Matthew 21
COMMENTARY:
: 5 Tell you the daughter of Sion, Behold your King comes to you, meek, and sitting on an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass. (4239 “meek” [praus] means gentile, humble, mild, modest, unassuming, soft, or of a soothing disposition.)
DEVOTION: The Bible from Genesis to Revelation gives us insight into the life, death, resurrection and Second coming of Jesus Christ. There are many prophecies regarding each event. These Old Testament prophecies are used by the authors of the New Testament to show that both Testaments are inspired by the Holy Spirit for our learning.
Here we find one event that was predicted in a minor prophet called Zechariah. He told of this event hundreds of years before it happened. God knows all time zones. HE has no past or future. HE is always living in the present. HE is not in a time zone.
Too often we fight over whether God knows what is going to happen in the future. The future is always present with the LORD. HE wants us to realize that HE has given us power to live our life in a way that is pleasing to HIM. Jesus led the life that was predicted before the foundation of this world.
One of the characteristics of the life HE lived here on the earth was meekness or humility. HE came to teach us how we can live our life in a way that is pleasing to the Father.
We have to be humble in our actions. If we stay humble HE can bless us. Being humble in HIS eyes is to be totally dependent on HIM. Jesus showed us this by example. Are we putting into practice in our life today?
CHALLENGE: Would people who know you say that you have a humble or gentile spirit?
: 13 And said to them, It is written, MY house shall be called the house of prayer; but you have made it a den of thieves.
DEVOTION: Jesus was humble but HE was also able to confront those who were practicing false religion and teaching others the same. HE made HIS triumphant entry into the city of Jerusalem.
When HE entered the Temple area HE saw something that displeased HIM. It not only displeased HIM but it also displeased the Father. What were they doing? They were exchanging money in the temple area dishonestly. They were not helping those who were worshiping the LORD but they were overcharging them for their sacrifices.
When false religion is taught in the church the LORD is not pleased. Money will not get anyone into heaven. Both pastor and people have to remember that the LORD is the one who provides our every need. There should be no cheating of the people by the leaders of the church and there should be no cheating of the leaders by the people.
Each person is held responsible for their use of their own money. The church should not have to ask for money – it should be given in love and thankfulness. There should be no business going on in churches by individuals who want to make a profit outside the church.
CHALLENGE: Church is for the LORD’S business alone. No one should be cheating anyone in church.
: 22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. (4100 “believing” [pisteuo] means be committed, place confidence in, to think to be true, faith, trust, entrust, or rely on.)
DEVOTION: Jesus is instructing HIS disciples in the power of prayer. Jesus had the power to curse a fig tree, so that, in a day it withered away. HE goes on to tell the disciples that if they have faith or trust they could remove mountains that were in their way. Great things can happen when people put their trust in the LORD and ask for the right things to happen. Even the impossible can be done through their prayer life.
We live in a time period when many people don’t think it is true that God can do the impossible in their lives. They go to the LORD in prayer but doubt that HE will do anything for them. They say they trust in HIM but walk away from a time of prayer with anything but hope that what they prayed for will happen.
We need to change our thought process. We don’t need to go into a name it claim it process. That is wrong too. There are some things that we name that God doesn’t want us to claim. The prosperity gospel is not what Jesus is teaching.
HE is teaching a type of prayer that seeks the LORD’S glory in what is going to happen in that individual’s life. HE wants HIS disciples to trust HIM to do what is right and good for them in their life. Once we come to this point in our prayer life we can ask HIM for what will bring HIM glory.
CHALLENGE: Prayer needs to be important in our lives. Our confidence has to be in the LORD giving us what is best for us at all times.
: 42 Jesus says to them, Did you never read in the Scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner; this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes? (1124 “Scriptures” [graphe] means a writing, thing written, or used to denote either the book itself or its contents.)
DEVOTION: Here is Jesus asking the chief priests and scribes if they had read the writings of the Old Testament. This quote is found in both the book of Psalms and the book of Isaiah.
HE was the stone that the builders rejected. HIS comments in this parable made them realized that HE was talking about them. They were the religious leaders of the day. They made the rules. They were in a politically correct position with the Romans. They had everything going for them but a relationship with the LORD.
The Bible is supposed to be the final authority for any action on our part. It should have been the final authority for any action on their part.
They sought to lay hands on Jesus for HIS being honest with them. Jesus also tells us that the LORD had picked the publicans and harlots to represent HIM.
Today we know that not many noble or wise or rich are called to serve the LORD. Why? They think they know better than the rest of the people who live on this planet. The problem is that the chief priests and scribes thought the same thoughts.
Also, today we find that in many of our churches there are individuals leading who don’t care what the Bible says. They don’t even know what the Bible says. They interpret it the way they want to and tell people that they are just bringing it up to date. They say that there are many ways to heaven. They say that we live in a different culture and therefore the sins of the past are not the same today. They misrepresent the Bible.
The problem is they call themselves “churches.” They are not following the Biblical definition of a church. It is supposed to be a body of believers who follow the teachings of the Word of God. The Bible teaches that there is only one way to heaven and that is through the LORD Jesus Christ who came to this earth, died on the cross for our sins and was raised on the third day. We serve a risen Savior!! The ONLY Savior!!!
CHALLENGE: When the Bible speaks of the future we need to believe that it is going to happen. No doubting allowed!!
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