Matthew 20
Kingdom of God likened to householder verse 1
For the kingdom of heaven is like to a man that is an householder
which went out early in the morning
to hire laborers into his vineyard
Laborers hired at six in the morning verse 2
And WHEN he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day
he sent them into his vineyard
Laborers hired at nine in the morning verse 3- 4
And he went out about the THIRD HOUR
and he saw others standing idle in the market place
And said to them
Go you also into the vineyard
and whatsoever is right – I will give you
And they went their way
Laborers hired at noon and three verse 5
AGAIN he went out about the SIXTH HOUR and NINTH HOUR
and did likewise
Laborers hired at five in the afternoon verse 6- 7
AND about the ELEVENTH HOUR he went out
and found others standing idle
and said unto them
Why stand you here all the day idle?
They say unto him
Because no man hath hired us
He said unto them
Go you also into the vineyard
and whatsoever is right
that shall you receive
Laborers called together to be paid verse 8- 9
SO when even was come
the lord of the vineyard said unto his steward
Call the laborers – and give them their hire
beginning from the last to the first
AND when they came that were hired
about the ELEVENTH HOUR
they received every man a penny
Laborers hired first complained verse 10- 12
BUT when the first came
they supposed that they should have receive more
and they likewise received every man a penny
And when they had received it
they murmured against the good man of the house
saying
These last have wrought but ONE HOUR
and you have made them equal unto us
which have born the burden
and heat of the day
Householder comments to complainers verse 13- 16
BUT he answered one of them – and said
Friend – I do you no wrong
Did not you agree with me for a penny?
Take that yours is – and go your way
I will give to this last – even as to you
Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own?
Is your eye evil – because I am good?
SO the last shall be first – and the first last
FOR many be called – but few chosen
Jesus tells disciples a third time of his death verse 17- 19
And Jesus going up to Jerusalem
took the twelve disciples apart in the way
and said to them
BEHOLD – we go up to Jerusalem
and the Son of man shall be BETRAYED
to the chief priests and to the scribes
and they shall condemn HIM to DEATH
and shall deliver HIM to the Gentiles to mock
and to scourge – crucify HIM
and the THIRD DAY HE shall RISE AGAIN
Mother of sons of Zebedee came with request verse 20- 21
Then came to HIM the mother of Zebedee’s children with her sons
worshiping HIM – and desiring a certain thing of HIM
AND HE said to her
What will you?
She said to HIM
Grant that these my two sons may sit
the one on YOUR right side
and the other on the left in YOUR kingdom
Jesus confronts sons of Zebedee verse 22- 23
BUT Jesus answered
and said
You know not what you ask
Are you able to drink of the cup
that I shall drink of
and to be baptized with the baptism
that I am baptized with?
THEY say unto HIM
We are able
AND HE said unto them
You shall drink indeed of MY cup
and be baptized with the baptism
that I am baptized with
BUT to sit on MY right hand – and on MY left
is not MINE to give
BUT it shall be given to them for whom
it is prepared of MY Father
Reaction of other disciples verse 24
AND when the TEN heard it
they were moved with indignation
against the two brethren
Jesus gives lesson in proper leadership verse 25- 28
BUT Jesus called them unto HIM
and said
You know that the princes of the Gentiles
exercise dominion over them
and they that are great exercise authority on them
BUT it shall not be so among you
BUT whosoever will be great among you
let him be your minister
and whosoever will be chief among you
let him be your servant
even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto
BUT to minister
and to give HIS life a ransom for many
Two blind men want healing verse 29- 34
And as they departed from Jericho – a great multitude followed HIM
AND BEHOLD – two blind men sitting by the wayside
when they heard that Jesus passed by – cried out
saying
Have mercy on us – O Lord – YOU Son of David
And the multitude rebuked them
because they should hold their peace
BUT they cried the more – saying
Have mercy on us – O Lord – YOU Son of David
And Jesus stood still – and called them – and said
What will you that I shall do to you?
They said unto HIM
Lord – that our eyes may be opened
So Jesus had compassion on them – and touched their eyes
and immediately their eyes received sight
and they followed HIM
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and said to them “Why stand you here all the day idle? (692 “idle” [argos] means lazy, useless, unemployed, careless, ineffective, indolent, slothful, or living without labor)
DEVOTION: There is only one hour left to work in the day. The householder still sees people who want to work standing around idle. They have not been hired. They had come late in the day to be hired.
They want to have some money but didn’t get up early to earn the money they needed. There could be some good excuses why they weren’t there at the beginning of the work day but they were there now.
The household owner still hired them to do work and offered them what he thought was fair as their pay for the day. When it came time for these individuals to be paid they received the same reward or pay as those who had worked the twelve hour day.
It didn’t seem fair to those who worked all day that they should receive the same pay. The householder said that he did what he thought was right and that it was a matter of right and wrong. Not being fair.
God offers those who become believers on their death bed the same reward of heaven as those who became believers at a young age. It doesn’t seem fair but HE is doing what is right in HIS eyes and those are the only eyes that matter.
Our responsibility is to reach all we can even those who are dying for the LORD. Witnessing is what is very important in the eyes of the LORD. HE wants laborers in HIS harvest working even if it is only for an hour.
CHALLENGE: No believer should be idle or lazy when it comes to reaching people for the LORD.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 13 But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do you no wrong, did not you agree with me for a penny. (91 “wrong” [adikeo] means unfair, unjust, wickedly, criminal, hurt, mistreat, guilty, be an offender or sin against)
DEVOTION: Most of us have had a job or in a job where others get treated as favorites while we seem to be the low man on the totem pole. It seems like others can be lazy and we can work hard and they still get the compliments.
Here we have a parable that deals with workers in a farmer’s fields. It was hard work then as they had to do all the work by hand in the heat of the day. Today we have tractors with airconditioned cabs, some even have radios. Also, today we have people who have to walk the fields to harvest the crop. It is hard work for minimum wages.
In the parable the landowner offers a fair wage for a day’s work. The wage of the day was a penny. Each man was promised a fair wage. Those who worked most of the day came to receive their wages and found that everyone got the same wages. They had worked many more hours than those who came at the last hour of the day. It is thought that work was from sunrise to sunset in those days.
What happened? Well those who worked longer hours thought they should receive more pay than they were promised at the beginning of the day. They thought they desired a bonus. It is normal for us to want more than we receive.
However, the owner of the farm said that he could do what he wants with his money. He was not a wicked person for being gracious to those who came late to the job. He was no mistreating them. He was not being unfair.
Too often we see some people in our churches being blessed more than we seem to be blessed and we tend to complain about it. We think God is not being fair with us. We think we need more and should get more from HIM. We think we are more talented than others and yet they get the responsibility and the praise.
This type of thinking comes from the enemy. He wants to sow discord in our life and in the life of the church. God wants us to be content in what HE gives us. HE knows what we can handle.
CHALLENGE: Watch out for thoughts that the enemy puts in our heads that we should be better treated than others.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. (1247 “minister” [diakoneo] means to be servant, attendant, domestic, wait upon, to wait on tables and offer food and drink to guests, supply food and necessities of life, to administrate the office of deacon, or that may serve the interests of another)
DEVOTION: The disciples were still learning the chain of command from Jesus. They were looking out for themselves instead of the interests of others. They all wanted to be great and have people wait on them.
They were disturbed that Zebedee’s wife asked for a special place for her sons. The mother of James and John wanted her sons to be in the place of honor on each side of Jesus when HE set up HIS kingdom. They still had the wrong impression that HE was going to set up HIS kingdom soon. HE had told them many times now that HE was going to die. Also, that HE was going to be raised from the dead. These facts didn’t seem to sink in. Mothers have the interests of their children at heart. That is not all bad.
In this case, Jesus had to tell the mother NO. HE informs her that the Father has chosen those who will be in that position. There is delegation in the Godhead. There is delegation in the church. It is important that individuals realize that Jesus is teaching these truths to HIS disciples and to us.
HE then instructs the disciples that if they want to be great, they have to be a minister to others. HE informs them that if someone wants to be chief, he is to be a servant. It is not right to want to be in an important position if we do it in the right way. Too often it is done in pride rather than in humility. Jesus is teaching that humility is first and then advancement to those who do it with the right attitude.
Jesus tells them that the purpose of HIS visit to earth was to be a servant to others. First, HE came in humility. HIS second coming is going to be in GLORY. HE came the first time to die for the sins of HIS people.
We are an individual among HIS people if we are a follower of HIM. HE didn’t save everyone in the world, because many have chosen to follow HIM their own way and not HIS. If we are followers of HIM, we are to be servants to others.
Are we serving? OR Are we looking to position ourselves in a place of honor? Are we the ones who stay and clean up after an event or do we just leave? Are we the ones who help set up an event or just attend? What is our thought process? What is our attitude? Is it a servant thought process or one who wants to be served process? Remember we are here to encourage one another. Helping them with their personal needs is serving them for the glory of the LORD. Who have we served this week?
CHALLENGE: Pray about who needs your services this week and give them to them.
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: 32 And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will you that I shall do to you? (5455 “called” [phoneo] means cry, request, summon, invite, to send for, or address)
DEVOTION: Why does the LORD ask questions that seem too simple? Here we have two men who are blind and they are shouting to the LORD to have mercy on them. The people who are following the LORD tell them to be quiet.
What do they do? They shout louder until the LORD hears them. HE knew what was happening but HE wanted to know if they would listen to those who were following HIM.
HE went over to them and asked this question, “What do you want …?” It was obvious. They would want HIM to heal their eyes or was it? They could have asked for money. They could have asked for salvation. They could have asked for any number of things from HIM.
To us it seems obvious that they would like their sight. Yet, the LORD wanted to dig deeper into their thinking for the purpose of those who were following HIM. HE could have read their thoughts and known the answer but HE wanted them to state what they want.
HE wants the same things from us. Yes, HE knows what we need but HE wants us to show our dependence on HIM. If we don’t ask, we will never receive. If we try to do things in our own power we will fail.
HE wants HIS children to be honest with HIM and ask what they really want from HIM. If it is according to HIS will, they will receive it.
CHALLENGE: Are you asking the LORD for what you really need or what you think you need?
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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Blind men communicating with Jesus verse 32- 33
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Jesus accepts worship of mother of sons of Zebedee verse 20
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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
Kingdom of heaven verse 1
Father prepared seating for eternity verse 23
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
Parable verse 1- 16
Jesus verse 17, 22, 25, 30, 32, 34
Son of man verse 18, 28
Delivered to Gentiles verse 19
Scourge
Crucify
Third day rise again
Jesus confronts James and John verse 20- 23
Jesus give HIS life a ransom verse 28
Healing of two blind men verse 30- 34
Lord verse 30, 31, 33
Son of David verse 30, 31
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Gentiles verse 19, 25
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Idle verse 6
Murmured verse 11
Wrong verse 13
Evil verse 15
Betrayed (3rd time) verse 18
Condemn Christ verse 18
Mock Jesus verse 19
Indignation verse 24
Rebuke blind men verse 31
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Laborers verse 1- 16
Good verse 15
Chosen verse 16
Worship verse 20
Drink the cup verse 22
Baptized verse 22
Called verse 25
Minister verse 26, 28
Servant verse 27
Ransom verse 28
Mercy verse 30
Compassion verse 34
Follow Jesus verse 34
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Jerusalem verse 17
Twelve disciples verse 17
Chief priests verse 18
Scribes verse 18
Mother of Zebedee’s children verse 20
James and John
Ten disciples: indignation verse 24
Jericho verse 29
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
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QUOTES regarding passage
28 At this point Jesus presents himself—the Son of Man (see on 8:20)—as the supreme example of service to others. The verse is clearly important to our understanding of Jesus’ view of his death. Three related questions call for discussion.
1. Authenticity Many reject the authenticity of v. 28, or at least of v. 28a (and, correspondingly, Mark 10:45), on the grounds that it ill suits the context, since Jesus’ atoning death cannot be imitated by his disciples, that nowhere else is he reported as speaking of his death in this way, and that the language reflects the influence of the Hellenistic church. On the contrary, the language has been shown to be Palestinian (Jeremias, Eucharistic Words, pp. 179–82); and Jesus speaks of his death in not dissimilar terms when instituting the Lord’s Supper (Mt 26:26–29) and also in Luke 22:37, assuming that it relates to a different occasion. It is quite common in the NT, both in words ascribed to Jesus and elsewhere, to begin with the disciples’ need to die to self and end up with Jesus’ unique, atoning death as an ethical example—or, conversely to begin with Jesus’ unique death and find it applied as an example to the disciples (John 12:23–25; Philippians 2:5–11; 1 Peter 2:18–25). There are no substantial reasons for denying the authenticity of this saving (cf. esp. S.H.T. Page, “The Authenticity of the Ransom Logion [Mark 10:45b],” in France and Wenham, 1:137–61); and its nuances seem much more in keeping with the way Jesus progressively revealed himself (cf. Carson, “Christological Ambiguities”) than with a clear-cut, post resurrection, apostolic confession.
2. Meaning. It is natural to take “did not come” as presupposing at least a hint of Jesus’ preexistence, though the language does not absolutely require it. He came not to be served, like a king dependent on countless courtiers and attendants, but to serve others. Stonehouse (Witness of Matthew, pp. 251ff.; id. Origins, p. 187) rightly points out that the verse assumes that the Son of Man had every right to expect to be served but served instead. Implicit is a self-conscious awareness that the Son of Man who, because of his heavenly origin, possessed divine authority was the one who humbled himself even to the point of undergoing an atoning death. The tripartite breakdown of the Son of Man references (see excursus on 8:20) is to this extent artificial. The display of divine glory shines most brightly when it is set aside for the sake of redeeming man by a shameful death. This stands at the very heart of Jesus’ self-disclosure and of the primitive gospel (1 Cor 1:23: “We preach Christ [Messiah] crucified”).
The Son of Man came to give his life a ransom for many. Deissmann (LAE, pp. 331f.) points out that lytron (“ransom”) was most commonly used as the purchase price for freeing slaves; and there is good evidence that the notion of “purchase price” is always implied in the NT use of lytron (cf. esp. Morris, Apostolic Preaching, pp. 11ff.). Others, however, by examining the word in the LXX conclude that, especially when the subject is God, the word means “deliverance” and the cognate verb “to deliver,” without reference to a “price paid” (see esp. Hill, Greek Words, pp. 58–80). The matter may be difficult to decide in a passage like Titus 2:14. Is wickedness a chain from which Jesus by his death delivers us or a slave owner from whom Jesus by his death ransoms us? The parallel in 1 Peter 1:18 suggests the latter, even though (as Turner, Christian Words, pp. 105–7, insists) there is never any mention in the NT of the one to whom the price is paid; and in Matthew 20:28 this meaning is virtually assured by the use of anti (“for”). The normal force of this preposition denotes substitution, equivalence, exchange (cf. esp. M.J. Harris, DNTT, 3:1179f.). “The life of Jesus, surrendered in a sacrificial death, brought about the release of forfeited lives. He acted on behalf of the many by taking their place” (ibid., p. 1180).
“The many” underlines the immeasurable effects of Jesus’ solitary death: the one dies, the many find their lives “ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,” a great host no man can number (cf. J. Jeremias, “Das Losegeld fur Viele,” Judaica 3 [1948]: 263). But it should be remembered that “the many” can refer, in the DSS and the rabbinic literature, to the elect community (cf. Ralph Marcus, “`Mebaqqer’ and Rabbim in the Manual of Discipline vi, 11–13,” JBL 75 [1956]: 298–302). This suggests Jesus’ substitutionary death is payment for and results in the eschatological people of God. This well suits “the many” of Isaiah 52:13–53:12.
3. Dependence on Isaiah 53. C.K. Barrett (“The Background of Mark 10.45,” New Testament Essays, ed. A.J.B. Higgins [Manchester: University Press, 1959], pp. 1–18; id., “Mark 10.45: A Ransom for Many,” New Testament Essays [London: SPCK, 1972], pp. 20–26), Hooker (Son of Man, pp. 140–47), and others have argued that there is no allusion to Isaiah in Mark 10:45 and Matthew 20:28. They argue this on two grounds: linguistic and conceptual. Linguistically, they point out that the Greek verb diakonein (“to serve,” Mt 20:28) and its cognates are never used in the LXX to render ʿeḇeḏ (“servant” of Isaiah’s “Servant Songs”) and its cognates. But the evidence is slight and the conceptual parallels close Isaiah’s Servant benefits men by his suffering, and so does Jesus. Hooker is certainly incorrect in restricting diakonein to domestic service (cf. France, “Servant of the Lord,” p. 34). Both France and Moo (“Use of OT,” pp. 122ff.) have also shown that “to give his life” springs from Isaiah 53:10, 12, and that lytron (“ransom”) is not as impossible a rendering of ʾāšām (“a guilt offering”) as some allege. The Hebrew word ʾāšām includes the notion of substitution, at least of an equivalent. The guilty sinner offers an ʾāšām to remove his own guilt; and in Leviticus 5 ʾāšām refers to compensatory payment. Thus, though ʾāšām has more sacrificial overtones than lytron, both include the idea of payment or compensation. Most scholars have also recognized in “the many” a clear reference to Isaiah (cf. esp. Dalman, pp. 171–72). The implication of the cumulative evidence is that Jesus explicitly referred to himself as Isaiah’s Suffering Servant (see on 26:17–30) and interpreted his own death in that light—an interpretation in which Matthew has followed his Lord (see on 3:17; 12:15–21). (Carson, D. A. (1984). Matthew. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke (Vol. 8, pp. 432–434). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
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There was no greater example of this principle than the Lord Himself. He did not come into the world to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many. Here was the first clue as to what the death of Christ would accomplish. He had told them on a number of occasions He would die. But He had not indicated the reason for His death. Now it was clear that His death would be to provide a “ransom” (lytron, “payment”) “for” (anti, “in place of”) “many” (see the chart, “New Testament Words for Redemption” at Mark 10:45). His death would take the place of many deaths, for only His death could truly atone for sin (John 1:29; Rom. 5:8; 1 Peter 2:24; 3:18). He was the perfect Sacrifice, whose substitutionary death paid the price for sin. (Barbieri, L. A., Jr. (1985). Matthew. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, pp. 66–67). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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20:28 to give His life a ransom for many. The word translated “for” means “in the place of,” underscoring the substitutionary nature of Christ’s sacrifice. A “ransom” is a price paid to redeem a slave or a prisoner. Redemption does not involve a price paid to Satan. Rather, the ransom is offered to God—to satisfy His justice and wrath against sin. The price paid was Christ’s own life—as a blood atonement (cf. Lv 17:11; Heb 9:22). This, then, is the meaning of the cross: Christ subjected Himself to the divine punishment against sin on our behalf (cf. Is 53:4, 5; see note on 2Co 5:21). Suffering the brunt of divine wrath in the place of sinners was the “cup” He spoke of having to drink (v. 22). (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Mt 20:28). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
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Jesus’ Passion and the Disciples’ Ambition. Matthew 20:20–28 is a remarkable study in the definition of authentic greatness. Ever since the fall of humanity, greatness has been defined in terms of prestige, power, and glory. Jesus alluded to this state of affairs in 20:25 and immediately repudiated it in 20:26. His definition of greatness in terms of service turns the world’s model on its head. His disciples are to follow his example of sacrificial, suffering servanthood even to the point of death. Paul clearly grasped this radically altered definition of greatness (2 Cor 4:5; 10:1; 12:9–10; Phil 2:3–11), which McNeile (1949:290) defines as servire est regnare (to serve is to reign). One can do no better than to reflect on these words of Jesus from Luke’s account of the Last Supper: “Who is more important, the one who sits at the table or the one who serves?… I am among you as one who serves.” (Luke 22:27). John’s account of Jesus’ explanation of his washing the disciples’ feet is also highly relevant here (John 13:12–17). (Turner, D., & Bock, D. L. (2005). Cornerstone biblical commentary, Vol 11: Matthew and Mark (p. 261). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.)
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Ver. 28. Even as the son of man, &c.] Meaning himself, the seed of the woman, the son of Abraham, and of David, according to the flesh; and whom he proposes as an example of humility, and as an argument to draw them off from their ambitious views of worldly grandeur, and from all thoughts of the Messiah’s setting up a temporal kingdom; since he came not to be ministered unto by others; to be attended on in pomp and state, to have a numerous, retinue about him, waiting upon him, and ministering to him; as is the case of the princes, and great men of the world; though he is Lord of all, and King of kings; but to minister; in the form of a servant unto others, going about from place to place to do good, both to the bodies and souls of men: he came forth from his father, down from heaven, into this world, by his assumption of human nature, to minister in the prophetic office, by preaching the Gospel, and working miracles, in confirmation of it; and in the priestly office, one branch of which is expressed in the next clause, and to give his life a ransom for many: what he came to give was his life, which was his own, and then which nothing is more dear and precious: besides, his life was an uncommon one, being not only so useful to men, and entirely free from sin in itself, but was the life of the man Jesus, who is in union with the son of God: this he came to give, and did give into the hands of men, to the justice of God, and death itself; which giving, supposes it to be his own, and at his own disposal; was not forfeited by any act of his, nor was it forced from him, but freely laid down by him; and that as a ransom, or redemption-price for his people, to deliver them from the evil of sin, the bondage of Satan, the curses of a righteous law, from eternal death, and future wrath, and, in short, from all their enemies: which ransom-price was paid for them in their room and stead, by Christ, as their substitute; who put himself in their law-place, and laid himself under obligation to pay their debts, and clear their scores, and redeem them from all their iniquities, and the evil consequences of them: and this he did for many; for as many as were ordained to eternal life; for as many as the father, gave unto him; for many out of every kindred, tongue, and people, and nation; but not for every individual of human nature; for many are not all. (Gill, J. (1809). An Exposition of the New Testament (Vol. 1, p. 229). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
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Jesus concluded His explanation by using Himself as an example of serving: “The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” There it was again—the cross. The Lord’s words here remind us of Paul’s magnificent christological passage in which he explained that even though Christ Jesus was equal with God, He humbled Himself by becoming a man, by becoming a servant (doulos, “a slave”), and by becoming “obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” Because He humbled Himself, He is now exalted and has a name above all other names. One day every knee will bow before that name and every tongue will confess Him to be Lord (Philippians 2:5–11).
Are we following the Lord’s example? Do we want to be ministered to or do we want to minister? Jesus came to give His life in service every moment of every day for over thirty-three years. He came to give His life in sacrifice on a cross of shame. Such is the path of ministry in the kingdom. (Phillips, J. (2014). Exploring the Gospel of Matthew: An Expository Commentary (Mt 20:28). Kregel Publications; WORDsearch.)
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FROM MY READING:
It’s easy to tell ourselves that such worry is not a critical kingdom issue. After all, we are not avowed Satan worshipers. But the reality is that you can’t have dual masters. Worry is misdirected love that should be confessed. It is making life about our needs, desires and wants. It’s time to choose sides. (Running Scared by Edward T. Welch)
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Old Testament WORDS for Today by Warren W. Wiersbe
Halfhearted Christians fall to pieces when the storms of life begin to blow, but wholehearted, obedient Christian outlast the storms. God doesn’t promise us easy lives, but he does promise us his presence and his care no matter what may happen. (p. 116)
Disobedient Christians have no pleasure in reading the Scriptures and meditating on them because they Spirt cannot instruct them, but the obedient child of God finds great delight in the Word of God (Ps. 1: 1-2) (p. 116)
From the world’s viewpoint, the obedient Christian is a loser, deprived of all that the world has to offer; but just the opposite is true. The obedient Christian enjoys blessings from the Lord that the world can neither see nor experience. (p. 117)
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When Paul ministers to the Corinthians, he relies on the work of the Holy Spirit.
INSIGHT
When we speak, teach, or preach to the unsaved, we are not speaking to those who are merely blindfolded; we are speaking to those who are blind. It is not as though we can appeal to them to remove their blindfolds. Rather, we must appeal to the Lord to remove their blindness through the power of His Holy Spirit. “The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14). Therefore, it is foolishness on our part to attempt to minister to others without first praying fervently for that ministry, asking the Lord to draw those hearts to Christ. (Quiet Walk)
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THE ADVOCATE, PART 1
We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 1 John 2:1
How does Christ accomplish our restoration to fellowship with God? John puts it here in these verses in a very beautiful way. Christ does it, says John, by being our advocate. “If any man sin”—if any of you should happen to fall into sin—then you, we, all of us together—”have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” John uses the same [Greek] word in his Gospel, in chapter 16 verse 7, where our Lord said that He would send us another comforter. So what is an advocate? An advocate is one who represents another. He stands before a court, and he presents the case of someone else; he represents this person and puts forward the pleas. And John tells us that the Lord Jesus Christ is, for all who believe on Him and trust Him, “an advocate with the Father.”
However, this word merits our closer attention. We must never think of it as if the Lord Jesus Christ were there pleading for us before an unwilling God. You will find that certain hymns suggest that, and statements have often been made that sound as if God were opposed to us and as if God, who is utter righteousness and absolute perfection, is insisting on His pound of flesh and insisting upon His right to punish us for our sins. They picture the Lord Jesus Christ as pleading desperately and urgently, trying to persuade the Father and at last succeeding in getting Him to change His opinion.
But that is an impossible suggestion, and we must be very careful not to view this idea of advocacy in that way. It is impossible because we are told so plainly and clearly in the Word of God that “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son” (John 3:16). So as we consider the advocacy, let us get rid of the idea that God is unwilling and that He is one who is not prepared to forgive.
A Thought to Ponder: We must never think of it as if the Lord Jesus Christ were there pleading for us before an unwilling God.
(From Walking with God pp. 36-37, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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The Sign of Science and Travel
“But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” (Daniel 12:4)
The book of Daniel contains the most detailed description of the end times of any book in the Bible except the book of Revelation. In Daniel’s last chapter, after all the prophecies had been recorded, the condition in our text was given as a sign of their imminent fulfillment at “the time of the end.”
A more striking summary of our own times could hardly be imagined. The Hebrew word for “run to and fro” is used first in 2 Chronicles 16:9. “The eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth,” and its sense is “race back and forth.” What a description of our present society, with speeding automobiles all over the land and airplanes filling our skies! In little more than one lifetime, the world “progressed” from horse and buggy to spacecraft, and almost everyone is racing to and fro.
Furthermore, “knowledge” has been “increased” far beyond the wildest imaginations of people in the days of our founding fathers. The Hebrew word could well be understood as what we mean today by “science.”
It is significant that the foundations of our modern scientific age were laid mostly by great scientists who were creationists (Newton, Boyle, Pascal, Pasteur, Faraday, Maxwell, etc.). In our present generation, however, science has been largely taken over by non-Christian evolutionists, and science has also generated deadly instruments of destruction and pollution that are threatening life’s existence. This rise in “science falsely so called” is also given as a sign of the last days (1 Timothy 6:20; 2 Peter 3:3-4; etc.).
In any case, the explosive increase in science (both true and false) and rapid travel in our day is one of the many God-given signs that the return of Christ is near!
(HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
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Then we are told that Noah was “perfect in his generations” (Gen. 6:9). The word “perfect” does not mean he was sinless. There never has been anybody sinless in this world since Adam fell except our Lord. It means upright or genuine. (p. 184)
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Do not dismiss the apostle Paul when he says, “The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness” 9Rom. 1:18).
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I believe he is speaking equally to the Christian church. The Christian church in the nineteenth century began to question the authority of the Bible, the fact of judgment, the existence of hell. People have believed the church, and the consequences of this are not evident. You cannot have morality without godliness, try as you will. (p. 188)
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It is not surprising that the world is as it is when the church is lighthearted and superficial and back-slapping and confident and assured in a false and carnal sense. We must know something of the fear of the Lord and the horror of the fate that is awaiting those who are in sin. (p. 190)
(A Merciful and Faithful High Priest by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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Daily Hope
Today’s Scripture Ecclesiastes 11:1-6
As I was growing up in Western New York I would often go out into the woods and explore. I would imagine the deer and cattle paths I walked were once trails that Indians and explorers traveled as they moved from the East coast to places in the Midwest. Although I knew the woods and the trails around my home, I realized I would never reach the end of the trail.
Solomon had looked at life from many perspectives and as he did, he recognized life was not worth living without God in the picture. The adventure of life was as deficient without Him as my travels were through the forests in my youth. There was more and Solomon realized that the monotony of life, (traveling the same trails), looking at wisdom only from the human viewpoint, acquiring wealth, and finally dying was incomplete, which are the four main themes of Ecclesiastes.
Recognizing God’s sovereignty was necessary to fulfill the adventure that stirred in Solomon’s heart and trust the same God his father had followed. Faith is illustrated in the use of two illustrations in this passage. First, is the merchant sending ships out to sea (vv.1-3). Secondly, a farmer is shown casting seed onto the ground to reap a harvest (vv.4-6). Both were dependent on elements that were unseen and out of the control of the merchant and the farmer. The wind, rain, clouds and ultimately the results were beyond the control of man. By faith, they cast their livelihood into the adventure and trusted the results to God (v.5).
Solomon is stating that life is an adventure to which we do not know the destination point. It will be filled with labor, people, storms, harvests and the unknown! As we trust God, we can walk the paths made by others and trust that the Lord is directing each step. The New Testament reveals that our walk of faith rests in Jesus Christ and He reveals the destination for man’s journey as being a home He is preparing for us (John 14:1-11). Like Solomon, pursue life and come to recognize the reality of Jesus Christ being the way, the truth and the life!
With an Expectant hope, Pastor Miller
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