The Attributes of God:

The Heart of a Servant Pt 2 Matthew 20:20-28 “Whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.”               The disciples were in turmoil.  The mother of James and John had requested that Jesus appoint her two sons to be the leaders in his kingdom.  To sit on the right and left hand was equivalent to being second in command, for these were the highest positions of honor.  When the other disciples heard of the request, they were incensed, wanting the same positions of honor. As a result, a heated debate threatened to fracture the disciples' unity.               In response to the rising tension, Jesus calls the disciples together to confront the crisis.  Jesus reminds them that the world’s perspective is about position and power.  Christ is not condemning those in authority; he is confronting th...

The Attitude of a Servant Pt 1 Matthew 20:17-19 “They will hand him over to the Gentiles to mock and scourge and crucify Him, and on the third day He will be raised up.”               Would you go into a situation when you knew for sure that it would result in your death?  If we knew it would lead to our demise, we would avoid it at all costs.  If it were within our power, we would find an alternative.             As Jesus prepares to go up to Jerusalem, he informs the disciples of the events that will transpire.  The disciples knew the risks of the Jewish leaders' opposition and hatred towards Jesus.  They knew that going up to Jerusalem involved a high level of risk.  In Matthew 16:21-23, Peter sought to persuade Jesus from going to Jerusalem.  In his mind, the risk was too great. Furthermore, it did no...

The Unexpected Gift Matthew 20:1-16 “So the last shall be first, and the first last.”               The day started as any other day; workers came to the place of business to look for someone to hire them.  Quickly, they were hired to work for the standard wage of one denarius.  Pleased with the wage, they promptly went to the fields to begin the work.  However, the owner of the Vineyard realized that the job needed more laborers for the harvest was great, but the number of available workers was few.  Realizing his need, he repeatedly returned to the market to search for more workers.  Five times, he searched for workers, and five times, he hired those who were available.               As was the requirement of the Old Testament law, the man paid each his wage. However, he started with the person hired la...

The Reward of Complete Surrender Matthew 19:27-30 “And Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name’s sake, will receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life.”               It is easy to have strings attached to our obedience to Christ.  We want the benefits of heaven but not the costs. We are willing to serve and obey Christ—as long as it is on our terms.  It needs to fit within our schedule and our convenience.  It must be with the cost of pursuing our agenda and plans.  It needs to be in line with our thoughts and values.             In response to the shallow faith of the rich you man, Peter inquires what their reward would be.   Peter is not asking for a reward for himself; instead, he is inquiring if they have done what is necessar...

God’s Value System:  The True Treasure Matthew 19:16-26 “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come follow Me.”               What we value is what we treasure and strive to attain.  A young, rich man comes to Jesus with a remarkable and insightful question. There is no more important question we may ask than the question: “Teacher, what good things shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?”  This one question is the most critical of all the questions we wrestle with, and we desire to find a clear answer.  It is a question we must all ask.  “What do I need to do to obtain eternal life?”               However, even as he asks the question, there is a hint that he is looking for the wrong answer.  His question rela...

God’s Value System Part 1 Matthew 19:13-15 “Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”               The disciples were disturbed.  Their busy day, filled with interruptions, was now being interrupted by children.  Their schedule was filled with what they considered important activities.  They were in discussions with the rich, the influential, and the powerful.  The reader should notice that the interruption of the children was in the middle of Jesus interacting with the Pharisees.  They were the spiritual and religious leaders.  They were men of significant influence over the people.  If Jesus were to gain the following necessary to establish his kingdom, they would need them as part of the team.  Following his interaction with the Pharisees, Jesus interacted with a r...

God’s Intent for Marriage Matthew 19:1-9 “For this reason, a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”               In reading this passage, we often fail to see the importance of what Jesus is saying.  The focus immediately goes to the “exception clause” and its meaning.  Thus, the focus is on when divorce is permissible and prohibited.  While that is a critical discussion that is both complex and controversial, we miss the main point of Jesus' statement.              The Pharisees came to Jesus to test him by asking him when it was permissible to get a divorce.  For them, just like for us, there was a great deal of controversy and debate.  The Pharisees that followed the Teaching of Shammai argued that the correct interpretation of the statement “f...