Seeing the Kingdom!

Posted on March 14, 2026 by PastorDave

MATTHEW | Lesson 12 | Lesson Notes / Talking Points

Matthew, chapter 17

Even as Jesus begins to urgently emphasize His impending death at Jerusalem, He then displays His Glory to them—in His transfiguration—as confirmation that His sufferings and death are the inauguration of His Kingdom Glory.

CONTEXT & MAKING THE CONNECTIONS

1 / We are all familiar with the story of the Transfiguration event. And, we are probably also all convinced that the Transfiguration manifests and displays the Deity of Jesus Christ and His Father’s delight and approval of Him and His ministry. BUT, we should also dig deeper to understand how His Transfiguration fits into the contexts of the flow of Matthew’s narrative.

2 / The first thing we need to see as we begin this study here in Matthew 17, is that the Transfiguration narrative is in no way a stand-alone event. We all know that our chapter and verse divisions were added much later in the transmissions of Scripture, around the 1200s A.D. While they help us navigate our reading of the Bible and cite and find references more easily, they can also distract us from making the contextual connections that will help us get the intended messages that the Bible’s authors certainly meant for us to see—not only to keep our minds on track and in the flow of the narrative, but also to help us interpret the what and why of the message of a particular passage. There is no hard break between ch 16.28 and ch 17! Ch 17 follows and fulfills the promised beatific ‘seeing’ of ch 16.28!

3 / So, having said that, “Why was Jesus transfigured before them? How does the Transfiguration fit into the contexts that Jesus was impressing on His disciples [and us]?” It was that He was on His way to Jerusalem to suffer many things, be killed, and then be raised again! But, this was the Father’s covenant purpose and plan from the beginning—and THIS would inaugurate His Kingdom of Glory that would be finally fulfilled at the end of this age! The disciples were all gung-ho for the Kingdom and Glory aspect of His message…but the suffering and death part of it, not so much.

4 / So, with that in mind, let’s just connect all the just-previous conversations that led up to the Transfiguration experience:

  • [1] ch 16.13-20: Jesus takes them to Caesarea-Philippi, the heart of the pagan ‘kingdom of darkness’ in their place and time, and clearly establishes with them His Messianic identity as ‘the Son of Man’ [Daniel 7.13-14] and ‘the Christ’; AND He declares that His invincible church and its invasion and assault mission against ‘the gates of Hades’ will be advanced by that Gospel message. And that His Gospel message would be “the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven”;
  • [2] ch 16.21-23: Jesus begins to earnestly, urgently press upon His disciples what was impending upon Him—His foreordained crucifixion and resurrection. Peter disagrees with Him and rebukes Him, only to receive the sound rebuke he was actually siding with Satan;
  • [3] ch 16.24-27: Jesus ‘makes disciples’ by instructing them that if they follow Him, they must be willing to walk themselves in the same steps He is walking—but that He will reward them in His Kingdom: “For the Son of Man is going to come with His angels in the Glory of His Father…”
  • [4] ch 16.28: But then, Jesus foretells this personal experience they will soon have, and what they should learn and take away from it: “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His Kingdom!” So, what does that mean? He means that some of those very disciples who were standing in His Presence would not die until they personally and visually witnessed His victorious ‘coming’ in His Kingdom of Glory! That’s why I’m titling this lesson ‘Seeing the Kingdom.’ They would see with their own eyes—before they died—a ‘preview’ of the Glorious Kingdom He will bring to the earth when He comes again in His Second Coming … and that this Glorious Kingdom will be secured and established by His death and resurrection!

I | ch 17.1-13 | Jesus reveals the coming Kingdom to His disciples—along with some of its essential elements—by being transfigured [metamorphosed] before them; and then more fully explains to them the significance of what they had just witnessed…

1 / It appears they are still in the same regions of Caesarea-Philippi where Jesus had taken His disciples to prepare them for His impending crucifixion, death, and resurrection. Matthew records that “after six days Jesus took with Him Peter and James, and John His brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves…” This was six days after His intense, hard conversations about His upcoming death in Jerusalem AND His promise that if they follow Him in His steps, He is coming again with His angels in the Glory of His Father to reward them for their faithfulness in His Kingdom. In other words, He is Who He says He is and Who they have confessed He is; His death and resurrection will secure, establish, and inaugurate His Glorious Kingdom yet to come; and He will share this Kingdom with them!

2 / This Transfiguration experience will both encourage Him [Jesus] and give them an earnest ‘preview’ of that promise.

3 / The high mountain is probably the well-known, often-referenced Mount Hermon. AND Luke 9.28 tells us that Jesus went up on the mountain to pray. And as He was praying, this Transfiguration began to manifest itself. The word transfigured is from the Greek verb meta-morph-ah-ow which means ‘to change from one form to another.’ We often use the metamorphosis from a cocoon to a beautiful butterfly [and all the other uses of the word]. In Jesus’ metamorphosis, His innate, inherent Glory. In fact, Luke’s account uses this word Glory two times: “…they saw His Glory.” This is the God-Glory that Jesus is, the Glory He had with the Father from eternity, before the world existed [John 17.5]. Luke says the appearance of His face was altered. Matthew records His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became white as light. All of these appearances refer to the physical, visible manifestations of the Presence of God—the ways He revealed Himself in human history, and even in the creation of the world itself: And God said, “Let there be light…and there was light.” It is the Glory of the Shekinah Presence of God! It is the Glory that will accompany His Second Coming and His Kingdom [Revelation 21.9-14, 22-26; et. al.]. THIS is the Glory that He is, and the Glory He will receive by His death and resurrection, and the Glory He will share with us in His Kingdom!

4 / BUT Jesus does not appear alone. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with Him. Both Moses and Elijah represent all the Law and the Prophets who presented the Kingdom in the OT and prophesied Jesus’ coming—both His first and second comings. And what were they talking about? Again, Luke 9.30 tells us they spoke of His departure [exodus] which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. So, even though the disciples wouldn’t grasp the full import of this vision [seeing] or conversation until after Jesus’ resurrection, still Jesus is giving them visual, experiential confirmation that what He was foretelling to them is what He will accomplish by His death and resurrection. THIS IS THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN! AND, if you read Peter’s account in 2 Peter 1.16-18, he reflects on this very experience later and gives us the confirmation of what they learned from Jesus and about Jesus that day.

5 / Yet, in spite of this stupendous and awesome display of Christ’s Glory, somehow the disciples couldn’t stay awake. They were heavy with sleep [Luke 9.32]—and, it had been a very intense and exhausting few days of stressful conversations and processing what Jesus was telling them and what it all meant. And, it also seems that Jesus’ transfiguration, the appearances of Moses and Elijah, and Jesus’ conversations with them had transpired while they were slumbering in their tiredness. Then, they woke up to see all this! “…but when they became fully awake they saw His Glory and the two men who stood with Him.”

6 / As Peter and the other two disciples woke up to this appearance of Glory, they knew they should memorialize the occasion! They may have thought that the long-promised, long-awaited-for Kingdom had finally come! After all, they were hoping and waiting for Elijah to come to announce the restoration of the Kingdom back to its former, intended Glory just as he had done during his prophetic ministry. The very last words of promise and hope in the OT told them to look for Elijah to come. Malachi 4.5-6: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of The LORD comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.” Maybe this was that day! So Peter proposed that they build three memorial ‘tents’—to establish a kind of Kingdom ‘headquarters’ or staging site here.

7 / That’s when “…behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my Beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him!” Again, this cloud of Glory is the physical, visible manifestation of the Presence and Glory of God—just like He appeared to them at Sinai; and as He accompanied and led them through the wilderness; and as He filled the Tabernacle, and later, the Temple; and as He will manifest His Presence in the New Jerusalem and the New Heaven and earth.

8 / This was God’s testimony also to focus all of their attention—not on Moses and Elijah, but—on the Kingdom Authority of Jesus Christ and what He was urging them to hear and understand—His death and resurrection. “Listen to Him!” Moses had given ancient Israel the promise in Deuteronomy 18.15 & 18: “The LORD your God will raise up for a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to Him you shall listen–…I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him.” That Prophet is Jesus! So now, Yahweh says, “Listen to Him!” [Maybe we’re hoping that Peter has begun to more seriously re-consider his previously rebuking Jesus for telling them about His impending death at Jerusalem with “Far be it from You, Lord! This shall never happen to You!” [ch 16.22]. Yahweh says from Heaven—audibly—“My Son knows what He’s talking about and what we’re doing here! Don’t second-guess Him! No suffering and dying…and rising again…—no Glory and no Kingdom! Listen to Him!” As they were cowering in fear with their faces on the ground in the Presence of God’s Glory, Jesus tenderly touches them to bring them back around to their pre-transfiguration company: “Rise, and have no fear.” And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.

9 / Well, of course, this brings up a lot of questions begging for a lot of answers. Jesus, though, gives them a preemptive ‘gag order’: “Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.” The reason being, even the disciples have yet to fully understand how Jesus’ death and resurrection will be the essential anchor and catalyst for the inauguration of the Kingdom. They will after His resurrection—but not till then. They can’t truthfully proclaim Christ’s Gospel and The Kingdom of Heaven until they fully understand how He must die and be raised again according to the Scriptures. And all of this must transpire in God’s time and God’s way—as Jesus is fulfilling it.

10 / And then, there’s the Elijah question: “Then why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?” This again is the Malachi 4.5-6 prophecy and promise. Jesus’ reply: “Elijah does come, and he will restore all things. But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man will certainly suffer at their hands.” Then the disciples understood that He was speaking to them of John the Baptist. So, yes, they had seen the OT Elijah in his brief appearance with Jesus as they spoke of Jesus’ impending exodus, but the Messianic appearance of Elijah and announcement of the Kingdom of Heaven had been fulfilled in John the Baptist. The Kingdom of Heaven had come in the announced appearing of Christ as prophesied and promised. And the Transfiguration they had just witnessed was the confirmation and affirmation that it would be fully and finally brought to consummation in God’s purpose and time! And that is still our Hope!         

II | ch 17.14-20 | When Jesus [again] heals and delivers this young son from his demon oppression, Jesus demonstrates [again] one of the most essential missions of His Kingdom—to destroy and dismantle the kingdom of Satan, the Evil One, and deliver his former captives into the Kingdom of Heaven … and that His power is the only power that can accomplish this mission…

1 / The significance of this event that is transpiring at the base of mountain is also so emblematic of one of the core missions of The Kingdom of Heaven. Even as Jesus is manifesting His Glory and the sure advancement of The Kingdom of Heaven up on the mountain, the disciples are struggling with a demon exorcism down at the base of the mountain. A desperate father has brought his young son to Jesus’ waiting disciples so they could cast out the demon. The boy was suffering a two-fold affliction: the physical episodes of seizures, plus it appears the demon had taken the advantage of the opportunity to possess the boy to harm himself. “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” [John 10.10]. This is just another case example of the spiritual warfare that has waged since the Garden of Eden as Satan, the Serpent, has sought all means and occasions to usurp and thwart the Kingdom of Christ.

2 / However, one of the core missions of Christ and The Kingdom of Heaven is to invade, conquer, and plunder Satan’s kingdom of sin, darkness, destruction, and death—and deliver God’s people from his dominion into eternal life and liberty. [see ch 12.22-30; John 12.31] Jesus will do so here again…

3 / Jesus—along with the three disciples—descended from the mount of Transfiguration to encounter this scene of chaos, frustration, and anger. The disciples had attempted to cast out the demon, but failed—even though they had done so numerous other times on their previous short-term mission journeys. Why couldn’t they do so now, this time? Jesus will demonstrate to them that it was because they thought they could cast out the demon—or any other act of Gospel power—by their own power. But Jesus had given them what power they exercised ONLY as they exercised it in His Name, wholly dependent upon Him and His Presence and purpose. The disciples hadn’t learned that yet. But they will—both now and also later on…  

III | ch 17.22-23 | Jesus again, for the second time in this immediate context and time-frame, foretells to His disciples that ‘the Son of Man’ must first be delivered into the hands of His enemies, they will kill Him, and He will be raised again on the third day…

1 / Jesus returns with His disciples once again to Galilee—after previously spending some days farther north in the regions of Caesarea-Philippi. And once again, Jesus takes the opportunity for some intense and urgent personal conversations with His disciples, pressing upon them the impending experiences awaiting Him in Jerusalem.

2 / This is now the second such focused conversation He’s had with them just in the past few days [see Lesson 11]. The first one is recorded in ch 16.21-23; now this one; and yet a third such conversation will take place in ch 20.17-19. Jesus is feeling the weight of the seriousness of the times and events. His disciples still do not seem to grasp just how real and impending everything is…and the weight of the burden on Jesus’ soul.

IV | ch 17.24-27 | In this confrontation over the ‘temple tax,’ Jesus again asserts His priority over the Jerusalem temple [because He is greater than that temple…and IS the True Temple of God], and miraculously provides the voluntary payment He doesn’t have to render—but does…

1 / This encounter in Capernaum in Galilee may appear to be a little disconnected and unrelated to the previous settings and contexts, but it isn’t.

  • [1] For one thing, it accentuates again the escalating hostilities between Jesus and the religious elites. These collectors of the tax would be representing the Jerusalem leaders [see ch 15.1];
  • [2] and also it gives Jesus the opportunity to express to His disciples His ‘greater-than-ness’ to their temple. [see Matthew’s other examples also in vv 5-8 above (greater than Moses and Elijah); chs 4.1-11 (greater than Adam and Israel in the wilderness); 5.17–6.18 (greater than the scribes and Pharisees in righteousness); 11.11-15 (greater than John the Baptist); 12.3-6 (greater than the temple); 12.41 & 42 (greater than Jonah and Solomon]

2 / This ‘temple tax’ [‘tribute money’ KJV] was a voluntary assessment from the Jewish populace for the support of the temple activities. It was not their prescribed tithes or customs/tolls they would pay at checkpoints along their roadways. AND, the relatives of their religious officials and rabbis were exempted from paying it at all. The tax was roughly equivalent to a two days’ wages for a common laborer. So, when they approach Peter to ask him if Jesus paid the tax, Peter brings the confrontation to Jesus.

3 / In short, Jesus declares to Peter that since He is ‘greater than the temple’ anyway [see ch 12.6], He and His followers are not obligated to pay it. BUT, to avoid any unnecessary confrontation over it, He told Peter to go to the sea, cast in a hook [not a net],and the first fish he caught would have the necessary tax payment for Him and Peter. Just another demonstration of His miraculous Kingdom Authority!

4 / Now, this will set the stage for Jesus’ fourth major teaching discourse in Matthew 18—next lesson…

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“My God, My God! Why have You forsaken Me?”

Posted on March 11, 2026 by PastorDave

THE STORY OF THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST | Lesson 22

Matthew 27.45-46

These messages/Bible study lessons are over 20 years old. There are 34 of these lessons in the series. I prepared and delivered them over 2005-2006 during my former pastorate. And, yes, I confess that I capitalized on the popularity and cultural interest in the Mel Gibson film which had just come out–though yet to this day, I haven’t seen the movie. But I have studied the Scriptural texts in their historical, cultural, and theological contexts for over fifty years. This is not only the Story of the Passion of the Christ, but more, it is the Story of God’s covenant love and grace in Christ that has redeemed and saved us! I have since shared them with other groups and audiences who have expressed an interest in sharing them still with others. So, I am posting them here in this format as I first prepared them without making any effort to revise or edit them. Since I wrote them in this Word format for the purpose of printing and creating paper handouts, the text doesn’t copy and paste well into this blog space–hence posting only the pdf. I pray God will use them for His Glory, to make Christ known to others, and to deepen our love and worship for God and His marvelous saving grace!

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The Looming Shadow of the Cross

Posted on March 7, 2026 by PastorDave

MATTHEW | Lesson 11 | Lesson Notes / Talking Points

Matthew, chapter 16

As the public opposition of the religious leaders toward Jesus intensifies, He begins more earnestly to prepare His disciples for His impending death.

CONTEXT & MAKING THE CONNECTIONS

1 / We have been following Matthew’s master writing plan which is leading up to the end of the Gospel in ch 28.16-20. The master theme of Matthew is “Making Disciples.” That’s what Jesus will command His disciples to do when He gives them [us] their Mission Mandate, or what we call The Great Commission. He will command them to “Go, make disciples of all the nations…teaching them to observe all things I have commanded you.” And so, here in Matthew, what Matthew records is how Jesus Himself made disciples and what He commanded them to observe and teach—so they could make disciples the way He made them disciples.

2 / We have also been pointing out how Matthew is tied together around the five major teaching discourses Jesus delivered to His disciples. These are ‘masterclasses’ in what disciples must be, what they must know, and how they should conduct their disciple-making ministry. We have already worked through three of them [chs 5-7, 10, 13] and we have two more to go [chs 18, 24-25].

3 / Now, as we come to ch 16, there is another major literary turning point in the narrative writing plan we need to note. In a larger view, Matthew divides the teachings of Jesus into two distinct teaching ‘packages,’ and both of them are introduced by the words “From that time, Jesus began to…” [BTW, these are the only two times this phrase is found in all of the New Testament.]

[1] The first of these two larger teaching ‘packages’ is in ch 4.17: “From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, ‘Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.’” Then He began to teach them and us, His disciples, what the Kingdom of Heaven is.

[2] The second major teaching ‘package’ is here in ch 16.21, “From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” And so, the primary focus of this teaching ‘package’ is to prepare His disciples for His impending death on the Cross and His resurrection. As we will say, they sure needed to be prepared—this was the last thing they expected or wanted to expect. BUT, THIS IS THE GOSPEL! Without Jesus’ death and resurrection, there is no Gospel! They would come to accept and understand this essential message ONLY AFTER His resurrection.

4 / So, in the beginning of ch 16, Matthew begins to describe the dynamics of the contexts surrounding Jesus’ ministry that led up to Jesus’ focused emphasis on His impending death. That’s why I’m calling this lesson “The Looming Shadow of the Cross.” KEEP IN MIND: we are now within the last year of Jesus’ ministry—and only a few months from His crucifixion. That’s why we note the increasing intensity of opposition to Jesus [see ch 12.14] and the corresponding increasing urgency of Jesus to prepare His disciples for what He knows is impending ahead and looming over Him. The time is growing shorter and shorter…and His disciples are oblivious and clueless. He must ‘hone in’ to ‘get them on His page.’

I | ch 16.1-4 | The Pharisees and Sadducees [a weird coalition] once again attempt to publicly discredit Jesus and undermine His growing influence among the crowds [their power base and influence bloc]…

1 / I say the alliance of the Pharisees and Sadducees in a ‘weird coalition’ because they were diametrically opposed to the other in so many ways. The Pharisees were supernaturalists—they believed in the spirit world, miracles, and resurrection. In fact, in many ways, in their own religious culture, the Pharisees were the ‘conservatives and fundamentalists’ of their religious belief systems. And, they also were inveterate opponents of the Greco-Roman influences that were being imposed on them by their Roman occupiers. On the other hand, the Sadducees did not believe in the spirit world, miracles, or the resurrection [see Acts 23.6-8]. They were what we would call the ‘religious secularists’ of their day. But now, both parties have a common enemy—Jesus. And so, ‘the enemy of my enemy is my friend.’ Jesus threatens the power base and influence of both parties. So now they ally with the other to attempt to ‘test’ Jesus in their effort to publicly discredit and undermine Jesus.

2 / What they demand is: “they asked Him to show them a sign from Heaven.” The Pharisees and scribes had tested Jesus the same way, with the same question, in ch 12.38-40 with Jesus giving them the same ‘sign’ there as He does here. The purpose of this ‘sign’ is for Jesus to ‘give them credible credentials’ that He is who He says He is—the Son of God, their Messiah. What makes this demand even more incredulous is that Matthew connects this ‘test’ with the two miracles Jesus had just performed in chs 14-15—the feedings of the 5000+ and 4000+! It’s not that they needed any more ‘proof-signs;’ they had made up their minds to deny them—they must just destroy Jesus!

3 / Jesus soundly rebukes them for their rebellious unbelief and rejection of Him by giving them a simple lesson in their own inconsistency of observation: they could ‘interpret the physical weather prediction signs in the skies,’ but ‘you cannot interpret the signs of the times.’ The ‘times’ Jesus refers to is ‘the arrival and appearance of the Kingdom of Heaven’ in Himself! So, He gives them the only ‘sign’ that will indisputably vindicate and authenticate that He is ‘from Heaven’—they will kill Him, and He will rise again from the dead! Again, this is ‘the sign of Jonah’ that He delivered in ch 12.38-40. NOTE HERE: Jonah himself WAS the sign. Jonah didn’t work any miracles—Jonah himself WAS the miracle! Jonah just went and preached the Gospel to Nineveh and demonstrated by his own ‘death and resurrection’ that his message was God’s Gospel!

4 / AND this is another sharply focused announcement of His impending death and resurrection—The Looming Shadow of the Cross!  

II | ch 16.5-12 | Jesus warns His disciples to ‘beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees,’ that is, their evil and corrupting teachings and influence—and chides them for not learning to trust Him from His just-previous miracles…

1 / These encounters were in regions on one side of the Sea of Galilee. Then they got into their boat again and returned to ‘the other side.’ Matthew notes [he was there, remember] that ‘they had forgotten to bring any bread.’ In all the intensity of their confrontations, they failed to pack traveling food. Jesus uses this opportunity to warn his disciples to ‘beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.’ He knew what He was doing, but the disciples were totally disconnected from His lesson. Jesus was warning them to discern and not be seduced by the teachings and influences they had just witnessed [see vv 11-12]. They were thinking only about bread-making leaven/yeast. They thought Jesus was chiding them for forgetting to pack travelling bread.

2 / Jesus uses this for another ‘teaching moment’—a very fundamental and serious one. He had earlier, in the beginning, taught them to not worry about what they would eat…but ‘seek first the Kingdom of God, and all these things will be provided for you [ch 6.33]. Jesus will take care of the ‘bread’ if we commit and devote ourselves to His mission. We must trust Him to feed us and take care of us! AND BESIDES, had they not just witnessed how He had fed the multitudes on two different occasions with the little provisions they had on hand?

3 / And so, Jesus peppers them with a series of rhetorical questions to expose their ‘little faith.’ They had weak faith and thick heads. [See also “O foolish ones and slow of heart to believe…” in Luke 24.25] ‘What have you just witnessed Me doing? Do you think I’m in dire straits because you didn’t bring a little bread? Do you think I and you are dependent on bread you guys should have made with leaven you got from Pharisees and Sadducees? Have you so quickly forgotten that I can make bread with my own power and hands if we need bread—and we sure don’t need to go the Pharisees and Sadducees to get yeast to make it? I’m not talking about grain-bread at all! I’m warning you to beware of the evil and corrupting influence of the Pharisees and Sadducees that is in what they believe and teach!’  

4 / The disciples may have said something like: “Oh, we get it now! We see what you are saying!” And, for that moment, they did. However, as we shall see in the next conversations, they still had ‘blind spots’ that needed to be enlightened—gaps in their ‘little faith.’ NOTE the kindness and gentleness of Jesus toward them—and us. He patiently chides them for their ‘little faith,’ but acknowledges that they do have faith. But He is willing to bring us along to a fuller understanding of what we need to know.

III | ch 16.13-20 | Jesus takes His disciples north—again into predominantly Gentile and pagan regions—to question them about His Messianic identity and make promises about the inevitable conquest of His church and Kingdom…

1 / In order to get the full significance and impact of this next teaching session—especially as it relates to The Kingdom of Heaven—we need to get into the context of Caesarea Philippi. This city is located 25 N of the Sea of Galilee. As you can tell from its name, it is a predominately Gentile city and region. Its very name is dedicated to Caesar Augustus and Philip, one of the sons of Herod the Great. [Its former name was Paneas in honor of the Greek god, Pan.] It was saturated with Greek and Roman culture and pagan worship. There was a long history also of the worship of the Canaanite god Baal from early OT times. There were also caves there that had streams of water flowing out of them that were believed to be dwelling places for their gods—and even entry portals to the regions of the underworld, ‘the gates of Hades.’ It is THERE that Jesus goes to make this proclamation, announcement, and promise of the invincible and inevitable conquest of HIS church and Kingdom!

2 / Jesus once again identifies Himself as ‘the Son of Man’ from Daniel 7.13-14—the One to Whom ‘was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him; His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His Kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.’ We need to keep this in mind as we follow this pronouncement…

3 / Jesus is once again confirming and establishing His Messianic identity and mission to His disciples—to be sure they know who they are following. “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And the disciples answer with what the people on the street are speculating. Then Jesus locks in on them with a double ‘you’: ‘But you…what about you? Who do you say I am?’ Peter speaks for them all, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.’ There is a full recognition, attribution, and confession here to the Deity of Jesus and His fulfillment of all the OT prophecies and promises of their ‘Christ, Messiah, Anointed One’!

4 / Jesus responds to Peter personally since he is the one doing the speaking, and assures him that his confession doesn’t come from himself or any other human source or influence: “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in Heaven!” Here is a clear statement to the absolute sovereignty of God in faith and salvation. See Mathew 11.25-27; John 1.12-13; 6.37, 44, 65; et. al. God reveals Himself to those whom He chooses to know Him; and He gives them to the Son to reveal Himself through Him [see John 1.18; 17.1-3, etc.].

5 / Then follows the ‘upon this Rock I will build My church…’ Jesus calls him by his family name first, Simon Bar-Jonah … but then addresses him by his Jesus-given Kingdom name: ‘And I tell you, you are Peter…’ [see John 1.42]. Peter’s Kingdom name [Petros] means ‘rock,’ but it is diminutive [smaller]. However, what Peter has just confessed about the Christ is the ‘rock [petra]’ upon which Christ’s church and Kingdom will be built. Christ Himself is the one and only Cornerstone/Foundation of the church and His Kingdom [see Matthew 21.42; Isaiah 28.16; Psalm 118.22; 1 Corinthians 3.11; Ephesians 2.19-20; et. al.]. Everything Christ will do to build His church and advance His Kingdom will be through the proclamation of Him and His Gospel!

6 / Furthermore, “…and the gates of hell [Hades] shall not prevail against it.” We need to understand the specific significance of ‘the gates of Hades.’ Remember that Jesus is standing in the regions of the pagan ‘gates of Hades’ in Caesarea Philippi. This was their local shrine dedicated to the power base of their pagan kingdom of darkness. Their pagan gods lived and operated from there. But Jesus had come to declare war against them, invade them, plunder their goods, and deliver His people from their power [see ch 12.22-29]. ‘Gates’ are not offensive weapons—the enemy does not mount an offensive attacks by throwing gates. Gates are defensive weapons—to strengthen and solidify defenses against the invasion of the enemy. Jesus boldly and confidently proclaims: “My church will victoriously invade, dismantle, and conquer the kingdom of the Evil One—I will save my people and bring them out! The gates of Hades will not prevail against my Kingdom!”

7 / What does Jesus mean by saying: “I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven”? The keys to the Kingdom of Heaven obviously mean ‘the means to enter…,” and the right and authority to be in the Kingdom of Heaven. Those keys are the same as ‘upon this Rock,’ and that, in turn, refers to Peter’s confession of Christ; and that, in turn, is THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST AND HIS KINGDOM! Further, the phrases ‘shall be bound…shall be loosed’ are in the perfect tense—an action that has been performed in the past, but with continuing effects or state of affairs. So, what Jesus is saying is that as Peter, and the other apostles—and we—preach the Gospel as Jesus delivered it to us, the effects and results in the hearers and respondents will be what Heaven has already prescribed it will be. If they believe, Heaven has already decreed they will be saved; if they reject, Heaven has already decreed they will be damned.

8 / Then when Jesus “strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that He was the Christ,” it was because there were so many misunderstood visions and concepts of what the Christ would do when He came, what kind of Kingdom He would bring, and so forth. AND, as we are going to see next, even Peter and the other disciples still hadn’t arrived at a crystal-clear understanding of Jesus’ Messianic mission and ministry—and how He would inaugurate and establish it…by His death and resurrection.   

IV | ch 16.21-23 | Jesus urgently, for the first of three separate occasions, begins to foretell to His disciples about His impending death and resurrection—’The Looming Shadow of the Cross’…

1 / NOW we come to that transition phrase that I told you about in the introduction—where Matthew begins with Jesus’ second teaching ‘package,’ “From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things….” The first ‘package’ began in ch 4.17, and Jesus was emphasizing ‘the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand…’ Now, in this ‘package,’ Jesus will begin to zoom in on His ultimate ‘hour’ or purpose for which He came. This is still about ‘The Kingdom of Heaven,’ but now Jesus will begin explaining in bold, clear, and urgent terms that He will establish His Kingdom by His death and resurrection—The Gospel!

2 / All of religious Israel’s leadership will be allied in lock step and purpose: elders, chief priests, and scribes [Pharisees]. Jesus will ‘suffer many things, be killed, and on the third day be raised’ [this is ‘the sign of Jonah.’

3 / And then, to show us how off-the-mark the disciples still were, “Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, ‘Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you!” As Jesus rebuked Peter, He reminded Him that His death and resurrection was the Father’s will and why He had come! To try to distract or dissuade Him from that mission was to act as an agent of Satan who tempted Jesus in the wilderness to save Himself from that death, and go at building His Kingdom another way!

V | ch 16.24-28 | Jesus reiterates and re-emphasizes that His disciples must prepare themselves to walk the same path He walks if they [we] ‘come after Him’ and ‘follow’ Him…

1 / This next section is Jesus’ call for His disciples to be willing and commit to ‘come after Me’ and ‘follow Me,’ which means: we must walk the same path He walks. Peter got this message loud and clear after Jesus’ resurrection, and writes in 1 Peter 2.21: “For to you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in His steps.”

2 / That path includes: ‘deny himself…take up his cross…follow Me…lose his life for My sake.’ If we do that, we will find our life and gain the whole world.

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More Training of the Twelve for Mission

Posted on February 28, 2026 by PastorDave

MATTHEW | Lesson 10 | Lesson Notes / Talking Points

Matthew, chapters 14-15

Jesus continues and intensifies His training of the Twelve as He enters what is [more or less] His final year of ministry before His crucifixion. This period of His training emphasizes His compassion for the lost crowds, His working of many more powerful miracles, and the growing antagonism of His enemies from all fronts.

CONTEXT & MAKING THE CONNECTIONS

1 / In Matthew 13, Jesus had delivered His third of five major teaching/training discourses that Matthew uses to form the ‘skeleton’ of his writing plan for His Gospel [chs 5-7, 10, 13, 18, 24-25]. In all of these discourses, Jesus is ‘making disciples’ of His disciples—with the end in view of commissioning them in the end [ch 28.16-20] to go with His “all authority has been given to me in Heaven and on earth” and “make disciples of all the nations…teaching them to observe all things I have commanded you.”

2 / Matthew 13 is especially instructive in that Jesus teaches them how the Kingdom of Heaven [of which He Himself is the Sovereign King] will be received by the hearers of the coming ages; how it will grow until the end of this age; and how God’s eternal, covenant, and redemptive purposes will be fulfilled.

3 / Matthew 13 ends with yet another ‘homecoming’ visit to Nazareth [different from the Luke 4.16-30 visit]. They have not changed their minds nor softened their hearts of unbelief toward Him. They are a representative example of the ‘beaten pathway’ hearers of the first parable [ch 13.1-4, 18-19]. What we have to see in all these illustrative vignettes that Matthew records is the representative experiences and encounters follow each of Jesus’ teaching sessions.

4 / So now we come to chs 14-15. We are going to see yet still more examples of how the various groups of hearers among the cultures of their communities received Jesus and how we can expect them to receive us also.

5 / There are just a few prominent themes or ‘threads’ that are interwoven into these two chapters that will connect Matthew’s writing plan with what he’s written before and what he will write following:

  • [1] Jesus continues to impress upon His disciples what the Kingdom of Heaven is—the essential and spiritual character and workings of the Kingdom of Heaven [especially in ch 15.1-20];
  • [2] He continues to display His identity as Messiah, Son of God, Son of David, and Sovereign King by working wonderful miraculous works in their presence…and the belief, confidence, and acknowledgement among His disciples continues to mature—even as they also display seasonal lapses in that faith;
  • [3] He continues to ignite growing and mounting enmity and antagonism, especially from the elite ruling classes of the religious leaders—a power struggle and conflict between the Kingdom of Heaven and the kingdom of this world, in other words, spiritual warfare [see again ch 12.22-30, 43-45]. [I know this is getting ahead of ourselves, but when we come to the next lesson in ch 16, Jesus will begin His intense pre-conditioning His disciples for what lies before Him by foretelling His death and resurrection.]

6 / So again, what we will do here in chs 14-15 is break down the content of the text into its larger movements and connect them with the context of what Matthew is developing as Jesus trains His twelve…

Chapter 14

I | ch 14.1-12 | Matthew records the guilt-ridden and superstitious reactions of Herod Antipas upon hearing the reports of Jesus’ miracles; and the flash-back account of Herod’s beheading of John the Baptist

1 / This Herod Antipas was the son of Herod the Great [ch 2]. He was the governing tetrarch of Galilee where most of Jesus’ ministry was conducted. Of course, he is going to hear and know of Jesus’ widespread works, fame, and acclaim. [Jesus finally has a face-to-face confrontation with this Herod in Luke 23.6-12—but that will be about a year in the future from this account.] But when Herod hears about Jesus, his guilty conscience begins to plague him because he had ordered the execution of John the Baptist shortly before this, and he fears that John had been resurrected—and with these miraculous powers, might be coming back for revenge against him. John had repeatedly [“been saying to him”] that his adulterous marriage to his brother, Philip’s, wife was “not lawful.” Herod’s adulterous wife, Herodias, no doubt stoked his vendetta against John. So “Herod had seized John and bound him and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias…” John was incarcerated from some time and even had some intriguing conversations with John [Mark 6.19-20]. It was during this time also that John had sent some of his disciples to Jesus with his questions [ch 11.1-18]. Matthew is connecting this passage with that one.

2 / John’s execution was occasioned by this debauched birthday party Herod threw for himself and by the sensual, provocative dancing of Salome, Herodias’s daughter—pleasing the men attendees. In Herod’s drunken and senseless pleasure, he offered Salome any reward she asked. She consulted with her wicked mother, Herodias, who demanded the decapitated head of John the Baptist on a platter. Herod was too proud to take back his promise and too cowardly to deny Herodias, so he ordered the beheading.

3 / Two touching scenes here: [1] John’s disciples bravely associated with John and went to request his body for burial; [2] “and they went and told Jesus,” John’s friend and the One whom John had introduced. NOTE: We also need to see here another stark example of the enmity Jesus had warned His disciples that they, too, will encounter as they identify and witness for Him; AND we should also see here a foreshadowing of Jesus’ own ultimate death at the hands of His enemies.

II | ch 14.1-21 | Jesus seeks to withdraw from those regions, seeking rest; but the crowds continue to seek Him out; Jesus has compassion on them [again] and heals their sick; then He miraculously feeds the crowd of 5000+ with meager supplies

1 / John’s martyrdom forebodes the same dangers that Jesus faces in these same regions of Herod’s jurisdiction. In fact, just a few short months after this, more toward the end of His ministry, Jesus will be warned “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you” [Luke 13.31]. But here in Matthew, Jesus senses the growing hostility from Herod, and so “…when Jesus heard this, He withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by Himself.” Jesus is exhausted by His constant ministry labors and now compounded by His grief over the martyrdom of His beloved friend and prophet, John. ANOTHER THING HERE: His disciples had returned from their short mission trips [see ch 10], and they, too, were tired [Mark 6.30-31]. So Jesus takes them away on a respite retreat—to debrief them, hear their ministry stories, and reinforce His ministry teachings and preparations for theirs.

2 / However, He can’t escape the crowds. They were waiting for Him on the shore where they thought they were going for a get-away. Matthew repeats and emphasized Jesus’ compassion for the needy crowds [chs 9.36; 14.14; 15.32]. Jesus heals their sick, and then when evening fell, they were still there. His disciples urged Jesus to “send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” Jesus wants to teach His disciples that it their responsibility to minister to the needy crowds [see ch 9.35-38]. That is to be their mission! “YOU give them something to eat!” Jesus takes what they give Him and miraculously creates and multiplies it—not only feeding the “five thousand men, besides women and children” but having twelve large baskets of leftovers! The disciples, and we, need to learn from this that wherever Jesus sends us on His mission, whatever He assigns, gives, and commands us to do, HE will provide and supply the ability and resources to do it! As we will see here in a minute, the disciples were slow learners of this vital, essential, and fundamental rule of ministry. And us…?

III | ch 14.22-33 | After feeding the crowds, Jesus commands His disciples to get into their boat and go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee; they encounter a terrifying storm at sea; Jesus comes to them walking on the stormy waves; Jesus commands Peter to get out of the boat and come to Him—Peter does, then begins to sink, and Jesus saves him; Jesus commands the storm to cease; the disciples confess Him as “Truly you are the Son of God”

1 / There are three miracles here: [1] Jesus comes to them, walking on the waves of the terrifying storm that had tired and exhausted them after vainly fighting against it all night; [2] Jesus commands Peter to jump out of the safety of the boat, into the frightening waves, and walk on them [like He was] to come to Him—and then rescuing Peter when he began to sink helplessly into the stormy waves; [3] Jesus commands the storm to stand down, reminiscent of the previous event in ch 8.23-27.

2 / This is yet another demonstration of Jesus’ Kingdom Authority—He is teaching His disciples to trust Him. And yet, Mark 6.51-52 says that, in this instance, the disciples were afraid because their hearts were hardened from remembering Jesus’ feeding the multitudes just a few hours earlier!  

IV | ch 14.34-36 | They landed at Gennesaret, another town on the NW shore of the Sea of Galilee; multitudes more are brought to Jesus to be healed

1 / “And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent around to all that region and brought to Him all who were sick…And as many as touched [Him] were made well.” This is yet another brief account of Jesus’ abundant and indiscriminate compassion on the crowds—yet it includes what may have been hundreds of cases of healing all sorts of maladies, afflictions, and disorders of the curse of sin.

2 / We have encountered a number of these ‘group healings’ in Matthew alone: chs 4.23-24; 8.16; 9.35-36; 14.14, 34-35; 15.29-31.

Chapter 15

V | ch 15.1-20 | Jesus is confronted again by the Pharisees and scribes from Jerusalem, questioning and accusing Him of violating the ‘traditions of the elders’—their sacrosanct interpretations, extrapolations, and applications of the Law; Jesus exposes their hypocrisy, countering that they were using their ‘traditions’ to negate and nullify the very Laws of God they were pretending to uphold; He also quotes Isaiah again [Isaiah 29.13]; then follows with two more ‘application’ messages to the people in attendance and to His disciples

1 / This is a ‘follow-up’ intentional confrontation from ch 12.14: “But the Pharisees went out and conspired against Him, how to destroy Him.” When Matthew says they “came to Jesus from Jerusalem,” they sent this embassage some ninety miles to stage this encounter. Matthew is showing us here how the murderous plots of Jesus’ enemies among the elite religious ruling class were obsessed with publicly discrediting and undermining Jesus’ influence among the people—which, of course, was pitting them against God Himself and The Kingdom of Heaven. [Matthew traces this intensifying hostility here in his Gospel with a few linking connections: chs 9.3, 11, 14, 34; 12.2, 24; etc. It will eventually come to their murderous fulfillment in ch 26.1-4.]

2 / This particular confrontation was over what they perceived as Jesus’ chronic violations of their ‘traditions of the elders’ over washing their hands to cleanse themselves from ‘uncleanness’ they might have unknowingly come into contact with. This was not hygienic washing from bacteria or microbes; it was ‘uncleanness’ from coming into contact with ‘unclean’ persons [see Mark 7.1-8]. The Pharisees believed that their long-standing ‘traditions’ held the same God-given authority as the words of God. But what they had done was taken the original commandments of God, extrapolated from them, expanded them, and built numerous ‘fences’ around them—all in the effort to prescribe situational applications that would keep people from even getting close to violating the original commandment. This is just another example like the numerous “Sabbath laws” they had prescribed—and accused Jesus of violating.

3 / Jesus gives them a prominent example of how their ‘traditions’ had created ‘loopholes’ that actually allowed people to violate and desecrate God’s commandment; “And many such things you do” [Mark 7.13]. [1]This conversation was with the accusing Pharisees. [2] Then, in v 10, Jesus initiates a second conversation with the people in attendance to straighten out their understanding of the true nature of The Kingdom of Heaven and spiritual uncleanness—that which comes from the heart…which is cleansed or purified by His Gospel, and His Word, and by faith in Him. [3] Then, in v 12, Jesus has another more private conversation with His disciples to warn them against their ‘traditional’ false teachers, calling them bad plants and bad guides. They must understand that they are not contaminated by external contact with socially ‘untouchable’ people, but by the evil that resides and comes from their own hearts.

VI | ch 15.21-28 | Jesus takes a preaching tour further NW into the district of Tyre and Sidon [ancient Phoenicia]; He is approached by a Gentile woman, a Canaanite, who passionately and insistently petitions Him to heal her demon-possessed daughter; she wins Jesus’ heart and grace by her faith—her confession and confidence in His Sovereign and gracious mercy  

1 / Matthew inserts this encounter where he does because it is a perfect follow-up and application of Jesus’ compassion, mercy, and grace for those who were considered ‘unclean’ by the ‘orthodox’ Jewish religious culture of their day. Notice also the linking of Peter’s specific interest and questioning of Jesus’ ‘defiling’ parable in vv 15-20. Link this experience of Peter with Acts 10 when Jesus sent Peter to Cornelius’ house.

2 / This whole episode is an intense, significant training experience for Jesus’ disciples on so many levels: [1] By going into these regions of “the districts of Tyre and Sidon,” Jesus demonstrates His willingness to take His Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven to the Gentiles also. [2] The disciples must learn to face their own cultivated prejudices against those whom their religious upbringing considered to be ‘unclean’ or ‘defiled’—the disciples voiced their cultivated prejudice of considering Gentiles to be ‘unclean dogs’; [3] Jesus tests the sincerity and genuineness of this Gentile, Canaanite, Syro-Phoenician woman/mother’s faith in Him by reiterating His mission’s first-in-time focus on “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” [4] She ‘passes the test with flying colors’ by her clear insight into the heart of Jesus by her repeated ‘come backs’: she demonstrates her humility by calling Him “O Lord, (even) Son of David”; she pleads for mercy; she acknowledges she doesn’t deserve Jesus’ mercy, either from a cultural or personal perspective; but she also pleads for covenant mercy even for her a Gentile and woman from Jesus’ power and grace; [5] Jesus graciously grants her request that comes from her deep conviction of faith in Him: “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.  

VII | ch 15.29-31 | Jesus returns southward, again to the Sea of Galilee; He ascends again the slope of a mountain to preach and teach the Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven; more multitudes of “the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others” are brought to Him to be healed—and He does; this prompts Matthew to record: “And they glorified the God of Israel”

Here is yet another ‘combined group example’ of Jesus’ miraculous healing works. See comment on 14.34-36 above… Matthew points out how these acts of mercy demonstrate the Kingdom Authority of Jesus Christ: “And they glorified the God of Israel.” Remember how Jesus taught us that our own works of grace and mercy that we perform in His Name should evoke the same response in ch 5.16.

VIII | ch 15.32-39 | Once again, this audience crowd who have been with Jesus “now three days” are hungry, having run out of their food supplies; and once again, Jesus commands His disciples to feed them; and once again, the disciples have no idea how they are going to feed that many hungry people; and once again, Jesus feeds them by multiplying what they have on hand; this time, there were four thousand men, besides women and children

1 / Here is yet another instance of Jesus’ gracious mercy and compassion. The crowds who have been following Him—and whom He has been teaching The Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven—have been with Him “now three days.” This was an extended, intensive ‘camp meeting’ of teaching and healing ministry. “Then Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, ‘I have compassion on the crowd because they…have nothing to eat. And I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.’” This time, as Matthew says, there were another 4000+ present.

2 / And, once again, when confronted with such a daunting, humanly impossible task, the disciples freak out, “Where are we to get enough bread in such a desolate place to feed so great a crowd?” We can almost hear Jesus heave a frustrated sigh—we don’t know exactly how long it had been since He had fed the 5000+…but it was relatively recently.

3 / So, once again, Jesus takes what they have, creates and multiplies as He serves, gave His provisions of grace to His disciples to distribute, everyone at to the full and were satisfied, and gathered up seven baskets of leftovers.

4 / Two takeaways for us: [1] Christ is sufficient! [2] When will ever learn to trust Him?

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“Take Good Care of Your Mother!”

Posted on February 24, 2026 by PastorDave

THE STORY OF THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST | Lesson 21

These messages/Bible study lessons are over 20 years old. There are 34 of these lessons in the series. I prepared and delivered them over 2005-2006 during my former pastorate. And, yes, I confess that I capitalized on the popularity and cultural interest in the Mel Gibson film which had just come out–though yet to this day, I haven’t seen the movie. But I have studied the Scriptural texts in their historical, cultural, and theological contexts for over fifty years. This is not only the Story of the Passion of the Christ, but more, it is the Story of God’s covenant love and grace in Christ that has redeemed and saved us! I have since shared them with other groups and audiences who have expressed an interest in sharing them still with others. So, I am posting them here in this format as I first prepared them without making any effort to revise or edit them. Since I wrote them in this Word format for the purpose of printing and creating paper handouts, the text doesn’t copy and paste well into this blog space–hence posting only the pdf. I pray God will use them for His Glory, to make Christ known to others, and to deepen our love and worship for God and His marvelous saving grace!

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The Kingdom of Heaven: Conflict and Conquest…Adversaries and Advancement

Posted on February 21, 2026 by PastorDave

MATTHEW | Lesson 9 | Lesson Notes / Talking Points

Matthew, chapters 12-13

The Kingdom of Heaven: Conflict and Conquest … Adversaries and Advancement

Jesus teaches His disciples that the Kingdom of Heaven—which He is commissioning them to proclaim—will be opposed by conflicts and adversaries; but in the end, it will advance and conquer the kingdom of the world and the Evil One.

CONTEXT & MAKING THE CONNECTIONS

1 / I have titled this lesson as I have because these two themes are clearly presented in the two chapters of this lesson text. Chapter 12 will continue to develop and illustrate the increasingly mounting opposition that Jesus faced as His influence grew among His hearers. In contrast, chapter 13 contains the third major discourse or teaching block that Jesus delivers to His disciples as He continues to train them in discipleship and how they must ‘go and make disciples of all the nations’ as He will commission them at the conclusion of Matthew’s narrative. As we have stated before in previous lessons, Matthew uses these five major discourses as the skeletal framework of His Gospel. We have called it ‘the training of the twelve’ to go, in turn, to train the nations of the world to be disciples of Jesus Christ.

2 / So, again, with this formidable chunk of Scripture to cover in this brief lesson, I can but outline the various sections and give you some salient summaries of the content of each section—and how they connect and develop the overall theme and purpose of Matthew [even as I ‘grieve’ over everything I have to leave out…].

Chapter 12 | Conflict and Adversaries

I | ch 12.1-14 | Two occasions of conflict over the Sabbath

1 / ch 12.1-8 | Jesus and His disciples pass through some wheat fields on the Sabbath. They pluck and eat some of the grains of wheat, stirring up the vehement ire of the Pharisees. There had been testy complaints before [9.1-8, 32-34], but now it will break out into an all-out frontal assault—and will result in the Pharisees’ conspiring from that time how to destroy Him [v 14]. This is what Matthew wants to record. Matthew writes these two encounters together, not because they necessarily happened back to back, but because both of them have a common theme: the mounting vocal opposition to Jesus from the Pharisees—the chief religious influencers and leaders among the people. The only “not lawful” act that Jesus and His disciples did was to not conform to their man-made laws [see Deuteronomy 23.25]. By citing David’s eating of the tabernacle bread of the Presence [shewbread] [1 Samuel 21.1-6], and the continual work that the priests performed in the Temple every Sabbath, Jesus establishes the true spirit of Sabbath laws—that “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice” [Hosea 6.6]—God permits acts and works of mercy like eating when you’re hungry to be performed even when other unnecessary work may be forbidden. Besides, Jesus Himself is “something greater than the Temple” and He was the One sanctioning the disciples’ Sabbath snack; and “For the Son of Man [Daniel 7.13-14] is lord of the Sabbath.”

2 / ch 12.9-14 | Jesus enters one of ‘their synagogues’ to worship and encounter a man with a withered hand. He is accosted and challenged by the Pharisees whether it is lawful to heal on the Sabbath. He does. This, too, was a ‘set up,’ to see if they could establish some public evidence and testimony to accuse Him of breaking the Law and justify their venomous enmity against Jesus.

II | ch 12.15-21 | Matthew cites Isaiah 42.1-3 as a fulfillment of Jesus’ Messianic identity and mission.

This is another one of Matthew’s numerous ‘OT fulfillment formulas’ that are written in throughout the Gospel. The import of this Isaiah quotation and why it is written here is to show that, even though the Pharisees virulently opposed Jesus as His most public and vocal adversaries, Yahweh approved Him. Quoting from Isaiah 42.1-3, Jesus was Yahweh’s Servant: chosen, Beloved, Spirit-filled, just, and gentle [full of mercy and grace]. AND, Matthew adds another prophetic statement to the redemptive plan of the New Covenant and Kingdom of Heaven to include the Gentiles—nations: “…and in His Name the Gentiles will hope.”

III | ch 12.22-37 | A third healing encounter incites more antagonism and opposition from Jesus’ adversaries—this time leading them to blasphemy against the Holy Spirit who was the Spirit and power of Jesus’ mission. Jesus responds to their blasphemous accusations by exposing the evil of their hearts and warning them of the judgment to come if they do not repent.

1 / Yet a third healing act performed by Jesus inspired the people to ask “Can this be the Son of David?” and also to invoke yet again the wrath of the Pharisees…and their accusations against Jesus that He was an agent of Satan and demon possessed: “It is only by Beelzebub, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.” Jesus not only logically refutes their self-defeating charge, but he turns it back on them…and He warns them of committing the ‘unpardonable sin’ that “will not be forgiven either in this age or in the age to come”—the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. They had witnessed the undeniable work of the Holy Spirit [see v 18] by whom Jesus worked, and yet intentionally, insistently rejected Yahweh’s witness to Jesus’ Kingdom Authority.

2 / The next section, vv 33-37, identifies these adversaries as bad trees bearing bad fruit [“for the tree is known by its fruit”] and warns them [and us] that we will give account to God, in the Person of Jesus Himself, for every careless word that we speak. This should serve as a sobering warning to all of us! 

IV | ch 12.38-45 | Some of the scribes and Pharisees openly and brazenly challenge Jesus: “Teacher, we wish to see a sign [authenticating miracle] from you”—as if they needed more evidence of His Messianic Kingdom Authority! Jesus promises them no sign…other than the ‘sign’ of Jonah which would be fulfilled in His resurrection from death. And He calls on them to repent like the Ninevites did.

1 / The hateful and bitter attacks only escalate by their demands for Jesus to certify and authenticate Himself and His Kingdom Authority to them—to their satisfaction: “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” And this, in the face of the works that Jesus has done, not only in this immediate context, but all the other works He has done from the beginning of His ministry. Jesus will not cow to their petty, self-assumed superiority over Him to judge Him. He promises them only one miraculous ‘sign’ or miracle: “the sign of the prophet Jonah”—His impending resurrection. Further, Jesus cites two Gentile responses to the Messianic prophecies/types of Him in both Jonah and Solomon, contrasting them with the rejection of “this generation” under the influence and leadership of the Pharisees and scribes. AND, again Jesus establishes His Kingdom Authority by elevating Himself: “…and behold, something greater than Jonah is here…and behold, something greater than Solomon is here” [link these statements with v 6].

2 / vv 43-45 | Jesus refers back to the charges of His accused liaison and alliance with Satan and demons in vv 22-32. Previously Jesus described His mission and that of the Kingdom of God as being an invasion of Satan’s ‘house’ and plundering Satan’s goods, which are the souls of those He came to save. Now, in these statements, Jesus gives this parable to tell “this evil generation” that it is THEY who are the ones who are under the influence of demons. Jesus warns us against half-way reform or heartless, insincere religion. In vv 22-32, He had come to “enter the strong man’s house, bind him, and plunder his goods,” that is, the souls Satan had been holding in captivity. Here, in vv 43-45, He warns this evil generation that if they do not repent and believe in Him, they will be inexorably and inescapably captivated by Satan.

V | ch 12.46-50 | Jesus encounters opposition to the Kingdom of Heaven—not only from the religious rulers of ‘this generation,’ but also from His own family.

This is a sad commentary on yet another front of adversarial opposition to Jesus’ ministry—this time from His own family. They had come to ‘intervene’ and ‘rescue’ Him from Himself, fearing and accusing Him of ‘going off the deep end.’ Compare this account with the parallel Mark 3.21, 31-35. This is Jesus’ own experience and testimony to the fore-warning He had given His disciples in Matthew 10.21-22, 34-39.

Chapter 13 | Conquest and Advancement | The parables of ‘the mystery [revealed secrets]’ of the Kingdom of Heaven—how it will be received and grow in the world during this age.

1 / Now we move into the third major discourse or teaching block that Jesus delivers as He is making disciples and teaches them how to “Go and make disciples of all the nations.” This also is what Jesus teaches them that they must, in turn, “teaching them to observe all things I have commanded you.”

2 / IF they must expect adversarial conflict and opposition to their proclaiming The Kingdom of Heaven, they must also know that The Kingdom of Heaven will advance and grow until “…the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Glory of The LORD as the waters cover the sea” [Habakkuk 2.14; Isaiah 11.9].

VI | ch 13.1-9 | The parable of the sower and the seeds

This parable will serve as the foundation, basis, and interpretive key to all the other parables. Indeed, Jesus says in Mark’s account: “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?” [Mark 4.13]. Jesus will explain this parable in vv 18-23, giving the significance of the different types of ‘soils’ or hearers of the Gospel of the Kingdom. But He uses figures and illustrations that were familiar to them to describe how different persons would receive the Gospel of the Kingdom He is sending them to proclaim. As the sower sows the seeds of the Gospel, some of the seeds will fall on [1] the beaten, hard-packed pathways between the fields—only to be picked up and devoured by the birds, [2] onto rocky ground with shallow soil—only to be withered by the sun because it had no depth of soil, [3] among thorns and weeds—only to be choked out and robbed by the invasive roots of the weeds, [4] but other seeds will fall on good soil and spring up in healthy, productive growth. And so it is…

VII | ch 13.10-17 | Jesus explains why He speaks in parables … and supports His use of parables as the fulfillment of Isaiah 6.9-10.

1 / All of these parables are revealing “the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven.” The word that Jesus uses is musteria, or ‘mysteries.’ The definition of a Bible ‘mystery’ is not an unsolvable riddle, but rather something that was previously hidden or unknown, but is now being clearly revealed. God is the One who first shrouds it in cloudy secrecy and mystery—and God is the only One who can sovereignly and clearly reveal it in His time.  The reason Jesus spoke in parables is both to elucidate and obfuscate. He will elucidate The Kingdom of Heaven to those who ask to understand and receive it; and He will further obfuscate it to those who refuse to believe in Him and receive His Kingdom Authority [see ch 11.25-27].

2 / This fulfills the commission and prophecy that Yahweh gave Isaiah in his own time and generation in Isaiah 6.9-10. This is a resounding testimony to both God’s absolute sovereignty in the hearing and receiving of the Gospel and also of the undeniable responsibility of every human hearer of the Gospel.

VIII | ch 13.18-23 | Jesus explains the meaning of the sower and the seeds parable—four types of hearers of the Gospel of the Kingdom

Now Jesus returns to the key parable of the sower and the seeds [see vv 1-9]. He describes each type of hearer of the Gospel. NOTE also how in all of the activity and proclamation of The Kingdom of Heaven, there is another kingdom that is at work opposing the Gospel—seeking to subvert, thwart, undermine, and defeat the Gospel…keep it from being heard and received in faith. As Jesus explains in v 18, “When anyone hears the word of the Kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart.” This is another commentary and illustration of the spiritual warfare that we are constantly and continuously engaged in. See again Jesus’ repeated exposes’ of the Satanic and demonic activities that confront us in chs 12.22-32, 43-45.  

IX | ch 13.24-30 | Jesus ‘puts before them’ the companion ‘parable of the weeds’ … how the ‘enemy’—‘the god of this age’—will seek to counterfeit and subvert the Gospel and the Kingdom of Heaven during this age.

Once again, Jesus highlights the constant and continuous spiritual warfare that will attack and oppose the

ministry of the Kingdom of Heaven. Both kingdoms will grow together. As His disciples go forth into all the world to preach the Gospel—sowing the good seeds of the Gospel—the enemy will be busy with his own sowing. Except the enemy will make every attempt to counterfeit his false religion and make it look like the true one. When the good wheat and this worthless darnel-weed are sprouting and coming up, the darnel-weed looks remarkably like the wheat. It doesn’t really manifest itself until it grows more to maturity and doesn’t bear good grain. The temptation is to try to pull them up. But, inevitably, if you do that, you will pull up some good stalks with the bad…or else their roots will be so intertwined, that you will end up uprooting some good wheat at the same time. Often, it is difficult to tell the difference between a true believer and a false one merely by observing external appearances and actions [see ch 7.21-23]. But Jesus, the Judge of all, who knows our hearts, will separate the worthless, faithless chaff from the genuine wheat when He comes at the end of this age to harvest, separate His believing saints from the false professors, burn the ungodly in Hell, and gather His elect into the ‘grainary / barn’ of the Kingdom of Heaven. See the more specific application of the symbols in vv 36-43…

X | ch 13.31-33 | Jesus delivers two more parables: mustard seed and leaven.

Both a mustard seed and spores of leaven are among the smallest of elements; yet when they are planted or kneaded into even large measures of dough, they grow exponentially larger than their original size. So it is with the Kingdom of Heaven. “The Kingdom of Heaven is like…” Jesus gave these two parables to encourage His disciples—both then and now. The Kingdom of Heaven started very small— considered to be insignificant both by its first contemporaries and continuing on down through the generations to us. It is opposed, rejected, despised, and fought against from all sides and in every way. Yet, God has made it grow, and it will, in the end, “fill the whole earth with the knowledge of the Glory of the LORD.” Christ’s Kingdom of Heaven IS the right side of history!

XI | ch 13.34-35 | Jesus reiterates—explains again—that His parables fulfill the prophecies of His Messianic mission, this time from Psalm 78.2 … and also the purpose His parables served.

Matthew cites yet another OT prophecy that said Messiah would teach in parables, this one from Psalm 78.2. NOTE: here is another citation of what a Bible ‘mystery’ is: “I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.” See also Ephesians 8-10; Colossians 1.26.

XII | ch 13.36-43 | Jesus returns to the parable of the weeds to forewarn and explain to His disciples how ‘the sons of the Kingdom’ will be opposed by ‘the sons of the evil one.’

This is an explanatory commentary on vv 24-30…

XIII | ch 13.44-51 | Jesus tells yet three more parables to illustrate what the ‘the Kingdom of Heaven is like’: hidden treasure, pearl of great value, and fish caught in a net – then follows with a rich promise to those who are ‘trained for the Kingdom of Heaven’ by receiving, understanding, and proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven.

These parables of the treasure, pearl, and fish share a common theme: the inestimable worth of The Kingdom of Heaven. The parable of the “scribe who has been trained for the Kingdom of Heaven” goes back over everything Jesus has taught in this discourse; and He blesses His disciples for their interest, their inquisitive questions—and especially for the gracious blessing of God to give them understanding and their high estimation of the value of The Kingdom of Heaven. The things that are ‘new…and old” are those hidden mysteries of Christ and His Kingdom that are contained in the OT—and then how they are now revealed and fulfilled and granted to us in Christ!

XIV | ch 13.53-58 | Jesus’ lessons on the conflict and adversaries of the Kingdom of Heaven are reinforced yet again by His rejection by His hometown folks in Nazareth.

Once again, Matthew bears witness to the conflict and adversaries The Kingdom of Heaven will encounter in this rejection experience Jesus encountered in His hometown of Nazareth. See Luke 4.16-30.

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The Disciples Follow Jesus into Mission

Posted on February 14, 2026 by PastorDave

Matthew, chapters 10-11

MATTHEW | Lesson 8 | Lesson Notes / Talking Points

The Disciples Follow Jesus into Mission

Jesus sends His disciples on their first ‘short-term’ mission to train and prepare them for their [and our] age-long Great Commission mission: preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom and making disciples

CONTEXT & MAKING THE CONNECTIONS

1 / Again, we are facing the insurmountable task of surveying and summarizing a large portion of Matthew in just a few words and minutes. But, what we do want to do is make the connections of this portion of Matthew with what has come before and what will come after—and also with Matthew’s overall themes and writing plan.

/ So, first of all, let’s set ch 10 in the context of Matthew overall. Ch 10 is the second of the five major discourses Matthew records that Jesus delivered. All of them will flesh out Jesus’ final Great Commission charge in ch 28.16-20. So, all of these discourses are, in some way, ‘making disciples of Jesus and the Kingdom of Heaven’; then they will, in turn, Go, and make disciples of all nations…teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you. The first major discourse, chs 5-7, answer the question: “What is a disciple? And, how are citizen-disciples of the Kingdom of Heaven to live—both in their ‘internal discipleship’ of character and conduct, and in their ‘external’ discipleship in their relationships with others?” Now, this discourse will answer the question: “How are traveling evangelists to conduct themselves on their evangelistic missions?”

/ Because that’s what Jesus is doing in ch 10: He is sending them out on their first ‘short-term mission’ to train them and prepare them for their eventual age-long, world-wide mission after He ascends back into Heaven. That is why I have titled this lesson: “The disciples follow Jesus into Mission.” I want to note up-front here that I’m following the outline and section divisions from Daniel M. Doriani in the ESV Expository Commentary because he presents such a clear, concise of the flow of  these two content-filled chapters. I have profited so much from his learned understanding, exposition, and application of this Gospel.

I | ch 10.1-4 | Jesus calls and sends His disciples to the Mission … and gives them His authority—the same authority He has exercised in chs 8-9.

1 / Jesus Himself does just what He has commanded His disciples to do: He has just commanded them to “therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” Luke 6.12: In these days He went out into the mountain to pray, and all night He continued in prayer to God. And when day came, He called His twelve, whom He named apostles. Jesus teaches us both in word and deed that The Kingdom of Heaven advances both power and personnel through prayer—praying to God to make it advance through our agency.

2 / Now that Jesus has given His disciples an ‘elementary lesson’ in discipleship, both by teaching them in ch 5-7 and by having them accompany Him in ch 8-9, it is now time to send them out ‘on their own,’ although He will be with them in His authority. NOTE the continued theme and thread of authority that Matthew has highlighted in chs 7.28-29; 8.5-13; 9.1-8; etc.

3 / Another note on what discipleship is: When Jesus called these twelve as His band of disciples, Mark 3.13-15 says “that they might be with Him and He might send them out to preach.” So disciples are those who commit their lives to ‘being with Jesus’ and ‘becoming like Him’ [see ch 10.24-25]. We must do and become like Jesus!

II | ch 10.5-15 | Jesus charges His disciples to follow His ministry message and patterns

1 / vv 5-10 | They must preach what they have heard Him preach and do the works they have seen Him do … with His authority He is giving them. If the Great Commission is in ch 28, we might call this the ‘first commission,’ It is smaller in scope and duration. This would be a ‘short-term mission,’ and it would be limited to their immediately surrounding cities, towns, and communities of the lost sheep of the house of Israel [see ch 9.36]. This commission is more limited in scope because Jesus Himself had come first to the people of His own covenant nation, and also, that is where they were in their geographical context. Also, the disciples would have to be trained and get used to the inclusion of the Gentile people of the New Covenant as Jesus continues to instruct them. The commission Jesus gives them in vv 7-8 was the same mission He Himself had been fulfilling as we have seen in the previous chapters. They should go on this mission with no more than they had on their on their persons and backs. Jesus is teaching them that when they go on mission for Him, they must learn to trust Him to supply their needs. Besides, they will return to Him shortly to report back to Him.  

2 / vv 11-15 | They must seek out receptive hearers of the Gospel and stay with them until they leave that city. Their method was simple: go from one town and village to another [and there were many in their immediately surrounding environs]; they must announce why they had come [“And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.’”]; and they should wait for someone to receive them and their message of the Gospel; and stay with them—receive their housing and hospitality—until they departed for another town. The people’s reception of the Gospel—or lack thereof—will be judged upon them in the Day of Judgment.   

III | ch 10.16-25 | Jesus forewarns and prepares them to expect hatred, opposition, and persecution because of their witness to Him … and how they should respond to it

1 / vv 16-20 They should expect persecution from the religious communities and authorities. Jesus warns them that everyone will not welcome them, just as everyone had not welcomed Jesus. They had already witnessed that opposition in the previous chapters. Much of that persecution [v 23] will come from the religious community and leadership. Although, in v 18, Jesus does give them a prospective ‘heads-up’ that later on, they will also encounter the same persecution from Gentile authorities.

2 / vv 21-23 | They should also expect persecution and separation from their own families. They will also encounter hatred, opposition, persecution, and even death at the hands of their closest family relationships. The Gospel divides, separates, and ruptures the nearest and dearest relationships of our lives.

3 / vv 24-25 | In all of this, they will be becoming like Him—which is what a true disciple is. But a true disciple will be committed and content with becoming like his Master and Teacher, Jesus Christ. When we identify with Jesus, they will treat us the same ways they treated Him.

IV | ch 10.26-33 | The disciples should faithfully fulfill their witnessing mission without fear

1 / vv 26-31 | They should ‘fear not’ because even if they are physically killed for their witness to Christ, they are valued by their Heavenly Father—and their physical death will usher them into eternal life. This theme of “have no fear of them, do not fear, fear not” will be repeated in vv 26, 28, 31. This is the thread that ties this part of Jesus’ instruction together. The reasons why we do not fear whatever earthly and physical threats, dangers, discomforts, or even loss of our lives is because we have an over-riding fear of God, a Godly fear of worship and reverence. And besides, God has promised to value us as His own treasured people.

2 / vv 32-33 | Rather than being afraid of their physical persecutors and denying Christ and giving up on their Gospel mission—they must faithfully acknowledge Christ…even to the end of their lives. So we will acknowledge Jesus before men in our convictions and faithful witness. And He promises “I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in Heaven.”

V | ch 10.34-42 | Jesus commands our supreme love and loyalty even over our closest and dearest relationships … but He also promises His richest eternal rewards

1 / vv 34-37 | We must love Christ more than our closest family relationships. This is a follow-up commentary on what Jesus has already taught before in vv 21-22. The sword that Jesus brings is not a sword of physical warfare, but rather the sword of choice: whom will our hearers choose to follow and serve? The peace that Jesus brings is not the peace of everybody coexisting and living ‘in perfect harmony,’ but rather the peace of a right relationship in God in The Kingdom of Heaven. This peace as we surrender to the God of peace, trust in the Prince of Peace, and believe the Gospel of peace. But everyone will not; many will not; and they will turn on those who do. But we must commit to follow Christ, loving Him more than even those who are our nearest and dearest physical relations.

2 / vv 38-39 | We must Christ more than our personal comfort—or even our own life. Following Jesus will mean being willing to take His cross as our cross. To take his cross means to be willing to suffer for the sake of Christ everything Jesus Himself suffered—slander, rejection, reproach, disdain, hatred, persecution, and eventually even death. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer famously said: “Jesus calls His disciples to follow Him and prepare to die.”

3 / vv 40-42 | But Jesus also promises rewards to those who receive His Gospel through our witness—as well to those who assist us in our mission. But whatever we may suffer and lose for the sake of our faithfulness in following, identifying with, serving, and witnessing for Christ—Jesus promises reward. The reward that Jesus promises and that we wait to receive is His Presence and pleasure in The Kingdom of Heaven [see v 32]. We might note here also—as Jesus emphasizes—that His reward is promised not only to His witnesses who go forth in His Name proclaiming His Gospel, but also each and every one who supports, assists, and encourages them in their ministries. I have personally called upon God to bless and reward countless friends and benefactors who have blessed me along my way.

4 / ch 11.1 | NOTE here Matthew’s transition from the instructive ‘Discipleship Discourse’ in ch 10 to the next narrative passage in ch 11. After Jesus had instructed and sent out the twelve disciples on this training mission, He Himself departed to continue the same mission work He had already begun. See 4.23; 9.35.

VI | ch 11.1-6 | Jesus receives and responds to some probing questions from John the Baptist concerning His Kingdom mission

1 / vv 2-3 | John sends word to Jesus via his disciples asking: “Are you the One who is to come, or shall we look for another?” John the Baptist had been imprisoned by Herod Antipas because John dared to call him out over his adulterous marriage to his brother’s wife [see ch 14.1-12]. John would conclude his momentous prophetic ministry of announcing the coming of the Messiah by being beheaded. What we need to see here is multi-faceted, one of which is that John serves in that moment of the kinds of persecution and suffering Jesus has been warning His disciples to expect. We don’t believe that John had any ‘doubts’ or second thoughts about whether Jesus was the promised, prophesied Messiah. But whatever questions he may have been struggling with may have come from what he perceived to be the missing elements of judgment against sinners that would accompany Messiah when He came. Remember, this message of judgment and the wrath to come was a major theme of John’s ministry and message [see ch 3.7-12]. John also understood that he had fulfilled the prophetic pronouncements of God’s wrath and judgment found in Malachi, chapter 4. So maybe he was wondering: “Where’s the wrath? Where’s the promised judgment on the enemies of the Kingdom of God?”

2 / vv 4-6 | Jesus lovingly re-assures John the Baptist that “Yes! I am the One you announced!” and He offers the prophesied evidences of His Messianic mission. Jesus returns the tender and reassuring message back to John: “Go and tell John what you see and hear…” and then began citing His miraculous Kingdom ministry they had witnessed. ALL of these Kingdom works were prophesied repeated by the prophets, especially Isaiah: Isaiah 29.18-19; 35.3-7; 42.1-7; et. al. What John could not immediately perceive [along with the other disciples] was that there would be another coming of the Messiah at the end of this age to fulfill the wrath and judgment exercises of Messiah’s mission. But, not right now…

VII | ch 11.7-19 | Jesus publicly commends John the Baptist to the crowds

1 / vv 7-15 | Jesus gives a resounding affirmation of the prophesied and prophetic ministry God had called John to fulfill. After personally re-assuring John with His returned message, Jesus then turns to the crowds. Lest they should think John had discredited himself or that Jesus had diminished him in any way, Jesus publicly re-affirms John’s greatness in The Kingdom of Heaven and in the prophetic/historical plan of God. Jesus begins by asking six rhetorical questions to remind John’s hearers what they had expected—and what they found—in John. Then, Jesus links John with Malachi 3.1. This Malachi reference is also closely linked with Isaiah 40.3-5 [see Matthew 3.1-6]. All of these affirmations establish John’s greatness in the Kingdom of Heaven. John the Baptist was Elijah who is to come. And yet, those of that generation—and we in our generations—are greater than he in that we have received the fulfilled Gospel ministry and message of the Christ that John had been sent to announce!

2 / vv 16-19 | At the same time, Jesus soundly rebukes that unbelieving and unreceiving generation for their stubbornness and rejection of both John and Himself—Jesus. Jesus issues this stinging evaluation and rebuke against the hearers of that generation. No doubt many of them were criticizing John, even in his imprisonment, and were using his questions to diminish him and highlight their own objections to Jesus’ ministry. Quoting a familiar proverb among them, Jesus compares them to a bunch of petty, petulant, moody, sulking children who refuse to play along with their playmates in the marketplaces. As they would be hanging out together, one of them would suggest “Hey, let’s play wedding. I’ll play the flute, and you all dance.” Or, “Hey, let’s play funeral. I’ll sing the dirge, and you all mourn and wail.” Both of these play-alongs were common, familiar scenes that often played out in their culture. But the stubborn, recalcitrant playmates would sulk, fold their arms, scowl, and say, “No! I’m not playing along with your games.” Jesus turned it on them to say that they just refused to hear God’s messengers of The Kingdom of Heaven regardless of how they came. John the Baptist was a more eccentric and ascetic prophet, but they just dismissed him as being a lunatic. Jesus came socializing and associating with those He had come to save, and they accused Him of being “a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!” They refused to be pleased. They already had their religion and kingdom—and they refused to receive or ‘play along’ with anyone who didn’t conform to their program.   

VIII | ch 11.20-24 | Jesus continues to denounce three prominent cities who were the most familiar with His ministry, the most blessed by His presence among them … and yet the most unrepentant in their response to Him

1 / And so, to be more specific, Jesus ‘names names’ of the three most local and prominent cities where His ministry up to that time had been concentrated: Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum. He had come to them all, but they had stubbornly refused to receive Him and The Kingdom of Heaven and repent.

2 / It will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon and Sodom on the Day of Judgment than for them. All of these cities of the OT times were destroyed by the judgments of God for their wickedness—but they also didn’t have the light and knowledge of the ministry of Christ among them.

IX | ch 11.25-30 | Jesus continues to extend mercy to all who will come to Him for salvation and rest … just as His disciples have—who have believed in Him

1 / Jesus then thanks the Father for His sovereign choice and enlightenment He had given to those who had believed in Him. He reiterates here again what He will confirm in the Great Commission: “All things have been handed over to me by my Father…” He is the Sovereign, exclusive, undisputed King Jesus of the Kingdom of Heaven. The gift of faith and salvation is God’s sovereign prerogative as taught all throughout Scripture.

2 / But Jesus concludes this portion of this Gospel ministry by once again calling: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden [see ch 9.36], and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” THIS is Grace and mercy! THIS is salvation! And THIS is discipleship!

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Jesus’ Kingdom Authority in Word and Work

Posted on February 7, 2026 by PastorDave

Matthew, chapters 8-9

MATTHEW | Lesson 7 | Lesson Notes / Talking Points

Jesus proceeds from teaching His foundational Kingdom principles to now demonstrating His Kingdom Authority in both His words and works by miracles and applications

CONTEXT & MAKING THE CONNECTIONS

1 / Before we begin analyzing the contents of chapters 8-9, let’s step back and get the bird’s-eye, panoramic vision of how this section fits in with Matthew’s larger themes and writing plan. What Matthew wants to show in his Gospel narrative will be summed up in Jesus’ final charge and commission to His disciples in ch 28.16-20:

  • [1] Jesus Christ has been given all authority in Heaven and on earth—He is the sovereign and indisputable King of His Kingdom—Royal Son of David;
  • [2] Jesus Christ has come to earth to inaugurate the eternal Kingdom—the Kingdom of Heaven—here in our space and time;
  • [3] Jesus Christ has come to redeem His covenant Kingdom people [disciples]—not just from among the Israelites, but also many from among the Gentiles, as the Son of Abraham (see Genesis 12.1-3);
  • [4] Jesus Christ will then command His disciples to “go and make disciples of all the nations … teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.”

So, then, the contents of Matthew’s Gospel will lay out Jesus’ identity as the King of His Kingdom, and then give us accounts of Jesus’ teachings—all of which will be confirmed by the miraculous Kingdom works that Jesus did [see Acts 1.1-3].

2 / That brings us to our present lesson passage, chs 8-9. After introducing Jesus to us in chs 1-4 in all His Divine and covenantal identities [Son of David, Son of Abraham, Immanuel, Savior/Redeemer, etc], then Matthew records for us the first of five major teaching discourses that Jesus will deliver over the course of His disciple-making ministry [chs 5-7]. Also, these two chapters 8-9 will serve as a ‘bridge,’ segue, or transition to the next major discourse in ch 10.

3 / Not only that—but these two chapters will give us numerous demonstrations and illustrations of one of the major themes of The Sermon on the Mount—Jesus’ authority. Matthew records that Jesus’ authority was one of the most impressive takeaways that His hearers noted: “And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at His teaching, for He was teaching them as one who had authority [innate, inherent, native, in Himself], and not as their scribes” [ch 7.28-29] Matthew wants us to see and hear that. Because everything that Jesus will do in Matthew’s following accounts will confirm, illustrate, and demonstrate Jesus’ authority over every facet, theater, and element of creation in Heaven and on earth—every other ‘authority.’ We will point out and highlight some of these exercises of authority as we survey and summarize the contents of these two chapters [e. g., look at the testimony of the Gentile Roman centurion in ch 8.5-13; also 9.6, 8].

4 / ALSO, in addition to and in expansion of that theme of authority, Matthew will also highlight how Jesus’ Kingdom authority is not only in His works [miracles], but also in His words. Again, this was one of the major themes and takeaways from chs 5-7, but also numerous times in these works demonstrations, Jesus will enact and exercise His authority by a word—He will simply ‘say the word’ and the work will be done. And, again, the Gentile centurion explicitly expressed this recognition and conviction in Jesus’ authority when he said, “but only say the word, and my servant will be healed” [ch 8.8].

5 / So, here’s how we will break down and approach this large and full lesson passage: these two chapters will break down into three sub-sections [8.1-22; 8.23—9.17; 9.18-38]. Each of the sub-sections will relate the accounts of some miracles Jesus performed over numerous needs and powers as He exercises and demonstrates His Kingdom Authority. There are at least ten specific miracles, with two miracles imbedded in ch 9.18-26, and many more included in ch 8.16-17. Then, each section will be followed by an application encounter and conversation—or what I call ‘teaching moments.’

6 / I will outline and itemize the three sections as we go along…

I | ch 8.1-22 | Miracles and Conversations

1 / ch 8.1-4 | Jesus cleanses a leper with a touch and a word. Jesus has Kingdom Authority and power over physical diseases. This miracle and act of compassion and grace is significant on so many levels: [1] ‘Leprosy’ was a broad term used to describe a number of skin disorders—but all of which rendered the afflicted as ceremonially and socially ‘unclean,’ untouchable, and ostracized from society and the community; [2] The leper would have been shunned by the others as he approached Jesus since contact with him would also render anyone who touched him ‘unclean’; [3] He modeled the faith and confidence in Jesus as the Royal ‘Son of David’ as the examples following will also express—which Jesus always honored; [4] Jesus was willing to reach out and touch him and demonstrated His Royal authority to not only heal him…but also restore and reinstate him into the community. [5] This miracle sets the redemptive pattern—that Jesus came not only to restore physical health and well-being, but more importantly, to restore mankind back to God’s creation design of wholeness and reconciliation with God.

2 / ch 8.5-13 | Jesus heals the beloved servant of a Gentile Roman centurion…with only a word of authority. Jesus’ Kingdom Authority reaches also into the Gentile world. This Roman centurion [commander of ~100 soldiers] was a social pariah, not only because he was a Gentile, but also because he was a member of the ‘oppressor’ class. However, Luke 7.1-10 reveals that he was an exception inasmuch as he had been a benefactor to his Jewish community. Matthew provides commentary into his thematic purpose of Jesus’ Kingdom Authority by relating the confession of the Gentile Roman centurion to Jesus’ authority and ability to heal with only say the word—which Jesus does. Jesus also uses this opportunity to proclaim the universal outreach of the Kingdom of Heaven which will include many who will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob…. We call this the ‘Eschatological Messianic Feast.’ It is fulfilled in Revelation 7.9-17 and 19.6-10.

3 / ch 8.14-17 | Jesus heals Peter’s mother-in-law with a touch. Since Peter lived in Bethsaida, about five miles E of Capernaum [John 1.44], this miracle would have occurred there. Jesus again heals with a touch of Divine power and life. She serves to teach us that we should use every grace of life, health, and well-being—especially deliverances—to serve Jesus. ALSO, there was another mass influx and convergence of “many who were oppressed by demons, and He cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick.” Matthew gives us another OT Messianic quotation from Isaiah 53.4: “This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: ‘He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.’” We must interpret this by the whole context of Isaiah 53 which is a prophetic message of redemption from our sins. But since all sicknesses, diseases—indeed all our human ‘brokennesses’—are the results of our sin against God, Jesus illustrates His comprehensive redemption and reconciliation of the creation back to God by healing our physical afflictions by His Kingdom Authority as a ‘foretaste’ of the universal restoration [see Romans 8.18-25; Colossians 1.20; 1 Peter 2.24-25; Isaiah 35.5-6; et. al.].

4 / ch 8.18-22 | Conversation/Teaching Moment: Jesus instructs a scribe and ‘another of the disciples’ about the cost of unconditional surrender to Jesus’ authority. We don’t serve Jesus on our conditional terms—we must submit, surrender, and obey His unconditional call to forsake and abandon all to follow and serve Him.

II | ch 8.23—9.17 | More Miracles and Conversations

1 / ch 8.23-27 | Jesus quiets the life-threatening storm at sea with only a word of ‘rebuke.’ This was a real storm. And these disciples, being seasoned and experienced fishermen, were genuinely terrified and afraid they were going to die. Jesus stilled the storm with a word, causing His disciples to marvel further at Jesus’ authority to command the creation elements. See also Luke 8.25: “…He commands…”

2 / ch 8.28-34 | Jesus exorcises demons from two possessed men by commanding them with a word of authority. Jesus’ Kingdom Authority is over the demonic world of darkness. AND, since this region was a Gentile region [hence the pigs], Jesus proclaims His desire to ‘go into all the world.’ This event also serves to illustrate here early on in Matthew that Jesus will not be welcome everywhere He goes. They were more interested in their personal and financial economies than the advancement of The Kingdom of Heaven.

3 / ch 9.1-8 | Jesus heals a paralyzed man after first forgiving him of his sins—doing both acts with His ‘authority on earth’ to act as God. Matthew brings us back across the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum. This is the story of the paralytic’s friends taking him up on the flat roof of the house, ‘unroofing’ the roof, and lowering the disabled paralytic down into the room where Jesus was teaching [Mark 2.1-4]. Jesus both first forgives the paralytic of his sins and then restores his physical strength and ability to walk again with a word of authority. Once again, Matthew relates the verbal exchanges between Jesus and some of the scribes who were accusing Jesus of blasphemy because He exercised the God-only prerogative of forgiving sins. Since Jesus is God and has all authority in Heaven and on earth, it is equally ‘easy’ for Him to exercise that authority on earth to do both. “When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.”

4 / ch 9.9-13 | Conversation/Teaching Moment: Jesus calls Matthew [the writer of our narrative] to follow Him as a disciple. Remember, they are in Capernaum, which was a commercial city and at a crossroads of travel and commerce. Matthew [Levi], a Jew, served as a hired tax/toll collector for the Romans to collect taxes from his fellow Jews [see Luke 19.1-10 (Zacchaeus)]. So, this was not a ‘cold encounter.’ Matthew was not a total stranger, but would have been familiar with Jesus’ presence and reports of His teachings. But Jesus calls this another social outcast, ‘untouchable,’ and pariah to follow Him as His disciple. Matthew responds immediately and unconditionally—and also throws a party and invites all his fellow tax collectors and sinners to come and meet Jesus. Jesus gladly responds. However, Matthew introduces us to the early opposition of the Jewish religious ruling class who see this and begin to confront His disciples with this prohibited association: “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” This embryonic opposition will keep growing throughout Jesus’ ministry until they crucify Him in the end. But Jesus boldly quotes from Hosea 6.6: “for I desire steadfast love [mercy] and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” Meaning, His mission was not to conform to the to the preferences and protocols of the religious self-righteous, but rather to show compassion and redeeming mercy to those who genuinely need it—and know they need it.

5 / ch 9.14-18 | Another Conversation/Teaching Moment: Questions about fasting—or not—arise and are answered by Jesus to justify His ‘eating with sinners.’ This conversation comes up because the disciples of John the Baptist [and also the Pharisees] fasted regularly, often, and scrupulously—and here is Jesus and His disciples feasting…and that, in the company of those whom they wouldn’t associate with. Why is that? Jesus again comes back to the theme of the ‘eschatological Messianic feast’ that He has come to inaugurate [see ch 8.11 above; also compare with John 2.1-11]. Jesus proclaims and exclaims here that His presence among them is the ‘hors d’oeuvres’ of that great celebration—the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. He has come as the Heavenly Bridegroom to begin the wedding and marriage of His redemptive Bride to Himself. How can He require His disciples to fast when He has come to announce the feast? That just doesn’t make sense—it is not appropriate—like patching old, stretched-out, worn fabric with a new, unshrunk patch … or putting still-fermenting new wine into an old already stretched-out wineskin. His Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven is ‘new wine’ to be put into a ‘fresh wineskin.’ However, after He is taken away from them—crucified, risen, and ascended back into Heaven—there will be time and occasion for us to fast on behalf of the Kingdom.   

III | ch 9.18-38 | Still More Miracles and Conversations—with a charge and challenge from Jesus that will set up His next major Discourse #2 in chapter 10

1 / ch 9.18-26 | Jesus performs two miracles [one interrupting the other] to demonstrate His authority even over death. Again, Jesus responds to two requests for His Divine healing—and again, from death and social, ceremonial uncleanness. The previous conversations about fasting were interrupted by the frantic supplications of a synagogue leader [‘ruler’] to come and heal his daughter—which, in turn, was itself interrupted by the poor woman who had suffered for twelve years with a chronic hemorrhaging of blood. The synagogue ruler’s twelve-year-old daughter [Mark 5.42] had just died, but he trusted in Jesus’ Kingdom Authority to raise her from death. Jesus turns to go with His disciples to his house. They are being thronged by the crowds. This woman who has exhausted her health, strength, and well-being [and her finances (Mark 5.26; Luke 8.43)] made her way to Jesus from behind. She was undoubtedly known to her neighbors who would also know of her physical afflictions. AND, she, too, would have been banned and shunned from social contact and interactions because of her ceremonial uncleanness [Leviticus 15.25-28]. Anyone who touched her or was touched by her would have been ‘unclean.’ But, she, too, is desperate. Jesus is her last remaining hope of healing and restoration. She has enough confidence in His Kingdom Authority and saving grace that she is willing to risk everything to get to Him. But, she doesn’t want to presume to ‘impose’ herself onto Jesus; so she sneaks up behind Him to touch the fringe, or the tassels, on the hem of His tunic. She was healed immediately, “and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease” [Mark 5.29]. Jesus is aware of her presence and act of faith, “perceiving in Himself that power had gone out from Him” [Mark 5.30].

2 / ch 9.27-31 | Jesus heals two blind men according to their faith—confidence in His authority and grace. When these two blind men approach Jesus with their appeal: “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”, they are recognizing and confessing Jesus’ Kingdom Authority as the promised, Messianic Son of David who would come to rule over God’s Kingdom [see 2 Samuel 7 and Matthew 1.1]. He grants their desires  “according to your faith”—their belief and confidence in His Kingdom Authority.

3 / ch 9.32-34 | Jesus exorcises a demon that was causing physical muteness. Some came to Jesus on their volition; others were brought to Him by others. As we have seen in ch 8.16-17, all of our sicknesses, afflictions, diseases, and disorders are in some way consequential to our original sin and fallen natures. But some maladies are the direct result of some specific sin or the oppression of demon spirits of the kingdom of darkness. This is one such example. This man was a demon-oppressed man who was mute. Once again, as we have seen numerous times already just in this lesson passage, Jesus exercises His Kingdom Authority over the demonic spirit world as Jesus liberates the man from the demon spirit and restores his ability to talk again. Another illustration of Jesus’ mission to restore the creation to wholeness. And also, and again, Matthew records the growing displeasure of the religious ruling class and their opposition to Jesus’ threats to their own self-assumed authority and control over the people.

4 / ch 9.35-38 | Conversation/Teaching Moment: Jesus continues His widespread ministry of teaching and preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom and “healing every disease and every affliction” … and challenges His disciples to embrace His same Kingdom burden and mission. Matthew concludes this portion of his narrative by repeating Jesus’ itinerary as in ch 4.23. In fact, in Matthew’s writing plan, these two repetitions constitute an ‘inclusio,’ or ‘book-ends.’ We should read chs 4.23—9.38 as a ‘chapter’ of the whole Gospel narrative. And the theme of the ‘chapter’ has been how Jesus proclaimed His Kingdom Authority both in word [Sermon on the Mount, 7.28] and in His works [chs 8-9]. Matthew then will conclude this ‘chapter’ by drawing our attention once again to the ‘crowds’ [4.25; 5.1; 7.28; 8.1, 18; 9.33, 36]. When Jesus sees these crowds [5.1; 9.36], He sees lost sheep who have no shepherd [or ‘shepherds’ who only abuse them for their own ends (Ezekiel 34.5-6)], and He has compassion on them. He has come to seek and save them. Jesus laments to His disciples that “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the Harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” He calls us to care as He cares, and to minister to them as He does—all the while praying earnestly for His Kingdom Authority. Beginning in ch 10, Jesus will further train them to do just that!

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MAKING DISCIPLES: Sermon on the Mount, part 3

Posted on January 31, 2026 by PastorDave

MATTHEW | Lesson 6 | Lesson Notes / Talking Points

Matthew, chapter 7 | Making Disciples: Sermon on the Mount, part 3

Jesus concludes His teaching discourse on how to be His disciples … and by application, how to ‘go and make disciples’ by the pattern He is giving them

CONTEXT & MAKING THE CONNECTIONS

1 / As we make our way through Matthew in this survey/summary course, we’re having to cover a lot of text in every lesson. In many of our lessons, we’re even trying to cover as much as two or more chapters of text. So, as I have said many times before, we can’t even begin to give any kind of detailed commentary on any one passage. But, what I do want to do is cover the entire text of Matthew with these four goals in mind:

[1] Connections [introductions, conclusions, transitions]. We want to make the connections with what has been written before, and what will be written after our present lesson text. Every passage in Matthew is connected to make the complete Gospel narrative that Matthew is intentionally writing.

[2] Context. The context is the setting: who? / where? / when? / why? /  and how?. And, we also want to not only set the immediate context of the lesson passage, but also show how the lesson text fits into the context [and connections] of the writing theme, plan, and logic of the whole book.

[3] Content. This is the purpose, interpretation, message, and significance of the words in the lesson text.

[4] and finally & most importantly, Compliance or Conformity. These two words are simply alliterated words for ‘application,’ ‘response,’ or ‘obedience.’ The Gospel of Jesus Christ that is proclaimed by His words and acts are not merely FYI—Jesus gives them to us for us to obey and conform our faith and lives to them. As Matthew will express in his closing mandate from Jesus: “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you!” That is why Jesus said what He said and did what He did: to make us His disciples, to save and transform us, “to bring about the obedience of faith…according to (the) Gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ” [Romans 16.25-27]. Or, as Jesus will say at the conclusion of this present lesson: “Everyone who hears these words of mine and does them…”

2 / So then, that brings us to our present lesson text. Matthew 7 will be the concluding chapter of Jesus’ first major discourse Matthew records [chs 5-7, 10, 13, 18, 24-25]. All of these discourses are in some way core teachings of Jesus’ ministry of ‘making disciples of Him and His Kindgom,’ but this one is the most foundational. Or, we may call it ‘Discipleship 101.’ The other discourses will be supplemental elaborations on this first one. But, one way to view chs 5-7 is to see them as ‘Jesus’ Constitution of the Kingdom of Heaven.’  The remaining discourses will flesh out more of the ‘articles’ of how His Kingdom will come and function over the generations to follow … as we shall see when we come to them.

2 / We will divide ch 7 into its larger segments and teaching sections…

I | ch 7.1-6 | Jesus prohibits us, as His disciples, from judging others hastily, hypocritically, and superficially (that is, according to our own standards, prejudices, and preferences) … but rather focus on our own ‘righteousness’ or ‘righteous acts’ of obedience to Him—compliance / conformity to Him

1 / This has to be one of the best-known and most-often-quoted lines in all of the Bible: “Judge not, that you be not judged.” Of course, Jesus is not prohibiting His disciples from making clear and sharp distinctions between what is right and wrong, good and evil, righteousness and sin. All throughout Scripture, we are commanded to not only discern the difference, but confront it and call it out when we see it [see Ephesians 5.11]. Rather, what Jesus prohibits us from doing is making hasty, superficial, hypocritical judgments against the sins of others while we maintain our blind spots toward our own shortcomings and transgressions. We need to receive and practice this admonition in tandem with John 7.24: “Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”

2 / Also, the meaning of ‘judge’ includes condemnation and rejection [see Romans 14.10-19]. So what we need to do in all our evaluations of rightness and wrongness in our mutual relationships with one another is begin first by evaluating ourselves in the light of our personal responsibility and relationship with God [Romans 2.1-3]. We must learn to see, evaluate, confess, and judge the sin in our lives; then we can begin to help each other deal with sin that may be in their lives.

3 / We may also see this rule for our relationships with others in the light of previous commandments and blessings Jesus gave us in the beatitudes, especially “Blessed are the merciful…” / “Blessed are the peacemakers…” / “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven…” [ch 5.7, 9; 6.12]. All of us have known those who seem to think it is their gift and calling from God and their assigned mission from Christ to be pointing out and calling out the sins of others—many times in the name of ‘discernment’ or for self-justification. And, in truth, we are responsible to confront, rebuke, and correct one another in events of egregious sins [see Galatians 6.1-5; James 5.16]. But, even in those exercises, we do so while at the same time “Keep a watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted … For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.”

4 / “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs…” may be Jesus’ prescient warning to us that there will be those who will so virulently hate and reject the Gospel’s warnings against their sin, that they will instinctively oppose, reject, abuse, and attack us for even daring to believe, stand for, and proclaim the Lordship of Christ, His sovereign authority to define and judge sin, and the holiness of God’s Kingdom. In those cases, Jesus will instruct His disciples later on in ch 10.11-16, 23: “And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town … When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next…”

5 / In all of our dealings with our own sins or the sins of others, we must remember that we, too, shall be judged by Christ who is the one and only true Law-giver and Judge. [see 1 Corinthians 4.1-5; James 4.11-12]. “For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged.” [See Romans 14.10-12]

II | ch 7.7-12 | Jesus commands us to ‘pursue His holiness’ by ‘asking, seeking, and knocking’ for the resources of His Grace in prayer—to be freely, graciously, generously, and sufficiently supplied to us by the Holy Spirit [cf v 11 w/ Luke 11.13]

1 / Jesus’ prayer commands to “ask, seek, and knock” [see also Luke 11.5-10] serve as counterpoints to what He has just prohibited in vv 1-6. Look at it this way: one of the reasons we are often hyper-critical and judgmental of others is because they are not pleasing us, or giving us the satisfaction of living their lives as we think they ought to, or helping us further our own personal agendas. If they won’t ‘validate’ us, then we seek to invalidate them. When people are constantly at war with others, it is often because they are at war within themselves and with God. James deals with this source of common conflict among us in James 4.1-10. We all need to be watchful and on the lookout over our own spirits for this source of mal-contentment within us and among us. That’s why Jesus may be following up here on what He taught us in the concluding section of ch 6.25-34.   

2 / Rather than fret and worry with anxiety, judge, condemn, and reject one another because we are not getting our way or getting what we think we need and deserve, we must trust the goodness and grace of our Heavenly Father. Go back and review what Jesus has already taught and commanded us in the contexts of our praying and asking God for all that we need: “And your Father who sees in secret will reward you … for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him … your Heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” [ch 6.6, 8, 32-33].

3 / So, here again, Jesus reiterates that our Heavenly Father not only knows what we need, but He is kind, loving, good, gracious, and generous to give them. We give to our own children with this kind of gracious and loving willingness and generosity, don’t we? “If you then, who are evil [inherently sinful and depraved in our human nature], know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in Heaven give good things to those who ask Him?” In the parallel passage in Luke 11.9-13, Jesus is more pointed: “…how much more will the Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” This points to and opens up for us the whole ‘other dimension’ of the Trinitarian cooperation in our praying [see Romans 8.26-30].

4 / v 12 ‘The Golden Rule’ seems to be the concluding summation of this whole section, vv 1-16. Yes, ‘The Golden Rule’ serves as a ‘stand-alone’ in and by itself. But, Jesus introduces ‘The Golden Rule’ with ‘So’—meaning this is His conclusion and application to what He has been teaching. “So” connects us with all the way back to v 1, “Judge not, that you be not judged.” As we have seen, we don’t want others to be judging us with prejudiced, hyper-critical, unfair, superficial judgments, do we? “So,” rather than judge others with evil and harmful judgments—whether in petty self-defense or vengeful retaliation—, we should rather bring all our needs to our loving and gracious Heavenly Father who will take care of us with His sufficient Providences … and then, as we trust Him, we can ‘do to others as we would wish they would do to us’ … and as our Heavenly Father has already and always done to us.

5 / After all, “for this is the Law and the Prophets.” And Jesus is not only the Teacher and Fulfiller of the Law and the Prophets [see ch 5.17], but He is also the Model and Example for all of us, His disciples, to follow. And, again, Jesus will reiterate this in ch 22.39-40, where He will sum up “the Law and the Prophets” in the First and Second Commandments: “And the second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

6 / “The Golden Rule” is taught and commanded in the OT also. Leviticus 19.17-18: “You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him. You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am The LORD.” Jesus reiterates this OT ‘Golden Rule’ in Matthew 5.21-26.

III | ch 7.13-27 | Jesus concludes this discourse with a series of four metaphors. Each of these metaphors will illustrate the real-life contrasting natures of His Kingdom versus the kingdom of the world; issue warnings to discern the difference; and call for our response to choose Him and His ways

1 / vv 13-14 | The two ways and destinies. Jesus commands us to “Enter by the narrow gate.” The gate of our faith in Jesus Christ is ‘narrow’ because it is so counter-intuitive to the ways of the world’s beliefs, practices, and culture. Jesus Himself is exclusively The Way [John 14.6], and if you enter into His Kingdom and eternal life, you must come to Him and through Him. But you will have to deny, disown, and disavow all the ‘ways’ that are so common and prevalent in the culture around you. “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death” [Proverbs 16.25]. These are the ‘ways’ that are popularly common to the sinful culture among whom we live. And, Jesus’ way is ‘hard’ in that you will be called upon to suffer the displeasure, hatred, canceling, and persecution of those who follow the ‘wide and easy way.’ However, ‘the right side of history’ will be revealed in the end: the narrow, hard way leads to life…the wide, easy way leads to destruction.

2a / v 15 | The two kinds of prophets. One of the ways that the ‘wide way’ is so ‘easy’ is that there will always be those who will lead that way in the name of religion. They will claim to speak for God, but they are false prophets. Jesus commands us to be discerning who they are—“Beware of them.” There have always been false prophets, and they will always be around us, too [see 2 Peter 2.1-3; 3.1-3]. And the apostle John reiterates: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world” [1 John 4.1-6]. Further, Paul warns us that they will come in among us and appeal to us masquerading and “disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds” [2 Corinthians 11.13-15].  

2b / vv 16-20 | The two kinds of ‘fruits’ and the ‘trees’ who bear them. This third metaphor [trees] qualifies and illustrates the second one [fruits]: the false and true prophets or messengers will be identified by the fruits or outcomes of their messages. Watch and see who follows what they teach. In contrast, those who preach the Gospel of Christ and His Kingdom are healthy—those who believe and follow them become true disciples of Jesus. The false prophets who teach and preach what they know sinners want to hear from them in the name of ‘religion’ are diseased—and their teachings will only condone, approve, and confirm those who follow them in their sins and unbelief. They will not lead them to Christ and eternal life; rather “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” [See ch 3.10; 12.33-37]

3 / vv 21-23 | The two kinds of religious professions. These may be some of the most chilling words of warning in all of the Bible. ‘Many’ of the same ‘many’ who are on the ‘wide and easy way that leads to destruction’ [v 13] are convinced and have assured themselves that they are surely on the way that leads to the Kingdom of God in the end. They are sure they are saved and are doing the Lord’s righteous work—“in your Name.” [NOTE how Jesus repeats that they plead “in your Name” after every act of their resume’.] They invoked His ‘authority’ for everything they did!They invoked what they thought were the correct formulas and mantras: they called Jesus “Lord, Lord!”  They are ‘religiously active.’ Many of them are the false prophets Jesus warned us to beware of. Many of them are the disciples and followers of those false prophets—who committed themselves to believe, trust, and follow them. Many of them will even be among the ranks of Jesus’ true disciples and do the same kinds of mighty works in your Name that they did [think here of Judas Iscariot]. Many of them are sincere—they will be truly blind-sided “on that Day,” the Last Day of Christ’s final judgment. BUT, the true mark and ‘fruit’ of Jesus’ disciples is: “…but the one who does the will of my Father who is in Heaven” [see ch 12.33-37]. Our ‘righteous acts’ do not save us, but they are the ‘fruit’ of our obedient faith in Christ. “That I ‘say’ I have faith cannot possibly free me from sin, guilt, and punishment. How could something I say be my deliverance? Not that I ‘say’ I have faith, but that I exercise faith that saves me,…brings me God’s grace, and is my righteousness before God….God has given me life, and that means He has planted a will in me that can act—that must act, with unalterable necessity” [Adolf Schlatter]. “Yet it is possible to do all that and to call Jesus ‘Lord’ and yet still to hear, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ It is possible to be lawless despite religious activity. ‘Religion’ without faith or love is as dangerous as devotion to wealth, sensuality, or power (Revelation 11.8; 13.1-18). There is a proud, loveless, faithless church activity that separates from God. So the religious might neither know Jeus nor be known by Him” [Daniel M. Doriani].

4 / vv 24-27 | The two kinds of house (life)-foundations. This fourth metaphor is the response that Jesus calls us to make to everything He has just said, taught, and commanded us to do [or will later, in all of His teachings]. THIS is what a true disciple is and does: “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them…” When we receive, believe, and obey Jesus’ words in true, saving faith, we will build the ‘house’ of our life on the sure, unmovable, secure foundation of “the Rock.” That “Rock” is Christ Himself [see ch 16.18; Deuteronomy 32.4]. Our faith and confession of Christ will not only stand the tests of time and every stormy trial of our faith that we will encounter here in this world and life; but most importantly, it will stand, survive, and flourish “on that Day” of the final Judgment. “On Christ, the Solid Rock, I stand; all other ground is sinking sand!”

5 / “At the close of the sermon, Jesus poses a series of questions that Matthew passes on to his readers: What gate have you entered? What way do you take? What fruit do you bear? What tree are you? Do you sincerely call Jesus ‘Lord’? Is your religious activity driven by love of God and His knowledge of you? Have you built your house on the rock?” [Daniel M. Doriani]       

IV | ch 7.29-28 | Matthew comments on Jesus’ first major discourse with an assessment of ‘the crowd’s’ reactions to His teaching—they recognized His primary, first-hand, Kingdom authority

1 / This phrase “And when Jesus finished these sayings…” will conclude each of the five major discourses Matthew records from Jesus: 7.28; 11.1; 13.53; 19.1; 26.1.

2 / Matthew also keeps us in the physical context by making these connective references to the ‘crowds’ audience which Jesus addresses: 4.25; 5.1; 7.28.

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Making Disciples: Sermon on the Mount, part 2

Posted on January 17, 2026 by PastorDave

MATTHEW | Lesson 5 | Lesson Notes / Talking Points

Matthew, chapter 6

Jesus continues His teaching discourse on how to be His disciples … and by application, how to ‘go and make disciples’ by the pattern He is giving them

CONTEXT & MAKING THE CONNECTIONS

1 / Since Matthew 6 is a continuation of this first of five major discourses Jesus delivered to His disciples, we will connect this lesson where the last lesson leaves off. In chapter 5, Jesus ‘discipled’ His disciples by giving them:

[1] the disciple’s spiritual and personal profile (vv 1-11)—which is a profile of Himself

[2] a synopsis of the influence they would have on the world as they bore witness to Him—that is, the influence they would have on the world and the responses they should expect to receive (vv 11-16)

[3] a proclamation of His own authority and mission to ‘fulfill the Law and the Prophets’—both in His actions and teaching (vv 17-20)

[4] and then giving them six representative ‘case law’ examples of how the Law should be interpreted and applied in their character and conduct (vv 21-48).

This is just a brief and summary review of the contents of chapter 5.

2 / From the beginning of this teaching discourse, we have noted that one of Jesus’ emphases is on ‘righteousness.’ While ‘righteousness’ has many, deep, and broad meanings in Scripture—though they all are related to one another—Jesus’s emphasis on ‘righteousness’ here in ‘The Sermon on the Mount’ zeroes in on ‘right conduct for the right reasons from the right motivations of the heart.’ [see vv 6, 10, 20]

3 / He will continue this emphasis on ‘how to practice our righteousness, or righteous acts,’ in ch 6.1 which is closely connected with ch 5.20. ‘How do we practice and live out our righteous character as disciples of Jesus and citizens of His Kingdom, the Kingdom of Heaven?

ch 5.20: Over-arching warning that our acts of righteous conduct must be in compliance with the ‘heart of the Law’—which is our hearts; and our obedience must be more than just outward performances—they must be from our hearts.

ch 6.1: Specifically, our acts of righteous obedience to the will of God must not be for fame, self-promotion, or personal recognition “before other people in order to be seen by them,” but for an Audience of One, that is “your Father who is in Heaven.”

4  / Then, Jesus will give us three ‘righteous practices’ (doing the right things for the right reasons from the right motivations): charitable contributions, praying, fasting; and then will proceed to our desires for ‘treasures’ or material possessions and our confidence and security we invest in them … followed by a prohibition to be anxious about acquiring them by teaching us to trust in the loving care of our Heavenly Father and His faithfulness to provide for us.

5 / Activities of Daily Living. If you’ve ever taken care of others—whether in your own home or a nursing home—you know that daily functions you help with are often called activities of daily living or ADL for short. These righteous acts Jesus will teach us about may be called our ADL of the Kingdom of Heaven.

I | vv 1-4 | “When you give to the needy…”

1 / We are always tempted to do the good things we are commanded to do [see 5.16] to make ourselves look good, even better than others; in other words, to embellish our image before others and promote ourselves. If that’s what we’re looking for, Jesus tells us we may, in fact, get that. But that is all the ‘reward’ we will receive. The reward we should be seeking in everything we do is to please our Father in Heaven [2 Corinthians 5.9]. Also, let’s make it clear here—as Jesus does: we do nothing to ‘earn’ the favor and grace of God; rather we do everything we do because God has graciously granted His favor and acceptance in Christ!

2 / So when we give our offerings to the Kingdom ministry through the church, or when we help those who are in need with our financial assistance, we must not ‘announce’ it with an outward show to draw attention to our own ‘goodness.’ The hypocrites often did. Jesus refers here to the scribes and Pharisees He has already warned us about in ch 5.20. [This, by the way, will be the sole focus and target of another one of His five major discourses in ch 23…more on this when we get to it…]

3 / “…do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing” means that we don’t do our giving for the personal publicity and recognition. It doesn’t mean that all giving should be done in secret or anonymously because there are many instances in Scripture where public contributions to the ministry of the Kingdom of God encourages others to give also. See Acts 2.44-45; 4.32-37; 2 Corinthians 8-9.

4 / NOTE ALSO that in each of these three specific instances of ‘righteous practices,’ Jesus will give us assurance that “your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”

II | vv 5-15 | “When you pray … Pray then like this…”

1 / Praying in public [Jesus refers here to ostentatious praying—not public, corporate prayers which are commanded as exercises of our corporate church worship] was also a common self-aggrandizing practice by the same hypocrites. They wanted to embellish and pad their own personal reputations for being righteous and holy.

2 / But Jesus instructs us again here about our personal, private prayers: [1] go into your room, the most secret, private, secluded room or corner of their house; [2] shut the door to seclude yourself from the normal traffic and activities going on; [3] and pray to your Father who is in secret…who sees in secret. Again, whether our prayers are private or corporate, we are addressing and appealing to our Audience of One—our Heavenly Father who promises to see and hear us.

3 / Gentiles. In addition to their religious leaders, ‘authorities,’ and self-proclaimed ‘influencers in chief’ whom Jesus calls hypocrites, He also warns against following the pagan Gentiles who prayed to their patron ‘fake gods.’ There were other neighbors in their communities who followed these practices that they knew about. Remember, they were surrounded by communities of Romans or other nationalities who worshiped their gods. Since their ‘gods’ were only imaginary and not real, they would have to ‘impress’ their fake gods with insistent, incessantly repeated words and phrases. Mainly because their ‘gods’ were not pre-disposed to be attentive and gracious toward them to begin with. They had to manipulate their ‘gods’—impress, inform, and persuade their ‘gods’ to give them what they needed. “Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him!”

4 / Disciples’ Model Prayer. We know this as ‘The Lord’s Prayer,’ and it is since Jesus gave it to us. But this prayer is given to us more as a template and pattern than a form to be repeated. Though we can repeat it to guide us into more specifics. We do know that Jesus Himself prayed often and much, and most often alone and privately [see Mark 1.35; Luke 11.1-4; et al]. A more representative Lord’s Prayer is recorded in John 17. But here in ‘Making Disciples,’ Jesus teaches us how and what we should pray for by this model: “Pray then like this….” So let’s look at the elements of this model Jesus gives us:

[1] Address: “Our Father in Heaven…” Our praying should be both familial [Father] and corporate [Our Father]. Even in our private, personal, secret prayers, we should be concerned about the needs of our community and body of fellow believers, as we shall see. We can’t be so ‘ruggedly individualistic’ that we exclude our concerns for the others! But Our Father is God in Heaven, and He is Jesus’ Father! So Jesus assures us of His own participation and fellowship with us as we pray. As He comforted Mary Magdalene outside His sepulcher on the morning of His resurrection, God is “my Father and your Father…my God and your God” [John 20.17]. This is Our Father that Jesus references about eighteen times in this discourse.

[2] God-centered petitions. We are calling these ‘theocentric’ because they all ask for God’s glory and will. This is always our first concerns and desires. (1) May your Name be worshiped, reverenced, honored. This is not only God’s Name by which He is called, but also His character and how He is known. (2) May your Kingdom come. We want God’s sovereign rule to be established in people’s hearts and lives all over the world. This is a salvation and missions prayer. It is also a social culture prayer. (3) May your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. We pray that God’s purposes will be advanced, that God will do what He pleases in every earthly event and activity. Of course, when we pray this, we are also praying for the ‘eschaton,’ the end of all things to come. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! “The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever” [Revelation 11.15].

[3] Man-centered petitions—both our personal and corporate concerns. (1) Give us this day our daily bread—actually, ‘Give us our bread for tomorrow.’ We prayed for today’s bread yesterday. We are daily dependent on God’s gracious provision. We provide nothing for ourselves apart from God’s gracious Providence. (2) …and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. Our ‘debts’ are both financial [defaulted, unpaid], but more so, moral and spiritual [see Luke 11.4]. God’s grace has forgiven us every moral debt we owed Him by our transgressions against His Law…and that through the perfect obedience and righteousness of Christ. And, since God has freely and graciously forgiven us, we must also forgive everyone who is indebted to us by their offences against us [see ch 18.21-35; Mark 11.25; Ephesians 4.32; Colossians 3.13; et al]. Anyone who is unwilling to forgive someone else who has sinned against him/her evidences that they do not know God’s forgiveness of their own sins. (3) And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil [or, the evil one]. We can’t avoid being tempted [or being tested and tried by adversities], but we can avoid succumbing and falling prey to, or yielding to the solicitations to sin by the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus Himself was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil, but He was delivered from disobedience in His temptations by His obedience to the Father.

III | vv 16-18 | “When you fast…”

1 / Fasting was another common religious practice among the hypocrites of the scribes and Pharisees, but again, they fasted to be seen by others and to be commended by others for being so ‘holy’ [see Luke 18.9-14]. Jesus teaches us to fast in God’s Presence and for God’s attention, again “…that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”

2 / Fasting is not for the purpose of either impressing God to be favorable toward you, nor to ‘coerce’ God to do what you are fasting to receive from Him. Fasting is not a manipulative ‘power play’ with God. “To fast is to deny physical desires in order to devote oneself to prayer, repentance, and petition. To fast is to battle the tendency to satisfy every appetite; it is to sense that no one lives by bread alone. In fasting, the body grows weak and the spirit remembers that no one lives by his own strength. Disciples fast in order to nourish their hunger for God and to diminish their hunger for the world.” ~Daniel M. Doriani

IV | vv 19-24 | “Lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven…”

1 / All throughout ch 6 here, we have the ‘struggle lines’ drawn between competing gods in our lives and life’s experiences—or maybe we should say the struggle is between the One True God and the gods we naturally worship in our fallen sinfulness: [1] the ‘god’ of self, fame, and quest for recognition in vv 1-18; and the ‘god’ of Mammon, money, earthly possessions, ‘stuff’ in vv 19-34

2 / Here is another prominent and essential ‘activity of daily living,’ and that is, providing for our financial daily needs. However, when Jesus forbids “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth…,” He is not forbidding us to take responsibility for providing for the needs of those who are in our care [see 1 Timothy 5.7-8]. Nor is Jesus condemning making prudent provisions for future needs as we are able to do so. What Jesus is forbidding is making an idol or god out of material possessions or our sole responsibility to make our necessary provisions [see 1 Timothy 6.17-19]. We do this when we place our confidence, trust, and security in how much ‘treasure’ we have laid up for ourselves. Rather, Jesus is commanding us to place our priorities and trust in the Father’s providential foresight and care for us.

3 / Where we place the priorities of our desires, values, confidence, and trust—whether it is money and possessions or in faithful, obedient stewardship of the resources we have—will reveal where our true desires, ambitions, values, and faith lie: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

4 / “The eye is the lamp of the body….” Jesus’ logic continues here when He uses the ‘eye’ illustration. Our ‘eye’ is what we are seeking, looking for, looking at with desire, and wanting more than anything else. If our desires are fixed only on ourselves, ‘looking out for #1’—whether it be our desires to acquire and accumulate or with confidence in ourselves—then we are seeking the true values of life “full of darkness.” The ‘eye’ of our desires and ambitions must be lit by the light of commitment to serving Christ, following Him as faithful disciples, and trusting God to take care of our every need. That is how we “Lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven.” “You cannot serve God and money [Mammon].”   

V | vv 25-34 | “Do not be anxious about your life… But seek first the Kingdom of God…”

1 / This passage is a follow-up to the previous teaching. Again, we need to interpret with caveats: Jesus again is not saying we shouldn’t be serious about all the stresses that are involved in providing for our daily needs. The very responsibilities that faithful, obedient discipleship after Jesus will bring with it heavy burdens of concern and stress. But, even in those frequent ‘anxieties,’ we must learn to live by faith in our Heavenly Father’s loving and providential care for us and provisions for us.

2 / The anxiety that Jesus forbids here is that anxiety that labors under the stress of thinking we are solely ‘on our own,’ and that ‘if it is to be, it’s up to me’ only—without trusting God to make good on His promises to take care of us. Like we live our daily lives in a ‘closed universe’ in which God is absent and does not participate.

3 / Jesus supports His prohibition of this kind of anxious worry by illustrating from the lesser to the greater: “Look at the birds of the air…your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? … Consider the lilies of the field [wildflowers that no one cultivates or tends]…If God so clothes the grass of the field…will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?”

4 / Then Jesus reinforces these ‘negative arguments’ with positive commands to trust God: “…your Heavenly Father know that you need them all. But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

5 / Added in there in v 27 is a rather humorous [but dead serious] question for our self-examination—like Jesus is chiding us: “C’mon…are you seriously wasting your life by needlessly and uselessly worrying about things you have absolutely no control over? ‘And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?’” There is no amount of straining or exercise of human will power on our part that can either make our body grow or add an hour of life past God’s sovereign allotment. So we should not waste our time or energy stressing about things we can’t control.

6 / When we compare Luke’s parallel account of this same passage, Luke 12.32 records Jesus as putting our anxious fears and worries to rest in the sovereign, loving Providence of our Heavenly Father: “Seek God’s Kingdom by your faithful obedience and discipleship after Christ; lay up all of your treasures in Heaven where they will be safely and securely kept for you—even with the compounding interest of God’s Grace; and ‘Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom’ when He comes in the fullness of His power and Glory in the Last Day.”

7 / Yes, it is true that “Sufficient for the day is its own trouble,” but everyone of us should strive to live by faith in Christ and follow Him in faithful, obedient discipleship, waiting … longing for that Day when Jesus promises us He will say: “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” [Matthew 25.34].     

“You are those who have stayed with me in my trials, and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a Kingdom, that you may eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel” [Luke 22.28-30].

Matthew.L5.Matthew 6.Making Disciples-Sermon on the Mount, part 2Download
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