Christ's Will Saves Us

Matthew 11:25-27
25 At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. 26 Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. 27 All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.

God has hidden away in Christ all He has from those who think they can reason Him out or uncover all His plans. The wisdom of people in our time has been seeking a "God particle" to answer all things, but they miss the One in whom all things hold together, Jesus Christ. Only Christ, who has all authority, can reveal what is hidden to us - including Himself, so the only way to God the Father is Jesus Christ. As little children we must come to Him, trusting no other, and find wisdom in our helplessness.  Christ's will alone saves us.

Judgment and Mercy

Matthew 11:20-24
20 Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent: 21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. ... 24 But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.”

God owes us judgement, but offers forgiveness and mercy. He demonstrated who He is by the power and authority behind all the miraculous works He did while walking this earth toward the cross. To think that if He had showed these things to past cities - even Sodom destroyed utterly by fire - that even they would have repented and turned from rebellious sin against their Creator and Lord. So we do well to tell the good news of Christ laying down His life to buy us back from destruction and bring us from darkness into His marvelous light! This is why we celebrate His death and resurrection. This is a Good Friday of suffering a cruel death to heal us inside by those stripes.

Wisdom Justified

Matthew 11:16-19
16 “But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions, 17 and saying: ‘We played the flute for you, And you did not dance; We mourned to you, And you did not lament. 18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is justified by her children.”

Many will not hear God's word because they don't hear what they want to hear. Unless the one speaking for God aligns the messages to dance to the world's tune of anti or extra-biblical teaching, we are not playing along with them. But true wisdom is validated by the eternal outcome - is what is said or written by men true according to God's word (all of it), and does it glorify God? Wisdom then brings peace from God.

Jesus Speaks after Prophets

Matthew 11:10-13
10 For this is he of whom it is written: ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You.’ 11 “Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. 13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.

Hebrews 1:1-2.
1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;

John pointed to Jesus as he pointed to the sin of men needing repentance. Prophets came before and were killed to stop God's words from being spoken, but the Prophet who is God's Word in flesh has spoken once for all. And we in Him are "greater" than the prophets without the living hope of Christ in is and His message we now carry.

The Coming One, the Messiah

Matthew 11:3-6
3 and said to Him, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?”
4 Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: 5 The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6 And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”

John baptized Jesus, calling Him the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world; yet he did not see the works Jesus did to show He was the Christ because he was imprisoned. But he heard and sent others to ask Jesus if He was the anointed of God, the Messiah or Christ. Jesus showed the miraculous works as told long ago, and then told the disciples to let John know for certain who He was. We now hear the testimony of those in the Bible and many since then of who He is and what He did to deliver us from death to life. We too can rest assured He is Emmanuel, God come among us to die in our place and rescue us forever!

Reject or Receive Christ?

Matthew 10:40-42
40 “He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. 41 He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. 42 And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.”

We who are Christ's are His ambassadors, speaking as His little children the message of reconciliation to those who will listen and hear. Those receiving us for Christ in us (certainly not for ourselves alone) are honored by God for hearing His word and serving us as they would Him - even by giving a cup of refreshing water when we are parched. The opposite holds true, too. If they reject us as we speak the truth of the gospel and mistreat us in His name, they will be further accountable.

Lose Life for the Worthy Cross

Matthew 10:38-39
38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.

If we follow Jesus, we must be also willing to bear our rejection even unto a cruel death on a tree, carrying that on our shoulders - to death also if necessary, knowing life will come from the grave. We are only worthy of the suffering and death in the sense that we are willing to so be treated for His sake in offering the gospel of reconciling forgiveness to others. We do not earn good standing, but respond with our called "duty" out of love (Luke 17:10), becoming as Him to bring Jesus to the lost. So we lose this life to find life unending.

Peace With God, Not on Earth

Matthew 10:34-37
34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. 35 For I have come to “set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; 36 and ‘a man's enemies will be those of his own household.’ 37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.

Do we love God above all others, even when it means no peace? This is especially difficult when your own parents or siblings are against Christ. But Jesus told us this would happen, and it shows that those set against Him can be anyone - including those closest to us. But we are worthy of the one who saved us, buying at the price of His Son, and so put living for and following after Him first. This is difficult yet the burden can be light when we keep in step with our Lord.

Confession vs. Denial

Matthew 10:32-33
32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.

We must openly acknowledge Jesus Christ as God's Son and savior to others, no matter the reaction or consequence. Denying is rejecting by definition and by result. Do we want to face God at time's end in shame or in joy of honoring and magnifying our creator and majestic Lord? To count any suffering here as joy in this light of eternity and sovereignty is essential.

Every Hair is Numbered

Matthew 10:28-31
28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

We are to fear God, not any created being - including satan or the fallen angels/demons. God holds us in His hand and keeps us, so our reverence and fear for Him alone must bring us to the point of mercy and grace for a secure eternity while fearing His displeasure. We walk about this life by faith, trusting Him in absolutely everything. Knowing He watches over us and values us so, how can we not live for Him alone?

Called Out to Follow

Matthew 10:24-26.
24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household! 26 Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.

We who have been called out are to become like Jesus; this means we also will be called evil (as an example when we say Jesus is exclusive), and some will be very angry at our message and lifestyle. But in the end there is nothing to fear because He not only keeps our souls, but also will reveal our hearts' motives and the unseen that we endure for the truth in following Him. Therefore we do not lose heart.

Endure to the End

Matthew 10:21-23
21 “Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. 22 And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. 23 When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

God gives us the words to speak, but many are opposed to the gospel because they are exposed as sinners who are guilty before an angry God, sitting in His judgment. So those of our own families will fight us, but our Father in heaven is greater. So He will keep those who are His till the end, and we must go to the end with this good news of forgiveness unearned so others who hear the call may be freely reconciled to God in Christ. But many will not hear, even in Israel as Jesus told the disciples here, so the work will go until He comes.

God Gives Wisdom to Speak

Matthew 10:19-20
19 But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; 20 for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

Acts 4:8-13
8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: ... 12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." 13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.

As we go into the packs of wolves, we rely on God living in us to give the right words to speak the gospel. We point to the Jesus we are with for their deliverance from the justice levied against sin as He speaks through us using the scriptures we know and the words He provides.

Sheep, Wolves, Serpents, Doves

Matthew 10:16-18
16 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. 17 But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues. 18 You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.

We are in a world set against Jesus Christ. Guilty and under judgement, those refusing to humble themselves before Him instead fight against all that is His - including us. We will be persecuted in various ways, but it is for His name's sake. We testify in words and actions to His mercy and grace in the face of justice's reward coming due. So we must be keenly aware of the devices of our enemy and all his minions, yet harmless in our love and lack of judgment. God and His word have already judged the world. We are ambassadors of Christ and His gospel, not executioners or manipulator so. So we speak truth in love, aware of what is going on.

Peace Given or Dust Left

Matthew 10:12-15
12 And when you go into a household, greet it. 13 If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. 15 Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!

The apostles went house to house, city to city to bring good news of Christ and His kingdom - and without pay. They either prayed peace on those they stayed with or not, depending on either their response or reception of God and Christ's message. For those rejecting the message, they were testified against by outwardly shaking dust off the feet that travelled to bring them God's precious words. This let them know God's judgement remained on them, having denied His mercy and grace.

Authority to Preach

Matthew 10:1, 5-8
1 And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. ... 5 These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. 6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

The authority Jesus gave to the apostles, His 12 disciples, was to tell God's chosen people that His kingdom is come. God brought it down before us, and proof of that message was in the power over the curse to include disease and possession. But the message behind the signs was their purpose - to show the authority of Jesus and so His followers as the kingdom's ambassadors. We are His ambassadors to call men to be reconciled to God.

Few Laborers, Plentiful Harvest

Matthew 9:36-38
36 But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. 37 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. 38 Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

After Jesus healed many with the gospel and in their bodies, He was moved for the many who were lost without God, starving for Him and sick in spiritual starvation. He then called His close followers to pray for more workers to go to the fields and gather the harvest - Jesus was drawing men to Himself and needed people to go tell the gospel to reap what God had sowed.

Never Seen Before!

Matthew 9:33-35
33 And when the demon was cast out, the mute spoke. And the multitudes marveled, saying, “It was never seen like this in Israel!” 34 But the Pharisees said, “He casts out demons by the ruler of the demons.” 35 Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.

When Jesus healed people, He set them free from darkness and pain - but all was to tell them of the good news of God's kingdom. The gospel of His deliverance from sin was only highlighted by the physical; that is what proved His authority over life and death. He came to give life unending, and not to just make everyone physically well.

Do You Believe He Can Save?

Matthew 9:27-30
27 When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, “Son of David, have mercy on us!” 28 And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.” 29 Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith let it be to you.” 30 And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, saying, “See that no one knows it.”

Though the blind men could not see Jesus with their eyes, they were drawn to Him and knew as the Messiah that they could see by His power and authority. Jesus told them that they could see according to their faith; they trusted He could give them sight, and so they could see. He opens eyes that seem to be working, giving true sight by faith in Him as the gospel touches hearts, souls, spirits, and minds.

Faith Makes Us Well

Matthew 9:21-22
21 For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.” 22 But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, “Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour.

Looking to Jesus the Christ brings wholeness in the soul, and sometimes in the body. Here Jesus allowed the healing to demonstrate His power and authority as Lord, and our requirement of faith to trust God can do all things. Do we want forgiveness and healing inside? Then step out from the crowd to exercise the faith given as we trust Him more. We cannot rely on others to follow Him, it must be our own feet we drive by trust as we step out in faith.

Death to Life

Matthew 9:18-19, 25-26
18 While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live.” 19 So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples. ... 25 But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. 26 And the report of this went out into all that land.

Jesus and all He did was known by all in the areas He went; even rulers worshipped Him, somehow knowing as the Son of God that He was divine. What mere man could raise the dead? Faith knows Jesus is God among us, that nothing is too hard for Him (Jer.33:3), and comes to bow before Him for answers and life itself. Do we arise and follow Him?

New Vessels of Mercy in Grace

Matthew 9:16-17
16 No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse. 17 Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”

When we are made new creatures, it is as if we have new clothes - and we cannot put on pieces of our old life. It will only lead to ruin. Just as old brittle wine containers cannot hold new wine that expands to break them, so we must keep new life in changed vessels of mercy and grace.

Sinners Called to Repentance

Matthew 9:11-13
11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 When Jesus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

Jesus did not die for self-righteous people. He died for those who acknowledge they are sinners, the ones He calls out and so hear the Shepherd's voice and live. Those who think they are well enough to earn God's favor ignore the sin passed from Adam to them, supposing they are not part of the "one righteous, no not one." So Jesus calls those who hear, who know by grace and faith from God that they are all sinners, and so come and repent of their soul sickness. He is the Great Physician.

Healing of Sins Forgiven

Matthew 9:2-8
2 Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.” 6 But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—then He said to the paralytic, “Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” 7 And he arose and departed to his house. 8 Now when the multitudes saw it, they marveled and glorified God, who had given such power to men.

Jesus forgave sins when He healed; it was not about the physical healing (that was to show He was the Messiah with the power only God possesses), but about reconciling and restoring sinners to God. Bit when He spoke a word and healed this man, it seems the people were more awestruck by the man walking than the power to forgive sins. Today many make this same error, not focusing on the real miracle of salvation.

Demons Must Obey Christ

Matthew 8:29 And suddenly they cried out, saying, “What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?”

Jude 1:6 And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day;

2 Peter 2:4 For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment;

The demons, disobedient and fallen angels, had to obey Jesus' authority. They do not see or know everything as God does, so they assumed that their judgment was coming early or that they would be tortured in judgement ahead of time as if it were Judgment Day. They knew God before them and trembled in fear.

Save the Perishing

Matthew 8:25-27
25 Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” 26 But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 27 So the men marveled, saying, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”

Why do we fear in danger as the waves of circumstance rise up and threaten to wash us overboard? Our Lord has everything in absolute control, for He is King of kings and Lord of lords - nothing is too hard for Him. Truly we need to trust in any storm of life that He is able. Faith looks to Jesus' call for all to obey His word, not living in fear.

Die to Self and Follow Him

Matthew 8:19-22
19 Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.” 20 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”  21 Then another of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 22 But Jesus said to him, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”

When Jesus calls a man to follow, He calls him to die. We are bought at such a price, and may have nothing to hold to in this life when we give up all to that call. We cannot hesitate to take care of family business, or seek enough in houses or riches. Our all must race toward the goal of the upward call of God in Christ. He knows what we need and we have it from Him; why run after things without a reward?

Fulfilled Prophecy Identified Christ

Matthew 8:16-17
16 When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, 17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: “He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.”

1 Peter 2:24. who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.

Jesus healed to prove who He is, not to set a pattern for us to do the same. Peter (whose mother-in-law was just physically healed of a fever) says this plainly in 1 Peter 2:24 by quoting also from Isaiah as Jesus did here, showing the intent was healing of our souls from sin so we could live for Him (righteousness). By His stripes we are healed, forgiven and reconciled.

Trust God's Work in Christ

Matthew 8:7-13 
7 And Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.” 8 The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 10 When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! 13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour.

Faith. It is taking God at His word in Jesus Christ and relying completely on His ability to do exactly what He says He can do. This leader of a hundred knew authority and knew God's authority over even death. So he asked for help and trusted it was entirely in God's power to answer if He was willing. Do we have such faith, not blind but knowing with certainty?

He is Willing, We are Cleansed

Matthew 8:2-4
2 And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” 3 Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”

The testimony of the healed man to the religious leaders was done in accordance with the law, so they could say nothing evil of him or Him. Yet most still did not believe when the finger of God in Christ was among them. Jesus proved over and again by His actions and miracles that only God could do, and so proved just who He was. By faith many were made well, inside their souls as well as in their bodies. By His stripes we can be healed in our sinful souls by mercy and grace.

Astonishing Authority!

Matthew 7:28-29
28 And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, 29 for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

When Jesus taught, every word came from God Himself - He had the authority of the Almighty, and people listening heard this. They were astonished that one who appeared to be another religious teacher was not giving opinions or options, but absolute truth with the associated consequences in what He spoke. The scribes learned and taught, but it was as our modern university degrees, teachings from man to man. The words Jesus spoke are from God, and so we are taught by Him in order to teach others now. Or at least, this is what we should be doing.

Sure Foundation

Matthew 7:24-27
24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.
26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”

Without Jesus Christ as our foundation of rock, we cannot weather the storm of judgment to come upon the world and all in it. If we get the justice all have coming, there is no hope - but He paid the price once for all. That is the only sure foundation we can build on. The philosophy of men, science, reasoning, and other "gods" are only shifting sand with no absolute form to hold us up. So do we do and build upon the sayings Jesus spoke of, the only way and truth and life?

Lord, Lord, Or Know Him?

Matthew 7:21-23
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

Do we do God's will, starting with Him drawing us, giving faith as grace to hear and respond to the gospel, not as our will or another's by a rote prayer? And having been reborn, do we then do His will by trusting and obeying out of love and thanksgiving for the unearned grace, keeping in step with His Spirit in us? We can cry His name out, but does He have our whole heart, mind, and soul as we follow with all the strength we are given? All the "great" things we do for Him mean nothing without reconciliation to Him and living for Him.

Sheep's Clothing or True Fruit?

Matthew 7:15-20
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

When someone gets popular as a television evangelist or has many best selling books and DVDs, we must ask why. Often there is false teaching that tickles the ears, promising what we get from God, not what we should give Him and walk by faith with Him. What is the fruit of their work? Is it honoring to God? We will know them by heir fruits, not their suits and smooth words.

Narrow Way is Christ Alone

Matthew 7:13-14
13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

How truly narrow is the way to life; it is only in Jesus Christ, not in a prerequisite set of rules or organized church or other organizations. He is the gate as we see in John 10, and we must be enabled to hear His voice to find the gate to enter. We cannot climb over the wall or go some other way to God - it does not exist. Those attempting to go through a wide entrance outside of Jesus Christ only walk into their own destruction which they have been headed to their entire life. Few find the gate and go in and out to find pasture, feeding on all the goodness God offers.

Good Gifts, Golden Rule

Matthew 7:9-12
9 Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! 12 Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

In contrast to fallen sinful men, God always gives good gifts, either the right things asked for or something even better. Men will try to not give what takes too much from them, give the opposite out of spite, or not much at all. God's grace, His great unearned gift of His Son, should always be in the front of our minds to give the best to others as we would like to see them give to us. Jesus is the ultimate gift and our example.

Ask, Seek, Knock (A.S.K.)

Matthew 7:7-8
7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

We have not when we do't ask, yet we also ask selfishly and don't receive as James wrote. If we are asking for the things to glorify God, we should persevere in prayer, continuing to ask God, not giving up seeking for the right things, and knocking at His door at the throne of grace. He answers such sincere persistent prayer when we seek His kingdom and righteousness above all else. So we do not lose hope and press on in communion with our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Casting Pearls or Peas?

Matthew 7:6.
“Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.

It is thought that small pearls that look like peas would attract swine to try to eat, but finding them inedible would turn in anger to attack the one deceiving them. Just like throwing holy meat from the temple sacrifice which was to be offered to God, giving what is God's to those opposed to the Gospel leads to anger by some who cannot understand. And they turn to attack. Wisdom then is being sensitive to God's Spirit when wariness is needed, and boldness in the face of attacks when they come.

Speak Truth, Don't Speck It

Matthew 7:1-5
1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. 3 And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, “Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

If we are to speak truth in love to help our brother, then we need to first look inside to cut down the trees in us of the forest we see in another. We can see clearly in a matter when we ourselves are doing our best before God to do the same thing right ourselves. Humility must fuel our love and concern when we help, not accuse, our brother.

Reliance not Worry

Matthew 6:31-34
31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Relying on God also means that we do not run after the things we "need," but rest in knowing as we seek Him and to be conformed to Christ in daily choices, that we will have our true needs met. Worrying about if we have enough in the future will only fog our gaze into His wonderful face. As we pray "[let] Your kingdom come," let His will be done in us by being about His kingdom's work.

Cannot Serve Two Masters

Matthew 6:24-25
24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. 25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?

Do we allow our worry about finances and making a living so much that we love the money and things it buys, losing sight of the One who supplies it all? Why worry about things that do not last at the expense of those that are eternal? If we choose to rely on God's promised goodness to meet our needs (not satisfy wants which have no end), we will have the necessities, and all else is grace on top. He must get the glory from our lives, we need not try to seek our own.

God's Light in the Eye

Matthew 6:22-23
22 “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

If our eye is good, focused singly on the one thing (the good that God says) and not divided in its focus, then we walk rightly and see clearly (righteously). But if the eye is set on evil, not on God and His kingdom and righteousness, then what could be illuminated is darkened completely. To not know and follow Christ is like groping around in the dark of a deep cave, not seeing the walls nor the way out. But when He calls us out of darkness and into His marvelous light, how great indeed is that sight in the light!

Treasures in Heaven

Matthew 6:19-21
19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Do we accumulate possessions that have no eternal value? Whatever we value is what we hold onto and collect; but in the end, it crumbles away or is taken by others (in life or in death). But the eternal things do not burn up or rot away - nobody can take away these. Ultimately our heart reflects what we fill it with, whether precious things or wood, hay, and straw that is consumed in the end. Do we truly hold dear the things the Lord values, the ones that glorify, honor, and please Him?

Fasting Before God

Matthew 6:16-18
16 “Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 17 But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

If we fast to draw closer to God or work through some decision or situation, it should be a matter before God and not something to impress others with. The example here is to keep up personal hygiene to not gather sympathy or to show faux holiness, keeping it an internal spiritual matter with God. He is the rewarder, and pleasing Him in humility while we do justly and love mercy is key.

Forgive to be Forgiven

Matthew 6:14-15
14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

This tells us that God fully expects us to do as He does with us. So we must love others as ourselves. There are consequences when we refuse to forgive after He has forgiven us all in Christ for our sin deserving justly to be punished. But we do not forgive others just to be forgiven because of this, but because the second greatest commandment shows the change within should be resulting in love for others, and we can only love this way knowing and experiencing His love for us. This goes against our fallen nature, but is an essential mindset for action as we walk in step with His Spirit living in us.

Honor and Glorify God in Prayer

Matthew 6:9-13
9 In this manner, therefore, 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 this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

To honor God in prayer we must begin with confessing who He is, praising His name as the one above all others. We should not ask for how we want things to change or our view of the results, but that God's planned will is brought to fruition. We ask to not go in need and to be forgiven as we continue to fall short - knowing others do so to us and forgiving them as well. We ask to be kept from the wiles of the devil and our own fallen flesh, and tell Him we bow to His absolute authority in all things. Let it be so.

Hypocritical or Sincere Prayer?

Matthew 6:5-8
5 “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. 7 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.

We pray to God to honor Him and seek His will, not to impress others that we pray or how "great" we do this. Prayer is primarily between us and God, and honoring Him allows Him to honor us and answer according to His will and timing. So we must not ritually pray with empty words over and over, but with trust that He is good and faithful. So is His answer, knowing our actual needs are already known.

Do Good Before God Alone

Matthew 6:1-4
1 “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 3 But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.

This is what Jesus taught us - to do good for others, not for ourselves. If we want others to pat us on he back, give awards, or congratulate us on the good we do for charity, that is the sum of what we earn. If we take no notice to what we do, just moved by meeting needs and not the value of the deeds, we find favor with God who died for us when we were yet sinners..

Perfectly Love Enemies

Matthew 5:43-48
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, ... Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Today the Scriptures show how we all fail in this, but still are compelled to go in this direction - to not hate ones who hate us, but do good instead. And to pray for those who slander (insult, slander: use despitefully, falsely accuse, harass) and persecute (pursue in a negative sense) us. This is not the easy narrow road, but the one of completeness or the end goal of growth we are called to nonetheless. We are to be like Jesus, but we are so unlike Him still; so we must not give up, but press on to that goal at the race's end as Philippians tells us.

Not an Eye for an Eye

Matthew 5:38-42
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40 If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. 41 And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.

Vengeance is for God to handle when He passes justice's sentence on the world at its end. For us, yielding to the merciful grace of forgiveness as He forgave us is the way to live rightly. Jesus gave the examples of taking insult and stealing what we need or value. But He went further to say we should not just respond well, but also give willingly of both our treasure and time. This is not easy for us since we are born in sin, but with regeneration we find the help and strength to do so.

Do Not Swear

Matthew 5:33-37
33 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ 34 But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God's throne; 35 nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 But let your “Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.

We are not to make empty promises, nor trust in our ability to shape events or others. Instead we must say yes we will do this or no we will or cannot, that some thing is true or false. Frivolous promises, especially attaching God's name to them to add false weight when He is not behind it, these are empty and offensive to Him and do not help others. We should say, if the Lord wills we will do this or that. Empty oaths swearing to things we will not or cannot do are in our own effort; God does not promise to back us in them.

Divorce of the Fallen

Matthew 5:31-32
31 “Furthermore it has been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.

Human nature - fallen, self serving, and opposed to God's will - gravitates to sin. Here divorce became as it is now again, for convenience or some other contrived reason. Giving a piece of paper to end a covenant apart from this is sin. Jesus told us that only a breaking of that covenant could justify divorce to break it. Man and wife, a man with a woman, are to be intimate in heart and flesh. Sexually and in sexual thoughts and desires, they are only to cleave to each other. Going to another breaks that. But the holiness of purity in thought and deed is what He calls us to.

Sin Begins in the Heart

Matthew 5:28-30
28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

Sin of all kinds begins in the thoughts and intents of the heart, which is "desperately wicked," as we are told. So the extreme phrases here telling us it is best to stop sin at the source, at the eye that takes things in and makes them twisted from God's design, and at the source of the hand that reaches to take and misuse what is not ours in ways not pleasing to Him. Without reconciliation in Christ, we all justly deserve what sin earns for us. Hell. Separation from God in torment.

Reconcile Before Worship

Matthew 5:23-26
23 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26 Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.

When we have offended a brother and they hold it against us, whether due to our anger (as in the previous verses) or for another wrong we have done, God does not want our gifts of worship or other service. He wants the second commandment of love for our neighbor, seeking what is best for him. Once reconciled, we are welcomed by Him. This extends to being taken to court as well - settle before going to the judge, reconciling, or face what is due. Do we so seek love for God and others?

Anger is Murder

Matthew 5:21-22
21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire.

Ephesians 4:26-27
26 “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 nor give place to the devil.

Psalms 4:4 Be angry, and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still.

Murder begins in the thoughts and intents of the heart as anger, and indeed the anger itself is murder. So we are all guilty of murder from within if we do not deal with anger that the adversary revels in. As David said, we should stop and think over what and why we are angry at another, calming and not acting spitefully to others in return - but rather giving the anger and the situation to God, finding peace and humility in Christ. This is never easy, but essential.

Law Fulfilled in Christ to Follow

Matthew 5:17-20
17 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. 19 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus did not usher in a new covenant (testament) that negated the law, He fulfilled it in being completely obedient from the deeds and intent of it all. He told us it is summed up by loving God with all we have and are, and subsequently loving others as ourselves. Then He remakes us, putting this law in our hearts, for we need spiritual strength to live this way as we become more like Him as we live and breathe in Him. The religious leaders missed this, and so we are told to do better, trusting His ability and enabling, choosing to trust, follow, and obey out of love in Jesus' righteousness.

Salt and Light Glorify God

Matthew 5:13-16
13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

We are to give the flavor of reconciliation in Christ as His ambassadors, preserving life to those who hear and repent towards the gift of saving faith. If we cease doing this, we are tasteless and allow corruption to go unchecked. Likewise, we are to shine by deed and word this good news of reconciliation, not hiding the message that illuminates the soul, but blazing openly with truth in love. This gives the glory, honor, and praise justly due to the God who made us all and who owns us who belong to Him - bought at such a price!

Persecuted Peacemakers

Matthew 5:9-12
9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

God is pleased when we take the difficult and narrow road to do our part to make peace, knowing we cannot guarantee resolution - yet also aware we could make matters worse by saying nothing or even stirring things up more. When we so live godly in Christ and speak the good news, persecution and attacks will certainly come our way. We will be defamed and slandered because they see our great God and Savior in us; but joy should override persecution as heaven rejoices when we honor and glorify God and become more as He originally created us to be, reflecting His hand.

The Poor and Pure of God

Matthew 5:3-8
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.

What makes God and us happy? When we live as He made and called us to be and to do. He knows when pride does not rule us, but joyous humility; He comforts us when we are pulled down by our sin and the sin of those not knowing Him. So do we yearn for conformity to Christ more than our food each day? Do we show mercy to those who hurt us and others, deserving only just accountability? If we learn to follow Jesus, we will find purity as we then become more holy because and as He is. Then we will gaze upon His face, unashamed in our redemption and sanctification.

Jesus Taught and Preached

Matthew 4:23-5:2
23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. 25 Great multitudes followed Him—from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan. 5:1 And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. 2 Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:

Jesus began by teaching and preaching the good news of the kingdom, first in the synagogues, the Jewish equivalent of a church. He showed who He was by miraculous healing, but the large number of people following were listening to His words that gave life. So the close followers came to Him as He went from the masses to a mountain to sit down. And Jesus taught them many things of the kingdom that all pointed to our hearts with points of truth, armed with conviction and comfort.

God Alone Opens Our Eyes

John 9:30-33
30 The man answered and said to them, “Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes! 31 Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him. 32 Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. 33 If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.”

Jesus did not allow the blind man to not see His work; the religious leaders refused to take Jesus at His word (trust, faith), and closed their eyes to the ones He opened. This sight was given not by works but solely by grace freely given as God chose to do. How many now refuse to accept God's sovereignty over their own cure for spiritual blindness - salvation by grace through the gift of faith that cannot be intellectually reasoned out. They also will "cast out" the one who says even our 'free' will is a free gift of grace that enables us to have faith to choose.

Immediately Follow and Fish for Men

Matthew 4:19-20,22
19 Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 They immediately left their nets and followed Him.... 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.

When Jesus called for chosen men to follow after Him, they immediately (eutheōs denotes something that is done without delay) did so at a high cost. They left family (father), their means of work (boat), and the tools needed for their trade (nets). This meant turning away from their normal life with nothing, and putting all trust in the Lord who was so worthy to abandon all else for in this life. This seems radical to us, but if He calls us are we ready to do this? Do we follow, or are other things more important? Do we delay to obey, whether or not we must go elsewhere as we follow?

The Great Light of Men

Matthew 4:16-17
16 The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.” 17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

John 1:4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.

When Jesus comes to us, it is as if death's night is suddenly bathed with the indescribable light of the dawning day after a night seemingly without end. This is when we hear Jesus begin with a message to repent, to turn from sin and toward Him, with the realization that heaven's King has brought His kingdom before us. We can listen and turn with our heart and mind, or we can turn to walk away. One wide way leads everywhere but nowhere except in death's shadow, but the other way is the single narrow gate to eternity with Him in that light that rises never to set again.

Serve and Worship God Alone

Matthew 4:8-10
8 Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”

Deuteronomy 6:13-14
13 You shall fear the Lord your God and serve Him, and shall take oaths in His name. 14 You shall not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples who are all around you

No matter what we are offered or we pursue before us, if it becomes a thing to worship as an idol of sorts, then we violate the first command to worship and serve God alone. So we are not to run after these other things if we truly know and thus worship the true and living God of all. Just because everyone else runs after wealth, power, and position is no reason to stop fearing God and honoring Him with all our heart.

It is Written: Don't Tempt God

Matthew 4:5-7
5 Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ” 7 Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’ ”

Psalms 91:9-11
9 Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place, 10 No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; 11 For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.

Deuteronomy 6:16-17
16 “You shall not tempt the Lord your God as you tempted Him in Massah. 17 You shall diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, His testimonies, and His statutes which He has commanded you.

The adversary is good at twisting God's word to the opposite, out of context. When we make the Lord our place to live and seek refuge when needed, He is there - but not when we tempt Him and put ourselves in danger to test His faithfulness. We are to trust and obey Him completely. Not put our lives in danger to see "if" He will intervene. That is not faith nor obedience.

Hunger for Godliness

Matthew 4:1-4
If we are hungry, yet God gives us what we actually need (not just desire), do we pass the test?  Or do we listen to the grumbling of the tempter who tests us to lead us away from trusting wholly in a holy God?  All that God has written for us in His word to us is sufficient in all hunger and every need we come across in life.  The real temptation is to desire elsewhere.  As He tells us, godliness with contentment is great gain.

Blameless and Obedient

Matthew 3:15-17
Jesus did all that was required by the law to be blameless, obedient to the Father, and then shown to be aligned with God the Spirit.  This parallels us as believers in a sense, in that we must (after repenting), obey to please Him as we have been reborn to have His Spirit fill us out as we walk with Him. Jesus was well pleasing to the Father.  We should be as well.

Inward Change

Matthew 3:8-12
When Jesus changes a man, that one becomes fruitful, no longer practicing unrighteousness as a way of life, but seeking to do what is right from the inside spirit of the renewed man (though stumbling often as well).   We are known by our inward borne fruits, not by outward suits of works covering unregenerate hearts if we are truly His, reborn out of sincere repentance and living, active faith in Jesus for our righteousness.

Set a Straight Course to Christ

Matthew 3:1-6
The way leading to Christ is repentance; knowing our sin and God's just nature, we all must first begin turn to walk straight, setting course away from all He says is sin and to instead live to please Him.  But the sins must be acknowledged and we must realize that our repentance from sinful acts and turning towards Christ will not earn forgiveness; only His work on the cross, proven in the resurrection, can ever deliver us from sin and its penalty of eternal judgement in the lake of fire.

Seek to Worship the King!

Matthew 2:1-8
Those seeking Jesus after He was born into this world were sincere, desiring to worship Him as God become man.  Herod was driven by the adversary because he believed about Jesus, but not in Him - that is, not with a broken heart that saw the need to be delivered from sin.  So he lied about worship as feared instead of revered Jesus.  Search for Him to worship the King of kings, not in fear of judgment, but in hope of grace and mercy.

God Come to Live Among Us

Matthew 1:20-25
Jesus. God is salvation.  Immanuel.  God is with us.  He had God as Father, not man - Joseph did not have relations with Mary until Jesus was born in order to eliminate all doubt that He was God's Son.  But the amazing part is that His name revealed He was God become man to live among us and within us, becoming salvation because we could never do everything good to earn it.  None is righteous but God Himself, and He came to ultimately prove it by paying our price and rising from the dead.

Bloodline of Sin Healed by God Himself

Matthew 1:3-16
The grace of forgiveness in Christ is seen in the women Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba; they all were sinners as we all are, and yet an integral part of the line leading to the fleshly side of Jesus the Christ.  But Joseph was not His father: God was.  God showed a lineage promised through Abraham and David, but revealed that flesh could not suffer, die, and rise again to save us from sin (Jesus' name's meaning).  God's "bloodline" broke the curse of sin by the Holy Spirit stepping in for the man Joseph.  As the Son of God and man, we find the promised redemption at the right time.  See Galatians 4:4-7.