Matthew 21:6-11

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6 So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them. 8 And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: "Hosanna to the Son of David! 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!' Hosanna in the highest!" 10 And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, "Who is this?" 11 So the multitudes said, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee." ~ Matthew 21:6-11

Today, we return to our study of Matthew 21. The kingdom of the Lord Jesus is not what any of us expected. He fulfilled over 300 Old Testament prophesies, yet, the kingdom that He offers takes us by surprise. His kingdom is different because "honesty cuts through deception and creates a healthy environment wherein the oxygen of truth can heal what deception has decayed." His is a kingdom of truth and selflessness. His is a kingdom that is contrary to our default mode. His kingdom is for those who have arrived upon the truth that they are poor in spirit and that they desperately need Him who is the Savior of the world.

In v.6-7 of today's passage we read, "6 So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them."

The Romans had what they called a triumphal entry. After a king won a battle, managing to kill at least 5,000 of his enemies, he was entitled to a triumphal entry where he would be paraded in front of the people along with the treasures and captives he had collected. The triumphal entry of the Lord Jesus was quite a bit different than that of the Romans. This was the first and only time the Lord Jesus allowed Himself to publicly be proclaimed the Messiah. In Zechariah 9:9, 500 years before this event, the prophet Zechariah issued a prediction that the Messiah would ride into Jerusalem on a young donkey. The eventual victory of the Lord Jesus Christ was waged on the cross where He conquered sin and death through His shed blood. It was through His victory that He made it possible for all who would believe in Him as our Savior to be acceptable before God.

It was Sunday and the Lord Jesus had begun His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The next day was Monday when He would go into the temple and drive out the greedy. Tuesday, He will experience many conflicts and arguments with the Jewish leaders. On Wednesday He taught throughout the day in the synagogue. Thursday was He prepared for the Passover. Friday was He will be put on trial and He will be crucified. And, on Sunday, He will be raised from the dead.

In v.8 of today's passage we read, "And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road."

The Lord Jesus came riding into Jerusalem on the young colt and by doing so He declared peace. Many in the crowd responded by spreading their coats on the ground, and others spread palm branches. Palm branches were a common object lesson for victory in that day. As the Lord Jesus rode toward Jerusalem, the people hailed His approach with shouts of Messianic praise. The people hailed Him as their Messiah as long as He did for them what they wanted. And when He didn’t, they turned on Him and cried out for His crucifixion. They didn't understand that He came to offer the highest peace, forgiveness of sin from God.

In v.9 of today's passage we read, "Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: 'Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!'"

Some 700 years earlier, the prophet Isaiah predicted that worshipers would come to Jerusalem with "joyful shouting" along the way that was known to the Jews as the "Highway of Holiness." The Lord Jesus' arrival, however, was a giant letdown for most. When dignitaries visited Jerusalem, officials would welcome & honored them by escorting them to the temple. Not one official of Jerusalem welcomed the Lord Jesus that day, nor did they escort Him to the temple. 

There were up to two million people in and around Jerusalem during that Passover season. Jerusalem was the prescribed place by God to make atonement for our sin. It had been exactly 483 years after Daniel's prophecy in Daniel 9:24-27. That prophecy had predicted the coming of the Messiah into Jerusalem. And now, it was happening. The prophecy began when Artaxerxes made his decree in 444 B.C., according to Nehemiah 2, to restore and rebuild Jerusalem. Then from then the time til the coming of the Messiah would be 62 sevens which is 434 years. When we combine the first 7 sevens of Daniel 9:27 with the second 62 sevens, we have 483 years exactly to the day the Lord Jesus came riding into Jerusalem on that donkey. It all unfolded perfectly as was predicted. 

In v.10-11 of today's passage we read, "10 And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, "Who is this?" 11 So the multitudes said, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee."

This was an official visit of the King of Israel, an inspection tour of the heart of the nation. He went into the temple, where the very heartbeat of the nation was throbbing, represented in the worship that was lifted up to God. And, when He looked at everything, He saw commercialism, exploitation, corruption, and injustice. He saw that religious ceremonies were being carried out without any meaning because the peoples hearts were not engaged with God. But, He did not say a word, then He left. The departure of the Lord Jesus from the temple echoed the departure of the glory of the Lord from the temple in a vision of the prophet Ezekiel. It was then that He departed to the east and stayed in Bethany, on the Mount of Olives.

According to Revelation 19, the Lord Jesus will come back a second time, at the end of the Tribulation. Jeremiah 30:7 tells us that the seven-year Tribulation will be a time of Jacob's trouble. Jacob is Israel in unbelief. The point of the Tribulation will be to turn Jacob back into Israel. We are told in the book of the Revelation that 1/3 of Jacob will believe in the Lord Jesus as their Savior.

Next to the subject of faith, no subject is more discussed in the Bible than the second coming of Christ. When He returns, He will not come riding on a donkey, He will return riding a white horse representing Him as the Conqueror. In the gospels, the Lord Jesus wore a crown of thorns placed on Him by the Romans. But, at His second coming, He will wear many crowns of victory. He will come as the fierce Lion of Judah to vanquish His enemies. And those who will follow Him will be the saints who believed in Him for the salvation He came to give us.

Matthew 21:1-5

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1 Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. 3 And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, 'The Lord has need of them,' and immediately he will send them." 4 All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: 5 "Tell the daughter of Zion, 'Behold, your King is coming to you, Lowly, and sitting on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.'" ~ Matthew 21:1-5

Today we transition into the Matthew 21 which begins the final week of the earthly life of the Lord Jesus. The disciples were still expecting the Lord Jesus to set up His kingdom in Jerusalem, even after He had repeatedly told them that He was going to Jerusalem to die. They saw the Lord Jesus as the political king of Israel come to deliver them from the Roman rule. They wrongly thought politics rendered the answer for mankind's condition. Our hope comes from way beyond the powers of this world, our hope comes from the One who overcame sin and death on Golgotha's tree.

In v.1-3 of today's passage we read, "1 Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, 'Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. 3 And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, 'The Lord has need of them, and immediately he will send them.'"

The Mount of Olives is one of three mountains located near Jerusalem. It stands to this day directly opposite the Temple Mount. Bethany and Bethphage are on the east side of the Mount of Olives and from the vantage point of these two towns Jerusalem can't be seen because they are down in the valley. Jerusalem is seen from the peak of the Mount of Olives. 

According to Mark's gospel, after reaching Bethphage, which means "the house of unripened figs" and Bethany which means "the house of dates," the Lord Jesus told two disciples to go to the next village to retrieve a donkey and its colt. He does this in order to make preparations for the fulfillment of a 500 year old prophecy found in Zechariah 9. That passage includes a prophecy that the king would ride into Jerusalem on a donkey. In the ancient world, leaders rode into town on donkeys in order to denote they came in peace.

Bethphage was woeful in their response to the revelation they had been given by the Lord, thus, they were defined by their unbelief. Bethany was quite consistent in their positive response to God's revelation. The names of these two towns speak for themselves. Through this contrast we are provided a picture of what our heart response toward the Lord should be on a day to day basis. We should be like Bethany and this young donkey, obediently responsive to the point of factoring in on all that the Lord is doing in our world.

Five hundred years earlier, in Zechariah 9:9, it was prophesied that the Messiah would come riding on the colt of a donkey. He would not come as a conquering king riding on a white horse. That's the picture in Revelation when He comes the next time. Throughout the Scriptures we are told that the Word of the Lord will be accomplished. What He has said will happen just the way He said it would. God lives in eternity and He knows the beginning from the end. We are wise to be defined to what He says is truth. Being defined by Him is not a chore, it is a blessing because what He says will come to pass. Quite frankly, it is unwise and quite foolish to not obey what God has said.

This is why the Lord borrowed that donkey that day. When God says that His Word will not return to Him void, we can bank on it. God always has specific intentions for our lives, and those intentions dove tail with His Word to us. For us, our responsibility is to be willing of heart. We must be responsive to what His word says by walking in it and obeying it. When this happens, it is then that we are being defined by Him.

In v.4-5 of today's passage we read, "4 All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: '5 Tell the daughter of Zion, Behold, your King is coming to you, lowly, and sitting on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.'"

All three of the Synoptic Gospels tell us no one had ever sat on this young donkey. An unbroken young donkey is not easy to handle. In fact, they are wild. It would have bucked like crazy when anyone would have climbed up on him. It would have reacted negatively and obstinately to having a blanket thrown on its back. Yet, that donkey carried the Lord Jesus through the streets of Jerusalem quite and calmly. 

Our problem is we exchanged the truth about God for a lie. As a result, we now worship the created, namely ourselves, rather than the Creator. We are enslaved to our sinfulness, not realizing we are enslaved to the devil himself. Our idols promise freedom, but we are so often defined by the fallen that we have gone from being image bearers of God to being image makers of ourselves.

The key is to be defined by the God of grace. And, when this increasingly happens and we learn to trust His culture more than our own, we will stand in His grace. And, in the wake of His grace which has brought about our redemption, we will learn to subdue the created and not be subdued by it. When we look at the wrath-absorbed body of the Lord Jesus on the cross and His perfect obedience to God's Word, we will be fueled to be correctly defined by Him for His kingdom and for His glory.

Matthew 20:29-34

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29 Now as they went out of Jericho, a great multitude followed Him. 30 And behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!” 31 Then the multitude warned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!” 32 So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” 33 They said to Him, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened.” 34 So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him. ~ Matthew 20:29-34

Today, we conclude our study of Matthew 20 where we find a large crowd following the Lord Jesus as He and His disciples were heading to Jerusalem for the Passover. On their way they made a stop in Jericho which was about fifteen miles from Jerusalem. According to Mark and Luke's account of this story there was one blind beggar name Bartimaeus but according to Matthew there were two. It appears that only one of the two spoke out to the Lord Jesus and this is why it appears there was just one blind man there that day. These blind men couldn't see anything physically but they could see with their hearts. Such is the nature of faith, the heart's ability to see God.

In v.29-30 of today's passage we read, "29 Now as they went out of Jericho, a great multitude followed Him. 30 And behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, 'Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!'"

Previously, the Lord had been discussing greatness with His disciples and these blind men were not known for greatness. As we will see, they had a lot going against them in life. In fact, they lived in Jericho which means "cursed." The Lord Jesus had a habit of going to places that others avoided, while the religious leaders of Israel complained because He spent so much time with sinners and tax-collectors. 

Only one of the two blind men was named and his name was "Bartimaeus," which means son of a dirty man. Since he was the only one named, Bartimaeus is highlighted by name in both Mark's and Luke's account of this story. Bartimaeus lived in a cursed city and his name meant son of a dirty man. Then we add to this, he was a blind beggar. And you thought you had it rough. The story of blind Bartimaeus teaches us three valuable lessons about how to overcome a victim's mentality and to realize greatness in God's eyes.

We lack a victor’s mentality when we focus on and are defined by our deficiencies. Most of us spend more time complaining about being blind than focusing on the asset of being able to hear with both ears. Bartimaeus was blind but his hearing was excellent. This verse informs us that he heard that the Lord Jesus was approaching. Bartimaeus couldn’t see, but he could hear and he used that one asset to get to the Lord Jesus. In order to shirk a victim's mentality, Bartimaeus focused on his assets. This is the posture of an overcomer.

In addition, to being able to hear, Bartimaeus could also speak. In this verse we see Bartimaeus and his friend crying out to the Lord Jesus. In fact, they cried out, "Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!" They cried out so much that even the disciples were telling them to be quiet. Bartimaeus lived in the cursed place, he had a cursed name, and, the world around him tried to make him believe that he was cursed with blindness. But, over and over, he cried out, "Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me.” Bartimaeus and his friend were unrelenting.

If we conclude, like Bartimaeus, that the Lord Jesus is the answer to all of our questions, then, we must learn what our assets are and use them effectively to get His attention. If we want to attract the attention of heaven, we must start with admitting that we are helpless and that we need God's help. And in order to accomplish this, we must concentrate on our assets instead of our deficiencies.

In v.31 of today's passage we read, "Then the multitude warned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, 'Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!'"

Bartimaeus was told repeatedly to "be quiet." If he had listened to the crowd, he would have remained blind. It is interesting to note that chiming in with the larger crowd that was gathered there that day in Jericho were also the disciples of the Lord Jesus. Even church folk have been known to discourage us from the Lord. If we want to experience real life, we must be defined by God rather than being overcome by what others say of us. For whatever reason, we will always have those who will be faithful to try to quell our passion for God. If we are going to experience real life, God's life, we must be defined by His word rather than being overcome by what others say. There will always be people who will discourage us in our pursuit of the Lord Jesus, even church people. We can get stuck at the bar of public opinion. Bartimaeus and his friend would not be silenced. If they had listened to the crowd, they would have remained blind.

In v.32 of today's passage we read, "So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, 'What do you want Me to do for you?'"

This is just stunning. The King of heaven, the Creator God of the universe, stood still for these lowly outcasts. The only way they could get the attention of the ONLY ONE who could help them was to "cry out" to Him repeatedly. And, because they were not defined by the myopic opinions of others, they were able to get the attention of the Lord Jesus. The very same people who told Bartimaeus to "be quiet" were told to tell him to "come to the Lord Jesus." 

In v.33 of today's passage we read, "They said to Him, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened."

In those days, throughout the Middle East, beggars wore camel’s tunics. Made of camel’s hair, this tunic was used for protection from the elements, like the wind and the sun and the rain. According to Mark and Luke, blind Bartimaeus sat by the roadside covered with his camel's tunic. That tunic was not only a protection from the elements, it was also something he had trusted in in others ways. When the Lord Jesus came along, Bartimaeus threw off his tunic in order to get to the Lord Jesus. Being an overcomer involves these three things: focusing on our assets, overcoming the opinion's of others, and removing anything in our lives that keeps us from the Lord Jesus.

In v.34 of today's passage we read, "So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him."

This is the final healing the Lord Jesus performed during His earthly ministry. His miracles began in a little village next to Nazareth called Cana where He turned water into wine. It ended here a few years later with giving sight to these blind men who illustrated the idea that "Ninety percent of life is how we respond to the ten percent that happens to us." Bartimaeus was blind and he was a beggar, but, he benefitted from his few assets. He could hear and he could speak and he could walk and run. He was no victim to a "woe is me" mentality. This is the mark of true conversion: these once blind men, as a result, followed the Lord Jesus.

Matthew 20:24-28

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24 And when the ten heard it, they were greatly displeased with the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called them to Himself and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. 26 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. 27 And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." ~ Matthew 20:24-28

Today, we continue our study of Matthew 20 where the mother of James and John has just made a request of the Lord Jesus that He grant her two sons the right to sit at His side in His kingdom. The disciples didn't understand that in order to wear the crown they had to first go to the cross. Like you and me, the disciples were naturally selfish and their natural instincts were to advance themselves and use anyone else, including the Lord, to do so. Discipleship demands that we actively lay down our lives which is antithetical to our normal way of doing things. When we choose to give up the right to rule our own lives, we gain the ability to be defined by His kingdom. And, we know that we are being defined by Him when we are obeying Him.

In v.24 of today's passage we read, "And when the ten heard it, they were greatly displeased with the two brothers."

James and John asked to have the preeminent place in the Lord's kingdom. Even though the other ten disciples had the same desire, they responded to the request of the brothers with indignation at the thought of such selfishness. I find it most instructive that the Lord Jesus didn't scold James and John for their ambition. He loved their ambition and He encouraged their adventurous spirit. It was then that He taught them how to fulfill it, by redirecting it to the correct objective, which is to serve others in love and sincerity.

In v.25-26 of today's passage we read, "25 But Jesus called them to Himself and said, 'You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. 26 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant.'"

The self-serving, self-promoting, self-glorying ways of this world are the opposite to the ways of God. This world teaches us to seek greatness through audacious and political power. It also teaches us to reach for greatness through dominating as dictators. This is how the world accomplishes leadership which isn't leadership at all. To God, it is not wrong for us to desire to achieve greatness. But, we must remember that according to God's culture those who are true leaders are those who first follow Him. It is only after we have followed Him as servants do we serve others. As servants, true leaders do not seek to intimidate and dominate those whom they seek to lead. No, true leaders lay down their lives for those who follow them. Humility leads them in an authentic way whereby trust is garnered. Is this not the way the Lord leads us?

In v.27-28 of today's passage we read, "27 And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave. 28 Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

If we desire to be great, we must not seek greatness. To be leaders, we must resist climbing the ladder based upon the ways of this world. We know that we are being defined by this world when the appeal of this world motivates us in a selfish way. We must not manipulate our way that renders the outcome we desire. We must be careful to be defined by the cross of the Lord Jesus, after all that is where God shouted His love to us the most. When we do this, we will find ourselves putting humility before honor. Before we ever seek the crown, we must be defined by the love that motivated the Lord Jesus to go to the cross. 

Notice the change in terms here. Where He had previously defined us as servants, now the Lord Jesus refers us to the slave. Slaves are the last to have their needs met, if at all. It was the slave who was treated most lowly. Those who are real leaders have lost sight of themselves to the point that when they are treated as such, they are not offended. The Lord Jesus teaches us to adopt the mentality and the outlook of a slave in our interactions with everyone, not just those in authority over us.  

The position and the work of the "slave" were much lower and demeaning even than those of a servant. A servant was to some degree his own person. He often owned little more than the clothes on his back, but he was free to go where he wanted and to work or not work as he pleased. But a "slave" did not belong to himself but to his master and could go only where the master wanted him to go and do only what the master wanted him to do. He did not belong to himself but was the personal property of the one who purchased him. The slave had no rights, he was at the mercy of his master. If we want to be first and we want to be great then we must become the slave of the Lord. We must yield ourselves to Him who bought us at a great price if we are to serve Him, otherwise we will fail at our attempts. This is true greatness according to the God of the Bible.

Matthew 20:20-23

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20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him. 21 And He said to her, "What do you wish?" She said to Him, "Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom." 22 But Jesus answered and said, "You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" They said to Him, "We are able." 23 So He said to them, "You will indeed drink My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father." ~ Matthew 20:20-23

Today, we return to Matthew 20 where the Lord Jesus is continuing to provide for His disciples a crash course on discipleship. Up to this point in the narrative, there has been a huge clash between the thinking of the disciples and that of the Lord Jesus regarding greatness in His kingdom. The disciples idea of greatness and that of the Lord Jesus could not have been more different. Whereas greatness to the disciples led to being served, greatness to the Lord leads to servanthood .

In v.20-21 of today's passage we read, "20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him. 21 And He said to her, 'What do you wish?' She said to Him, 'Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom.'"

The sons of Zebedee, James and John had their eyes on the positions of greatness, and, eventually this explains why they were fearful. They were fearful because they misunderstood what biblical greatness really was. Their ambition to be in positions of high honor came from their desire for power, which was likely fueled by a fear of being left out or becoming insignificant. Their fear led them to make their request. They asked for something which the Lord Jesus had given them every reason to ask for just a few days before when He promised when He came into His glory they would sit on twelve thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel. This is what they had in mind as they walked up to Jerusalem, but their idea of the thrones they were to sit on and the Lord's idea of those thrones were quite different. 

The Lord Jesus used the poor theology of His disciples to teach them and the other disciples that true greatness comes from serving others, not from lording power over them. I find it quite instructive that the phrase "at my right and left" only appears one other time in the gospels. It is used when the Lord Jesus hung on the cross with two robbers one at his right and the other at his left. 

The disciples were like you and me. They desired significance but this type of significance has never had any place in God's kingdom. When we are at the helm of our lives, we are not at a good spot. God's goal for each of us is to define us, but, when we are defining our lives, eventually we discover there is much to fear. When we experience God's sovereignty, we begin the process of being freed from fear to faith in the God of the Bible. The more we risk His faithfulness, the more we experience His faithfulness. And, the more of Him we see and experience for ourselves, the more we are granted stability in our souls.

In v.22 of today's passage we read, "But Jesus answered and said, 'You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?' They said to Him, 'We are able.'"

Here, the Lord Jesus used two items to help us understand what He was facing: a cup, and a baptism. The cup symbolizes the realm of experience, the circumstances which we find ourselves. In the Old Testament the cup was also used of things which are not so joyful. Jeremiah speaks of Israel as having to drink the cup of the fury of the Lord. This cup of fury was their lot due to their sinfulness. So, the cup revealed the Lord Jesus taking on the wrath of God for us.

Of course, for the Lord Jesus, the baptism represented the cross upon which He would hang and die. Both were given to Him by His Father, and, He eventually drank it that our sin could be forgiven. Later, in the Garden of Gethsemene, He prayed, "If it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not my will but yours be done." The baptism became for the Lord Jesus an overwhelming flood describing for us the judgement of God that He took upon Himself on our behalf. The Lord Jesus drank the cup of God’s wrath for us so that He could extend the cup of God’s fellowship to us. 

In v.23 of today's passage we read, "So He said to them, 'You will indeed drink My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father.'"

James and John, often in the Gospels, referred to as "the sons of thunder" were referred to as such in order to give us indication that they were tough guys. It does not matter how tough any of us are, we will never be able to provide forgiveness of sin for ourselves or for all of mankind. They had not connected all of the dots, thus they responded out of their ignorance. But, as history shows, both James and John served very important roles with regard to the advancement of the gospel in this world. The Lord Jesus had told His disciples about His cross but they were enamored with the crown. The disciples didn't grasp the fact that they could not wear the crown until we are defined by the cross of the Lord Jesus. 

When God is at work in our lives, He always starts with us, not with events. He shapes our lives to fit the circumstances. When we take control of our lives, this process is interrupted and we never get the results we want. And, it is then that fear begins to set in. Like us, the disciples had a poor understanding of the cup and the baptism of which the Lord Jesus spoke, therefore they concluded the wrong thing about their abilities and the purpose of their lives at that moment. After losing the Lord Jesus they learned to depend upon Him even more. This is greatness in the eyes of the Lord: when we are most dependent upon Him.

As it turned out, James was the very first of the apostles to be martyred and John was the last of the Apostles to die on the Isle of Patmos. These two brothers formed a parenthesis of martyrdom among those early disciples. All of the disciples, as it turned out, were put to death for the sake of the Lord Jesus, the gospel and for the sake of you and me. When we get to the place where we recognize the enormity of our salvation, we too will recognize the blessing of laying down our lives but not for the forgiveness of our sin but for the advancement of the good news the Lord Jesus came to provide.

Matthew 20:17-19

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17 Now Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them, 18 "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death, 19 and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day He will rise again." ~ Matthew 20:17-19 

Today, we return to our study of Matthew 20 where the Lord Jesus is with His disciples and they are headed to Jerusalem where He would eventually be crucified. Crucifixion was a method of capital punishment popularized by the Romans in which their victim was nailed to a large wooden cross or beam and left to hang until eventual death from exhaustion and asphyxiation set in.

In v.17-18 of today's passage we read, "Now Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them, 18 "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death."

Previous to the events in this passage the disciples proclaimed how they had left all to follow the Lord Jesus, but this must not be the focus of our lives. On His way to Jerusalem, the Lord Jesus made three specific references to His death. It must be that our focus must always be on the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ because it must define us on a day by day basis. We must be defined by the cross because it was there that God revealed His greatest thoughts toward us. We must never be defined by anything we do, otherwise, we will be defined by the lesser, and we will lack. And, we know at the root of our sin is our lack.

I find it quite instructive that the word "Christian" is only used three times in the Bible, and each time, it carries a negative connotation. The most biblical words to use to describe the followers of Christ is the phrase "in Christ." Union with Christ means that we are "in Christ," and He is in us. There are over 160 verses in the New Testament that describe the believer’s union "in Christ." This is so important because there is a tremendous difference in our lives when we live out of God's acceptance of us through the Lord Jesus than living in order to gain His acceptance or maintain it. Sadly, most believers in Christ live out of the latter.

To His disciples the idea of a crucified Messiah was crazy and blasphemous. In fact, it was a massive barrier they had the hardest time getting beyond. They were convinced the Messiah could not come to earth in order to die. They did not understand the fallenness of mankind and the severity of sin. They didn't understand our separation from God. They didn't understand that the Messiah must be judged by God on mankind's behalf. Many still don't understand it to this day.

Later we will learn that the disciples were "astonished," and, the others who were following them were "afraid" at the words of the Lord Jesus that He would be crucified. The difference between the disposition of the disciples and the others was due to the fact that the others had less information than the disciples had, and, they did not understand what the disciples understood, so they were afraid. The word "afraid" refers to a kind of fear that is a baffling kind of fear. They were struggling with more confusion because they lacked understanding. Fear grows in the context where we lack information about God. 

In 1 John 4:15-18 we read, "15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."

The word "perfect" in 1 John 4:18 means lacking nothing or mature. And, the more we grow in our understanding of God's love for us, we will be less and less controlled by fear. Love is more cerebral than it is emotional. Love is a choice. Shakespeare once said, "Love is not love which alters when it alterations finds." True love endures. True love is the type of love that makes someone stick with a person through thick and thin. This is the type of love that God has for us.

Even though the disciples were trained in Judaism, they lacked the ability to connect an accurate interpretation of Scripture with the realities of their lives. Under the influence of the religious leaders of Israel at that time and their bizarre understanding of God, this crowd did not really have a good understanding of God and His ways. This is why discipleship is so important.

In v.18-19 of today's passage we read, "18 Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death, 19 and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day He will rise again."

The fact that the Lord Jesus had now told His disciple these details three times, including the way they would kill Him by crucifixion, proved this was a planned event. According to Revelation 13 the Lord Jesus was "the Lamb slain before the foundations of the world." The Lord Jesus was not a victim of anything. His death was a planned event long before anything was created. The first words in the Gospels that ever came out of the Lord Jesus' mouth were, "I must be about my Father’s business." The last words ever to come out of His mouth before His death, "It is finished." The Lord Jesus knew exactly why He came to this earth, and, He did it to provide for you and me and anyone who would believe in Him deliverance from the domain of darkness and to be transferred into the light of His incredible love.

Finally, the chaos and confusion were necessary for the disciples to understand the gospel. The darkest of moments are useful because these moments frame up God's goodness for us. They reveal to us God's heart, if we let them. And, out of this framing up we are granted understanding. And, it was at His cross that understanding won the day. The cross grants clarity to us on a day by day basis if we let it. We never leave the teaching of the cross, otherwise we give our existence to chaos and confusion. My dear friend Joe Novenson once said, "I must live so close to the cross that I get splinters in my nose."

Matthew 16:1-16

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1 For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 and said to them, "You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you." So they went. 5 Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, "Why have you been standing here idle all day?" 7 They said to him, "Because no one hired us." He said to them, "You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive." 8 So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, "Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first." 9 And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. 10 But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. 11 And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, 12 saying, "These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day." 13 But he answered one of them and said, "Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?" 16 So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen. ~ Matthew 20:1-16

Today, we begin our study of Matthew 20 where the Lord Jesus incorporated yet another parable to help His disciples understand His culture better. This is what happens to us while we are being sanctified by the Holy Spirit, we are taught of and we experience for ourselves His definitions of things. Learning His culture is a sanctification thing. You will remember that our justification before God is granted to us through the cross of Christ only. His death on the cross of Calvary garnered for us our salvation. Through our justification we will be admitted into heaven. While our sanctification gets heaven into us now. 

The Lord Jesus told this parable in response to Peter's question which was: "We left everything for you. So, what do we get?" In response the Lord Jesus shared this parable illustrating what He had previously said to Peter which was: "The first will be last, and the last will be first." It is with a broken spirit that we came to faith in the Lord Jesus. Our brokenness enabled us to realize that we could do nothing to earn our salvation. Our salvation was given to us as a gift based upon the merit and the work of Christ alone. 

In v.1-2 of today's passage we read, "1 For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard."

More than revealing to the disciples what the kingdom of heaven is like, this parable really gets at the idea of what God is like. This is very important because how we view God has a huge impact on how we relate to Him. Our theology is the most important thing about us because through it we see everything else. C.S Lewis once said, "I believe in Christianity as I believe that the Sun has risen not only because I see it but because by it I see everything else." This means that what we believe about "injustice" may be a deviation from God's definition of justice.  

The atheist has no way to absolutely define a concept like justice. Since, according to atheism, the universe is undesigned and purposeless, all of life is just an accident. And, since everything is just the result of molecular interactions on the previous state, then there is no "should be." When it comes to actions and states of the universe, there only is "what is." According to atheism, injustice has no meaning. Just as death, decay, and disease are matter-of-fact realities of the universe, love and hate are just results of chemical reactions in the human mind. 

According to Christianity, God has given us answers as to why there is pain and suffering. Christianity best answers all of life's questions about reality and God. For example, if we view God as strict, temperamental or stingy, then we will probably not have a very close relationship with Him. In fact, we will be hesitant to even approach Him. We will only go to Him when we feel like we have no choice. But if we view God as the Bible defines Him, as loving, kind and generous, then we probably will have a close relationship with Him. And, the closer to Him that we become will render how we live life and how we treat others.

In v.3-7of today's passage we read, "3 And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 and said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.' So they went. 5 Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, 'Why have you been standing here idle all day?' 7 They said to him, "Because no one hired us." He said to them, "You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.'"

The typical workday in those days was from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM. The landowner, representing God, at different intervals throughout the day hired His needed workers. We can always trust God to do what is right because He is right. People often ask what will happen to children who weren't old enough and informed enough to make a choice about Christ? To that I answer, "Is God good? If He is good and He is, we can trust Him to do the right thing with reference to children at the end of time." 

In v.8-16 of today's passage we read, "8 So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, 'Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.' 9 And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. 10 But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. 11 And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, 12 saying, 'These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.' 13 But he answered one of them and said, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?' 16 So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen."

At the end of the day the hired hands were paid a denarius which was a days wages for a farm hand. Those who had worked all day were upset because the landowner paid all of the workers the same amount. To them it seemed unfair. But, this is a parable about generosity which chooses to treat everybody the same no matter how much or little work they worked. Generosity is a synonym for grace which makes all believers in Christ equal. We are equal because the perfection of Christ has been applied to our account before God, resulting in God granting us access to Himself. The all-day workers expressed their displeasure because they saw themselves as more deserving than those who had not contributed as much as they. 

The word "complained" is written in the imperfect tense, which means they were in a constant state of complaining. They were distracted from gratitude because they thought they knew best. Compared to those who only worked an hour, these workers thought they were worth a lot more. But this is not the way grace works. There is nothing we can do to make God love us more. There is nothing we can do to make God love us less. Like a gift, the only thing we can do with grace is to receive it. In the final analysis, the first in this parable are those who are grateful and the last are those who complain. 

The most important point is revealed in Psalm 103:10 which reads, "He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities." 

The word "many" in today's passage is better translated "everyone." That day the Lord Jesus really said "everyone is called, but some people refuse the invitation and are not chosen." God has chosen to show the believer mercy and grace through His Son's death on the cross. When the Lord Jesus died on the cross, His death fulfilled God’s justice as He suffered on our behalf. The Lord Jesus paid the full penalty for our sins on His cross. Perfect justice and never-ending mercy meet together at the cross where God's grace and His justice co-exist even to this moment and on into eternity. This produces gratitude in us and when we lack gratitude, we are in danger of harboring an unbiblical view of God.

Matthew 19:27-30

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27 Then Peter answered and said to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?" 28 So Jesus said to them, "Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first." ~ Matthew 19:27-30

Today, we conclude our study of Matthew 19 where the Lord Jesus had just told the Rich Young Ruler to give away all of his possessions and come and follow Him. To that the Rich Young Ruler went away sad. He walked away as his understanding of the Lord Jesus jerked him in the wrong direction. And, that which blunted his view of the Lord Jesus was his wealth. If God is not bigger in our lives than anything else, He will appear small in certain areas of our lives. Until the Holy Spirit has broken us of our puny view of God, we will lack the power to rise above the powers of this world. 

In v.27 of today's passage we read, "Then Peter answered and said to Him, 'See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?'"

When we see the Lord Jesus for who He is, it will be then that we will lose sight of those things that keep us from realizing His call. It took the death of my mom when I was five years old and the death of my dad when I was seventeen for me to get to this place. And, the moment I saw it, I was set on a course to discover new appetites and new aims. Don't get me wrong, I did not stop sinning, but once I was born again a new course was set in my life. This new course was a tremendous gift whereby my spirit was made alive to God.

Peter and the other disciples had left everything in order to follow the Lord Jesus. And, even though they had been changed, they still lived out of the type of theology that needed changing. We are no different than they. At this point the disciples were living out of what they left rather than what was before them. They had just heard the conversation the Lord Jesus had with the Rich Young Ruler, and out of their response through Peter, they proved they were not fully aware of the gift given them. As in the disciples lives, God's goal in our lives is not our perfection, this will never happen this side of heaven. God's goal in our lives is to increase our trust in Him. 

Trust is essential in any relationship where love increases. Trust is feeling safe when vulnerable. It is only in the realm of vulnerability that we grow in our trust of anyone. This is why the Lord tells us to rejoice in our trials for it is through our trials that the goodness of God can be seen. If we try to avoid our trials by holding on to the control of our lives, like the rich young ruler, we will end up walking away from Him.

Peter and the disciples were so saturated in the culture of this world. The evidence was they thought they were earning their greatness which is never earned, it is realized as we learn to say "no" to self and to say "yes" to the leading of the Holy Spirit. It is a posture, not a right. To experience the life the Lord Jesus died to give us, we will have invested in that which causes us to die to self.

In v.28-29 of today's passage we read, "28 So Jesus said to them, 'Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.'"

The Lord Jesus strategically reminded the disciples that they had gained a personal relationship with God whom they had not previously known. And, they were given it before they started following Him. When believers in Christ focus on leaving our old lives and we do not focus on the life the Lord is giving us, we miss the point of our calling. The point is that we are now following and being defined by God. The point is that we are being delivered from this world's way of living and we are experiencing eternal life now. When we learn to live according to His culture, we will increasingly recognize that our possessions were given to us not for our benefit alone. Our possessions were given to us in order to advance His kingdom in the hearts of others. The disciples had walked away from their families while the young ruler walked away from the Lord Jesus. 

In v.30 of today's passage we read, "But many who are first will be last, and the last first."

This phrase "first will be last and the last first" screams to us that it does not matter who we are in this world or what we have done, eternal life is for those who believe that the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus gained us a personal relationship with God. The Lord Jesus chose the weak things of this world to bring about His purposes in this world. 

This phrase also refers to those who will reign in the millennium with the Lord Jesus. We endure in the faith because we belong to the Lord Jesus. We endure because we are His. And, in the end, when all history is done, we will rule and reign with the Lord Jesus in His enduring kingdom. And, the extent of our rule in the coming age will be a reward in proportion to our faithful service here in this world now.

Matthew 19:23-26

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23 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." 25 When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?" 26 But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." ~ Matthew 19:23-26

Today, we return to our study of Matthew 19 where the Rich Young Ruler had just walked away from the Lord Jesus with sadness in his heart because he loved his riches more than the truth. When this man first came to the Lord Jesus he was quick to proclaim his lack, yet, he could not let go of that which kept him from gaining that which he truly lacked. This is what our sin did to us, it separated us from our source of being and it distorted our understanding of what is really real.

In v.23-24 of today's passage we read, "23 Then Jesus said to His disciples, 'Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.'"

Affluence can create in us a greater appreciation for the non-essential values over the essential ones. Rich people do not worry about where their next meal will come. Rather, they tend to be concerned about how the food will taste. Rich people tend not to be concerned about whether they will have a roof over their head and clothes to wear. Wealthy folks tend to be more concerned with fashion and style and decor. Riches tend to transfer our concern from the necessary things of life to the not so necessary. This is the most dangerous place that we can be because it is the place which is most plastic and unreal. We are at our best when we are convinced that we utterly need God because our ability to invest in what is really real comes out of our desperation. 

Our wealth tends to insulate us from that which is really real. Many think that the wealthy are overprivileged, but, in reality, they are underprivileged. They are more likely deprived of a deeper intimacy with the Lord, because it is the deeper struggles of life coupled with in-depth interaction with God through His Word and prayer that we are afforded the possibility of deeper intimacy with Him. And, I might add, that translates into a deeper intimacy with others. 

Some say this needle of which the Lord Jesus spoke was a reference to the Needle Gate, a low and narrow after-hours entrance found in the wall surrounding Jerusalem. It was purposely small for security reasons, and a camel could only go through it by stripping off any saddles or packs and crawling through on its knees. In Luke's account of this story, though, the physician Luke used the Greek word which means "the eye of a surgeon's needle." The Lord Jesus used this metaphor to describe an impossible task that only God can perform. The greatest impossibility is that sinful man can access a personal relationship with God. 

The Jews had long been conditioned for thousands of years to believe that wealth is a sign of God's favor. They assumed that their acceptance before God was based on certain conditions, like wealth. But, God's grace introduces us to a different way of thinking. It was only His grace that made unconditional acceptance a possibility for fallen man. Our salvation must be unearned since the only thing that can turn around that which prevented us from having a personal relationship with God in the first place is the shed blood the Lord Jesus Christ.

The world is full of people who are caught up in religion because they are aware of the huge hole in their soul.  And, most can't figure out what's missing. This is the cry of the unsatisfied, this is the plea of the unfulfilled heart. The answer is to get to the place where we cry out to God for His help. It is our utter lack that positions us to do this. The Rich Young Ruler had a life-long habit of appearing to others that he had it all together. His facade fought against him, keeping him from the humility required to believe in the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

In v.25 of today's passage we read, "When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, 'Who then can be saved?'"

The disciples found it most difficult to believe these words of the Lord Jesus because all of their lives their hearts had been conditioned by their ignorance. They believed it was their devotion to God that gave them favor in His eyes. The answer is to be trained by God's grace. When we stop depending on ourselves and our resources, we open ourselves up to God's wonderful grace. And, His grace is the greatest change agent this world has ever known. However, it is not the change that grace brings about in us that makes us right with God. It is only by placing our faith in the Lord Jesus that the enormous gap that our sin created between us and God can be bridged.

In v.26 of today's passage we read, "But Jesus looked at them and said to them, 'With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.'"

God is the only One who can make us fully what we cannot become and what we must become. He is the only One who can cleanse our sin from us. He is the only One who can replace our hearts of stone. He is the only One who can give us a personal relationship with Himself. Consequently, He is the only One who can teach our hearts to increasingly trust Him. He is the only One who can enable us to abandon our understanding of how life should work and be defined by Him. Once this process has begun, we will not only grow in our fellowship with God, we will also begin to deal selflessly with others. The greatest impossibility of them all is revealed in the words, "Whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." Through the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus sin and death has been defeated forever.

Matthew 19:16-22

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16 Now behold, one came and said to Him, "Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?" 17 So He said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments." 18 He said to Him, "Which ones?" Jesus said, "You shall not murder," "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not steal," "You shall not bear false witness," 19 "Honor your father and your mother," and, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 20 The young man said to Him, "All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?" 21 Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." 22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. ~ Matthew 19:16-22

Today, we return to our study of Matthew 19 where the Lord Jesus was approached by a young man who was rich and religious. This young man was a leader, he was respected and he was influential. He was also the ruler of a synagogue. But one thing he lacked: he had never come to the end of himself and he knew he lacked salvation.

In v.16 of today's passage we read, "Now behold, one came and said to Him, 'Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?'"

According to Mark and Luke's gospels, after teaching the disciples on greatness, the Lord Jesus was approached by this man who ran up to Him, fell on his knees before Him and addressed Him as one who possessed inherent goodness that only God possesses. He then asked a question of the Lord Jesus which was full of poor theology. He assumed that sinful man can earn God's favor through his obedience. The emphasis in his question was on himself, and, it provided a stark contrast to what the Lord had been teaching the disciples about the major role selflessness plays in discipleship. This man had everything this world had to offer but he knew he lacked something. He had a personal relationship with everything else including religion, but that was a far cry from having been "born again." This only goes to prove nothing in this world will ever truly satisfy us, for "God created us with a God-shaped vacuum that only He can fill."

In v.17 of today's passage we read, "So He said to him, 'Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.'"

The Lord Jesus spoke to this man in his own language. All this rich young ruler had ever known was self-produced achievement and self-manufactured morality. This is why the Lord Jesus challenged his understanding of "goodness." This young man failed to understand that the purpose of the law of Moses is to reveal to us our sinfulness. He had looked into the mirror of God's word and did not see the sin in his own life. In fact, he saw the law as a means to feel good about himself. He failed to understand the principle that if we break the law in one small part, we are immediately guilty of having broken it all.  

In addition, the rich young ruler failed to see that the law cannot save any of us. He tried to establish his own righteousness, failing to understand true righteousness is of God. He also failed to see that through God's mercy He imputes His righteousness on the one who repents of his way and believes in the Lord's way. The rich young ruler failed to understand that in order to inherit eternal life, we must confess our sin and we must realize that we cannot earn God's acceptance by our obedience to the law. The Lord Jesus didn't argue with this man. Rather, He informed him that salvation is reserved for those who come to an end of themselves and are desperate for God. 

This merely emphasizes that the foundation of our salvation is always on the work of the Redeemer, not on the work of the redeemed. If it were not for God's forgiving nature, none of us would choose repentance. It was William Hordern who once said, "It is never our repentance that causes God's forgiveness; rather, it is God's forgiveness that causes our repentance."

In v.18-19 of today's passage we read, "18 He said to Him, 'Which ones?' Jesus said, 'You shall not murder,' 'You shall not commit adultery,' 'You shall not steal,' 'You shall not bear false witness,' 19 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'" 

In response to the question of the rich young ruler, the Lord Jesus highlighted several of the last six commandments. The first four commands, not mentioned, have to do with our relationship with God. The last six address how we treat other people. Ah, this sounds familiar to what the Lord had just taught, the disciples; that is we should value the least. Here, in this response to a man who had all this world has to offer, the Lord Jesus accentuated the behavior of greatness and how it loves others selflessly.

In v.20 of today's passage we read, "The young man said to Him, 'All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?'"

This man claimed to have kept the commands, but he did not understand that his obedience could not earn the favor of God.  This very wealthy man had never become like a child and he had not come to an end of trusting in himself and in his wealth. This explains that in the end he was more committed to his wealth than he was to going to heaven. It was the wealth and the supposed goodness of this man that defined him the most. In fact, it was his wealth and his goodness that had kept him from entering into a personal relationship with God through the Lord Jesus Christ.

In v.21 of today's passage we read, "Jesus said to him, 'If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.'"

The Lord Jesus knew that being perfect was and is an impossibility for any fallen human. And, the Lord Jesus never said that if we sell everything we have and become poor that we could earn our way to heaven; that deifies the very point of the context. The Lord Jesus exposed the true heart of this self-righteous man who incorrectly stated, "I've kept the law since I was young." The answer the rich young ruler gave to the Lord Jesus that spot-lighted man's ultimate problem which is not our obedience but our sinfulness. And, the only remedy to our sinfulness is the death of the Lord Jesus on the cross where He paid the penalty for our sin which had separated us from God. 

In v.22 of today's passage we read, "But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions."

No doubt this young man sincerely tried to keep the law; in fact, this may have been what brought him to the feet of the Lord Jesus in the first place and he didn't realize it. Then, the Lord Jesus did not quote the law to him as a means of salvation, because obedience to the law does not save us. The Lord Jesus quoted the law to him because in doing so He held up the law as it were a mirror revealing to him his inadequacy. 

Sadly, the man who had all this world had to offer went away sorrowful. Subtly, we are given an accurate portrait of how this world will never satisfy our deepest longings and needs. This young man who had everything that money and power and youth could give him, knew in his heart that there was something missing in his life. That day the rich young ruler had caught a glimpse of eternal life but he walked away sorrowful, because he was unwilling to repent from his goodness so that he might be defined by the Lord's goodness.

Matthew 19:13-15

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13 Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven." 15 And He laid His hands on them and departed from there. ~ Matthew 19:13-15

Today, we continue our study of Matthew 19. In the previous chapter, the Lord Jesus taught the disciples about greatest in the kingdom of heaven. To illustrate, He took a child into His arms and He accentuated such characteristics as forgiveness and reconciliation. All of this came on the heels of the Lord Jesus confronting the disciples for trying to prevent someone from casting out demons whom they thought did not belong to their inner circle. The stage was set for the events of today's passage.

In v.13 of today's passage we read, "Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them."

This was a significant enough of an event that all the synoptic writers included it in their accounts of the gospels. But, the disciples thought it was an unnecessary intrusion upon the time and space of the Lord Jesus. As a result, the disciples issued a strong rebuke to the parents of the children. The rebuke of the disciples garnered the displeasure of the Lord. He was angry with them because a very important truth was being illustrated and they didn't recognize it. The most common means of healing by the Lord Jesus involved touch. 

In Leviticus 16:21 we read, "Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, confess over it all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, concerning all their sins, putting them on the head of the goat, and shall send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a suitable man." In this verse connection with offering the annual sacrifices for the forgiveness of sin was highlighted. Priests ceremoniously laid their hands on the sacrifice in order to transfer God’s curse from the people to the sacrifice. In that circumstance, they symbolically made a transfer through touch. 

The Lord Jesus regularly allowed children to come to Him and, when they did, He gave them His complete attention. The value of a person is truly seen in how he treats the lowest among us. Forgiveness reflects the depth of our connection with God. The Lord Jesus had taken several children in His arms, and He blessed them by praying for them. In doing so, He was granting the children the touch of God. He also offered His disciples the possibility of a deeper knowledge of His way of thinking. He demonstrated greatness in His kingdom as He cared for those who are most dependent among us. Embracing childlike faith means we embrace selflessness which is birthed in our lives out of our continual dependence upon God. 

In v.14 of today's passage we read, "But Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.'"

The phrase, "for of such is the kingdom of heaven" is a huge part of what the Lord was giving to these disciples that day. If we are to be disciples of the Lord Jesus, the type who walk in concert with His culture, we will be known as those who depend upon the Lord as a child depends upon his parents. Only God can convert an adult into child-likeness. In order to do so, our inability must be revealed to us, resulting in the humble reception of His free gift of forgiveness. We find it very difficult to receive grace, and, we hold tightly to the idea that we must contribute to the gift of our salvation. Even after we have been believers for quite some time, we have found it difficult to wrap our souls around the concept of God's unmerited favor. This explains why we struggle with the whole idea of faith and discipleship.

As a result, we struggle with the idea that God requests to orchestrate the events of our lives. We struggle going belly up with Him because it is a vulnerable position. And, due to our warped perspective, God must at times show us our total bankruptcy in order for us to get His way of thinking and living. Becoming like a child requires admission that we need help and that we are not what we project to others. Being childlike is coming to the place that we are more and more aware of our utter need for God's help and we are found crying out for it. Interestingly, it is then that we become more Christlike. 

In v.15 of today's passage we read, "And He laid His hands on them and departed from there."

Here, the Lord Jesus brings our attention back to His touch. We all were made with a need to belong, and, appropriate physical contact is critical for our sense of well-being. Studies have shown the negative effects of a lack of safe touch, which range from developmental and emotional issues to an increased susceptibility to disease. The touch of the Lord Jesus was always of major importance for the one who had been touched by Him. His touch denoted His connection with the one whom He touched. Connection is the ultimate blessing here. Being connected to the Lord and His community fosters in us the type of stability that we all long for. It is life-giving and it enables us to live lives that are selfless because our lack is lessened within us. And when we lack less we are more unconscious of self.

Matthew 19:10-12

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10 His disciples said to Him, "If such is the case of the man with his wife, it is better not to marry." 11 But He said to them, "All cannot accept this saying, but only those to whom it has been given: 12 For there are eunuchs who were born thus from their mother’s womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He who is able to accept it, let him accept it." ~ Matthew 19:10-12

Today, we continue our study of Matthew 19 where the religious leaders of Israel had just tried to make the Lord Jesus look bad in the eyes of the common folk when they asked Him a question about divorce. In context, the Lord Jesus drew attention to unfaithfulness, not divorce. Divorce was allowed but it was just a band aid to the real problem. At the very end of the Old Testament we learn that "God hates divorce." And, unfaithfulness between two people who made a promise to be faithful to one another undermines God's purpose for marriage. The physical union of a woman and a man is the visible picture of what a marriage ought to be. This is why God reserves physical union only in the context of the marriage commitment. 

In v.10 of today's passage we read, "His disciples said to Him, 'If such is the case of the man with his wife, it is better not to marry.'" 

In answering the Pharisees’ question about divorce, the Lord Jesus reiterated the serious commitment required of the marriage relationship. Having heard what the Lord Jesus had to say about commitment, the disciples concluded that it was better not to marry. The disciples realized the responsibility to remain committed and that it was a tremendously tall task. 

According to the religious leaders of Israel divorce was legally permitted for almost any reason, but the Lord Jesus explained the husband had a weighty obligation no matter how easy it might have been to legally divorce his wife. The Lord only allows one condition for divorce and that is sexual immorality. To the heart of the issue is the greatest conclusion about the will of the Lord and nothing is more important for us than His will.

In v.11-12 of today's passage we read, "11 But He said to them, 'All cannot accept this saying, but only those to whom it has been given: 12 For there are eunuchs who were born thus from their mother’s womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He who is able to accept it, let him accept it.'"

The kind of human love and intimacy we all yearn for is best experienced in a lifelong, faithful, monogamous union with one person of the opposite gender. The idea of having an affair may seem exciting, but the excitement of unfaithfulness is short-lived, and the pain that follows lasts a long, long time. Interestingly, marriage provides a means toward discipleship. As we have noted, the Lord Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem, teaching His disciples about denying themselves, taking up their cross and following Him. Marriage requires enormous quantities of selflessness and self-denial. In fact, if we make it a habit to die to ourselves, we will be positioned to experience the best of marriages.

The Lord Jesus yet again used this opportunity to teach us another aspect of what it looks like to be His disciple. To be disciples of the Lord Jesus we must not serve self, but we must serve those with whom we have relationship, particularly our spouse. As fathers and mothers who are learning to be defined by God, we train our children best on what it looks like to have a meaningful and personal, and faithful relationship with Christ through the way we treat one another.

Marriage isn’t for everybody. And yes, from the biblical point of view there’s a lot to be said for the advantages of single life. Being married doesn't mean we are second-class or that being single is the ideal. There is a clear reason God said from the very beginning that it’s not good for man to be alone. But, God did purposely make us male and female. All of this is to say, marriage is vital to the design of creation. It’s central to the Lord’s original intentions for the human race. Along these lines, there’s an important difference between being single and being called to celibacy. We have to be careful not to confuse the two.

Being single is circumstantial. It happens to people for all kinds of reasons: not being able to find a mate, death of a spouse, difficult family situations, medical or financial difficulties. Celibacy, according to 1 Corinthians 7:7, is a rare gift that God grants only to a few people. Those who are single but not given to celibacy should not give up on marriage. One thing is abundantly clear though: It is better to be single and want to be married than to be married and want to be single.

The word eunuch means one who does not engage in sexual activity with the opposite gender. And some were born as eunuchs. Then there are some eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men through castration. And then there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs and this is not by some physical surgery. They have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. This means there are some people who are single for God’s sake. The word "accept" in v.12 means to have room or space for something. It means to embrace something with heart and mind. The desire to remain single is a gift from the Lord but God doesn't just give this gift to just anyone.

Matthew 19:1-9

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1 Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these sayings, that He departed from Galilee and came to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. 2 And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them there. 3 The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?" 4 And He answered and said to them, "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning 'made them male and female,' 5 and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh?' 6 So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate." 7 They said to Him, "Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?" 8 He said to them, "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. 9 And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery." ~ Matthew 19:1-9

Today, we transition into Matthew 19 where the Lord Jesus along with His disciples were on the move from north to south. From Galilee, they went down to Judea, leaving the place which had been the headquarters for their ministry for three and a half years. The Lord Jesus had completed His Galilean ministry, and, He and His disciples were on His way to Jerusalem. The eventual goal of the Lord Jesus was to die on the cross of Calvary.

In v.1-2 of today's passage we read, "1 Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these sayings, that He departed from Galilee and came to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. 2 And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them there."

According to the other gospel accounts, after having spoken at that Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, the Lord Jesus then traveled with His disciples to the area on the eastern side of the Jordan River, the region called Perea. It was there that the Lord Jesus taught the large crowds and He healed the sick. His ministry of teaching and healing and delivering people from the clutches of the devil was consistent throughout the three and a half years that He ministered. As a result, many followed Him.

In v.3 of today's passage we read, "The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, 'Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?'" 

Once again, the religious leaders challenged the Lord Jesus with yet another trick question. The Greek word used here for "testing" reveals these supposed leaders were trying to trip up the Lord Jesus with deception. They desperately wanted to nullify Him and His teaching, even though He was teaching the truth and the needy benefitted. Had they been totally successful, salvation would have never come to you and me. But, the Lord Jesus persisted and even though the religious leaders convinced Pilate to later crucify Him, the Lord Jesus prevailed and became our Savior.

The largest group of miracles performed by the Lord Jesus mentioned in the Gospels involved healing people who were ill, infirmed or disabled. In fact, He performed so many miracles that, according to John 21:25, "If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written." 

These miracles prove the compassion of God toward people who hurt. Sadly, there has and will always be those people who no matter how much truth they are given, they will not believe in the Lord Jesus as their Savior. And the reason they will not believe is due to the stubbornness of their heart. Fallen man wants to run his own life, knowing that if he yields his life to Christ, he cannot keep on living the way he once did. Quite frankly, these religious leaders of Israel loved their sin much more than they loved the truth. 

In v.4-6 of today's passage we read, "4 And He answered and said to them, 'Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning made them male and female,' 5 and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh?' 6 So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."

In His response to the question of the religious leaders, the Lord Jesus took them back to the beginning of time because in doing so, He revealed God's view of marriage from the beginning. God defined marriage between a man and a woman. As pointed out by the Apostle Paul in Romans 1, any other combination of a couple is not natural. As Paul notes, it is not natural for a man to be with a man and a woman to be with a woman. For us to believe marriage should be two people of the same gender is to undermine God's definition of marriage and is dangerous. 

We will never understand God's view of divorce until we understand God's view of marriage. God intended marriage to be intimate and permanent, enjoyed in the context of commitment. God used the phrase "one flesh" which underscores the vulnerability involved in the relationship. God's definition of marriage is the commitment between a husband and a wife. Underscored here is discovered a very important principle which is: We must be defined by God. What we believe to be true is revealed through our thoughts and our words which are spelled out best by our choices. When God's word defines what we believe, it is then that we are being defined by Him. The real issue with all humans is to be found in our hearts. If we truly want to walk in the truth, we will be defined accordingly. If we have a softened heart toward the truth and we therefore desire to be defined by God, we will obey the Word of God. For those who really do not want to be defined by God, their hearts will be hardened to the truth.  

The word "joined" used in v.5-6 in the Hebrew means to be glued permanently together. When we try to separate what God has joined together, we make a bigger mess out of it. God's intention in marriage in the first place was to create a bond that would serve the fabric of the family which provides the infrastructure for a good society. Children are most healthy when they grow up in a home where their mother and their father are being defined by God.

In v.8-9 of today's passage we read, "8 He said to them, 'Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. 9 And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.'"

Before the Fall of Man when there was no hardness in the human heart, sin had not entered into the world at that time. As a result, no man had the right to separate the union between a man and a woman. In answering the religious leaders' question the way He did, the Lord Jesus did not speak against the Law of Moses. As a result, the Pharisees couldn’t trap Him. It is also important to note that the Lord Jesus spoke in favor of marriage, not against divorce. His emphasis was not on what God permitted due to the hard heart of fallen man. His emphasis was not on what was lawful, His emphasis was on what is wise and of God.

We read in Deuteronomy 24:1 that Moses allowed divorce if there was some "uncleanness" found in a man's wife. The key to understand this is understanding what the word "uncleanness" means. God led Moses to use the word uncleanness which means sexual immorality. The religious leaders of Israel had come to falsely believe uncleanness meant anything dissatisfying in the wife. So, the religious leaders tried to trick the Lord Jesus with this question hoping that His answer would minimize Him in the eyes of the people. Interestingly, marriage provides a means toward discipleship. As we have noted, the Lord Jesus taught His disciples about denying themselves, taking up their cross and following Him. Marriage requires enormous quantities of selflessness and self-denial. In fact, if we make it a habit to die to ourselves, we will be best positioned to experience the best of marriages. The answer to all of life's ills are found in our obedience to God's definitions of all things as found in the Bible.