Greetings! 

Judging Others

Verses 1-2 are often misused by Christians and non-Christians alike.  They use this as an excuse for any and all behavior and to deflect criticism. If they would keep reading they would see that Jesus meant not to judge hypocritically. There are plenty of verses teaching that we need to make sound judgments, such as John 7:24 (“Stop judging on mere appearances and make a right judgment.”)

In an additional irony, they use this verse to judge those who make judgments. If anyone ever throws that verse at you out of context, then just reply by asking, “If it is wrong to judge, why are you judging me right now?”

But we should not judge hypocritically.  Many times I find myself thinking critical thoughts only to realize that I am just as guilty as the one I am accusing. 

 1“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

 3“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

This is an important thing to remember with evangelism.  If people are hostile to the Gospel, we should just move on and not force the issue.  We may be doing more harm than good.  Save your energy for those willing to hear the Good News or engage in reasoned discussions.

 6“Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.

Ask, Seek, Knock

 7“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

 9“Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

The Narrow and Wide Gates

 13“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

A Tree and Its Fruit

The Bible contains many warnings of false teachers.  Satan works to deceive us in many ways, and one of the most effective ways is to use clean-looking “church people.”  But we need to listen closely to see if they are preaching the true Word of God. 

 15“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

 21“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ 23Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

The Wise and Foolish Builders

Note that the foolish builder isn’t someone who didn’t hear Jesus’ words.  He is the one who hear the words but didn’t put them into practice.  Many people go to church but don’t take heed of the message (I know – I used to be one of them!).  

 24“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

 28When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

What passages stood out to you, and why? 

Greetings!  This is a continuation of the Sermon on the Mount. 

In Matthew 5:16 Jesus said, “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”  Yet in verse 1 of this chapter he says not to do your acts of righteousness before men.  What is the difference?  It is partly in the motive. 

In chapter 5 the motive was to have people see that your deeds were done because of your Father in Heaven.  But below, Jesus teaches that the motive should not be “to be seen by” men.  It can be a tough line to navigate.  It is easy to let pride creep into our good deeds and our giving.  Are we doing it for God’s glory or ours? 

Matthew 6

Giving to the Needy

 1“Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

 2“So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 3But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

There are many important lesson on prayer in the next passage.  Again, motive is important.  Prayer in public or in groups is fine, but not if we are doing it to be “seen by men.”  And our prayers don’t have to be long and eloquent.  Consider how brief the Lord’s prayer is. 

God knows what we need before we ask him, but Jesus tells us to pray anyway.  There may be a lingering mystery as to why we would need to pray if He knows what we need, but we are clearly told to pray anyway.  We can trust that there is an important purpose behind it.

Prayer

 5“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 6But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

 9“This, then, is how you should pray:
   ” ‘Our Father in heaven,
   hallowed be your name,
 10your kingdom come,
   your will be done
      on earth as it is in heaven.
 11Give us today our daily bread.
 12Forgive us our debts,
      as we also have forgiven our debtors.
 13And lead us not into temptation,
   but deliver us from the evil one.’ 14For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Fasting

 16“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 17But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Treasures in Heaven

 19“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

We are not told exactly what it means to store up “treasure in Heaven,” but we can trust that it isn’t just marketing spin.  If Jesus says it we can trust that we’ll be truly glad that we did so. 

Consider the truth of “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  If you own a lot of stock in one company, think of how often you check that stock price.  If you give to a mission in a particular country, consider how much more often you think of that country. 

 22“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. 23But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

 24“No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.

Do Not Worry

Jesus talks a lot about worry.  Worry is a sin that we all commit.  Ironically, worry eats up our life instead of adding to it.  There is a difference between planning and worry, though.  Saying, “Don’t worry,” isn’t an excuse to be reckless.

25“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

 28“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

If we seek his kingdom and righteousness first then everything else will fall into place. 

What passages stood out to you, and why? 

Greetings!  This begins the famous Sermon on the Mount.  This is chock full of important theology, so I’ll just comment on a few things.  Please feel free to comment on what stood out to you. 

Matthew 5

The Beatitudes

 1Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2and he began to teach them saying:
 3“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
      for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
 4Blessed are those who mourn,
      for they will be comforted.
 5Blessed are the meek,
      for they will inherit the earth.
 6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
      for they will be filled.
 7Blessed are the merciful,
      for they will be shown mercy.
 8Blessed are the pure in heart,
      for they will see God.
 9Blessed are the peacemakers,
      for they will be called sons of God.
 10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
      for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

 11“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

I listened to a terrific sermon series by John MacArthur on this passage.  He did a whole sermon on each beatitude (a verse that starts with “Blessed are . . .”)  Here are the meanings in a highly summarized form:

Poor in spirit: Those who know they are spiritually bankrupt are blessed because they know they need God.

Mourn: I used to think of this as blessed are those who mourn over things like other people dying.  But it makes more sense to read it as blessed are those who mourn over their sin and spiritual bankruptcy.

Meek: The comedian Dennis Miller had a great piece on Matthew 5:5 – Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.  He said something like:

Continue reading Matthew 5 →