Matthew 17 - Who Really Was Jesus?

Oftentimes, we ask people, “Do you believe in Jesus?” And they say, “yes,” but their life doesn't seem changed in the way that the lives of others have been changed. Why is that? Could it be that they do not understand what we are asking? Nearly every religion or cult has a position on what they believe about Jesus Christ. However, what they believe about Jesus varies dramatically. What are you going to believe? What credibility do the sources have? The Bible is God's holy, inspired, inerrant, infallable, and preserved Word and testimony of Jesus Christ. Some will attack the Word of God or say that it was corrupted... I beg you to study it yourself. Do not discount the Word of God because that is what you were taught. If you will do an honest study of it, I'm sure you will find it is much more than the writings of men. But, apologetics aside, it is God's Word written and preserved for you and me.

Many people, when they think of Jesus, think of an ordinary baby born in a manger. They think of one who was a great teacher, and one who has died on the cross and no longer lives. Some think of Jesus as the brother of the devil or as an angel. This is all wrong. Here, in Matthew 17, Jesus gives his 3 closest disciples a glimpse of who He really is. As he brought them up into a high mountain, he was transfigured before them. To transfigure means to change in outward appearance.

“His face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light...” (verse 2)

Have you ever seen somebody like this before? Can you imagine seeing one whose face shined as the sun? What an awesome sight! Jesus was no ordinary man! The apostle John would later write in I John 1:5- “God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all.” He would never forget this experience.

“And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him...” (verse 3)

The disciples then saw Moses and Elias (The prophet Elijah) talking with him. But didn't Moses die? Deuteronomy 34:7 says, “And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died.” This was a heavenly vision. Moses and Elijah were speaking with Jesus. The Old Testament is often referred to as the “Law and the Prophets”. Moses represented the Law, and Elijah represented the Old Testament prophets. Moses and Elijah represented the Old Testament, which was to prepare us for the Messiah. When some accused Jesus of getting rid of the Old Testament, he replied, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.” The law and the prophets prophesied of the Messiah, who is Jesus Christ. Can you imagine them speaking with Him face to face?

“This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye Him...” (verse 5)

If you thought Jesus was just a man, think again. Here, God Himself speaks of Jesus and says “this is my beloved Son.” Some of us may have a hard time comprehending that. The Bible teaches that Jesus is God, and that Jesus existed before the foundation of the world. He received a human body when He was born of a virgin in Bethlehem... but he existed long before that. Notice that God is in a cloud. This is how he appeared to the Children of Israel when He led them out of Egypt. In a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. God Himself said, “Hear ye him.” This is the prophet greater than Moses that was prophesied long ago. Deut. 18:15- “The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, LIKE UNTO ME; unto him ye shall hearken.” This Prophet, this Jesus, is much greater than Moses. He is the Son of God! Jesus is not another God. His very name means, “Jehovah Saves.” He is the one whom Jehovah God has sent into the world to save us from our sins. There is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Only through the name of Jesus Christ!

“Jesus charged them, saying, 'Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.'” (verse 9)

Have you ever wondered why Jesus said this to them? They knew He was the Son of God, by why was this to be a secret? Because Jesus had a mission to accomplish. Jesus came into this world with the express purpose of dying for our sins. Dying for YOUR sins. Jesus knew, before He was ever born as a baby, that He would give his life on the cross. He wasn't murdered. He gave his life as a sacrifice for your sins. He died so that we wouldn't have to be forever separated from God in a placed called Hell. He charged them to keep this secret until after He was resurrected from the dead. Have you ever known somebody who was dead for 3 days before miraculously coming back to life? This Jesus was not an ordinary man. He wasn't just a great prophet. He was God! Do you believe in Jesus? Do you believe in His promises? He will save you, if you will repent from your sins, and ask Him to save you! 

Matthew 14- O Thou of Little Faith...

Have you ever wondered what God is doing in your life? Maybe you've been serving God to the best of your ability, and it seems like only bad things are happening? It's probably pretty natural to wonder what God is doing. Look with me at Matthew 14:22-34.

Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship...(verse 22)

So, as we read this passage, notice that Jesus constrained them to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side. They were used to traveling with Jesus, not ahead of him. But the disciples, trusting the Savior, got into the ship and probably thought very little about it. Little did they know, a storm was coming, and it would be a trial to their faith. After a little time passes, things begin getting worse...

The ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves... (verse 24)

Shortly after they leave Jesus on the shore, the clouds begin covering the sky and the wind starts picking up. Before you know it, they are out in the midst of the sea, tossed about with waves. I imagine this storm to be pretty rough! As they begin to fear for their lives, they probably begin to question how they got here. Jesus told them to get on the boat! What was God thinking? Have you ever listened to God and then found yourself in danger, wondering, “What is God thinking?” You may think that God has abandoned you, or that God is upset with you. You may wonder, where is God, is he sleeping? Where is Jesus during all of this?

He went up into the mountains apart to pray... He was there alone. (verse 23)

They had no idea where Jesus had gone, but Jesus didn't forget about them. He knew what was coming. All the mean while, He was praying for them. Are you going through a hard time in your life? Wondering whether or not God has abandoned you? Where is Jesus? Jesus is at the right hand of God, and the Bible says, “he ever liveth to make intercession.” Just as Jesus was praying for his disciples during this storm on the sea, He is now in Heaven making intercessory prayer for us at he right hand of His Father. He knows where you are, and He never left you. Will you trust Him?

Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea... (verse 25)

Jesus is no ordinary man. He's no ordinary prophet. He is the Son of God. He said, “Before Abraham was, I AM...” He is the great I AM. Jehovah. God in the flesh. He is the master of the sea and has control over the elements of this world! He is the Creator of them. This world may never know, Jesus didn't claim to be a great teacher, He claimed to be God. He proved his deity by his miraculous works. When you are going through the storms of life, know that Jesus is there with you. In the right time, He will come to comfort you through them. You must understand that trials will come, and that they have a purpose to exercise your faith! He said, “It is I; be not afraid.” Though the trials will come, there is no reason to fear! Then Peter says, “Lord, if it be thou, bid me come down unto thee on the water.” You gotta love Peter! He's essentially saying, “God, if you're really here, do something miraculous!” Peter then stepped down out of the boat and walked on water! He surely puts my faith to shame!

But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid (verse 30)

Peter was doing something that no man had ever done before! Yet, when he suddenly realized where he he was, his focus shifted off the Savior unto the winds. As he began to fear, his faith began to weaken, and he called out unto Jesus, “Lord, save me.” Peter realized he could not do it on his own? Peter was in danger of drowining, and unable to save himself, he realized this, and called out unto the Savior. We, my friend, are in danger of drowning in sin. “For all have sinned, and have fallen short of the glory of God.” Have you ever realized that you are a sinner? “For the wages of sin is death.” Because of our sin, we are unable to work our way into heaven, for we are all sinners. What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus! Jesus was the long awaited Messiah, God in the flesh, who came to the world He created, and died for our sins. “For without the shedding of blood, there is no remission.” The blood of Jesus Christ is the only thing that can take away our sins. Have you ever called out unto Him, “Lord, save me?” If you have never done that, please trust Him. He has radically changed my life, and I thank God that others cared enough to share the Gospel with me.

“And when they were gone over, they came and worshiped Him, saying, of a truth thou art the Son of God.” (verse 33)

Only God can do the things Jesus had done. Only God can forgive sins. Only God can set the sinner free. Do you know him? He will save you from your sins. He will give you new life? Rest your faith in the Son of God, Jesus Christ!

“O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” (verse 31)

When God shows that He is right there with you in the midst of your trials, you will begin to wonder, why did you ever question Him in the first place? Oftentimes, we think ourselves strong in the faith... until trials come. Remember, that Jesus never left you. He is at the right hand of God and ever liveth to make intercession for you.

Matthew 13 - Because of Their Unbelief...

Have you ever wondered if you have enough faith? I'm not talking about enough faith to be saved. As for salvation, the Bible speaks of childlike faith and believing that God is and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Faith is not a work, as the Bible contrasts the two. I'm talking about having faith in the work God is willing to do if we will simply believe. I'll be honest enough to say that there are times when I wonder if I should have more faith or be more realistic. Hear me out- If I ask God for something that I want, should I expect God to give it to me and count him unfaithful if He doesn't? That's probably not wise, and it's surely a misapplication of Biblical faith. However, what about those things that God is perfectly willing to do, but does not do, because we don't ask? This is what I am getting at. Sometimes, I wonder if I should have more faith and have bigger expectations when I ask God of certain things. Let's look at a few verses here in Matthew 13. Please read verses 54-57. I'll highlight verse 57.

Verse 57- “And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.”

What you have here are some cynical people who have tried to limit God. They believed in God, sure, but they scratched their head when it came to Jesus. Sure, they saw him heal a few sick folk, but their real problem was with God. Even though God had given them the Old Testament and prepared them for the Messiah, they didn't know who Jesus was. Even though they were told a virgin would conceive, they weren't really looking. Even though, John the Baptist, would preach a message of repentance and that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, they wouldn't listen. It's no wonder why they had a problem with Jesus. They weren't prepared to accept the Messiah God had given them, they wanted him to conform to their own image. Sounds a bit like today, huh? They simply didn't believe God. They believed in His existence, but not in His promises. Which, might I add, is insufficient to be saved. It is only through the name of Christ that one can be saved.

Aren't We Sometimes Guilty of Having a Lack of Faith?

If we are really honest, we may be guilty of the same, to a certain extent. The Gospels are full of examples of God withholding his miracles because of a lack of faith. “Ye have not, because ye ask not.” Does that sound familiar? We know that when we ask of God, we must ask in faith, but how do we know when is the right time to have faith in receiving the things we ask? For if we ask in faith about every frivolous thing, then we may think that God doesn't answer prayer. But if we never ask in faith, then obviously, sometimes we won't receive that which we ask for. What a strange predicament.... However, the Bible does guide us to know when and how to ask in faith.

I John 5:14- “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything ACCORDING TO HIS WILL, he heareth us...”

So, it seems that part of the key is asking according to His will. What things may these be? I'd say this is quite open to anything that falls within the will of God. What is God's heart? What are God's desires? The more we know Him, we more we will know His will. “God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” God does not want to see anybody go to Hell, but for all men to be saved. So, we can never go wrong when it goes to asking God to help somebody get saved. But, we must also remember, that people have a free will and that God cannot make somebody get saved. Or how about asking God to send forth laborers into His harvest (The Great Commission). We are commanded to pray for that. Or how about our needs? Of course he knows them before we ask, but look at the Lord's prayer. “Give us this day our daily bread.” When we ask God to provide our needs, we can ask in faith expecting to receive. If a son asks his father for bread, what father would give him a stone? Or if he ask his father for a fish, what father would give him a serpent? How much greater will our Father take care of us?

A Brief Testimony

Since I have began living for God, God has truly been faithful. In fact, God was good to me as long as I can remember, even when I wasn't living right- God was much better than he could have been. Even when I was lost in sin, God loved me so much that He gave his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ to die on the cross for me. Talk about love beyond measure! But anyways, I have always wondered how far I can trust God. Of course, the logical answer is that I can trust him wholeheartedly. But in practical terms, where is that fine line of trusting God completely without slipping into foolishness? I remember when I moved out for the first time, I moved about 2 hours away to go to Bible college. I vaguely knew 1-2 people there, but not really. I had some savings, but no job, and very little scholarships. All I knew is that God wanted to me to be a missionary and carry the Gospel to those whom had never heard. I was simply preparing for the task God had given me. I would be lying to say it was easy. Thankfully, our school had a meal plan that was part of our school bill, but other than that, I was well familiar with ramen noodles. There were times when I was working 45 hours a week, taking 18 semester hours of classes, and involved in various ministries on the side. Thankfully, the 45 hours a week was only for about a month, before I went down to about 35 on average. Even so, there were times when it was rough. There were many things I had to sacrifice, but nothing compared to our Lord. Long story made short, God got me through it all. I had even raised the funds to take a mission trip to the Ukraine.

Since marriage, God has been very good to us. When God called us to serve in Nicaragua, we began trying to raise support. There was a time when we had very little missions support coming in, but I would need to leave my job and trust God to provide. Man, was that hard! The only other time since I was 15 that I had not had a job for more than a week or so was when I had moved to go to Bible college. You'll never guess what I found out the day after I put in my two weeks notice. I found out we would be having a baby! While I was very excited, and perhaps a little dazed, I wondered why I couldn't have found this out before putting in my 2 weeks notice. Perhaps, God knew that my faith was not quite THAT strong, and that it might hinder me from doing what I needed to do. I then had to finish up my last 2 weeks, knowing that I would be jobless and expecting a baby in 8 months or so. Nobody at my job understood it, but I believe they had every confidence that God would take care of me. I joked around with the idea of asking for my two weeks notice back and saying, “I was just kidding about that- Gotcha!” But seriously, as I asked the Lord about it, I know that it was the right time for everything. I say all that to say this- “God is faithful.” You can trust Him. God wants to provide your every need and pour out his blessings on your life, but you must be willing to do what is right and trust Him. You must be willing to work hard, and to follow the life that Christ wants you to live. Ask according to His will. Don't let a lack of faith hold back God's blessings on your life!

Matthew 11- Out of the Abundance of the Heart...

We live in a time when talk doesn't mean much. Ever heard the phrase, “He talks the talk, but can't walk the walk?” People oftentimes say anything they want and think they can get away with it. Talk is cheap, right? On the radio the other day, I heard about people who have said they were misquoted in their own autobiography. THEIR OWN autobiography that THEY WROTE! Oftentimes, people lie to cover up the truth and make themselves look better. The words that we speak, whether they be truth or lies, blessings or cursings, or any other thing all come from somewhere. Jesus said:

...For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh...(verse 34)

Jesus said the the origin of our words is in our heart. Proverbs 4:23 says, “Keep they heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Nearly every action we take in our life comes from the heart. Have you ever read the labels on Spring water? Oftentimes, they talk about how pure it is because it is bottled AT THE SOURCE. The source of our words, our actions, and our lives is the heart. Notice that the mouth speaks from the ABUNDANCE of the heart. What comes out of out mouth is a reflection of what is abundantly in our hearts. Just writing that statement almost send chills down my spine. We may live in a world where talk is cheap, but that should not be so for God's children!

Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing... (James 3:10)

Have you ever seen somebody like this? One minute, they speak only of good things and seem like they genuinely want to do the right thing, then the next minute, they are cursing and saying horrible things? James 3:10-11 addresses this with a rhetorical question- “My brethren, these things ought not so to be... Doth a sweet fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?” The obvious answer is no. So, then this is a discrepency. If bad water comes out, it is a bad fountain. If bad words come out of our mouth, it is a reflection of what is in the abundance of our __________. See what it's saying?

The Mouth is like a Waterfall...

Jesus was essentially saying that what comes out of our mouth is the overflow from our heart. The mouth is like a waterfall. If polluted water came out of a waterfall, what does that tell you about the source? If good, clean, pure water comes out of the waterfall, what does that tell you about the source? Jesus said, “A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things” (v. 35).

The Importance of Every Word

Have you ever noticed that when a new politician comes around, everybody loves them? They are charismatic, speak the ideals of the people, make resounding promises to the people? After a few years, what happens? Typically, after a few years, we realize that this person was not as great as we were led on to think. You can look at the promises, and see where they have lied or failed to live up to their words.  Oftentimes, the reasons for this is because they give so many speeches and they are pulled so many different ways trying to please people, that they forget the promises they have made or they just simply don't carry the same priority that they seemingly once did. The more the politicians speak, the greater the chance is to catch them in a lie. I have nothing against politicians- it's a tough job to do while constantly being scrutinized by the public. However, every word they say can be held against them because they are a public figure.

Just because we are not a public figure does not mean that our words are any less important. Jesus said, “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.” (Verse 36) Did you catch that? In the day of judgment, we will give account for every word that we speak. No matter how small, it is important.

One Last Thought...

“For by thy words thou shall be justified, and by thy words thou shalt also be condemned.” (verse 37)

When I think about this verse, I cannot help but to think of the most important words of all. When it comes to our faith, and when it comes to our Savior Jesus Christ, what words come out of our mouth? Here are a few verses to consider:

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” (Romans 10:9) ---remember, our Words are the overflow of our heart.

Jesus said, “But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before My Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 10:33)

“Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain (without meaning); for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” (Exodus 20:7)

Every word that comes out of out mouth is important. We will give an account for every word, no matter how small. But not only that, but what do others think when they hear the words that come out of your mouth? What do they think of the One who lives within us?

Matthew 11 - If the Mighty Works Had Been Done...

As I was reading through Matthew 11, something occurred to me that I had never noticed before. Beginning in verse 20, Jesus “began to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not...” Have you ever tried to serve God and tried to witness to others, but they wouldn't listen?

Don't Feel Alone!

At times, the same thing happened to Jesus and His disciples. Jesus did many mighty and miraculous works, and yet so many people repented not. It doesn't say they didn't believe... It says they didn't repent. The devil believes in God, but lives in defiance to Him. I believe much of this world believes in the reality of God, but choose rather to live a life of sin than repent and come to Christ. But this is not my main point. In verses 21-24, Jesus then upbraids (rebukes) these cities who repented not.

“Woe unto thee, Chorazin! Woe unto thee, 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. But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.”

Here in this passage, Jesus is talking about judgment of these nations. Notice a few things in this passage:

“More Tolerable on the Day of Judgment”

While many of us are familiar with the Judgment Seat of Christ (For the Saved) and the Great White Throne Judgment (For the Lost), we do not know all of the details. What we know about these judgments is taken from various passages of Scripture. The unrepentant are clearly lost and will be judged at the Great White Throne Judgment. According to Jesus, the judgment of some will be more tolerable than that of others. Now for me to say much beyond this would be just my opinion. According to the context, the day of judgment will be worse for those who have rejected the mighty works of God. This seems to be in agreement with Luke 12:48- “...For unto whomsoever much is given, of whom much shall be required.” This, however, is a double-edged sword. While those who have rejected the great works of God will have a harder judgment than those who have not, how does this apply to those of us who have been saved and given the Great Commission?

“Whomsoever much is given, of whom much shall be required.”

Now let me be clear, our faithfulness to carry the Gospel to the lost does not affect our salvation, but it does affect our rewards. At the Judgment Seat of Christ, our lives will be tried as by fire, and every secret thing will be brought into light. As our works are tried, what will Christ find? Notice in verse 21, that Jesus makes an “If” statement. If these mighty works had been done there had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. Read that again, if these things had been done, judgment would have been different for those people. There are some who have a lackadaisical attitude towards reaching the lost, and it's a result of false doctrine. They believe that those who are going to get saved will get saved regardless of their obedience to the Great Commission. This is utter nonsense. The last time I read my Bible, Jesus gave us the great commission for a reason. Before the foundations of the world, God the Father drew up the plans of Salvation. Then God, the Son, came into this world and died for our sins. Then before ascending to Heaven, the gave us the Great Commission to carry the Gospel into all the world. Then he gave us God, the Spirit, who indwells us to fulfill this Great Commission. He has given us the privilege to be Ambassadors for Christ.

“They Would Have Repented Long Ago...”

I can't help but to ponder this idea. If judgment could have been different for Tyre, Sidon, and Sodom, then how could it be different for the people of the world we live in. WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO REACH THE LOST! I don't like to think about how eternity could have been different if I had been more faithful as a witness for Jesus Christ, but it's something I really need to consider. Not to live in despair and defeat, but to make a difference in the way I live my life. How many people would have repented long ago if we had been more faithful. On the flipside, how many people will we see in Heaven because of our faithfulness. I believe we will never know til we get there. Here are some good questions to ask ourselves:

How important was my salvation to Jesus Christ?

How important is the salvation of others to me?

How can I be a better witness for Christ?

What changes should I make TODAY in order to make that happen?

Matthew 10 - Being a Disciple of Jesus Christ

Today, rather than study one specific thing in Matthew 10, I wanted to look at several verses and see what Jesus told his original twelve disciples. Although these things were spoken to the original twelve, many of them still apply to us today.

v. 7- “And as ye go, preach, saying, the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Notice that he commands them to preach. Oftentimes, we think of preaching as being what somebody does in a church pulpit. However, preaching is something that we should do as we go. It is proclaiming the good news. Proclaiming who God is, what He has done on the cross, and what He wants to do in the lives of others. Also, proclaim that Jesus is coming back!

v. 14- “And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.”

Nobody ever said that the world will listen to what you have to say. I know there have been many times when I've tried to tell others about Christ, and they didn't want to hear it. People will rip up a gospel tract right in front of your face. Remember this- They are lost, and this is what lost people do! The more we understand lost people, the more we understand what God saved us from! When they reject you, don't get offended or give up. When this happens, remember that they rejected the apostles, they rejected Jesus, and they will reject us. Shake the dust off your feet and move on!

v. 17- “But betware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues...”

The other day, when I was doing door-to-door visitation, there were some people that asked if we were Jehovah's Witnesses or Mormons, as if we must be one or the other. While JW's and Mormons are notorious for door-to-door visitation, it got me to thinking- “They must not be aware of other Christian goups that actually bring the gospel to their doorstep.” A quick yellow pages search showed that there are 546 Baptist church results in Jacksonville FL listed under “Churches-Baptist-Independent”. There were only 26 listed under Kingdom Hall (Jehovah's Witnesses). If there are over 20 times as many Baptist churches in Jacksonville, I wonder why so many people have never had somebody come to their home and share the gospel with them? Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of ways to share the Gospel, and I'm sure Baptists are doing it in a variety of ways, but I do sometimes wonder if we've lost the zeal that we've once had. Back to verse 17. Men will deliver you up to the councils. There will be times when the opposition will try to silence you any way they can. I've probably read this verse at least 20 times, but have you ever noticed where Jesus said they will scourge you? In the synagoges... This is where the Jews assembled to worship God. There will be times when the “religious” crowd will turn against you. To scourge means to whip or lash somebody, but can also mean punishment. Have you ever been punished for witnessing to someone?

v. 21- “And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.”

Have you ever had an Atheist, Agnostic, or Muslim try to quote the Bible and make it look like a hateful piece of writing? It's nothing new... Satan did the same thing (Matthew 4:6). This is one of their favorite verses. Especially when they say, “Jesus taught that” and sound like they know what they're talking about. Anytime someone quotes a verse that sounds kinda fishy, go back and look at the context. There IS a thing called context.  Jesus is saying that others will do this to his disciples. When you live your life for Christ, sometimes even family will turn against you. In certain cultures, families will disown their children for becoming a Christian. In others, such as certain Muslim cultures, they will kill you. This is why Jesus later says, “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” Don't let your family keep you from getting saved or living for God. When you live for God, you will love your family even more, and God can use you to help deliver them from Hell.

v. 24-25- “The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?”

When the world persecutes you, ridicules you, or forsakes you for following Christ, remember that we are not greater than our master. When Jesus cast out demons, the scribes said, “He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of devils casteth he out devils.” We live in a day when many people reject Jesus as God's Son, but say, “He was a great teacher.” We are now moving into a day when people are now attacking Jesus and God the Father. If they attack God, they will attack us. It is not us they hate, it's the God we serve.

There are plenty more great things found in Matthew 10, but I don't have time to go over them all. The general idea here in this chapter is that there is a price to serving God. If you are a child of God, don't be surprised when the world turns against you. Don't be surprised when your friends and your families forsake you. Embrace this fact and remember that God will never leave you.

Matthew 7- What is your life built upon?

Have you ever asked yourself this question? “What is my life built upon?” Our lives are all built upon something. As we progress through life, there are foundational principles that guide us. I rememer once reading a book by Dr. James Dobson. He gave an illustration that explained the formitive years of our life (Ages 15-25 or so), which compared them to wet concrete. As we progress through those years, most of our habits and behaviors are set for the rest of our lives. After much study, he found that most people do not change much after these years, and those that do, often have a harder time breaking away from the foundation they have built. Just like wet concrete, we are all getting set in our ways in some form or another.

Although Jesus never spoke of specific ages, he spoke of this foundation that our life is built upon.

Matthew 7:24-27 - “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.”

Two Houses

If you were to take a look at these houses, they may both look pretty good. Both houses may seem sturdy and look strong. In fact, both houses could look pretty much the same on the outside. Both of them may seem just fine. But there is an unseen difference, one is built upon a rock, and the other upon sand. 

The storms WILL come...

Both houses seem strong, but you notice that at some point or another, the storms will come. The rain will come down, the wind will blow, and the floods will come. How will these houses endure?

The Result

Only the house that is built upon the rock will last. So is the life that is built upon Jesus Christ. This world is constantly changing and is like shifting sand. Every few years there are new diet fads, clothing, and other things that really aren't as important as they would like to make us think. The house that is built upon sand may good at the moment, but when the storms come, it will fall down. So is the life that is built apart from Jesus Christ.

It is comforting to know that when you build your life upon Jesus Christ, you don't have to worry about change. Sure, we will still see the fads of this world, but when it comes to our foundation, He never changes. Malachi 3:6 says, “For I am the LORD, I change not;”. This world who is built upon shifting sand will never have that peace. In light of these truths, we should ask ourselves these questions:

“What is my life built upon?”

“If the foundational years of my life are like concrete, then where am I in this hardening process?”

“What habits and patterns in my life are in danger of hardening?”

“When the storms come (which they will), will my house stand?”