MATTHEW
7:1-14 - Jesus’ teaching
regarding Christian living can be related to His teaching in ‘the Lord’s
Prayer’ (6:9-13). We are not to pray one thing and do another. We are
to live the Lord’s Prayer. We receive forgiveness from God. We are to
show His forgiveness to others. We receive good things from God. We are
to be generous in our giving to others. Before you can live the
Christian Life, you must receive the Christian Life - Christ living in
your heart (Revelation 3.20). Before you can walk in ‘the way’, you must
enter by ‘the gate’ (13-14). Jesus speaks of two gates, two ways and
two destinations. He tells us that some will be saved and many will be
lost. What we must remember is this - Christ is ‘the Door’ (John 10:7),
‘the Way’ (John 14:6) and ‘our Hope of glory’ (Colossians 1:27). The
gate may be narrow, the way hard, but never forget this - Christ is ‘the
Gate’ and ‘the Way’ that leads to life.
7:15-29 -
Whenever we are seeking to follow Christ, there will be dangers - false
prophets (15-20), empty profession (21-23). Clearly, our faith must be
grounded in the Son of God and the Word of God. This is the point of
Jesus’ parable of the two builders and the two houses (24-27). We must
build upon Christ. We must build on the Word of God. Jesus’ ‘sermon’
ends in verse 27, and is followed - in verses 28-29 - by a statement of
its effect upon His hearers. Down through the centuries, Jesus’
teaching continues to make this impression on people. His words come to
us with authority, addressing us with remarkable relevance. We imagine
that our time is very different from Jesus’ time, yet Jesus’ words make
it very clear - things are not so different after all. Still, we hear
Him speaking as One who has authority. His Word is unchanged, unchanging
and unchangeable.
8:1-22 - In verses 1-17, we read of
three people who received the Lord’s blessing - the leper was cleansed
(1-4), the centurion's servant was healed (5-13), Peter's mother-in-law
was healed (14-17). Reading verses 18-22 together with Luke 9:57-62, we
learn of three people who did not receive the Lord's blessing (Matthew
mentions two, while Luke adds a third). Christ calls us to decision.
Some say ‘Yes’ to Him and they are blessed. Some say ‘No’, and they miss
out on the blessing. Christ touches our lives, and we are made clean
(3; 1 John 1.7) - ‘The vilest offender who truly believes, that moment
from Jesus a pardon receives’ (13; Church Hymnary, 374). Through
the entrance of His Word, we receive a new Spirit (16; Ezekiel
36:25-27). Cleansed and healed, we are to live as Christ’s disciples.
There is to be no half-heartedness: ‘I will follow you, Lord, but...’
(Luke 9:61). Yes, Lord!
8:23-9:17 - In 8:23-9:8, we read
of three great miracles, in which Christ demonstrates His power over
nature (23), demons (28-34) and sickness (1-8). Following such mighty
works of power, the next verse seems so ordinary - Jesus said, ‘Follow
me’. Matthew ‘rose and followed Him’ (9). Matthew’s conversion may seem
so unspectacular, but it is no less a mighty work of God than the great
miracles which preceded it. Where does the desire to follow Christ come
from? Does it come from our own sinful hearts? No! It comes from the
Word of Christ, spoken in power and love - ‘He drew me and I followed
on, charmed to confess the Voice Divine’ (Mission Praise, 499).
In the human heart there is resistance - we say, ‘I am “righteous”. “I
have no need” of a Saviour’ (12-13). This resistance is broken down by
Christ when ‘new wine is put into fresh wineskins’ (17).
9:18-38
- In Jesus’ miracles, we see Him triumph over sin, death and hell. As
well as healing, there is forgiveness (9:5-6), the raising of the dead
(18,24-25) and the casting out of demons (33). The Pharisees (Jewish
religious leaders) did not like what was happening, and they came up
with their own explanation - ‘He casts out demons by the prince of
demons’ (34). Jesus gives us another, better, explanation: ‘The Spirit
of the Lord is upon me...’ (Luke 4:18-19). Jesus was sent to preach the
Gospel. We are to bring the Gospel to other people. Jesus was
'teaching... preaching... and healing' (35). What opportunities there
are to bring the healing power of Christ into many hearts and homes!
These opportunities will be missed if ‘the labourers’ remain ‘few’ (37).
Many are ‘harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd’ (v.36).
We must not fail them!
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