Lesson 804

(Lesson 804)(11-07-13) Our lesson today comes from Matthew 14:22-36;

"And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone. But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God. And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret. And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto him all that were diseased; And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole."

How we should overcome the problems caused by the weakness of faith apparent in today's Christianity, is perfectly demonstrated by Peter's actions in this lesson.

When Peter stepped down out of that ship, his faith appeared to be great enough to carry him across the water to meet Jesus. However, when the winds came, the weakness of his faith was made apparent, and Peter began to sink. When Peter realized he could not do the thing by himself, he called out to Jesus for help.

Today, when many of those who refer to themselves as Christians, are confronted with challenging circumstances that might hamper their duty to "go ye therefore, and teach" they comfort themselves by deciding that, for whatever reason, they just can't do it and rely on someone else to do it for them.

That is the absolute WRONG way for a Christian to respond to the challenges that confront them. When something happens that might cause us to veer away from our Christian duty, we should cry out for help Just as Peter did. God in His infinite power and through His promise to those of us who place our faith in the sacrifice of His only begotten Son, will ALWAYS extend a helping hand.

The lesson is that, even when our faith weakens, God is still there to help.~

Lesson 803

(Lesson 803)(11-06-13) Today's lesson comes from Matthew 14:14-21;

"And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick. And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals. But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes. He said, Bring them hither to me. And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full. And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children."

Today's lesson relates the miracle of the loaves and fishes wherein Jesus took five loaves of bread and two fishes and fed five thousand souls.

This is a great lesson about Christian charity. Although Jesus' disciples had some small amount of compassion for the multitude, and had asked Jesus to send them away so that they might find food, they didn't even consider simply sharing what they had.

Much like the response would be from many today, regarding the needs of those around them, the first thoughts of the Apostles were to send the crowd away to fend for themselves. Jesus, out of a genuinely compassionate and generous heart, told His disciples to give away their own food, knowing, as His disciples should have also known, that God would inevitably provide ample food for everyone.

There are many so-called Christians today, who, for whatever reason, will attempt to justify their own greed and ignore the needs of those around them, by using the excuse that they only have enough for themselves. That lame excuse totally disregards the promise that if one gives of his/her own, out of Christian love and compassion, the gift will be returned to the giver many times over.
We are blessed to live in a country with enough wealth to feed the world ten times over, and have many, many baskets of food left over.~

Lesson 802

(Lesson 802)(11-05-13) Today's lesson comes from Matthew 14:1-13;

"At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus, And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him. For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife. For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her. And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet. But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod. Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask. And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger. And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath's sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her. And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison. And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother. And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus. When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities."

When Herod heard of the miracles Jesus had performed, he first thought John the Baptist had come back from the dead.

This lesson relates how, prior to hearing about Jesus, Herod, being overcome by lust, had had John the Baptist be-headed because of a whimsical request from Salome, his brother's daughter.

This text also demonstrates how easily human lust can cause totally irrational behavior. Herod knew that John the baptist was a prophet of God. He knew that the Jewish people held John in very high esteem. He knew also that if and when he had John killed, the Jewish people would probably rise up in anger causing all manner of political problems for him, yet knowing all this, he had John killed to fulfill a silly promise he had made simply out of lust for his own niece.~

Lesson 801

(Lesson 801)(11-04-13) Today's lesson comes from Matthew 13:54-58;

"And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things? And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house. And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief."

This lesson very clearly reflects one of the ironic realities of human society. Though one of us might go away and do great things, and be recognized all over the rest of the world as an authority in some field, most of the folks back home will still recognize us as just ole Joe or Judy, from down the street and will be unwilling to accept us for the things we might have done.

Those who occupied Jesus' homeland, even after hearing of all the amazing miracles He had performed, refused to accept Him as the Messiah. They denied Him simply because they had known Him and His family, and could only recognize Him as just that kid from down the street.

Within today's quoted text there is a great lesson on faith in that it seems to be far easier for many of today's, so-called, Christians to place their faith in what some bible scholar might determine the bibles says as opposed to what the bible actually says.

If anyone genuinely and prayerfully seeks to fully understand God's word, that person WILL, beyond any shadow of a doubt, understand it. No one needs the input of a "bible scholar" to understand the gospel of Jesus Christ.

To understand the Word of God, you must devote the time to study it. Then if you have problems understanding parts of it, there is nothing better to do than pray for help from the ONLY true authority, the Holy Spirit.~

Lesson 800

(Lesson 800)(11-03-13) Our lesson today comes from Matthew 13:33-53;

"Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened. All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world. Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord. Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old. And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence."

In today's lesson, Jesus explains that He spoke to the crowd in parables so as to fulfill a prophesy. The parable of "the tares" foretold the end of time when Jesus returns to call out those who would reject Him (the tares) and cast them into a "furnace of fire", leaving only the righteous to "shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father." He explains how, in the end, it will be His angels who come to pull up the "tares" from among the "good fruit".

In the latter portion of this lesson, Jesus goes further relating short parables that describe His kingdom. The "treasure in the field" parable describes how when some discover the amazing grace of God, through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, they abandon all else and follow the gospel of Christ.

The parable of the "leaven" explains how the work of a very few can influence whole groups.

The parable of the "fishes" explains how their will be many gathered together in the end, but only the good "fishes" (the righteous) will be kept while the unwanted fish will be "cast away".

NOTE: At this point it should be explained how we achieve the "righteousness" that is required to be among those who are left to "shine forth as the sun in the presence of the Father".
Jesus said, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." John 3:16-18

We can only achieve perfect righteousness by having the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ imputed into us through faith in Him, "Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin." Romans 4:4-8~

Lesson 799

(Lesson 799) (11-02-13) Our lesson today, comes from Matthew, 13;31-32;

Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.

Today's lesson is a very short one, but nonetheless very important. The "mustard seed" spoken of in this parable is represented by Jesus and His twelve Apostles. The seed and root of what would become His Church. By using the parable, Jesus made the point that through this small group of men, His church would blossom into a giant tree whose branches would be represented by thousands of local Churches worldwide.

NOTE: This significance of a mustard seed comparison will appear and be further discussed later in these lessons.

Lesson 798

(Lesson 798)(11-01-13) Today's lesson is taken from Matthew 13:24-30;

"Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn."

Every lesson in the New Testament is very important, however, today's lesson applies more aptly to today's religious situation than most.
By the use of the parable (analogy), Jesus explained how the membership of His Church, "the good fruit", would have to maintain themselves along side members of those claiming to be "churches" but who would teach false doctrines, "the tares" (weeds).

Our country, and indeed a great part of the world, is dotted with groups who claim to be "Christian" Churches yet are guilty of teaching all manner of heretical doctrines that stand in total contrast to the pure gospel of Jesus Christ.s from the good fruit plants.

With this parable, Jesus perfectly pictured the religious landscape today. His Church still exists, but one must be careful to discern the good fruit from the weeds. ~