Lesson 1606

(Lesson 1606)(02-28-16) Matthew 26:36-46

"Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy. And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me."

Today's quote demonstrates the unknowing disinterest of the apostles as they failed to realize the earth shaking importance of what was soon to happen. Jesus knew that His time was very short yet, instead of hiding from the inevitable, He prayed that above all God's will would be done.

What a powerful message we could all send to a lost world if we only had, and demonstrated,half the courage that Jesus demonstrated that glorious and fateful night.

It causes great sadness in those of us who worship Him that Jesus had to die such a miserable death. But, what He accomplished through that death should also be cause for great joy in those of us whom have taken advantage of His saving grace through faith in His life, death, burial, resurrection and ascension.~

Lesson 1605

(Lesson 1605)(02-27-16) Matthew 26:30-35

"And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives. Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended. Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples."

In today's quote, Jesus warned His apostles that before the night was through, He would be taken and offered up to be crucified at the hands of the Romans and Jews.

This lesson sets the stage for the apostles scattering in fear after having sworn to stand up for Jesus.~

Lesson 1604

(Lesson 1604)(02-26-16) Matthew 26:26-29

"And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom."

Today's quote relates the Matthew account of what happened at Jesus' last passover meal. That celebratory meal (Seder, in the Jewish language) which is commonly referred to by many as either, "The Lord's Supper","The last Supper" or "Communion", is in reality, the Hebrew traditional celebration of "The Passover" meal, which, as spoken of in the twelfth chapter of Exodus, was to the Jews, commanded by God to be observed every year until the end of time.

It behooves us all to study the entire twelfth chapter of Exodus to get the full meaning and intent of that memorial and how "The Last Supper", spoken of in today's lesson, relates to it.
At this "Last Supper", Jesus, in essence, explained to His apostles that just as the applied blood on the door posts of those ancient Jews had saved them from the death angel, His blood would save them from the ultimate condemnation that awaits all those who are separated from God through unbelief in our Lord Jesus Christ.
This issue will be covered in more detail in upcoming lessons. ~

Lesson 1603

(Lesson 1603)(02-25-16) Matthew 26:17-25

"Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover? And he said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples. And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover. Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve. And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I? And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me. The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born. Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said."

In today's lesson Jesus told His disciples how He would be betrayed by one of His own, and then identified Judas as the one who, for thirty pieces of silver, would sell Him out to the high priest to be crucified.

Lesson 1602

(Lesson 1602)(02-24-16) Matthew 26:14-16

"Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him."

Today's quote marks the downfall of Judas and his ultimate betrayal of Jesus to the Jews.~

Lesson 1601

(Lesson 1601)(02-23-16) Matthew 26:6-13

"Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat. But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste? For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor. When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me. For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always. For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her."

Today's quote contains the story of the woman with an alabaster box from which she took a very expensive ointment and anointed Jesus' head as a token of her devotion.

The important thing to remember about this lesson is what Jesus said to his apostles after they had complained about the supposed waste of the expensive ointment. Jesus said; "Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her."

How many places have you ever been where the gospel was supposedly preached WITHOUT hearing the story about the pure devotion of the woman who brought the alabaster box and annointed Jesus' head?

It has always amazed me that so-called Christian preachers, will insist that the vaguest of biblical instructions be obeyed to the max while very obvious instructions, straight out of the mouth of Jesus, can be almost totally ignored.

It behooves every child of God, who takes on the responsibility of preaching the gospel, to remember what Jesus told His apostles to do and continually tell the story of that woman and her devotion to Jesus Christ. ~

Lesson 1600

(Lesson 1600)(02-22-16) Matthew 26:1-5

"And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples, Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified. Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him. But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people."

Today's lesson marks the beginning of the countdown to the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Leadership of the Jews began their plan of deception against Jesus.~

Lesson 1599

(Lesson 1599)(02-21-16) Matthew 25:31-46

"When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal."

In today's lesson, Jesus told those who believe in Him how they will be separated out to inherit everlasting life while those who reject Him will be turned over to eternal damnation.

There are just two "great" commandments that rule over the children of God. When asked which was the greatest commandment, "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." (Matthew 22:37-40)~

Lesson 1598

(Lesson 1598)(02-20-16) Matthew 25:14-30

"For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.~

In the parable within today's lesson, Jesus explained that it is incumbent upon every child of God to apply our talents, no matter how large or small, to spreading the work of our Lord Jesus Christ. That work will be recognized and rewarded by the number of those whom we, in some way, have influenced toward the wonderfully free saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ.

Those who claim the mantel of Christianity yet sit on their laurels and do nothing to promote the will of our Lord Jesus Christ will suffer the ultimate wrath of God just as Jesus promised in the parable.~

Lesson 1597

(Lesson 1597)(02-19-16) Matthew 25:1-13

"Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh."

In today's lesson Jesus uses the parable of the "ten virgins" to teach us that we are to ALWAYS have our lives in order and be prepared for His return.

There have been many who have prophesied the date of the second coming of Christ, but just as He said, there are NONE who know the day or the hour.

We should be forever diligent in our labor with the gospel and eternally prepared for that glorious day when Jesus comes to take us home to reign with Him in heaven.~

Lesson 1596

(Lesson 1596)(02-18-16) Matthew 24:14-51

"And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods. But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

Today's quote again warns of the horrors that must confront the earth before the great and glorious return of our Lord Jesus Christ. There is nothing I can add that would make this lesson any plainer than it is herein.

In my opinion the conditions here on earth are rapidly deteriorating to meet those under which the Lord will return. However, to quote a beautiful old gospel song, "even so Lord Jesus, come soon." ~

Lesson 1595

(Lesson 1595)(02-17-16) Matthew 24:3-13

"And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved."

In today's quote, when Jesus was asked about the signs that would appear before His second coming, He warned that there would be many false prophets who would rise up and attempt to fool the faithful with lies and false doctrines. He went further to describe the horrors that will encompass the whole world as the time of His return nears.

Today, we can very vividly see that many of the horrible things Jesus warned His apostles about are going on as I type this lesson. It is far past time for we, the children of God, to make ready for the second coming by preparing every soul we can reach before that final day of wrath and the inevitable judgment that awaits those who reject the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I believe the warning to the church at Laodicea, in Revelation 3:14-16, fits today's generation of the church to a tee; "And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth."~

Lesson 1594

(Lesson 1594)(02-16-16) Matthew 24:1-13

"And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down."

In today's lesson, Jesus warned of the destruction of the temple. The Romans would later completely destroy it, just as Jesus warned.~

Lesson 1593

(Lesson 1593)(02-15-16) Matthew chapter 23

"Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.

Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift? Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon. And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein. And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.

Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.

Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord."

In this twenty third chapter of Matthew, Jesus identified the hypocritical Pharisees as the pathetic representations of God's chosen people that they truly were.

It is a shame that even today, there are so-called "churches" that share the same vile and hypocritical practices that were carried out by those Pharisees Jesus so detested. There are still those who dress in beautiful robes to set themselves apart from the common people and practice blasphemous ritual pomp and pageantry in the name of "the church".

This lesson should be memorized by every child of God so we NEVER slip to the low nature of the Pharisee and the hypocrites of today who falsely claim to be followers of Jesus Christ.~

Lesson 1592

(Lesson 1592)(02-14-16) Matthew 22:41-46

"While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David. He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions."

In today's quote, Jesus demonstrated that He is our Lord today and was the same "Lord" to king David.

Our savior God has always existed. He only came to us as the Son of God in human form so as to experience death on our behalf. Then, when Jesus was risen from that death and Ascended, He sent His Holy Spirit to dwell with us until He returns to take those of us whom have placed our faith in Him so that we will spend eternity with Him.~

Lesson 1591

(Lesson 1591)(02-12-16) Matthew 22:34-40

"But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

In today's quote Jesus cited the two "great" commandments; "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."

These are the only two commandments Christians were then, and are now, required to live by. If we simply obey those two, we will have accomplished the requirements of all the others. As Jesus said Himself; "On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.~

Lesson 1590

(Lesson 1590)(02-11-16) Matthew 22:23-33

"The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him, Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother: Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh. And last of all the woman died also. Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her. Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven. But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at his doctrine."

In today's quote, Jesus made the point that, in death, the same rules that apply on earth will not apply in heaven. He implied that after death, those of us whom are saved and married, will no longer be recognized as one, as are man and wife are here on earth, but rather, we will each be, again, our own individual self.
God is not only the God of the living here on earth, He is also the God of "the living", those of us who are eternally saved by His grace and will reign with Him in heaven.~

(Lesson 1588)(02-10-16) Matthew 22:15-22

"Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk. And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men. Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's. When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way."

In today's lesson, through the prodding and attempted trickery of Jesus by the Jewish hierarchy, the children of God are instructed to pay their taxes and to also give of ourselves to the work of our Lord Jesus Christ.~

Lesson 1587

(Lesson 1587)(02-09-16) Matthew 22:1-14

"And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen."

Today's lesson contains a parable wherein Jesus again describes how the Jews had been first chosen to receive God's soul saving grace but had willfully chosen to reject it therefore causing God to transfer His gospel to the Gentiles instead.~

Lesson 1586

(Lesson 1586)(02-08-16) Matthew 21:33-46

"Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them. But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet."

The parable in today's quote is in reference to God's relationship with His chosen people, the wholly disobedient Jews. It also warns of the wrath that would come to them for their denial. Herein, Jesus told of the many times God had reached out to the Jews and how they had responded by constantly rejecting His terms. They would eventually even kill His only begotten Son.

The last part of the quote relates that God, after His chosen people had continually rejected Him and murdered Jesus, would give preference to the Gentiles who would eventually spread His gospel worldwide; "The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof." The Gentiles are the "nation" that bore the "fruit".~

Lesson 1585

(Lesson 1585)(02-07-16) Matthew 21:23-32

"And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority? And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him? But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet. And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things. But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him."

In the first part of this lesson, Jesus was asked by the temple priests and elders, by what authority He taught in the temple. Jesus answered by asking them, in essence, if the "baptism of John" was inspired by God, or whether it was inspired by man. After reasoning among themselves, the priests and elders decided not to directly answer because it was a trap question.

There is a much deeper lesson that can be taken from wording of this text in reference to the "baptism of John". The text relates the logic the priests and elders applied; "And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?"

Note that they referred to John's "baptism" as something they had refused to "believe". Therefore defining the term "baptism", as it is applied in this text, as something that might, or might not, be believed. Seeing that one cannot disbelieve a physical water baptismal ritual, especially one that takes place right before one's eyes, it must be accepted that the phrase "the baptism of John", as it is applied herein, does NOT refer to the water immersion or sprinkling portion of John's baptism. Now that I have you all totally confused, I'll make my point. When studying the New Testament, it is good to understand that most references to "the baptism of John" that are found in the New Testament are in reference to the message John preached and NOT the merely the physical water ritual part.

In the last part of the lesson Jesus made reference to how the Jews had rejected Him and His saving grace.~

Lesson 1584

(Lesson 1584)(02-06-16) Matthew 21:18-22

"Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered. And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away. And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away! Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive."

Today's is a lesson about faith. Herein, Jesus assured His apostles that if they would only truly believe anything they asked would be granted to them. That same promise applies to every one of us who have placed our absolute faith in Jesus Christ. There is not a more direct promise than this one, "Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." Amen.~

Lesson 1583

(Lesson 1583)(02-05-16) Matthew 21:12-17

"And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves. And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them. And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased, And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise? And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there."

Today's quote relates Jesus' displeasure with those who defiled the temple of God. Because the children in the temple sang praise to Jesus as the promised Messiah, it also begins His conflict with the high priests in Jerusalem.

There are many "churches" today that, in like manner to the Jews, use what they call "the church" to practice all manner of unseemly rituals that have nothing to do with the ministering of God's word or the furtherance of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Sadly, the modern "church" has become more of a social gathering than it is the working body of Jesus Christ.~

Lesson 1582

(Lesson 1582)(02-04-16) Matthew 21:1-11

And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass. And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee."

This lesson tells us how Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey as was so much earlier prophesied. He was greeted by huge crowds who recognized and worshiped Him.

Jesus' entry into Jerusalem marked the beginning of His sacrificial ordeal. And, as sad as it is that Jesus had to die, it was necessary so that we, the lost, could attain everlasting life through Him.~

Lesson 1581

(Lesson 1581)(02-03-16) Matthew 20:29-34

"And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him. And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David. And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David. And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you? They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened. So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him."

The miracle observed in today's quote demonstrates how simply Jesus can open the eyes of the blind. It behooves us to note as modern Christians, that He can also open the eyes and hearts of the lost who are blinded by the lusts of today's world. We, as the representatives or our Lord Jesus Christ, should make every effort to take this miraculous message to as many as we possibly can.

Simply sitting in the same pew week after week waiting for some lost soul to come and sit beside you won't get the job done, instead of waiting for the lost to come to "church", we should be actively taking the eye opening, soul saving gospel of Jesus Christ to the places where the lost souls actually are, just as Jesus and His apostles did.~

Lesson 1580

(Lesson 1580)(02-02-16) Matthew 20:24-28

"And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren. But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many."

This is the second part yesterday's lesson. Having heard when the mother of the brothers Zebedee had asked of Jesus, the other apostles were angered. Jesus answered their anger by declaring that in His kingdom there are none greater than the others. He demanded that those who fancy themselves to be leaders are to be the first to serve the needs of the rest.

This passage disavows the Catholic claim that a pope, an ultimate authority, is to rule over Christ's church. As we see here, His church is to have no supreme ruler.

There are however, by the authority of the word of God, certain job descriptions within the church such as that of bishops, deacons and elders. The job descriptions and responsibilities of deacons, bishops and elders, can be found in Timothy, Philemon, and Titus.~

Lesson 1579

(Lesson 1579)(02-01-16) Matthew 20:20-23

"Then came to him the mother of Zebedee's children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him. And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom. But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able. And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father."

Today's lesson, as does every lesson in the New Testament, contains some very important information for the bible student.

This part of Matthew twenty contains two distinctly different parts. We will cover the first part today, and the second part tomorrow.

In this first part, the mother of the brothers Zebedee had asked Jesus if her sons might be allowed to sit beside Him at His throne in heaven. Jesus answered by asking the brothers, "Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?'

It should be noted that when Jesus herein applied either the term "baptized" or "baptism", His application could not have been in reference to the type of water baptismal ritual that John the baptist had performed. Rather, both the terms "baptized" and "baptism", as Jesus applied them herein, were in reference to the soon to come death, burial and resurrection, whereby through faith, the entire lost world might gain salvation and everlasting life.

Remember that in Matthew 3:11 John the baptist said, "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire". By making that statement, John very clearly separated the importance of his water baptism and the soul redeeming baptism that was, and is still, performed by Jesus Christ. John's baptism was a tradition of Hebrew law and was required of all Jews before they entered into the temple to pray or make a sacrifice. Jesus, being a Jew Himself, was required to undergo water baptism in the Hebrew tradition in order to fulfill all the ordinances of the old law.

This is important to understand because it establishes that not every time the term "baptize", or any one of its grammatic variations are applied in the New Testament text, are the terms to be associated with water. This lesson will be very important to understanding how the term "baptize" is to be applied, in context, as we study many of the forthcoming lessons.~