Thoughts on Matthew – Part 1

MT 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

Jesus was much more than a man.  He was God with us.  Jesus was God manifested to us in the flesh.  He was 100 percent man and 100 percent God at the same time.  We cannot fully comprehend it.  But we know that nothing is too hard for God.

Phi 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Phi 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: Phi 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: Phi 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

The Bible is very clear.  Jesus existed before the manager.  He was in the form of God and thought it not robbery to be equal with God.  That is because Jesus is God.  He is one with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit.  There is only one God and He is manifested to us in 3 distinct personalities.  It is because of who He is, that made the work He did on the cross effective.

If Jesus was not God, then we worship in vain because man cannot save man from his sin.  But Jesus is God.  He was born of a virgin, He did live a sinless life, He did pay for our sin on the cross, He took the wages of sin which is death upon Himself.  Then He rose again, proving that death could not hold Him.  Proving that the payment had been accepted.  Only Jesus saves.  He is much more than a good man who lived once long ago.  He is the everlasting, all sufficient, all powerful Lord.

 



MT 2:11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.

MT 2:13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

MT 2:14 When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:

Here we see the foreknowledge and providential care of God.  God knew that Herod was going to try to kill Jesus.  He also knew that Jesus would be born to a poor family.  Joseph could not afford to be out of work.  He did not have the means to pay for a trip to Egypt and to have the money to tide them over while they were hiding until Herod died.  So God sent wise men from the east bearing very valuable gifts.  These gifts would provide for their needs while they were in Egypt.  And these wise men started their trip to see Jesus long before Jesus was born.  Herod asked the wise men when they first seen the star.  Herod used this information to determine the age of children to kill.  Herod killed all the children 2 years old and under.  This indicates that God started the wise men on their trip a long time before they got to see Jesus.  God had it all timed perfectly.

Often God will start the answer coming before we even pray for our need.

 



MT 2:1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

MT 2:2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

What a contrast you have here in the reaction to the birth of Jesus.  The wise men were watching for Jesus, they saw His star and traveled from their homes to worship Him.  This took planning.  It was going to be a long trip.  It was NOT like, “honey this king has been born down the street.  I am going to go see Him and be back in half an hour.”  No this trip took many months.    Arrangements would have to be made for their households and businesses.  Their families would have to eat while they were gone, the bills would still have to be paid, and their businesses would still have to keep going.  They would be gone a long time.  Provisions would have to be paid for and acquired for the trip.  They would have to leave their families for an extended period.  This trip was going to cost them a great deal.  It would cost them money, it would cost them time, and physical discomfort.  Traveling in those days was an ordeal.

But for them getting to worship Jesus was worth it all.  They saw His worth; they saw His glory.  The birth of The King had a special attraction to them, one that was worth sacrificing for.

Herod had a totally different reaction.  He orders the death of all children less than 2 years old.  The same event.  The same Jesus.  And two totally different reactions.  The wise men saw the glory of the Lord and Herod did not.  One was worshipful, the other struck out in hate.

There is one more reaction in this chapter and that is of the scribes.  They seem indifferent.  They knew where Jesus would be born but you do not see them going to see Him.  They know about Jesus, but He does not seem worth the effort to them.

What group do you fall into?  Is Jesus worth a great amount of your time, treasure, and effort like the wise men?  Or are you more like the scribes, who know the word of God but just stay home, keep your money, time, and save your effort for other pursuits?

 



MT 3:1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,

MT 3:2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

John the Baptist was a real preacher.  He had a strong message and preached it uncompromisingly.  He told people that they were sinners and needed to repent.  They needed to turn from their sin and turn to God.  He was not afraid to tell people the truth.

MT 3:7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

He told people that there was a wrath to come.  He told the Pharisees and Sadducees that they were a generation of vipers.

MT 3:8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:

John did not accept empty professions of faith.  John knew that real faith will produce fruit.  Real faith works.  Real faith changes lives.

John preached against sin, that men are sinners, that men are on their way to hell, that men need to repent, and if you have a saving faith there will be changes in your life.

Jesus validated John’s preaching by coming to him to get baptized.  Jesus later preached the same message that John did.

This is the kind of preaching that we need to return to today.  This is the kind of preaching that God uses to save souls.

 



MT 3:13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.

MT 3:14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?

MT 3:15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.

Baptism was important to Jesus.  He traveled about 40 miles to be baptized by John.  He was baptized before He entered into His public ministry.  Jesus commanded His Church to baptize people when He gave the Great Commission.

Mat 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

When Jesus got baptized He told John that it was to fulfill all righteousness.  Baptism is a public profession of your faith.  It is a way to publicly show that you have personally identified with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.  It is the right thing to do after you have received Jesus and are born again.

Shouldn’t you follow His example and His commandment to be baptized?

 



 MT 4:1 Then was Jesus led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

The temptation of Jesus was not happenstance.  Jesus was led by the Spirit to the wilderness for the reason of being tempted.  God had a purpose for it.

MT 4:2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.

Jesus fasted for 40 days and nights before the temptation.  His human body was about as weak as is possible.  This also had a purpose.

The purpose of the Temptation was not to see if Jesus would fall.  Jesus is the Son of God.  Jesus is God manifested in the flesh.  It was impossible for Jesus to fall.  His divine nature would not allow it.  With God there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.  Heb 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.  There never was any danger of Jesus falling into sin!

The purpose of the Temptation was to show to us that Jesus was the sinless Son of God.  The temptation showed us that even after not eating for 40 days that He could not be tempted with bread.  Jesus’ public ministry started with His baptism.  And then He went straight to the temptation to show us that sin and temptation has zero hold upon Him.

The temptation shows that there is a great difference between the first Adam and Jesus.  By Adam sin entered into the world.  Jesus came to take away sin.  By Adam the world fell.  Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost.

Adam fell to the temptation of Satan.  How better to show the difference between Adam and Jesus than to have a direct confrontation with the same wicked Satan.  Adam had a garden full of food and fell.  Jesus went 40 days without food and won.  Adam fell with no hunger.  Jesus resisted with incredible hunger.  Adam was only offered the knowledge of sin and he fell.  Jesus was offered all the kingdoms of the world and did not fall.  Adam ignored the Word of God and fell.  Jesus used the Word of God and won.  Adam disobeyed God and lost.  Jesus was obedient by following the Spirit’s leading to the temptation and won.

What a vivid picture to start His public ministry of who Jesus is.  The sinless Son of God.

 



MT 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

From the start of His public preaching Jesus preached repent.  Repentance is something that is not preached as much as it should be.  Many preachers never mention it at all.  They are not following the example of the one they claim to follow.  They are also not following His command.

Luk 24:47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Preachers of the gospel are to preach repentance.  Repentance is NOT works, and it is NOT reformation.  Repentance is a change of mind; a real change of mind that leads to a change of action.  Repentance is a turning from and a turning to.  It is to truly feel sorry for your sin and you confess it and turn from it and turn to Jesus.  God does all the saving.  It is a free gift, but God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble.  You cannot pray with a proud unrepentant heart and get saved.  It does not work that way.

Act 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

You have to have a repentant heart to be converted.  A good example of this is the Pharisee and the publican.  Only one of them was saved – Only one of them was repentant.

Luk 18:10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

Luk 18:11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men [are], extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

Luk 18:12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

Luk 18:13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as [his] eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

Luk 18:14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified [rather] than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

The humble repentant publican got saved, the proud Pharisee did not.

 



MT 5:11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

MT 5:12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Contrary to what TV preachers say God does not promise His children a life of health, wealth, and popularity.  In fact He promises persecution.

2Ti 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

Jesus uses the prophets that went before them as an example.  They were great men of God.  God was well pleased with them, but they were reviled by men and greatly persecuted and many of them were killed.

Jesus said not if, He said when men shall revile you and persecute you.  It is going to come.  And Jesus said when it does that you are to rejoice.  Jesus said, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven.

God is faithful and just.  If you are persecuted for His names sake, then He will reward you for it.  But notice where the reward is given.  “for great is your reward in heaven”.

After setting down this principle Jesus then says,

MT 5:13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

MT 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

MT 5:15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

MT 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

You should see a basic truth here.  Reviling will come, but witness anyway.  Persecution will come, but witness anyway.  When they say all matter of evil against you, witness anyway.  When they tell lies about you, witness anyway.  Let your light shine before men regardless of what they say or do to you.  And Jesus promises that you will receive reward for it in Heaven

 



MT 5:1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:

MT 5:2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

Jesus put a premium on teaching the word of God.  Time and again you see Jesus teaching.  We see Him teaching His disciples, and we see Him teaching the multitudes.  Sometimes we see Jesus teaching like He is here in Chapter 5, and sometimes we see Jesus preaching repent.  It has been well said that in all good teaching there is an element of preaching and in all good preaching there is an element of teaching.  Teaching can be done in a variety of methods.  It can be done one on one, like with the woman at the well, it can be done in groups like here in Chapter 5.  It can be done in a building or on a hillside.  Teaching can be done by plainly stating the truth, and teaching can be done by using stories and illustrations.  Jesus even used miracles to teach spiritual lessons.  There are many methods to teaching and we see Jesus using them all.

His focus was on teaching.  What you do not see Jesus doing ever is entertaining.  Nowhere in the Bible do you see entertainment as part of God’s program to reach people.  What God has chosen is preaching and teaching.

1Co 1:21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

We see it thru the example of Jesus, and we have it clearly declared in the Bible, preaching is God’s vehicle to reach people.  This is contrary to current popular opinion.  All too many are trying to use light shows and drum sets.  Others who are still using good Christ honoring music do not emphasize the preaching like they should.  The people in the pew don’t pray for the preaching like they should.  Too many preachers don’t spend enough time prayerfully preparing to preach and some people sit in the pew and look at their watch.  To have God’s power work in a church, the preaching and teaching of God’s word MUST be a top priority.

We are not to be in the entertainment business!  This is a big problem today, but it is not new to today.  Look at this quote from long ago.

“The Devil has seldom done a cleverer thing that hinting to the Church that part of their mission is to provide entertainment for the people, with a view to winning them. Providing amusement for the people is nowhere spoken of in the Scriptures as a function of the Church. The need is biblical doctrine, so understood and felt that is sets men afire.” – Charles Spurgeon

 



MT 6:7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

MT 6:8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

MT 6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

This is just one of the many places that clearly show that if you believe the Bible, then you cannot be a Catholic.

You are not to pray with vain repetitions.  But that is exactly what Catholics do with the rosary.  They say the same thing over and over.  They think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.  God instructs us not to pray that way.

The Bible also tells us very clearly that we are to pray to the Father.  We are NOT to pray to Mary.  Any prayer to Mary is against the clear instructions of the Word of God.

Prayer is talking to God.  It is telling Him your burdens, needs, and desires.  Prayer is to be communication to God from the heart.  It is NOT to come from textbooks or memorized repetitions.

Prayer must come from the heart.

 



MT 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

We are not to be all wrapped up in piling up earthly treasures.  They do not last.  They decay, they rust, they get worn out, and they eventually fall apart.  And they can be stolen.  We can lose them in a moment.  Worldly treasures are not to be our pursuit.

MT 6:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

We are to be laying up our treasures in heaven.  The treasures there do not rust, they do not fall apart or wear out.  They last forever and we cannot lose them.  There will be no stealing in heaven.

What exactly are these treasures in heaven?  We do not know everything about them.  We know about certain crowns and we do have God’s promise that we will be rewarded for the work we do for Him here.

Mat 16:27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.

And those rewards are NOT temporary; they are ETERNAL.

MT 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

If our treasure is on earth, then our hearts will be on worldly things.  On the other hand if our treasure is in heaven, then our affections will be on things above.

 



Read Chapter 7 chapter closely and compare it to most preachers today.  He talked about reaping what you sow in verse 2, He used the word hypocrite in verse 5, He preached a strait gate and a narrow way in vs. 14, and the way that leads to destruction in vs. 13.  He preached about corruption in vs. 18, and throwing the corrupt tree in the fire.  He preached about false professors in vs. 21 – 23.  He preached about the foolish man in vs. 26.

And in vs. 29 we see that Jesus taught with authority.

I don’t think that Jesus’ preaching would be very popular with most churches today.

 



MT 7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.

Many people who are in sin love to quote this verse.   They use it to try to stop people from calling their wickedness sin.  The problem is that they ignore the context.  They stop reading at verse one.

MT 7:2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

In verse 2 we have the universal spiritual principal of sowing and reaping applied to judgment.  It is basically, expect to be judged as you judge.  If you want to receive righteous judgment from others then you need to judge that way.  If you judge wrong, expect to be judged wrong.  This is not a warning to not judge.  It is a warning to judge right.

MT 7:3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

MT 7:4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

In verses 3 and 4 we are instructed to judge ourselves first.  Make sure that you are not guilty first.

MT 7:5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.

Now after you have judged yourself then Jesus says that you can see clearly to help your brother.  Get the beam out of your eye, then help your brother with his.  This section of scripture is actually teaching us to judge.  But we are to judge ourselves first.  We are to get ourselves right first.  It can be an action, or an issue, or an attitude, or you fill in the blank.  Once we are right, then we are to help our brother get right.

This section of scripture is teaching that we need to judge righteous judgment.

 



MT 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

MT 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

MT 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

The Bible is very clear, there will be false professors.  They will say Lord, Lord.  They will use His name, and will call Him Lord with their mouth.  They will talk the talk.  They will know all the language.  Talking Biblical terms will not be a problem for them.  Many of them will be involved in the work (verse 22).  They will do much in the name of Jesus.  They will run food banks, rescue shelters, have hospitals, and many other things.  But all this work will not impress Jesus.  They will not enter into heaven because of the works.

In fact, Jesus will tell them depart from me, ye that work iniquity.  The problem is that they never knew the Lord.  They did not have a personal relationship with Him.  They did not repent of their sin and turn to Jesus for salvation.  They did not turn from their pride and realize that they could not work their way to heaven.  They never humbled themselves and called upon Him to save them.

People can go to church and go to hell.  People can say Lord, Lord and go to hell.  They can preach His word and go to hell.  They can even cast out devils and do many wondrous works and still go to hell.  The only thing that saves is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  Have you accepted Him as your own personal Saviour?

 



MT 8:2 And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

The leper came and worshipped Jesus, and Jesus accepted the worship.  He did not rebuke the leper for worshiping Him.

Many will say that Jesus was not God in the flesh.  They say that Jesus was only a good man.  That is impossible.  If Jesus was not God, then it was heresy for Jesus to accept worship.  If Jesus was not God, then He accepted something that is for God alone.  If Jesus was not God, then He did something very wicked and evil by accepting worship.  So Jesus could not have been just a good man.  Jesus has to be either God or a very wicked man.

Jesus was not a wicked man.  Jesus was God manifested in the flesh.  He left the glories of heaven and became man.

Phi 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

Phi 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

Phi 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

Phi 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Jesus came to this earth to go to the cross to pay for our sin so that we could be saved.

What a wonderful loving God we have.

 



MT 8:11 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.

This was said as a result of the faith of a Roman centurion.  The statement that many shall come from the east and west, tells us that many will be saved from all over the globe.  Christianity is for everyone.  Jesus died for all, no matter the culture, the nation, or the color of the skin.  Jesus said that this centurion had a great faith.  It is faith that saves.

Many of the Jews of Jesus’ day believed that it was being a Jew that would get you into heaven.  Jesus was teaching them here that that is not the case at all.  People from all backgrounds will get into heaven and get to sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  There will be no division between them and the rest of us.  All those who are saved are on the same level.

As you read the Bible have you ever wanted to ask Abraham what rescuing Lot was like, or Isaac about meeting his wife, or Jacob about getting to see his son that was lost to him?  Would you like to ask Moses about the parting of the Red Sea, or receiving the tablets of stone?  How about David, or Peter, or Paul?  Would you like to get to know them?  Well this verse tells us that we will get to sit down with the heroes of the faith.  And in Heaven we will have plenty of time to visit with them.  There will be plenty to do in Heaven.

 



MT 9:9 And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.

Matthew met Jesus and was called to follow Him right then.  And Matthew arose and followed Jesus right away.  Many would say it is ok to believe in Jesus but don’t quit your good stable job to follow Him.  Matthew put Jesus above his job as a tax collector.  He promptly quit his job and followed Jesus.  Jesus was more important than his paycheck.

Some will say it is ok to believe in Jesus but don’t leave your home and go to the mission field.  But Matthew put Jesus above his home, friends, and family.  Matthew put what Jesus wanted of him above what anyone would think.  Matthew did not let what people might say stop him.

From the start what Jesus wanted of him was a priority.  It should be the same with us.

Jesus does ask different things from different people.  He does not call everyone to be a pastor.  Jesus does not ask everyone to go to a mission field.  If He does ask you, would you be willing to drop everything and go?

Jesus might not ask you to go to a mission field, but He does ask all believers to follow Him.  He asks us to be separate from the world. He asks us to give to His work.  He asks us to pray without ceasing.  He asks us to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together.  He asks us to witness for Him.

Jesus said, in John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

Jesus is asking some things of you.  Will you be like Matthew and promptly follow Him?

 



MT 9:36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.

MT 9:37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;

MT 9:38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

Jesus loves people.  He loves all people.  And when He sees the lost on their way to hell, He is moved with compassion.  He longs for them to be saved.  And He says in verse 37 that the harvest truly is plenteous.  We might not realize it; we might doubt it; some even think that the hearts of people today are too hard and people are too wicked to get saved.  But that is not true at all.

There are plenty of people out there that will get saved, if they are given the gospel.  The harvest truly is plenteous, the problem is that the labourers are few.  Too many people just sit in the pew.  Too many don’t have the heart of Jesus who is moved with compassion.  We need more people who will labor in the harvest fields.  After telling us of His heart on the matter, and then encouraging us that there will be a harvest, then He tells us what to do about it.  Pray for more laborers.  The implication here is that if we pray with the right heart, then He will answer that prayer.

 



MT 10:7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Jesus called these men and sent them out to preach.  Jesus is still in the calling and sending business today.  These men were told to go and preach.  They were not told to go and counsel people.  They were not told to go and give aid.  They were not told to go and make people feel good.  They were not told to go entertain people.  They were not told to go and act out dramas or play rock music.

They were told by Jesus to go and preach.  Why?

1Co 1:21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. 

It does not matter if you like it or not.  And you don’t have to understand it.  But preaching is the vehicle that God has chosen.  Christians need to stick to God’s plan.  Preaching needs to be held in high regard and in a prominent place in our churches.  Churches need to drop the entertainment and return to good old fashioned Spirit filled preaching.  And while that is true, notice that Jesus sent them out to preach.

Getting God’s precious word and the truth of the gospel is NOT to be restricted to the church house!  There needs to be a high priority put on getting the gospel out to the lost.

 



MT 10:22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

There is not a maybe here or a could be.  No it says ye shall be hated.  If you name the name of Jesus and witness for Him, some men will hate you.  That is just a fact.

MT 10:23 But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.

And when persecution does come from your witnessing does Jesus say ok you can stop now?  No way!  He says keep going.  If it is too bad in one place go to another.

MT 10:24 The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.

Look at how they treated Jesus.  Are we any better?  No.  We are not above our master.  We are servants and should expect no better treatment from the lost than they gave our Lord.  If they reviled Him, then they will revile us.  They slandered Him and they will slander us.  They plotted against Him and they will plot against us.  Being treated badly by the lost is a guarantee.

2Ti 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

MT 10:25 It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?

They called Jesus terrible names and spread lies about Him.  They will do the same to us.  Jesus says it is enough for the disciple that he be as his master.  Some persecution is a price to be paid for being a real Christian, but Jesus says it is a reasonable price.

So don’t shrink from witnessing.  Don’t quit putting out tracts because someone did not like it.  Expect some reviling, shake the dust off of your feet and keep going.  He is worthy.  Amen and Amen.

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