Maranatha Grace Church

The last few verses of the book of Matthew are called the "Great Commission."  Those verses tell us the role that we have to play to make the love of God known to mankind. Jesus wants all nations to be his followers. 

¹⁶ Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. ¹⁷ When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. ¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:16-20

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Book of Matthew Challenge – Day 1 – Matthew 1 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

²¹ She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,^[f] because he will save his people from their sins.”²² All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ²³ “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”^[g] (which means “God with us”).²⁴ When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. ²⁵ But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus. (Matthew 1:21-24)

“They will call him Immanuel”^[g] (which means “God with us”).” Most of the time when I drop my daughter to the Middle School, my last words to her is:  “God is with you, dear.” And I have taught her to respond back to me, “God is with you dad.” I love to be reminded of that simple truth, “God is with me.” It is simple but one of the most powerful truths in the whole universe, God is with us.

To know that God is with us solve a lot of difficulties of this life. It takes away with fear, hatred, sadness, discouragement, anger, and all the bad emotions that can trouble us. The Bible tells us that we cannot get away from God even if we would try doing that, “For in him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28).”

The first chapter of the book of Matthew starts with the angel of the Lord telling us that in Jesus, Immanuel, God is with us. The last chapter of the book of Matthew ends with Jesus reassuring us of his presence, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age (Matthew 28:20).”

May the Lord richly bless you!

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Book of Matthew Challenge – Day 2 – Matthew 2 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

³ When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. ⁴ When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born.  ⁵ “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: ⁶ “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
 are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
 who will shepherd my people Israel.’^[b]” ⁷ Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. ⁸ He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” (Matthew 2:3-8)

The magi were true worshipers who made great sacrifices in terms of time, comfort, and money in order to worship the new born king, the savior of the world, the Lord Jesus. Indeed it took them months to travel from the East to Jerusalem. And because their hearts were set on set on worshiping the Lord no sacrifice was too great for them to undertake. They were the kind of worshipers who please God.

The Bible tells us that God is seeking for true worshipers who will worship him in Spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24). True worshipers rely on the word of God for direction on their search for God. The magi were guided by the star, but they need the word of God as prophesized by the prophet Micah to know the location of the birth of the Messiah.

King Herod was a false worshiper. He tried to disguise his bad intentions to harm the new born child behind a false desire to worship, “As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him (v. 8). But God knows the heart of every person. God kept the true worshipers, the magi, from revealing the location of the child to Herod. We cannot worry about false worshipers, all we need to do is to keep our focus on Jesus.  

May the Lord richly bless you!

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Book of Matthew Challenge – Day 3 – Matthew 3 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

¹³ Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. ¹⁴ But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”¹⁵ Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.¹⁶ As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. ¹⁷ And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. (Matthew 3:13-16)

“It is proper to do this to fulfill all righteousness (v. 1).”  This verse tells us that there is a proper order about the way everything has to be done. John recognized that Jesus was way greater than he. Of Jesus John said, “But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry (v. 11).” But still there is a proper order to go about ministry. Jesus could not start his earthly ministry without being baptized by John.

Is there anyone in your life who is your gatekeeper? Someone who has to open so you can enter. This gatekeeper can be a teacher, a pastor, a boss, a secretary, the cook in the cafeteria. Sometimes the gatekeeper can be a person of lesser rank than you, but no matter who the gatekeeper is they need to be recognized as such. Only after they open for us can we go to our next level of assignment in life.

“Then John consented (v.1).” He, as a result, helped Jesus into his next assignment. ¹⁶ As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. ¹⁷ And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased (v. 16, 17).” Jesus received the go ahead to start his earthly ministry.

May the Lord richly bless you!

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Book of Matthew Challenge – Day 4 – Matthew 4 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted^[a] by the devil. ² After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. ³ The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

⁴ Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’^[b]” (Matthew 4:1-4)

People can look in the mirror, step on a scale, or have a physical to know how they are doing physically. What about the spiritual part of man, how do we know how we are doing spiritually? If there were a spiritual mirror we could look into, a scale to weight us spiritually, or a spiritual checkup that we could easily take how would we fare?

There is a sickness called anorexia. The person who suffers from that condition just refuses to eat, or would eat the minimum food possible. She becomes emaciated, and if not treated she would die of starvation. The problem is that the sufferer doesn’t even know that she is starving herself. She sees herself as overweight while in reality she is extremely underweight.

Jesus in Matthew 4:4 puts side by side the physical nourishment of man and the spiritual nourishment of man, bread and the word of God. We need bread (physical food) for our daily sustenance; in this country we usually have three meals a day, and many small snacks throughout the day. What about the Word of God?  According to Jesus we need the word of God more than we need food. Are we taking in the right amount of the Word, or are we starving ourselves, putting our lives in danger without knowing it?  

May the Lord richly bless you!

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Book of Matthew Challenge – Day 5 – Matthew 5 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

The Beatitudes

He said:

³ “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
 for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
⁴ Blessed are those who mourn,
 for they will be comforted.
⁵ Blessed are the meek,
 for they will inherit the earth.
⁶ Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
 for they will be filled.
⁷ Blessed are the merciful,
 for they will be shown mercy.
⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart,
 for they will see God.
⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers,
 for they will be called children of God.
¹⁰ Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
 for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

¹¹ “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

This chapter and the next two chapters form what is called the Sermon of the Mount. As every kingdom and every nation of the world have their own constitutions, the “Sermon of the Mount” is considered the constitution of Jesus’s kingdom, the kingdom of God. The Sermon of the Mount tells us what is required of the citizens of the kingdom of God, it also tells us the benefits associated with being members of that kingdom. It starts with blessings and end with blessings.

This document is one of the most valuable documents of the whole world. It would be very profitable for us to be study it, and memorize as much of it as we can. You never know!

May the Lord richly bless you!

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Book of Matthew Challenge – Day 6 – Matthew 6 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

Prayer

⁹ “This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
¹⁰ your kingdom come,
your will be done,
 on earth as it is in heaven.
¹¹ Give us today our daily bread.
¹² And forgive us our debts,
 as we also have forgiven our debtors.
¹³ And lead us not into temptation,^[a]
 but deliver us from the evil one.^[b]’

For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

¹⁴ For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. (Matthew 6:9-14

One Sunday morning, we omitted to say collectively the “Our Father”, a sister was so upset about that omission that she pointed it out to me rather forcefully. That was a very humbling experience for me. Why did we miss saying that prayer?  Was it because we did not take it seriously or simple carelessness?  What is the “Our Father” prayer really about?

There is no doubt that the “Our Father” is the most known and most recited prayer on the world. This is the first prayer we are taught at home, and at church. It used to be taught in all public schools considering how powerful it is to shape the lives of the citizenry. Indeed this prayer is the masterpiece of prayers. Jesus formulates this prayer in such a way that even a child can remember it.  And if applied correctly the “Our Father” will change the human condition.

Do we pray the way that Jesus taught us to pray? Jesus showed us that the sole purpose of our prayer is to honor God. From beginning to the end the “Our Father” is concerned with the glory of God. We honor God even when we ask him to provide for our needs, we tell him that he is our Father and we depend on him. We depend on God  for all our needs, both physical and spiritual needs.

 For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

May the Lord richly bless you!

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Book of Matthew Challenge – Day 7 – Matthew 7 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

²⁴ “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. ²⁶ But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ²⁷ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” (Matthew 7:24-27)

We can have a fairly good idea of how tall a building will be just by looking at how deep the foundation is. When a skyscraper is being built, it seems that more time is spent in setting the foundation of the building than in erecting the building itself. Because they have to dig deep enough to find the bedrock, it takes time and discipline to build a big and beautiful building.

According to Jesus, we are all builders. We can take the time and the energy to build on the rock, or we can carelessly build on the sand. To build on the rock is to put into practice Jesus’ teaching, it takes faith and obedience to follow the master’s teaching. To build on the sand is to ignore Jesus’ teaching, to live according to the standard of the world.

A warning is giving to both builders, wise builders and foolish builders. Their buildings will be eventually tested by the elements. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against both houses (v. 25, 26). Temptations, problems, and difficulties will come against every human living on this earth. The outcomes depend on the foundation of our lives. Listen to Jesus, “do whatever he tells you (John 2:5).”

May the Lord richly bless you!

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Book of Matthew Challenge – Day 8 – Matthew 8 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

¹⁴ When Jesus came into Peter’s house, he saw Peter’s mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. ¹⁵ He touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on him.

¹⁶ When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. ¹⁷ This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:

“He took up our infirmities
 and bore our diseases.”^[b]  (Matthew 8:14-17)

No one who has ever read the Bible can deny that Jesus was a healer. He healed the people spiritually, emotionally and physically. “When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick (v. 17).” The word of God says that he healed them all. Anyone who came by faith to him was healed. Why healing was so prominent in Jesus’ earthly ministry? Can we expect him to heal us today?

Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Mathew tells us exactly the purpose of the healing ministry of Jesus.  He healed all that were sick, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet saying, Himself took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses (Isaiah 53:4). It was not to demonstrate his divinity that he healed the people. He healed them in order to fulfill the character presented of him in ancient prophecy.

He cured the leper, the lame, the blind, the paralytic, the impotent, the fever stricken, "all that had need of healing." Healing the sick was his mission, this is what God does. God’s name is Jehovah-Rapha, the Lord who heals you (Exodus 15:26).  Some people claim that healing should no longer be expected by those who believe in Jesus. Has the healing ministry of Jesus changed? The Bible says that “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever (Hebrews 13:8)”

May the Lord richly bless you!

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Book of Matthew Challenge – Day 9– Matthew 9 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

⁹ As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.

¹⁰ While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. ¹¹ When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

¹² On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. ¹³ But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’^[a] For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”(Matthew 9:9-13)

We can look at the response of Matthew to Jesus’s calling in two ways: an irresistible call or the response of an obedient heart (v.9). Was Matthew free will overwhelmed by Jesus’ calling, was he free to say no? To answer this question we need to look at all the times that Jesus had called someone. One of the story that comes to our mind is the story of the rich young ruler found in Mark 10:17-22.

Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth (Mark 10:21-22). Jesus was not playing with the young man’s future. He really did give him a chance to become one of his trusted disciples. But the man refused.

God has given us free will. Free will to obey or to disobey him. Matthew said yes to the Lord with an obedient heart, but the rich young ruler said no. What should be our response to the Lord’s calling? He is still calling people today, young and old, men and women, rich and poor, God is calling. Only a “yes” to the Lord is the proper response.

May the Lord richly bless you!

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Book of Matthew Challenge – Day 10– Matthew 10 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.

² These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; ³ Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; ⁴ Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

⁵ These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. ⁶ Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. ⁷ As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ ⁸ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy,^[a] drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give. (Matthew 10:1-8)

Happy 14^th Anniversary Maranatha Grace Church.

As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ ⁸ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy,^[a] drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give (v. 8).

May the Lord richly bless you!

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Book of Matthew Challenge – Day 11– Matthew 11 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

²⁵ At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. ²⁶ Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.

²⁷ “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

²⁸ “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:25:30)

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Venez à moi, vous tous qui êtes fatigués et chargés, et je vous donnerai du repos (Matthieu 11:28).” This verse was painted on the front of my childhood church, to the right of the pulpit. Back then this was the first verse that every child in our church learned to read. We children prided ourselves in repeating the verse to show that we could read.

I used to wonder a lot why Pastor Desmornes had selected that specific verse to put up there so that everybody would memorize it. I think ( I guess) it was because of the general situation of the people, not only of the members, but the whole surrounding communities. How refreshing it must have been for the adults to come to the church, after walking many miles to attend service to read that soothing verse.

The people did come and got their rest, not only  a physical rest from a long walk, but total rest for their soul and their spirit. Otherwise how would they kept coming week after week to church services that lasted almost six hours at a time? Indeed there is rest in the presence of the Lord, the psalmist says “Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere (Psalms 84:10).”

May the Lord richly bless you!

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Book of Matthew Challenge – Day 12– Matthew 12 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

¹⁵ Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. A large crowd followed him, and he healed all who were ill. ¹⁶ He warned them not to tell others about him. ¹⁷ This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:

¹⁸ “Here is my servant whom I have chosen,
 the one I love, in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him,
 and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
¹⁹ He will not quarrel or cry out;
 no one will hear his voice in the streets.
²⁰ A bruised reed he will not break,
 and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out,
till he has brought justice through to victory.
²¹  In his name the nations will put their hope.”^[b] (Matthew 12:15-21)

“In his name the nations will put their hope (v. 21).” It is difficult for someone who grew up in the US to understand the power of a name.  In this country people proudly like to say, “It is not who you know, but what you know which makes the difference.”  They repeat it as a way to show their own independence and their own resourcefulness.

We, who were born long time ago in Haiti, understand the power of a name. They called it, “Parrain.” The name of that Parrain can open doors and close doors for the one who uses it relationally. Sometimes it can mean the difference between life and death. Interestingly enough, a name which was useful during one government can become a big problem during the next government.

Matthew 12:21 tells us about a name that never loses its power and its effectiveness. It is the name of Jesus. When used relationally, the name of Jesus is the most precious gift at our disposition. It opens the gates of heaven and overcomes the gates of hell. It heals the sick, and casts out demons. Apostle Peter could boldly say, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk (Acts 3:1-10). And the man walked.

May the Lord richly bless you!

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Book of Matthew Challenge – Day 13– Matthew 13 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

⁴⁴ “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

⁴⁵ “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. ⁴⁶ When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. (Matthew 13:44-45)

Because the Lord Jesus knew the true value of the kingdom that he was offering to man, he never hesitated to ask his followers to get rid of everything that could hinder their entrance into the kingdom. To show the unsurpassed worth of the kingdom, he declared, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? (Mark 8:36)”

Indeed, many of the first Christians paid the ultimate price for the kingdom, they were martyred for the sake of the Kingdom. Hebrews 11 tells us, “They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; ³⁸ (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.”

What gave the first Christians the courage to endure to the end?  God had opened their hearts to understand the word. The kingdom of God had become for them the pearl of great value, no cost was too high to pay. The same price is being paid right now all over the world by a lot of Christians. Daily, missionaries, pastors, and church members are being jailed and persecuted for the sake of the kingdom. Are we willing to pay any price for the kingdom?  

May the Lord richly bless you!

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Book of Matthew Challenge – Day 14– Matthew 14 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted ¹⁰ and had John beheaded in the prison. ¹¹ His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother. ¹² John’s disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus.

¹³ When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. ¹⁴ When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. (Matthew 14:9-14)

The death of John the Baptist was one of the worst kinds of abuse of justice presented in the stories in the Bible. King Herod knew that John was innocent but to save face he ordered John killed. This Herod was Herod Archelaus, one of the sons Herod the Great, the one who ordered the killing of all baby boys up to two years old around Bethlehem on hearing of the birth of the new King of the Jews, Jesus of Nazareth.

The death of John the Baptist saddened Jesus. He needed some time alone to grieve. But he did not let his sadness kept him from doing the work that the Father had appointed for him to do. Jesus shows us that in time of our own grieving period (John was the cousin of Jesus) the best thing to do is to turn outwardly. It is by helping other hurting people that we channel our sadness into a positive outlet.

When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick (v. 14). May we keep our eyes always on Jesus!  May the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, comfort the hearts of all of us who are grieving in this moment.

May the Lord richly bless you!

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Book of Matthew Challenge – Day 15– Matthew 15 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

²¹ Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. ²² A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.”

²³ Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”

²⁴ He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”

²⁵ The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said.

²⁶ He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”

²⁷ “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”

²⁸ Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment. (Matthew 15:9-14)

A simple persistent prayer with great result, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly. Lord, help me!” How many times we pray prayers that are just vain repetition? The prayer that pleases God is the prayer from the heart.  A simple but sincere prayer “Lord, help me!” can be more effective than a multitude of words.

Biblical faith is a set of spiritual qualities, in the case of the woman of the story, faith was demonstrated by her compassion for her daughter, her persistence, humility, and intelligence. The disciples in Luke 17 asked Jesus to increase their faith. Jesus did not do increase their faith, instead he told them a story about a humble servant.

We learn from Jesus’s answer that our faith is a matter of obedience, humility and wisdom. The Bible says “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you (James 1:5).” The more obedience, the more humility, and the more wisdom we have, the more we will be able to demonstrate our faith by the success of our prayers.

 May the Lord richly bless you!

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Book of Matthew Challenge – Day 16 – Matthew 16 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

⁸ Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, “You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? ⁹ Do you still not understand? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? ¹⁰ Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? ¹¹ How is it you don’t understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” ¹² Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. (Matthew 16:8-12)

 “You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread?” The Bible tells us that God has distributed to each of us a measure of faith (Romans 12:3). That is why Jesus could say to his disciples “You of little faith,” but not “You of no faith.”  They had the faith, it could be little, but nevertheless they had faith. This is the same for us, we need to know with certainty that God has given us a measure of the faith. We have the faith.

Our little faith can become great faith by our understanding of what God is telling us. God is telling us that this world is not all that is. The physical laws are not all that are, God spiritual laws supersede the natural physical laws. Signs, wonders, and miracles, and the manifestations of the gifts of the Holy Spirit can and should be part of our church when Christ is being preached.

Our little faith can become great faith by our active remembering of what the Lord has done for us and for others around us. “Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? ¹⁰ Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? (v. 9, 10).” What about us? What must we remember in order for us to understand?

May the Lord richly bless you!

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Book of Matthew Challenge – Day 17– Matthew 17 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

¹⁷ Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me.

¹⁸ And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.

¹⁹ Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?

²⁰ And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

²¹ Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting. (Matthew 17:17-21)

To the doubting Sarah, the Lord asked a rhetorical question, “Is anything too hard for the LORD? (Genesis 18:14)” The answer is obviously nothing. “For with God nothing shall be impossible (Luke 1:37).” And God made the impossible possible. Sarah conceived a child in her old age. Mary, the virgin, gave birth to a baby boy Jesus, the Savior of the world.

God is telling us that nothing is impossible when we believe in him, when we believe in his word. What has the Lord been telling you? We can trust God to see his word becoming a reality in our lives. However, this is easier said than done. Mostly because of the adversary is tempting us, and putting all kinds of obstacles in our path. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak (Matthew 26:41).

But we have the secret to overcome the adversary and be victorious: prayer and fasting. Jesus told his disciples, “Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting (v. 21).” With prayer we invite God to take first place in our lives, we welcome his life to be our life. With fasting we got rid of the world from our life. We acknowledge that we do not live by bread alone, but by God’s word and God’s promises.  

May the Lord richly bless you!

Hello:

Book of Matthew Challenge – Day 18– Matthew 18 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

¹⁵ “If your brother or sister^[b] sins,^[c] go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. ¹⁶ But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’^{[d] 17} If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

¹⁸ “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be^[e] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be^[f] loosed in heaven.

¹⁹ “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. ²⁰ For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” (Matthew 18:15-20)

Last week, I read an article in the Internet about the 7 signs of a weak leader. I list the signs below so we can check our leadership skills against them.  All of us are leaders or are called to be leaders. Are you a parent or a guardian? Are you a manager? Are you a Sunday school teacher? Are you a youth leader, a pastor?  Whatever the area of influence, I believe that anyone who courageously and consciously applies the advices of Matthew 18:15-20 will make big progress in fixing his own weak leadership traits.

Do you have the courage to confront someone in love (v. 15-18)?  Can you work as a team to get great results (v. 18-20)?

1. Runs from conflict.
2. Hides all flaws.
3. Can’t accept criticism.
4. Quick to pass blame.
5. Leads by control.
6. Shies away from difficult decisions.
7. Appeases critics and complainers.

May the Lord richly bless you!

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Book of Matthew Challenge – Day 19 – Matthew 19  (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

³ Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?”

⁴ “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’^{[a] 5} and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’^[b]? ⁶ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” (Matthew 19:3-6)

A few years ago, a young man from our church who was dating a young lady from another church came to me for some advice. The question was concerning which one of them should leave their church after their wedding. Very delicate question, no pastor wants to lose a member from their church, but I told him based on the passage that we have just read that after the wedding he should be the one to leave.

Isn’t it true that the wife should follow her husband? He objected. Not according to Genesis 2 and Matthew 19, I replied.  Matthew 19:4-6 is the key for a spiritual understanding of mankind and the institution of marriage. A lot of marital problems that we currently see, even in Christian’s families, would not exist if  mankind could just follow the truth of these biblical passages.

There must be a spiritual and psychological break between a man and his parents in order for his marriage to succeed. It is not necessary that the break be physical, multiple generations can live under the same roof, as it was done throughout the ages.  But surely, there needs to be a “leave and cleave” for the necessary spiritual bond that transforms the two into one.

May the Lord richly bless you!

Hello:

Book of Matthew Challenge – Day 20 – Matthew 20 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

²⁹ As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. ³⁰ Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

³¹ The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

³² Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.

³³ “Lord,” they answered, “we want our sight.”

³⁴ Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him. (Matthew 8:14-17)

“Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him (v.34).” This is the third time in our Book of Matthew Challenge we read that Jesus had compassion for people. The other times were in Matthew 14:14, where he healed a group of sick people, and in Matthew 15:32 where he fed a hungry crowd. Why did Matthew use the word compassion there instead of love?  

The word compassion there is to show us that Jesus felt the people’s pain, their heartbreaks, and their frustrations. Certainly he loved them, but his compassion for them allowed him to feel what they were feeling.  Love needs to lead to compassion. That is why married couples, brothers and sisters, friends should not only love each other, but in addition they should cultivate compassion for each other. Seeing each other as mere human beings struggling to get it right.

We tend to judge less and to forgive more when we are moved by compassion. It is easier for us to heal the broken hearted, the afflicted and the sick when we can demonstrate the love of God to them through a compassionate heart. I sincerely believe that our churches should be places of “divine healing”, where passionate and compassionate Christians pray for each other and heal each other in  the name of Jesus.

May the Lord richly bless you!

Hello:

Book of Matthew Challenge – Day 21 – Matthew 21 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

¹² Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. ¹³ “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ ^[e] but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’^[f]”

(Matthew 21:12-13)

Many Christians use the excuse of Jesus’ anger in Matthew 21 to justify their own anger. This kind of excuse ignores the fact that Jesus was perfect, but we are not. His anger was motivated solely by his zeal for the things of the Lord. After stopping evil business transactions on the temple courts, he declared “It is written, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ ^[e] but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’ Jesus’ action was a righteous act of anger, while our angers are generally selfish and sinful.

What are we usually angry about? We find ourselves angry most of the time because our sense of justice is challenged, our ego is bruised, and we desire revenge. Even when we think that we angry about the things of the Lord, such as being angry at people who live in sin, our anger tends to be misplaced because it doesn’t include the love of God for lost sinners. We may want them punished, while God want them to repent. So the Christian best way of living is to refrain from anger completely.

Angry parents produce angry children. Angry leaders produce angry followers. Anger is really contagious. Since we cover our mouths and teach little children to do the same in order not to spread a cold, we should restraint ourselves when we feel anger is rising from our hearts, and we should teach our children to do the same. Let’s remember James’ advice about anger, “… human anger does not bring about the righteousness that God desires (James 1:20).”

May the Lord richly bless you!

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Book of Matthew Challenge – Day 22 – Matthew 22  (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

¹⁷ Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax^[a] to Caesar or not?”

¹⁸ But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? ¹⁹ Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, ²⁰ and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”

²¹ “Caesar’s,” they replied.

Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

²² When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away. (Matthew 19:3-6)

The story tells us that when the Pharisees who tried to entrap Jesus with a question regarding paying the imperial tax to Cesar heard his reply they were amazed.  “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s (v. 21).”  We too are amazed of the response.  Was Jesus able to silence his enemies with that amazing answer because he was just a very smart person?  No. Jesus was more than a simple human, he was the son of God operating strictly under the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Amazingly enough Jesus told his disciples that they too can use the same source of insight that he used, the Holy Spirit. Even when his disciples face imprisonment or death they need not worry about their defense, “for the Holy Spirit will teach them at that time what you should say (Luke 12:12),” Jesus said. We read about the first Christian martyr Steven, ^“But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke (Luke 6:10).”

Our knowledge of the world of God, coupled with the leading of the Spirit can make us wise beyond normal human faculties. The Psalmist writes in Psalm 119:99, “I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.” Are you aware of the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life? We cannot be like the Ephesians believers who answered to Paul, “we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit (Acts 19:2).”

May the Lord richly bless you!

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Book of Matthew Challenge – Day 23 – Matthew 23  (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

⁵ “Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries^[a] wide and the tassels on their garments long; ⁶ they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; ⁷ they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others.

⁸ “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. ⁹ And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. ¹⁰ Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. ¹¹ The greatest among you will be your servant. ¹² For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. (Matthew 23:5-12)

The Christian life must be a life of continuous self-examination. Without that constant self-examination our worship can become empty, self-serving exercise in piety. It may seem strange to us that very religious people such as the Pharisees would behave the way that Jesus describe them. But they did behave as hypocrites, seeking the praise of men instead of God, doing everything for people to see them.

We are all prone to behave in a Pharisees way if we are not careful. The more God uses us, the more we can be tempted to turn people’s attention away from the Lord Jesus, and toward ourselves. There is one Instructor, the Messiah (v. 10). Jesus is our sole example, the one that we should turn to for a life which is pleasing to God. He was the greatest but died on the cross to save us.

Jesus gives us the antidote against the folly of putting ourselves first, of craving for worldly success and recognition. The antidote to living a life of religious hypocrisy is to embrace the life of humility that Jesus commands us to live.  “The greatest among you will be your servant. ¹² For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted (v. 11-12).”

May the Lord richly bless you!

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Book of Matthew Challenge – Day 24– Matthew 24 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

³⁶ “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,^[f] but only the Father. ³⁷ As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. ³⁸ For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; ³⁹ and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. ⁴⁰ Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. ⁴¹ Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. (Matthew 24:36-41)

In the year 2011, because of the prediction of one of the most renowned radio teachers, Brother Harold Camping, people awaited the destruction of the world. Many Christians sold their homes, left their jobs and families to go all over the world with tracts and signs proclaiming that the end of the world would happen in 2011.

Mr. Camping said on his radio programs that “May 21 was a "spiritual" judgment day, and the physical Rapture would occur on October 21, 2011, simultaneously with the destruction of the world.”  Obviously Mr. Camping and his follower were wrong. Any reader of Matthew 24, should have known that the prediction of year 2011 to be the end of the world was false.

This is not the last time that some very influential religious teacher will try to convince the world about a specific date for the return of the Lord. But we are warned by the Lord Jesus himself not to listen to such teacher. “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” Jesus said in Matthew 24:36. The Lord is coming back soon, since we don’t know when, we must keep ourselves always ready.

May the Lord richly bless you!

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Book of Matthew Challenge – Day 25 – Matthew 25  (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

¹⁴ “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants^[c] and entrusted to them his property. ¹⁵ To one he gave five talents,^[d] to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. ¹⁶ He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. ¹⁷ So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. ¹⁸ But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. (Matthew 25:14-18)

The parable of the talent is a beautiful parable. It is about the Lord Jesus and each one of us. The Lord Jesus came on earth, lived amongst us to show us the true heart of God.  A heart of compassion, a heart of love. God loves us so much that he sent his only son to die for us, to pay for our sins, to reconcile us with himself so we that can have life and life abundantly.  That is beautiful.

The second beautiful truth of the parable is that before Jesus went up to heaven, he commissioned his disciples and everyone who would believe in him throughout the ages to continue the works that he was doing on earth.  Jesus gave each one of us some talents to continue the work that he started on earth. Preach the good news, heal the sick, raise the dead, and cast out demons. All in the name of Jesus.

Some people will do more, some will do less, but all of us are called to do something for the Lord, to edify his church and to impact the world. “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good (1 Corinthians 12:7).” “To each” means to all of us. God wants to use us to show in actuality his love and compassion for mankind.

May the Lord richly bless you!

Hello:

Book of Matthew Challenge – Day 26 – Matthew 26  (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

⁶ Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper,^{[a] 7} a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table. ⁸ And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? ⁹ For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.” ¹⁰ But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. ¹¹ For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. ¹² In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial. ¹³ Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.” (Matthew 26:6-13)

Are we motivated by love in our giving? Because the woman loved Jesus, she was willing to give him her best. It is impossible to lose when we put God first. God will always outgiving us no matter how much we give.  The woman gave her best to Jesus, by doing that she built for herself an eternal memorial. Of the woman, Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her (v. 13).”

Proverbs 11:24-25 tells us, ^“One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.” No matter how difficult it may be for us to understand that it is by giving we enrich ourselves, we must believe it because the word of the Lord is true.

When we put God first we can never be last, because where we put him is where we will be since he is always with us. Put God first. Give him your very best.

May the Lord richly bless you!

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Book of Matthew Challenge – Day 27 – Matthew 27  (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

⁴⁵ Now from the sixth hour^[f] there was darkness over all the land^[g] until the ninth hour.^{[h] 46} And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” ⁴⁷ And some of the bystanders, hearing it, said, “This man is calling Elijah.” ⁴⁸ And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink. ⁴⁹ But the others said, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.” ⁵⁰ And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. (Matthew 27:45-50)

The story of the death and resurrection of Jesus is the culmination of “salvation story”, a story that started in the Garden of Eden right after the sin of Adam and Eve. The Lord said to the serpent, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring^[a] and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel (Genesis 3:15).”

God loves us, and he provided a way for us to come back to him. Jesus is the way to the Father. He died on the cross for our sins in order to give us eternal life, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23).”

We need to always remember that everything needed for our salvation has been provided by God himself. “For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:19).” “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household (Acts 16:31).”

May the Lord richly bless you!

Hello:

Book of Matthew Challenge – Day 28 – Matthew 28 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

¹⁶ Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. ¹⁷ And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. ¹⁸ And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in^[b] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:16-20)

In the great commission we see the love of Jesus for mankind. We are no longer left to our loneliness, but we are called into a relationship with Jesus. There is no longer a special group of people to know God. Now all nations are called to follow Jesus, to become his disciples, and to seal this new relationship into the waters of baptism.

When we know that there is no power but God’s power, we are set on the way to complete freedom. True freedom is found only on a complete trust in Jesus. He told his disciples, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me (V. 18).”  So we don’t have to worry about any power on this world since all power belongs to the Master.

The psalmist declares, “If God is for us who can be against us?” We declare on the promise of the ever presence of the Lord to declare, “Since Jesus is with us, who can be against us?” Nothing can stop us on our mission to be Christ’s ambassadors. “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:20).”

May the Lord richly bless you!

Hello:

This is the end of our Book of Matthew Challenge, for the next three days we will read the three chapters of the Book of Titus.

Book of Matthew Challenge – Day 28 – Matthew 28 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

¹⁶ Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. ¹⁷ And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. ¹⁸ And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in^[b] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:16-20)

In the great commission we see the love of Jesus for mankind. We are no longer left to our loneliness, but we are called into a relationship with Jesus. There is no longer a special group of people to know God. Now all nations are called to follow Jesus, to become his disciples, and to seal this new relationship into the waters of baptism.

When we know that there is no power but God’s power, we are set on the way to complete freedom. True freedom is found only on a complete trust in Jesus. He told his disciples, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me (V. 18).”  So we don’t have to worry about any power on this world since all power belongs to the Master.

The psalmist declares, “If God is for us who can be against us?” We declare on the promise of the ever presence of the Lord to declare, “Since Jesus is with us, who can be against us?” Nothing can stop us on our mission to be Christ’s ambassadors. “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:20).”

May the Lord richly bless you!