  She knows who the boss is (14-17).
  4. When Jesus is the boss, there is no room for personal ambitions or distractions.  The would-be followers of Jesus who have other things in mind learn this (18-22).
  5. The disciples in the boat learn that Jesus’ authority extends to nature itself.  It certainly applies to them.  He’s the boss (23-27).
  6. The authority of Christ extends to the spirit realm as well.  The demons see him and know that their time is up.  They beg him to send them into the pigs (28-32).
  7. The city folk have had enough.  They beg Jesus to leave the region.  His power and authority are too much for them (33-34).

LORD, you are the boss.  We await your commands. Our towels are ready.

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