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Reading the Gospels in 2026 (10/5): Matthew 6:25-34.

Oct5

Read and Believe in Jesus.

“Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness…” Matthew 6:33.

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REVIEW – What is at the CENTER of our thinking, our vision, and our emotions? Jesus said they should be on things “above,” towards the light, and on God.

“Where your treasure is, there will your HEART be.”

“If your EYE is healthy, your whole body will be full of Light.”

“LOVE and serve only one Master: the Lord God.”

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Matthew 6:25.

“Therefore… Jesus connects those “heavenly” ideas above to the down-to-earth worries we all have. He says that if our hearts are devoted to things above, our vision is centered on the light of truth, and we love God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and bodies… then we should not be anxious about anything.

Jesus instructed us to pray simply, “Give us this day our daily bread.” If we pray sincerely and with faith, why should we worry about food or anything else?

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Matthew 6:26.

Jesus tells his followers (sitting on the hillside and us too) to Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are YOU not of more value than the birds?”

As His listeners looked up and spotted some sparrows or gulls, they might have nodded slightly in agreement. “Huh, I never thought about that.”

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Matthew 6:27.

“And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his lifespan?” We today would probably agree totally, and in fact know that anxiety and stress can actually subtract hours, days and years from your life.

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Matthew 5:28-30

“Consider the lilies of the field how they grow…” Surely this crowd glanced around at the flower covered hills, and perhaps even picked a small daisy or scarlet poppy growing by their knee to look at it closely.

“…they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.” More nods as they really look closely at the intracacies of the flowers around them.

“But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?”

Perhaps foreheads are wrinkled in consternation as they consider the velvety petals of the flowers compared to the roughspun material of their own tunics and robes. There’s a bit of doubt there as they doubt they’d ever have robes like Solomons. Perhaps their faith WAS small.

Then Jesus brings them back to His Kingdom.

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Matthew 6:31-33.

Since God takes such good care of His world – from the tiny birds that flit in the air to the fields of flowers covering the hills around Capernaum – “Therefore, DO NOT BE ANXIOUS! ”

“Don’t say, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink? or ‘What shall we wear?’ for your heavenly Father KNOWS that you need them all.”

God knows all of that. Trust Him.

“But seek FIRST the kingdom of God and HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, and all these things will be added to you.”

Take care of the things God has called you to do… first. And He will take care of the things you need. No problem.

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.“Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness, Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, trust in Him, and He will act. He will bring forth YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS as the light and your justice as the noon day.” Psalm 37:3-6

“Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Luke 12:31.

Again, Jesus is pressing them to look up to the things of God.

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Matthew 6:34.

“Therefore (the third time He uses the word in this section, Jesus is building on each truth, taking them deeper into the heart of God), “…do not be ANXIOUS about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

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But also, we are not to be PRESUMPTUOUS.

James 4:13-14 – “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit.’ Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead your OUGHT to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.'”

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Reading the Gospels in 2026 (9/30): Matthew 6:1-4.

Sep30

Read and Believe in Jesus.

“Beware of practicing your righteous deeds before other people in order to be seen by them…” Matthew 6:1

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REVIEW – Jesus has been teaching the crowd on the mountainside that those in HIS kingdom are righteous. They carry their obedience to the Law beyond the “letter” (the actual words) to the very heart of the Law and their God. Don’t do the least you can to obey the Law; instead, go beyond what you can to show love for your Father in heaven and to all people.

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Matthew 6:1-2.

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them.”

Remember, Jesus is not saying these people were righteous. Even the uber-righteous-acting Pharisees fell FAR short of what God required. See Matthew 5:20. Jesus is talking here about righteous acts, the things they did, and WE do, that make us “feel” like we’re not so bad after all.

In this section (6:1-21), Jesus talks about giving to the poor, prayer, and fasting. Any or all of these can become a way to pump up our pride. Beware, because our “righteousness” comes only from the Lord.

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“Thus when you give…” Yes, we are to give to the needy. God WANTS us to do this.

Deuteronomy 15:11 “For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’“

It’s not THAT we give our money, but HOW we do it, that Jesus calls attention to.

“…sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues (Can you imagine that?) and in the streets, that they may be praised by others.”

Jesus condemns giving our “alms” blatantly, boastfully, drawing attention to ourselves when we drop a dollar (or a hundred) in the offering plate or hand a coin (or a five) to a homeless man. Do we make sure someone is watching first? Do we wave our offering about so people look our way?

Beware, Jesus says, for you have your reward right there in the moment. No “treasure” is stored up for you in heaven for this selfish, prideful act. If man sees and approves of your actions, God usually does not.

So how ARE we to give to the poor, to missions, to the work of our church?

In secret.

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Matthew 6:3-4.

Jesus says, when you give, don’t let “your left hand know what your right hand is doing.”

What does that mean? Are we talking about husband and wife here? No, giving is actually something that a married couple should share.

Jesus implies you should give so discreetly that you don’t even mentally congratulate yourself or dwell on your own generosity. Keep your giving to the needy, or tithing to your church, a secret. (Okay, your church treasurer knows how much, but that’s another discussion.)

If you do this, YOU will feel better (guaranteed), and your heavenly Father (the One who really counts) will reward you. He SEES either way you give, but when you give “for His sake alone,” He will reward you.

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What kind of reward? You won’t know. OR…maybe you will. We have found that when we are faithful to the Lord in giving – in obedience and to please Him – He blesses us in so many ways we can’t keep up.

Read Malachi 3:10. Really! Do it right now!

And if you have time, read Philippians 4:14-19 too.

Reading the Gospels in 2026 (9/28): Matthew 5:33-37.

Sep28

Read and Believe in Jesus.

“.” Matthew

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REVIEW – Last time, Jesus taught about adultery and divorce in His kingdom of heaven, where humility, gentleness, mercy, and purity of heart should be found. Betrayal in the form of unfaithfulness should be the ONLY reason for divorce, and even then, it would be better to confess your sins to one another (James 5:16), forgive, and be reconciled.

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Matthew 6:33-36.

“You’ve heard it said by those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn‘.” (See Leviticus 19:12, Numbers 30:2, and Deuteronomy 23:21, 23.)

In other words, if you make a vow to God or to another person, fulfill it quickly and completely. That’s pretty easy to understand. If you say you will do something, do it. Be honest and honorable.

Now you may have been “less than honest” in the past, so others no longer believe your promises. What are you to do?

In this case, Jesus says not to multiply your sins. “Do not take an oath, either by heaven or the earth, or by Jerusalem.” (to make it sound like you are really, REALLY sincere this time) For these are holy to God. Instead of making your vow or promise more sure, you are profaning the things of God.

(Isaiah 66:1 quotes the LORD saying, “Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool.” Psalm 48:2 says that Jerusalem is “the city of the Great King,” referring to God, not David.)

Jesus says you aren’t even to swear “by your head,” for you can’t make one hair white or black. (Well, today, you CAN by using hair dye, but He means that when you swear, you can’t.)

And no one will believe you more if you “swear by your grandmother’s grave,” or your “class ring,” or by “crossing your heart,” or by “linking pinkie fingers.”

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Matthew 5:37.

So what is the solution for someone who sincerely wants to live in the light of the kingdom of heaven?

Jesus makes it simple. Just say “Yes.” Or “No.” And mean it. “Anything more than this comes from evil. (the evil one).

Start now; it may take a while for others to believe your promises. Like the LORD, your word should be true. Always.

Reading the Gospels in 2026 (9/25): Matthew 5:27-32.

Sep25

Read and Believe in Jesus.

“But I say to you….” Matthew 5:28a

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REVIEW – Last time, Jesus began a series of “heart understandings” about the Law. The overt action may be murder, but in the heart and the mouth is where it begins. Anger, insults, and degrading name calling is just the beginning. Jesus said these are just as worthy of judgment as the final act of murder.

HIS followers are to go and reconcile with the offended person before doing anything else. Only then can the law “clean” us to worship our holy God. He warned if we don’t come to terms with the other fellow (or gal), things will get very, very bad.

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Matthew 5:27-30.

As before, Jesus first calls their attention to the Law. “You have heard that it was said…” reminding them of the 8th commandment. (Exodus 20:14) “You shall not commit adultery.”

That’s pretty clear.

But once again, Jesus tells them, that this gross sin begins inside of us with the eyes and the mind (imagination). Inside, where no one else can see or condemn… except God.

“But I say to you… everyone who LOOKS at a woman (or man) (and this could also include pornography) with LUSTFUL INTENT has already committed adultery in his heart.”

A look, an imagining of sexual delight…or violence…and the sin is committed. The thought, the continual contemplating and adding to the scenario, is as the deed. Wow. And the longer it goes on, the worse it gets. Yes, you know it. Eventually the deed WILL be done, or at least attempted (with that person, or another one).

How serious does Jesus take this?

VERY!

He says if you find yourself looking with lustful delight, causing you to sin … gouge out your eye!!!

Now that is serious!

(And, if it keeps happening with the other eye, I think He might say, gouge that one out too!) What is being blind compared to being separated from the Holy God?

SIN IS SERIOUS. It is an affront to God. ESPECIALLY for a believer, a follower of Jesus.

“Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.“ 1 Corinthians 6:18-20.

Jesus carries the remedy further with, “And if your right (dominant) hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It’s better to lose your members than your whole body … and go into hell.”

I believe Jesus could also mean by your ‘right hand’, that you are to eliminate every sinful deed you are prone to do or accomplish. It’s not just a leud man patting or pinching a woman’s bottom at the office. The “right” or dominate hand represents your strength. Cut it off if it causes you to sin!

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Matthew 5:31-32.

“It was also said,” (Jesus continues) “whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.”

God gave this provision to Israel for the welfare of women.

Husbands who no longer wanted their wives – for some little thing they did or didn’t do, or because the man had lusted after another, younger, prettier woman – could just kick them out to manage on their own. Often their father would not accept them back into the family house, and without resources, they would eventually die or become a prostitute.

To save them from this, Moses required unhappy husbands to write their wives a certificate of divorce. That way, she could legally become the wife of another man. It was a concession, and NOT God’s perfect plan. But it rescued the unwanted wives.

But notice Jesus’s heart-understanding of this concession. “But I say to you, that every man who divorces his wife – except on the ground of sexual immorality – makes her commit adultery.” (either by prostitution or marrying another man while still married to the unhappy one). A man was not to simply “divorce” his wife for every little thing that bothered him, or even something big. Reconciliation is always the first step.

It’s God’s way. After man sinned in the garden of Eden, God could have thrown us away and created a new world. But no, He provided a way (Jesus’ death) that we could be reconciled to Him.

Our Lord is so kind. For women (or men) today, this means that if divorce occurs because of unreconciled unfaithfulness (the first option is always to seek reconciliation, as with the first of Jesus’ saying about someone offending you), the divorced one is free to marry again.

It’s NOT God’s perfect way. There will be complications with possessions, finances, and the children (who are often hurt most). But God’s heart of love, SO loves His children, that He allows this, though I believe every divorce grieves Him.

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.Do you wonder, like me, how the people on the hillside received Jesus’ words. Were they confused, perplexed? Did the more learned of them go back in their minds to see the Torah’s writing, and nod at this new wisdom? Was there fear, or joy, in their heart? Did they now long for the kingdom of heaven this Jesus was preaching?

Or was that first stirring of disappointment rising. Reconciling? Sexual purity? What did that have to do with the Messiah freeing them from Rome?

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.(NOTE: for those who read my closing thought yesterday, yes I did go to my husband, confess my offense, and ask forgiveness. And he gladly, quickly, forgave me. What a relief! And my prayers to God came so much easier afterward! Thank You, Jesus. Your heart-teaching is what we need every day.)

Reading the Gospels in 2026 (9/24): Matthew 5:17-26.

Sep24

Read and Believe in Jesus.

“I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:20

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REVIEW – True disciples of Jesus are “salt” and “light” to the world. Our manner of life, our “attitudes,” and our testimonies should cause others to thirst for Jesus. And by not hiding our faith, either in the world or in our families, we can show others how to find Him.

It’s not that His followers SHOULD BE salt and light; we ARE salt and light. So let’s allow Him to shake us out of our comfort zones, remove our timidness and fears, and change us into bold witnesses for Him.

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Matthew 5:17-20.

The Law.

Does Jesus teach “the Law”?

Now that the Messiah has come, do we ignore the Law?

What was/is the purpose of the law then, and now?

Right off, Jesus makes one thing clear to His listeners. He has NOT come to abolish (get rid of, or nullify) the Law.

Jesus said, “I have not come to abolish, but to fulfill the Law. Truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one ‘jot or tittle’ will pass from the Law until ALL is accomplished.”

NOTE: Jots and tittles were the tiny marks that made up the Hebrew letters (like the dots over the i’s and j’s, and the crossing of the t’s in English).

Jesus fulfilled the “moral law” by keeping it perfectly.

Jesus fulfilled the “ceremonial law” by being everything the types and symbols pointed to.

And Jesus fulfilled the “judicial law” by exhibiting God’s perfect justice and ‘paying the wages’ of OUR sin on the cross.

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“Therefore, whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same, will be called ‘least’ in the kingdom…” and “…whoever does and teaches them will be called ‘great’…”

Don’t ignore God’s law: obey it humbly, and teach it rightly.

And then that shocker!

‘Unless YOUR righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will NEVER enter the kingdom of heaven.”

The people saw and heard the religious leaders brag about keeping the last speck of the law (no, going over and beyond it!), and how they paraded their good deeds before all the ‘lesser’ people, even thanking God that THEY were not like those nobodies. How could anyone keep the law better than they?

Jesus saw right through the Pharisees’ shiny facade to the filth and defilement (pride, greed, hate) in their hearts. He would later call them out, comparing them to ‘whitewashed tombs’. No, the people of HIS kingdom were to exhibit true righteousness, which comes from acknowledgment of sin and godly repentance.

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Matthew 5:21-26.

‘You have heard that it was said…”

And now Jesus begins a section of “explaining” the heart and truth of the Law – those parts of God’s word that the Pharisees didn’t “get.” He begins the next six sections in Matthew five with these or similar words, then gives the text from Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5.

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“…You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.” (Exodus 20:13)

Then, Jesus goes deeper into God’s law, revealing the heart attitudes that come BEFORE the act of murder.

“But I say to you that everyone who is ANGRY with his brother… whoever INSULTS his brother… whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to judgment, and… even the hell of fire.

WOW! Why?

Because those are “murder” in your heart and mouth. It just hasn’t come out in actions.

How often have I been angry with a loved one, insulted them, or called them offensive names!!! Jesus says these are worthy of judgment as much as murder. HIS kingdom is one of meekness, mercy, purity of heart, and a desire to reconcile with others. THIS is the heart of God behind the law.

So what is Jesus’ resolution to these angry attitudes towards others?

Don’t keep on going like nothing is wrong while you seethe inside (or perhaps plot violence!).

Jesus says to “reconcile with your brother and quickly come to terms with your accuser,” and only THEN can you come before Him with a “pure heart” and make your offerings. He will accept them now.

And you won’t end up in the hangman’s noose or in prison with a life sentence.

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(Oh, boy, has this smacked me in the face! I was recently very angry with my husband. I insulted him and called him a fool, in so many words. It has weighed heavily on my conscience. THIS is NOT how I must live in Jesus’ kingdom. Today, when he returns from work, I will apologize, ask for his forgiveness, and reconcile with him. And THEN I will go to my Heavenly Father and do the same.)

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Reading the Gospels in 2026 (9/23): Matthew 5:13-16.

Sep23

Read and Believe in Jesus.

“You are the salt of the earth.” Matthew 5:13.

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REVIEW – The “beatitudes” began Jesus’ well-known Sermon on the Mount. Here He was speaking to His disciples or followers. He’d taken a break from the “healing” side of His ministry and began teaching those seeking His kingdom. Jesus taught the attitudes found in His disciples’ lives. All the attitudes, of course, are mirrored in HIM.

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Matthew 5:13.

“You are the salt of the earth.” How are believers, followers of Christ, the “salt” of the earth? Consider what salt does.

We first think of the flavor that salt adds to our food. Veggies and meats seem “bland” without it. We even sprinkle salt crystals on desserts! People on salt-free or low-salt diets can testify to this aspect! Salt enhances our appetite. It can also make us thirsty and send us to the faucet (or water bottle).

How can our lives glorify God and make people hungry/thirsty for the gospel?

In Bible times (and today), people used salt to preserve food. Salted fish was a staple in people’s diets. Preserved in salt, fish could be kept for those times when the nets were empty. Today, non-Jews eat salt-preserved meats like ham and lunch meats. Some veggies are preserved in brine too.

Christians can sometimes preserve or delay judgment on a nation or a town. Think of how Abraham interceded with God over the wicked city of Sodom. If there were ten righteous people in it, God told Abraham He would not destroy it. Sadly, only one was righteous: Lot lived there, and you know how that ended.

How can our lives and bold testimonies help to preserve our nation or family?

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One other aspect of salt is that it can cauterize a wound and promote healing.

Our lives lived for the Lord Jesus alone can sometimes lead us to hurting, injured people. Our words – even spoken in love, but truthfully – can often cause more pain. But it’s temporary if the person repents and turns to Jesus.

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“But if the salt has lost its savor…” Now, in reality, salt cannot lose its saltiness.

But in the area around the Dead Sea where a lot of salt was mined, the heavy mineral content could leach into the condiment, making it bitter. If that happened, they threw the useless “salt” out into the roadways. It would at least kill weeds. In snowy parts of the world, it is used to melt snow and ice on roadways and help to prevent accidents.

(Father, keep me pleasing to the “taste” of those around me, and help my life and testimony to draw others to seek You.)

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Matthew 5:14-16.

“You are the light of the world.”

Just as Jesus is “the Light of the world,” so should His disciples be. He clearly taught people the way to the kingdom. His “light” revealed His sinless life as the Lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world. His light revealed the “way” to the Father – by believing in His death to pay for our sin, and His resurrection to give us hope.

Our words and lives should do the same … show others the Way.

Notice that in these verses there are two kinds and two places for the light.

The first: “A city set on a hill.” Now, a city in the woods may be hard to find, but not one at the top of a hill. Anyone can see it. And if that city is full of light, it is visible for miles, even (or especially) in the darkness.

This should be us and our testimony. Not hidden, but an open testimony of what Jesus has done for us, shining out to the world around us.

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The second: “A lamp in a house.” Jesus tells us that no one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket or bowl. What would be the point? No, we put a candle on a lampstand, a mantle, or in the center of the table, so it lights the whole room. Likewise, in our homes and families, and even in our occupations, no one should be unaware of our salvation.

If not by words of testimony, at least by the “attitudes” we live by and the good works we do for His sake. These too will glorify God.

As we do not hide a little clay lamp under a bowl, we should not hide the glorious truth that Jesus has saved us from our sin, the wrath of God, and has promised us an eternity with Him.

What light! Let it shine out! Surely our families will want to learn about it and come to Jesus too!

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Reading the Gospels in 2026 (9/22): Matthew 5:1-12.

Sep22

Read and Believe in Jesus.

“And He opened His mouth and taught them.” Matthew 5:2

NOTE: I’m sorry this is late to post. My Internet was down for most of the day.

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REVIEW – Last time, we saw an overview of Jesus’ beginning ministry. He was teaching, preaching, and healing all who came to Him – huge masses of hurting, needy people from all over the area. He taught in synagogues, in the streets, from boats, and on hillsides. He offered hope for healing and health. He also offered hope of heaven. How many saw that? How many received it?

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Matthew 5:1-2.

“Seeing the crowds, He went up on the mountain…”

Perhaps Jesus wanted to escape the masses who only sought relief from their pain and discomfort. Maybe He wanted to speak more closely to those who heard Him talk of heaven and a kingdom beyond the here and now, and wanted more.

“…and when He sat down, His disciples came to Him.”

“To see a rabbi “sit down” meant that He was about to teach. Our teachers usually stand in front of a class, but Jewish teachers sat. “Students” would then gather around Him to listen, and possibly ask questions. For Jesus, this was like a “Closed until 2:00pm” sign on the doctor’s office door. He would “see” patients later.

There were many “followers” (disciples, if you will) at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. Most were superficial, and we’ll see Jesus eliminate the insincere with probing questions (See Luke 14 and Mark 10) and later with His “hard teachings”. (See John 6)

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Matthew 5:3-10.

We know this section as the “Beatitudes.” (The be-attitudes; the attitudes for Christians to have and exhibit.) I had to memorize them as a child in Sunday School. I even learned how to sing them. But how well do I know them as Jesus meant? How many of them do others (or Jesus) see in my life?

“Blessed are…” The word means “happy, fortunate, blissful.” Jesus was describing the “well-being” that belongs only to the faithful. This is entirely different from the world’s happiness, which comes (fleetingly) from riches, fame, power, and leisure, etc.

Jesus shows us eight (or nine) of these things that cause blessedness for believers, but which totally boggle the minds of unbelievers.

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“…the poor in spirit,” Humility, spiritual bankruptcy. To be ‘poor in spirit’ means to be acutely aware that you are lost and hopeless apart from God’s grace. THIS is how we first come to Jesus, acknowledging our sin and helplessness to save ourselves, looking to Him as the only way to salvation and eternal life. “…for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Yep, that’s the way to get in!)

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“…those who mourn,” This is the “godly sorrow” a true seeker of God experiences. It’s a real sorrow that leads to repentance without regret. (2 Corinthians 7:10) When a fresh believer is on their knees (or face) before God, weeping over past sins, they will soon sense true forgiveness flooding their soul. “…for they shall be comforted.”

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“…the meek,” This is not weakness or timidity, but gentleness and Spirit-empowered self-control. Jesus claimed that HE was gentle (meek) and lowly in heart (See Matthew 11:29), and yet He made a whip and drove out merchants and moneychangers from the Temple.

(Take a few minutes here to read Psalm 37:1-11. It describes how to become a “meek” believer.) Yes, the Lord will give you the desires of your heart, because your heart is His. “…they shall inherit the earth.” And the Psalms passage adds, “…and delight themselves in the abundance of peace.”

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“…those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.” This means seeking God and HIS righteousness, and NOT trying to be good or do good things in our own strength (which is impossible anyway for more than a few minutes). Self-righteousness was the main problem of the Pharisees in Jesus’ time. They thought they needed nothing but their own knowledge and willpower to stand righteous before God.

Remember the parable Jesus told about the Pharisee and the Tax Collector? WHO was the one righteous in God’s sight? Not the one who bragged of all his good deeds, but the one in his poverty, confessed his sin and begged for mercy. Jesus said, HE went away “justified” or “righteous” in God’s sight. I know his heart was filled with joy as he rose from his knees and went home. “…for they shall be satisfied.”

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“…the merciful.” These are the people who consistantly give others “a second chance,” who “give others the benefit of the doubt,” and who, by remembering the rich mercy with which God loved and saved them… easily and generously give it to others. James 2:13 tells us that “judgment is without mercy for those who show no mercy.” So lets direct our hearts always to the tender mercies we received and can give out. “…for they shall receive mercy.”

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“…the pure in heart.” Wow, this certainly can’t be accomplished in our own strength. Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; who can understand it?” Jesus taught that all the wicked things that come out of our mouths originate in our hearts. PURE in heart? Who can do it? No one. Only Christ. He has promised that “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS.” (1John1:9) Praise God.

“…for they shall see God. And truly, THESE are the only ones who will SEE God.

Revelation 22:3-4 says, “No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it (New Jerusalem), and His servants will worship Him. They will see His face... “

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“…the peacemakers.” We know who these rare people are. They are filled with the “wisdom from above, which is pure, peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. They sow peace and receive a harvest of righteousness.” (James 3:17-18). These are those who love their enemies and pray for them. And “…they shall be called sons of God.” Why? Because Jesus, God’s Son, made peace between His Father and us by His blood on the cross.

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“…those who are persecuted for righteousness sake.” Whoa, that doesn’t sound right. This is not persecution because we are fools or sinners or do stupid things. The persecution here is for Christ’s sake, because we are one of His, because His life and light show out from us to a dark world. Those in darkness do NOT like light and try to extinguish it. We may be martyred, but Jesus promises we will be with Him in glory. “for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

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And then, it’s as though Jesus turns from those sitting all around Him on that hillside, and looks straight out at US. You and me.

And He says, “Blessed are YOU when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely ON MY ACCOUNT. Rejoice and be glad, for YOUR reward is in heaven…”

He repeats the previous beatitude, making it personal to us. Then it seems He speaks to US as well as to the crowd of followers around Him.

“…for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Believers who love and follow Jesus, we are in good company! And one day we will stand with those prophets we read about in the Old Testament and receive the rewards Jesus spoke of. AND… a crown of life.

Persevere!

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Reading the Gospels in 2026 (9/11): Matthew 2:19-23.

Sep11

Remembering the lives lost in the events of September 11, 2001

Read and Believe in Jesus.

“He shall be called a Nazarene.” Matthew 2:23

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REVIEW – After the visit from the Magi, who were seeking to WORSHIP the young King of the Jews, the evil-hearted Herod mercilessly slaughtered all the baby boys under two in Bethlehem, in an attempt to DESTROY the young King of the Jews. Certainly, he was filled with and controlled by the devil, who, since God’s promise of a Savior in Genesis, had been trying to stop God’s plan of redemption.

However, God warned Joseph in a dream shortly after the Magi departed to take Jesus and Mary to Egypt ASAP. Again, Joseph immediately obeyed. The gifts the Magi had brought were instrumental in their escape and their livelihood in Egypt.

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Mathew 2:19-21.

King Herod did not last long after the massacre of the children. He was already full of a despicable disease from which he’d tried every known cure without success. In his madness, he’d already killed his ‘beloved’ wife Mariamme, and many of his sons and relatives in an attempt to keep them from deposing him.

But God has the last word when a king is dethroned, and a man dies.

The great Herod succumbed to his disease … and Jerusalem rejoiced … for a minute. He still had a few sons by other wives who could take his throne. Who would it be?

The Roman emperor, Augustus, would decide. After some scrambling and many bribes, in which Herod Antipas tried for the spot, the wicked and brutal Archelaus, son of Herod’s Samaritan wife, became the new king of Judea, Samaria, and Idumea. (Antipas was sent to rule over Galilee and Perea. He was the “Herod” of Jesus’ ministry.)

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(NOTE: Archelaus was so ineffective that Rome eventually deposed him and appointed a series of governors. Pontius Pilate was the fifth governor of Judea.)

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Anyway, God sent an angel in a dream to Joseph saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.”

Joseph got up, took Jesus and Mary, and went to the land of Israel. (Such immediate obedience!)

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Matthew 2:22-23.

As Joseph and his family entered the southern border of Israel, he heard that Archelaus had been made king, and he was afraid. Perhaps he’d been planning to return to Bethlehem, where they had lived for two years after Jesus’ birth. But it was so close to Jerusalem and the king’s residence. Could another massacre happen?

God did not let his chosen caretaker of Jesus fear for even a moment. He again warned him in a dream NOT to settle in Judea, but to return all the way back to Nazareth, that tiny, “nowhere” town on the side of a hill in Galilee.

And Joseph obeyed. They probably traveled the unfamiliar coastal road to keep out of the attention of Archelaus.

Did the young couple remember that journey to Bethlehem years ago with Mary pregnant and about to deliver? Did they remember that first stable where Jesus was born, and the arrival of the shepherds with their wondrous story of an angel choir and message? And then the home where those amazing Magi visited? And that horrible night of flight.

And now back to sleepy Nazareth, where Mary had been scorned for her pre-nuptial pregnancy. Would those people remember? What would they think of Jesus? Would they call Him a…?

“And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled: ‘He shall be called a Nazarene.'”

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(NOTE: there isn’t a specific O.T. scripture that says the Messiah would be “called a Nazarene.” Matthew, as with his quotes before, likes to “picture” or allegorize his points.)

Consider this: the root of the word Nazareth is nezer, or “branch” or “shoot”, and remember one of Matthew’s purposes is to show Jesus as the true descendant of David, and the King of the Jews.

Now, consider these passages:

  • Isaiah 11:1 – “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse (David’s father), and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him…”
  • Jeremiah 23:5 – “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and He shall reign as king… “
  • Jeremiah 33:15 – “In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and He shall execute justice and righteousness for the land.”
  • Zechariah 38b – “…behold, I will bring my servant, the Branch.”

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These O.T. prophecies pointed towards Jesus’ 1,000-year reign on earth, still future to us, but by presenting them and comparing them to the title Jesus will be known for on earth – Jesus of Nazareth, or Jesus, the Nazarene – Matthew is hoping his readers will make the connection and “see” the Branch of David, and the King EVERY TIME they hear and read about Jesus.

Let US do the same.

Reading the Gospels in 2026 (9/10): Matthew 2:13-18.

Sep10

Read and Believe in Jesus.

“And he (Joseph) rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt…” Matthew 2:14

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REVIEW – A delegation of wise men came from the East to Jerusalem seeking the One who had been born “King of the Jews.” This put Herod “the Great” in a panic, for he thought HE was the king of the Jews. Herod asked the religious leaders where the Messiah was to be born, and they quoted Scripture, identifying Bethlehem.

Herod told the wise men about the little town to the southeast, and then that sly wolf asked them sweetly, ‘WHEN’ they had first seen their “guiding star.” After they’d mounted camels and were leaving, Herod called to them, “When you find Him, bring me word so I can come and worship Him too.”

The wealthy Eastern Magi easily found the house where the King of the Jews was living, for the “shining light” stood right over the roof (much like it had over the Tabernacle in the wilderness). They worshipped the Boy King, gave gifts to His parents, and then quietly departed, taking a way home that avoided Jerusalem, for God had warned them not to return to Herod.

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Matthew 2:13-15.

Joseph and Mary, with the young Jesus on her hip, waved to the camel train as it faded into the sunset. They came back inside, still in a state of wonder, hardly believing until they saw again the gifts the Magi had brought. Then, it seems that as soon as they retired, the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream.

“Rise, take the child and His mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child to destroy Him.”

Joseph must have sat up immediately and awakened Mary, who gently woke Jesus. Hurriedly, they packed their few belongings, some food, and Joseph’s tools into sacks, along with the Magi’s gifts, and loaded a small donkey cart. Within hours of the wise men leaving, Joseph had his family on the road to Egypt.

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(What a righteous man. No wonder God chose Joseph to care for His Son during the boy’s growing-up years. Immediate obedience, without question: how many of us could or would obey so quickly?)

The Magi’s gold paid for the trip and a place to stay in Egypt. The myrrh and frankincense from the East (very rare and valuable in Egypt) helped to keep the family until Joseph could get established again.

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(What perfect timing! We can always trust our omniscient God with fearful surprises and “unknown” futures. He is THERE before we are. And He has already taken care of our expenses.)

Matthew quotes Hosea 11:1, “Out of Egypt I have called my Son,” which speaks of God bringing the nation of Israel out of captivity. Here, Matthew uses it more as a “picture” or “allegory” than a prophecy.

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Matthew 2:16-18.

Herod soon realized the Magi had tricked him.

How long would it take to travel the 6-8 miles to Bethlehem, look and ask around, and find that kid? Even if they stayed a few days, they should have returned to Jerusalem by now. He was furious.

He called his most devious and loyal henchmen and sent them to Bethlehem. Their orders? To kill all the male children in the town and the region who were two years old or younger.

The above line is easy to type, but oh, the horror of such a plan to consider and imagine. Mothers and babies screaming as the henchmen wield their huge swords, leaving the little ones dead and in pieces. Parents trying to hide the little ones, but having them wrenched from their arms and slaughtered before their eyes. Oh, the weeping and wailing! The heartbreak. The ghastly horror!

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Again, Matthew quotes O.T. scripture to describe (more than predict) the horrific massacre.

Jeremiah 31:15 says, “A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children: she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.”

Jeremiah’s prophecy was of the Babylonian captivity, when weeping and wailing accompanied the deaths and deportation of the Jews from their homeland. Their lamentation prefigured the pain that occurred that day in Bethlehem.

But, horrendous as it was – the death of all those sweet boys, the hopes of their fathers and mothers – the more atrocious idea was that Herod knowingly attempted to kill Israel’s promised Messiah. It was the first of many attempts, and it would finally happen, but only in God’s way and in God’s time.

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Reading the Gospels in 2026 (9/8): Matthew 1:18-25.

Sep8

Read and Believe in Jesus.

“She shall bear a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21

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REVIEW – Matthew was the first of the four Gospels written; its author was an ex-tax collector named Levi, until the Lord saved him. In his own writing, he uses his other name – Matthew – which means “gift of the Lord.”

Matthew writes mainly to a Jewish audience (look for many O.T. references, no explanations of Jewish words or customs, and a respect for God’s name). He does not write chronologically; instead, he groups his information into five themes.

His genealogy of Jesus, beginning with Israel’s patriarch Abraham and their great king, David, shows his purpose in writing this gospel: to present Jesus as 1) the promised Jewish Messiah and 2) the King of Israel.

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Matthew 1:18.

Joseph and Mary were “betrothed” to be married. (Betrothal in Bible times was “marriage but without consummation,” and needed a divorce to be broken.)

In Luke’s Gospel, the angel Gabriel came to Mary and told her of the miraculous conception of a baby in her womb by the Holy Spirit. Soon afterward, she went to Bethlehem to stay with her cousin Elizabeth, who was also pregnant. Elizabeth’s son would be John the Baptist. Mary stayed there for 3 months until John was about to be born, then returned to Nazareth. It was probably then that she told Joseph of her own pregnancy.

Joseph was a just and gentle man. But he didn’t know what to think. The woman he was betrothed to was pregnant, and he knew HE was not the father. What did that mean? Should he believe her quite unbelievable story, or accept the more plain possibility of infidelity?

In turmoil and grieving in his heart, he decided to divorce her privately. (That meant he would obtain a writ of divorce from an official and hand it to her privately, apart from any witnesses.) And it would be over.

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Matthew 1:19-21.

Dreams remembered upon waking were thought to be a special blessing in Bible times. It was believed to be a sad thing if one went more than 10 days without one. (Those were normal, eating-too-many-lentils type dreams, and not like the one Joseph received from an angel of the Lord.)

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“Joseph, son of David,” began the angel in his dream. Wait. David? From Matthew’s list of Jesus’ genealogy yesterday, we saw that Joseph’s father was named Jacob. The angel (probably Gabriel) addressed Joseph as a member of King David’s royal line. Yes, he was, but Joseph probably didn’t think about being in the ancient king’s line very often.

“Do not fear to take Mary as your wife,” continued Gabriel. Oh! Just the answer he was seeking! Joseph thought with relief. But…

“…for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit,” the angel answered Joseph’s unasked question, leaving him even more stunned.

“She will bear a son, and YOU shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Then the angel was gone, the dream ended, but everything remained vivid in Joseph’s mind.

Mary was pregnant by … the Holy Spirit. (Oh, my!) Her baby was a boy, and when He was born, Joseph was to name Him Jesus (or Savior). It was the father’s duty to name the children, so this was no surprise. But “Jesus”? What did it mean that the boy would “save His people (the Jews) from their sins”?

Perhaps, as he thought about all this, Joseph recalled Isaiah 7:14: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call Him Immanuel,” which Joseph knew meant, God with us. This boy, this Jesus, this Savior who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, was GOD. With. Us!

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When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel commanded and took Mary as his wife. No questions. No reservation. “Mary, be my wife!” “Yes!” Done.

But Joseph did not “know her” (have sex with her) until after she had given birth to the Son, and Joseph had named Him JESUS.

(NOTE: the naming was at 8 days old, when baby boys were circumcised.)

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Next time, two years later….