Matthew 1-10

Enter God’s Kingdom through Faith…

Matthew was a tax collector and chosen by Jesus Christ as one of the 12 disciples. He left his profitable and corrupt business to follow Jesus. His book begins by showing that Jesus Christ was a descendant of King David. As the first book of the New Testament, it is not surprising why showing that Jesus Christ was the descendant of David is important as a link and fulfillment of the Old Testament. Matthew shows that God did not send Jesus as an earthly King, but rather a heavenly King. The kingdom of Jesus’ reign would be much greater than David’s, as it is eternal. This book speaks of the messages and ministry of Jesus. To be great in God’s kingdom means living by God’s standards NOW. Jesus came to show us how to live as faithful servants in His kingdom through characteristics like forgiveness, peace and selflessness. Jesus gave directions for right living and told many parables to discern the teachings for those who are ready to receive it and do something with it versus those that are not. This book also goes into the death and resurrection of Christ showing that although rejected, accused, arrested and crucified; the power through Jesus in overcoming the grave gives us the evidence we need to serve Him as our Lord and savior.

“This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit…She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins….The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means, God with us.” (Matthew 1:18-23) Both Mary and Joseph were direct descendants of David. Christ being born a virgin is significant because God’s son had to be free from the sinful nature passed on to all other human beings by Adam. Because Jesus was born through a woman, he was a human being; but as the son of God, Jesus was born without any trace of human sin. Thus, Jesus is both fully human and fully divine. Jesus lived as a man and thus fully understands our experiences and struggles. Jesus is also God means that he has the power and authority to deliver us from sin. Not only has Jesus experienced all that we experience, he has the ability to help. The unlimited God took on the limitations of humanity so he could live and die for our salvation. Jesus means “the Lord Saves”. We cannot save ourselves from sin and its consequences. He came to be our Savior from the power and penalty of sin.
Joseph, Jesus’ earthly father had many qualities for which to learn from. His decision to marry Mary was bold during those times, since she was with child prior to their coming together. It was disgraceful by society’s standards; however, Joseph was more concerned with the message sent to him by an angel of God and being obedient to God than pleasing society. His actions showed 1) righteousness, 2) discretion and sensitivity, 3) responsiveness to God and 4) self-discipline. Joseph was torn prior to having the dream where the angel of God spoke to him. He could have divorced Mary quietly. God’s option was to marry her anyway. Given the circumstances, this option had not occurred to Joseph originally. This is a great example of how our plans fall short to the will of God and that if we listen; God may reveal an option we had not thought of. Although Joseph seemed to be doing the right thing by breaking the engagements; only God’s guidance helped him make the best decision. When our decisions affect the lives of others, we must always seek God’s wisdom. Joseph’s choices show us that the strength of what we believe is measured by how much we are willing to suffer for those beliefs. Joseph was prepared to not only to what was right, but also the right way. Lessons from Joseph’s life show that God honors integrity and that being obedient to the guidance we receive from God leads to more guidance from Him.

“In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea and saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.’ This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: ‘A voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’ “ (Matthew 3:1-3) Repentance means to do a 180 degree turn from the kind of self-centeredness that leads to wrong actions such as lying, cheating, stealing, gossiping, taking revenge, abusing, and indulging in sexual immorality. A person who repents stops rebelling and begins following God’s way of living. The first step is to admit your sin. Then God will receive you and help you live the way He wants. God doesn’t expect us to clean up our lives before we come to him, for He is the only one who can remove our sin. John preached and lived out what he preached. Do you practice what you preach? Could people discover your beliefs merely by observing the way you live? God looks beyond our words and “religious” activities to see if our conduct supports what we say. Do your actions match your words?
God’s message in the New Testament is consistent with the Old Testament: People will be judged for their unproductive lives. God calls us to be ACTIVE in our obedience. To be productive for God, we must obey his teachings, resist temptation, actively serve and help others, and share our faith. Are you productive for God?
John the Baptist baptized Jesus because 1)he was confessing sin on behalf of the nation, as Nehemiah, Ezra, Moses and Daniel had done, 2) he was showing support for what John was doing, 3) he was inaugurating his public ministry, 4) he was identifying with the penitent people of God, not with the critical Pharisees who were only watching.
“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”(Matthew 4:1-4) The time when Satan tempts Jesus in the desert shows that Jesus really was the Son of God; able to overcome the devil and his temptations. A person shows true obedience when they have the opportunity to disobey and do not. We are all tested on a regular basis. Our convictions are only strong if they hold up under pressure!

Satan is a fallen angel and very real. He is constantly fighting against those who follow and obey God. Satan’s temptations are real and he is always trying to deceive us into living his way or our own way rather than God’s way. If Jesus would have given in to temptation, then his mission on earth-to die for our sins and give us the opportunity to have eternal life-would have been lost. The next time you sense a strong pull or an especially strong temptation, and you consider giving in and rationalizing to get what you want, consider whether Satan may be trying to block God’s purposes for YOUR life or for SOMEONE ELSE’S life! Be on guard of this. We are involved in spiritual battles everyday and God can equip you to overcome the evil force against you when you receive Him in your heart. It’s also important to consider where Jesus was tempted. He was tempted in the desert where he was hungry, tired, alone and most VULNERABLE. The devil often tempts us when we are vulnerable: under physical or emotional stress, lonely, tired, weighing big decisions, or faced with uncertainty. The devil also likes to tempt us through our strengths, where we are most susceptible to pride. For Jesus, the devil tempted Him in 3 main areas 1) physical needs and desires 2) possessions and power 3) pride. Jesus did not give in. We are tempted in these very same ways all the time and therefore, we can trust that since Jesus has been through it; He understands it and can therefore give us the strength to overcome.

“Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’ Jesus answered, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”(Matthew 4:5-7) You may be tempted to ask God to prove his existence or his love to you. Jesus taught a parable that people who don’t believe what is written in the Bible won’t believe even if someone were to come back from the dead to warn them (Luke 16:31) God wants us to live by faith, not by magic or sight. Don’t try to manipulate God by asking for signs rather than trusting Him to reveal His plan in His time. Satan was trying to distort Jesus’ perspective by making him focus on worldly power and not God’s plans through his temptations in the desert.
The three main aspect of Jesus’ ministry was teaching, preaching and healing. Teaching shows Jesus’ concern for UNDERSTANDING, preaching shows his concern for COMMITMENT, and healing shows his concern for WHOLENESS. Christ can heal us, not just of physical sickness, but of spiritual sickness as well. Jesus’ words offered freedom, hope, peace of heart, and eternal life with God. The Good News or Gospel is that the kingdom of heaven has come and that God is with us and loves us.

The Sermon on the Mount is where Jesus gave the Beatitudes. Jesus proclaimed his attitude toward the law. Position, authority, and money are not important in his kingdom- what matters is faithful obedience from the heart. The Sermon on the Mount challenged the proud and legalistic religious leaders of the day. It called them back to the message of the Old Testament about heartfelt obedience being more important than legalistic observance. His words seem to contradict each other; however, God’s way of living usually contradicts the worlds. To live for God, you must be willing to give when others take, to love when others hate, to help when others abuse. By giving up your own rights in order to serve others, you will one day receive everything God has for you!

In understanding the Beatitudes(Matthew 5:3-12), they are a code of ethics, they contrast the kingdom values with worldly values, they contrast the superficial “faith” of the Pharisees with the real faith that Christ wants, and they show how the Old Testament expectations will be fulfilled in the new kingdom. To Jesus, “blessed” means the experience of hope and joy, independent of outward circumstances. “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”(Matthew 5:11, 12) Persecution can be good because 1) it takes our eyes off earthly rewards 2) it strips away superficial belief 3) it strengthens the faith of those who endure and 4) our attitude through it serves as an example to others who follow. God’s greatest prophets were persecuted.

“You are the light of the world.”(Matthew 5:14) We hide our light by 1) being quiet when we should speak 2) going along with the crowd 3) denying the light 4) letting sin dim our light 5) not explaining our light to others 6) ignoring the needs of others.
Jesus teaches about anger: “Anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment…Settle matters quickly with your adversary.”(Matthew 5:22, 25) A seething, brooding bitterness against someone is a dangerous emotion. Broken relationships can hinder our relationship with God. If we have a problem or grievance with a friend, we should resolve the problem as soon as possible. We are hypocrites if we claim to love God while we hate others. Our attitudes toward others reflect our relationship with God.

Jesus teaches about Lust. “I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. “(Matthew 5:28) Jesus said that the desire to have sex with someone other than your spouse is mental adultery and thus sin. Jesus emphasized that if the act is wrong, then so is the intention. Acting out sinful desires is harmful in several ways: 1) it causes people to excuse sin rather than to stop sinning; 2) it destroys marriages; 3) it is deliberate rebellion against God’s Word; 4) it always hurts someone else in addition to the sinner. Sinful action is more dangerous than sinful desire, and that is why desires should not be acted out.

“I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery. Divorce is as hurtful today as it was in Jesus’ day. God intends marriage as a lifelong commitment. People should never consider divorce an option when entering into a marriage. Those who discover that their partner has been unfaithful should first make every effort to forgive, reconcile and restore their relationship. We are always to look for reasons to restore the marriage relationship rather than for excuses to leave it. Keeping oaths and promises is important; it builds trust and makes committed human relationships possible.

“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you that you may be sons of your father in heaven…be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:44, 48) How can we be perfect? 1) In character; we cannot be flawless, but we can aspire to be as much like Christ as possible. 2) In holiness; we are to separate ourselves from the world’s sinful values. We are to be devoted to God’s desires rather than our own, and carry his love and mercy in to the world. 3) In maturity; we can grow toward maturity and wholeness; God expects different behavior from us depending on our stage of spiritual development. 4) In love; we can seek to love others as completely as God loves us. We can be perfect if our behavior is appropriate for our maturity level, perfect yet with much room to grow.

Jesus teaches about prayer. “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”(Matthew 6:6-8) Jesus encourages persistent prayer. When we pray, “your will be done”, we are not resigning ourselves to fate, but praying that God’s perfect purpose will be accomplished in this world as well as in the next.

“For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”(Matthew 6:14) Jesus gives a warning about forgiveness, for how can we pray and ask for forgiveness and turn around and deny our brother the very grace we enjoy every day? If we refuse to forgive others, God will also refuse to forgive us.

Jesus teaches about money. “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and rust do not destroy and where thieves do not break and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also…The eye is the lamp of the body.”(Matthew 6:19-22) Whatever you store up, you will spend much of your time and energy thinking about. Don’t fall into the materialistic trap because the love of money is the root of a lot of evil. Take a look at your spending habits and that will be a good gauge of where your heart is. “No one can serve two masters. You cannot serve both God and money” (Matthew 6:24)

Jesus teaches about worry. “Do not worry about your life…who of you by worrying can add a single day hour to his life? Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”(Matthew 6:25, 27, 34) Worry can 1) damage your health;2) cause the object of your worry to consume your thoughts, 3) disrupt your productivity, 4) negatively affect the way you treat others, and 5) reduce your ability to trust in God. Here is the difference between worry and genuine concern- worry immobilizes, but concern moves you to action. Planning for tomorrow is time well spent; worrying about tomorrow is time wasted. Careful planning is thinking ahead about goals, steps and schedules and trusting in God’s guidance. Planning can help alleviate worry. Worriers, by contrast, are consumed by fear and find it difficult to trust God. They let their plans interfere with their relationship with God.

Jesus teaches about criticism. “Do not judge, or you too will be judged…How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. “(Matthew 1-5) Jesus tells us to examine our own motives and conduct instead of judging others. The traits that bother us in others are often the habits we dislike in ourselves. It is important to judge yourself first and then LOVINGLY forgive and help your neighbor. It is hypocritical to judge others and that attitude tears others down in order to build oneself up. There is a call to be discerning rather than negative. Jesus said to expose false teachers and Paul said to exercise church discipline, but to trust God to be the judge.

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who o in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you.”(Matthew 7:7-12) Knowing God takes faith, focus and follow-through. Don’t give up in your efforts to seek God. He will give you the patience, wisdom, love and understanding.
When Jesus healed the Blind and the mute, he healed them according to their faith. He didn’t respond immediately to the blind men; he waited to see if they had faith. Not everyone who says he wants help really God can help him. When you think that God is slow in answering your prayers, consider that he might be testing you as he did the blind men. Do you really want his help? “Even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”(Matthew 10:30) God knew us before we were born and loves us; He wants us to prove our love for him through our faith and trust in him.

Matthew had a clear idea of how much it would cost to follow Jesus, yet he didn’t hesitate. For Matthew, there was no backup plan; no turning back. When Matthew decided to follow Jesus, first, God gave him a new and fulfilling life that he had not known as a tax collector and second, new purpose for his skills. From the beginning, God made him a record keeper, as a tax collector and then to author Jesus’ account. Jesus’ call allowed him to put his skills to their finest work. Much of what God has for us he gives long before we are able to consciously respond to him. He trusts us with skills and abilities ahead of schedule. Have you ever wondered how you can have a natural ability at something that is a mystery to others? The first clue is that it’s not YOU that created that skill; but the work of God. God has made us each capable of being his servant. When we trust him with what he has given us, we begin a life of real adventure. Lessons we learn from Matthew’s life are that Jesus consistently accepted people from every level of society.