Author: ianfrancoisdt

I stand at the foot of the mountain and look up – I see a light, a light like burnished bronze shining above and behind the Mountain, growing in power – whiter and whiter – almost blinding.

“I am the Light – The light of the world – I have been the source of light from the beginning – My light is stronger than 1000 Suns – when I sent My Son to the earth I had to subdue the light around Him otherwise it would have blinded everything around Him. He held the light in Him, but humbled Himself so that it would not blind those around Him, that is why the darkness that followed his death on the cross was so significant – it represented, in the most graphic way My absence – My withdrawal from him. Yet when He rose again the light rose in Him – a new dawn – which would provide enough light for all eternity. That source of light would move through the world as my love was spread to illuminate every dark corner. You are sustained by it – receive it and live in it – because in it you are in Me.”

Against the background of the prediction of Jesus’ humiliation and death in the previous chapters, we are astounded at the lack of perception and arrogance the disciples display at the beginning of Ch 18. “Who is the greatest?” But stand back a moment. Is that not innate in every one of us? The desire to be appreciated? The desire to be seen as significant? We do all sorts of things which basically are saying look at me, am I not great?

Now as we enter the teaching of this chapter we can see what effect that attitude can have on the community of believers. The achievement of unity among believers is perhaps one of the most underrated intentions of Jesus. In John 13:34,35, He expresses the cardinal sign of true discipleship: “I give you a new command; love one another. Just as I have loved you, you must love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another”. Unity can only be achieved through the gospel and the levelling work of Jesus. The sign of unity among a large group of people in a world of self importance is a powerful sign of His work. One of the big failures of the visible church has been that they have not carried out this command consequently. Why? It seems that underlying all the breakdown and rifts in the church lies this striving to prove who is the greatest. A driving desire to assert self.

The great counter to this is to understand the importance of humility for every member of the kingdom. 18:4. Placing others before you as in Phil 2. We are to approach others with the attitude of a little child. Recognize the huge responsibility we have towards the health and growth of all the other little children. 18:6-9. Any sin that causes others harm (to stumble), needs to be dealt with a surgeon’s knife.

Read what Paul says in Ephesians 4:3; “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit…..” How? “Be completely humble and gentle, be patient bearing with one another in love”. 4:2 That is the beginning of his application of all the doctrine that has come in the first 3 chapters.

Further down from 18:15 the refrain is taken up again as we are admonished not to just refrain from sinning against one another, but that we have a responsibility to seek to restore a brother/sister who has sinned against you. It begins with forgiveness but that needs to be demonstrated by a determined effort to restore the love bond that is necessary in the congregation. Friends this is big. Notice who needs to take the initiative? “If a brother sins against you,” don’t wait for him to come to you to seek reconciliation. You go to him/her and seek it. Difficult to do? Especially if someone has really hurt you? That is why it is such a sign of the authenticity of the gospel. Impossible without the power of the gospel.

That is why it is so important to understand the whole question of forgiveness. 18:21ff That Jesus tells a whole parable to demonstrate how our forgiving others is linked and flows from His forgiveness of our sins against Him which were far greater than what anyone could ever do against us.

Ultimately it goes a full circle and comes back to humility. To make sure that the reader understands the importance of all this talk on humility, there is the beautiful story of the lost sheep. That is what Jesus is seeking to do. To seek and find every lost sheep and our interaction as believers is a huge part of the potential attraction to the outsider. Yet time and again over the years the church has lost its way. Infighting, creating pressure groups, causing rifts, seeking to gather followers, has spoiled the view that the world has perceived of God’s kingdom.

What must i do about this? How do I apply this passage? The onus is on me to seek every means to contribute to unity. It all starts with humility. “Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God” is a refrain that has been going over and over in my mind lately. That seems to be the starting point for me every day.

I see a picture of a beautiful flower – on its petal is a drop of dew – perfectly formed – clear as crystal – sparkling in the Sun.

“ This is a picture of My sustenance of the world – in billions of ways I am feeding and sustaining the whole of My creation – most of this goes unnoticed, but I give it freely. Just think of the air you breathe – the oxygen is vital for you life, as are all the other gases and substances – it is free – most people take it for granted until it is threatened by pollution. All over the world people are fighting over what I have given freely – as if it belongs to them. Recognize this, I don’t expect you to jump through a lot of hoops to receive from me – I give – all I seek is that you humble yourself under My mighty hand, look up to me and rejoice and be glad in Me – appreciate Me – that is how I am glorified and that is when I enjoy you the most“.

As we continue now with the exciting story of the disciples’ recognition of Jesus as Messiah in ch 16 (Matthew), there is a huge amount to learn. I just want to pick up on one or two points, which really struck me as I soaked myself in this passage this week.

The words of Jesus in 16:24 are the clearest depiction of what repentance means. Can you see the full depths of what He is saying? Taking up your cross means putting to death your old life, and then obeying His call to go in a new direction as you follow Him. Repentance is a vital part of our walk with God. We cannot follow our own path and God’s path at the same time. So we are called initially to repent when we start following Jesus, but we are also called to continue repenting daily, as this battle of following our own way rages within us. Now the point that struck me this week was; to be told to repent and follow Jesus in a vacuum would just result in a legalistic self-focused action. We see here the vital link in the chain, however. It is when they see Jesus for who He really is, that it becomes a natural action to want to turn and follow Him. His glory and beauty are the focus that causes them to be prepared to put their old life behind them and to follow Him unreservedly.

The key then to true repentance lies in the revelation, understanding and appreciating of Jesus for who He is and what He has done. At this stage the disciples still have to find out what the last part of that sentence was going to mean to Jesus and to them and therefore their repentance was not complete yet, as they followed a Saviour who they were still going to have to discover much more about, His humility and the road to victory.

What about faith? Last time I showed how important faith is in the very understanding of who Jesus was/is. Faith continues to be the vital link between ourselves and Jesus/God. The ingredient which makes all this come alive. Now here is the second point I realized this week. That is the point of the parable Jesus tells while they descend from the mountain after the transfiguration

Explanations of the meaning of the story of the mustard seed and the mountain have never really satisfied me in the past. So I sat at Jesus’ feet and said I am listening Lord, what is the point of that parable? What is the story of wanting to move a mountain? Then it came to me -look at vs 20 of Ch 17 with me. The key word in that vs is the word “size“, not the word mountain. Jesus tells the parable following His observation/rebuke earlier in that vs, “because of your little faith”. It was their lack of faith that had been the cause of their failure to drive out the demon from the little boy. It is to explain what He meant by that statement that He tells the parable. To show how powerful faith is He compares the size of faith needed – maybe a mm or two, to the size of a mountain, several thousand meters high. Typical Jesus hyperbole to make His point.

Can you see the point now? It is not actually your faith that moves the mountain, it is the One you have faith in. The question is, “in whom are you putting your faith”? You see Jesus/God has infinite power and can move a mountain with no effort, if He should please. It does not depend on how much faith we can generate, it depends on the One you are trusting in. Faith, as little as a mustard seed is all that is required from us. The question is who are you trusting in? Are you perhaps trusting in yourself to generate enough faith to get the result? Are you hedging your bets with some other solution? Are you prepared to get out of the boat to walk on the water, or is your one foot still in the boat, just in case?

Can you trust Jesus no matter how big the mountain before you is? Well, up to now in this gospel, Jesus has demonstrated His almighty power with one amazing miracle after the other and that is just the beginning. We have so much more history to look back on.

Faith is the essential ingredient of our relationship with Jesus, however we must not focus on our faith We must keep our eyes on the one whom we have faith in. Learn to know Him better and see Him in the light of His glory and repentance and faith will flow from that as surely as water flows from a bubbling fountain.

Is this not hugely releasing? Focus rather on Jesus and the Father and get to know them better through the Spirit and the word. When the mountain is in the way turn then and face the One you have come to know better and better over time. Be completely comfortable with the fact that He has a far better grasp of your situation than you could ever have. Faith as small as a mustard seed in the One bigger than he universe. Stop being double-minded. Focus your trust in Him alone.

I sit in complete quietness and stillness – just imbibing and enjoying Gods presence here with me. My spiritual eye wanders over the words, “Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world”, I see that figure on the cross. The whole world? I am just a speck in His creation, yet He has died for me!

“ You are right, in size you are just a speck against the background of the entire creation – but in My heart you are as important as any other person I have ever created. My love is vast; no eye has seen nor ear has heard of how vast My love is – for you and for every person I have created. My death covers all those, but it is intimately personal – for each person who wishes to receive my love it is freely available – and you stand central in that love of mine. You cannot really grasped the full extent and significance of that, because My way is vastly higher than yours and so just accept what I am telling you, by faith – and it will be real to you.”

Chapter 16 is a turning point in the gospel story. Up till now Jesus has been showing in many ways who He was. As the disciples found their eyes opened to who He really was, He would then need to show them, what sort of Messiah He was/is. A king who would humble Himself and die for His subjects to place Himself on the ultimate throne.

To highlight the importance of this confession, Matthew contrasts their reaction to the reaction of the religious leaders. This is the second time that the Pharisees have demanded a sign cf 12:38. However they were blind to the many signs that Jesus had already given. The many healings and exorcisms, but especially the feeding miracles. Notice their demand comes immediately after the description of the feeding of the 4000 in ch 15. See also how Jesus emphasizes the feeding miracles in 16:8-10. So what is the yeast, the central sin of these people? The answer is right there in vs 8, do you see it? “Oh you of little faith”. Faith is believing what you cannot see. They wanted to see before they would believe. Ever felt like that?

And the disciples? Were they so good and clever? Jesus puts the question in vs 13 to them all, “Who do the people say I am?” They give Him all the versions going around. Then He fingers them personally, “But you, who do you say I am?” Wow! At last they seem to have grasped it, but have they? And even then, Jesus reminds them that they had not worked this out on their own, it was a revelation from God which had opened their minds. But there is an important ingredient in this opening of their understanding. Remember the yeast of the Pharisees? Well in vs 20 Jesus had again highlighted this important ingredient for the disciples’ enlightenment. Can you see it? Yes, there is that little word faith.

How does faith interplay with God’s revelation? Well this seems to be a bit of a mystery. Faith is the bed in which Jesus can open their understanding. But even that is a gift from God, according to Ephesians 2:8. Nevertheless we are shown how important our responsibility is to exercise it, if we are to hear Jesus speak to us.

Now this confession of Peter, on which the whole church would be built is nevertheless just a step towards true understanding of the Messiah’s mission. That is the next message which starts immediately after Peter’s confession and is the main subject of the remainder of the gospel.. Lets follow that next week.

What is Jesus saying to me from this passage? If I am “Listening”, then it means I need to be exercising faith by expecting Jesus to speak to me and then to open my eyes and ears to His voice. The sign that I am exercising faith is my willingness to respond and obey what Jesus has to say to me.

This morning, after a disturbed night, my emotions are all over the place and I am thinking how my emotions can carry me off course, can carry me away from Jesus.

“ Ian I understand you are blessed with the ability to feel emotions – I understand them because I made you like you are. Being human means you have emotions, there will be highs and there will be lows – that is who you are. But I am not like that. I am the Rock – I am steady and sure. so when you feel like that go back and take your stand on me – the Rock – build your house on me and the winds and storms will be unable to dislodge you – and together we will move forward again into calm and placid waters because I have promised – “in the world you will have tribulation – but take heart – in Me you will have peace”. My love for you is immovable. Amen.”

This week I have been in Matthew 15. There are three stories. The central one is the key. Commentators show that by subtle use of Greek words and phrases the first and last stories bracket the central one with the same basic message. The first story has a very important message on its own however, which I am sure you can follow. But understanding it is one thing, living it out is another. How easy it is to allow human traditions to creep into our communication and ideas of worship and obedience. But I want to focus on the middle story. Can you see what that message is?

God chose to make Himself known in the world. He did this by choosing a special nation, where He could demonstrate His presence by interacting with them. His ultimate plan, however from the beginning was to reach the whole world. Hence the promise to Abraham in Gen 12:2,3, ending with, “All people on earth will be blessed through you”. The story of His encounter with the Gentile woman vv 21-28, Is intended to illustrate the move from OT exclusivity towards Israel to the New Covenant’s purpose of embracing the whole world. She appears to almost have to wrench the healing she longs for from Jesus.

The key, of course is in vs 28 “Woman, you have great faith! your request is granted”. Ultimately Jesus’ response did not depend on her nationality, but on her faith. However His willingness was there before she even asked. This story showed that the Gentiles were equally capable of exercising faith. But Jesus is pictured as being reluctant, actually refusing to respond initially, but finally giving in. This is intended to show that this was not an ordinary healing, but that Jesus was teaching something with the way He responded. A huge step was being bridged between the Old and the New Covenants, launching the new era where the whole world is included in His mighty plan..

This interplay brought me to meditate on our experience of prayer. Way back in ch 6:7ff Jesus invites His disciples to pray, with a promise of His willingness to respond positively, comparing Himself to a human father. If He is so eager, why do we have to wait sometimes. Even more why are we encouraged to persist in asking and not give up?

In the parallel passage in Luke, the offer of a willing response from Jesus is put alongside the parable of the widow who persists in praying despite the initial negative response. Is this enigmatic? Is Jesus contradicting Himself? I think this story of the Gentile woman may help us to answer that question.

We have already looked at the lesson that Jesus was teaching, not only to her but to the bystanders and ultimately us. By delaying the answer, His eventual answer receives much more attention and the finger points to the wider lesson, with the emphasis on her faith. So from that I came to the conclusion that when Jesus delays His answer to our prayers, one of the reasons is that He is doing it to teach us something every time. The most apt lesson is the growth in our faith when He does respond. Of course sometimes we may not see His response because it is different to what we were expecting and may even be, “No this will not be in your best interests”. The encouragement though, is for us to continue praying until we feel we have received His response.

I praise Him that I have the benefit of living under the New Covenant so that I too can have the full benefit of His saving grace.

I see Jesus sitting on the grass teaching His disciples – sandled, scuffed feet – gesticulating with His hands. – then my sight moves up and I see the King of glory – high and lifted up, His train filling the temple, with Cherubim flying around calling out “Holy, holy holy is the Lord God Almighty”.

“ Yes Ian I am all those things – my diversity is as big as the universe – no eye has seen nor ear heard – your mind could not contain or understand the fullness of My glory, embracing the size of the universe and yet able to focus on the minutest detail – involved in everything that is going on – involved in your life and thoughts as much as I am involved in each of My children’s lives. This is what it means when My word says you are known by Me. It is a loving, compassionate face that looks down and smiles at you, yet it is a grip like steel that is stronger than any grip in the world, that holds you in My love. Knowing you and you knowing Me is the strongest relationship that any mind can imagine – be secured in in this – know it with absolute certainty.”

Working through Matthew ch 14, the various stories fit together with a unified message. Can you see what it is? Here goes: The chapter starts with John’s death. He is completely removed from the scene. Now who and what does John represent? Look at Mat 4:4. “John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey”. This is a clear picture showing the figure of John as a classical Old Testament prophet. The death of John then symbolizes the distinct closing off of the Old Testament era.

So what should we expect from the next story? A reminder of the New Era which has been launched yet showing how it arose from the OT. The story of the feeding of the 5000 is widely regarded as the clearest teaching that Jesus was the fulfilment of the special prophet recorded in Deut 18:15-19. The one whom Moses foreshadowed. In other words the Messiah Himself. He is shown feeding the people in the wilderness like Jehovah fed the Israelites manna as they travelled through the wilderness.

There is an interesting expansion to the story. Jesus does not feed the multitude personally, but passes the food to the disciples to do the feeding. Thus foreshadowing the New Era where we are to pass on God’s word. Yes feeding with spiritual food, by explaining His word.

The question now arises, How are we to relate to the Messiah? The next story gives the answer. Can you see the message? The story is about faith. That is how we relate to Him. It is graphically illustrated here. Peter is able to accomplish a supernatural act, while his eyes are fixed on Jesus. While he is trusting Jesus completely. When he takes his eyes off Jesus and turns to see the fury of the storm, his faith fails. The beautiful part of the story is that Jesus does not abandon him. He reaches out and rescues him as he sinks. Peter and the others have learned a valuable lesson about trusting Jesus. A lesson we need to take to heart. When we face the storm we should keep our eyes on Jesus and not the fury of the storm. It also teaches us that we each need to grow in faith as we will be faced with multiple storms during our lives. And most important that Jesus is always there ready to rescue us, He will never abandon us to sink.

The chapter ends with two verses which underline the fact that this Man is indeed God, as He demonstrates His supernatural power.

Just look also at the reaction of the people, showing the sort of reaction people would only have as they recognize His deity. Cf verses 33-36.

As I read this chapter I want to, like the disciples in the boat, fall on my knees and worship Jesus, the true Son of God, begotten not made, being of one substance with the Father.

There is plenty more food in the chapter, but use this framework as you go back and understand what Matthew (the Holy Spirit) intended to convey.

“It is all about knowing, that is why Paul prays in Ephesians 1, that ‘you may know Me better’. I already know you completely in seeing how you function and think – yet coming to a deeper knowledge of me has to do with the heart understanding what your mind is taking in and digesting. Knowing Me intimately is a heart matte and Me knowing you better is a heart matter, because you are understanding and knowing me better. As you hunger and thirst for righteousness so I will fill you – with Myself, my righteousness I will flow into you. My promise is that I will be found of you and even as you hunger and thirst so I will create more of a desire in you to know me better. The more satisfied you are in me the more I am glorified. So set aside you’re fretting and doubts and seek Me and my righteousness will fill you with the certainty of the unseen.”

In Matthew 13, Jesus repeats the phrase 7 times “The kingdom of heaven is like…” So these are 7 aspects, some overlapping of what is to be expected in this new kingdom which He was bringing into the world.

They seem to be easy enough to understand, but how do we interpret them as they affect us personally? Let us look at each, briefly.

The wheat and the weeds is ultimately about judgement at the end. However it is a stark reminder that as we meet together there will be some who are still outside the kingdom. It is not up to us to judge but being aware of this should make us sensitive to where people stand with Jesus. We can never assume, when there is a group of people gathering to worship that they are homogenously believers.

The mustard seed and yeast focus on the nature of the growth of the kingdom. We have already seen how it has burgeoned since the beginning from the small band of disciples to the colossus it is today. The allegory of yeast reminds us that the growth has and will be driven by each individual member being active. Yeast particles each give off gas and cause the dough to rise. Each individual must play its part for this to be successful. Could the gas the yeast emits be like the work of the Holy Spirit? The fruit of the Spirit.

The hidden treasure stories should awake in us a new realization of the priceless value of the kingdom. It should be a spark burning into a fire within driving us to share that with outsiders and awaken a new appreciation of what we have in it.

The net tells again of judgement. But also of the importance of gathering the lost like one would throw a net into the water to harvest the fish out there. Even as we harvest we will be reaping good and bad fish. It is God in His final judgement who will separate them.

Finally as Matthew sums up the chapter the focus is on Jesus again. He is the landowner who is bringing out of the storehouse what is new and old. A reminder again of the way the Old flows into the New Testament. And finally the theme of rejection, even by those close to Him of the One who has come to give His life to introduce the kingdom into the world and to them personally.

Working through section over several days Jesus confronted me on several issues. Taken together however, what does He say to you?

Firstly I am encouraged to see that the prophetic vision of Jesus has been so perfectly fulfilled. That is a great encouragement and comfort for the rest of my pilgrimage here in the earthly wilderness.

Secondly I am again encouraged and urged to play an active part in the kingdom, especially in sharing the wonder of its priceless value. Jesus was prepared to die for its launch. Is that not a huge inspiration for me to take this task seriously. And – yes – I must expect opposition and rejection as I go.

As I close my eyes I see Jesus walking on the water – it is still like a mirror.

“Though you may be experiencing a storm of what ifs and maybes at the moment – just because I seem to be asleep – does not mean I don’t care or cannot still the storm. How would you know the true goodness of Jesus if your life was just a long carefree holiday? It is in the storm that you will discover my power to calm it – remember what I said to the disciples in the boat? ‘Oh ye of little faith’ – that was not a rebuke it was a reminder that I was busy building their faith by allowing them to feel lost in the storm and then experiencing my love and power as I calmed it was just a word. They were still going to face storms but each time they experience my work, my rescue, their faith would grow. So my dear son and the readers of the blog, just remind yourself of the fact of the goodness of Jesus who is always there to comfort you with positive intent.

As we come now to Matthew 13., the theme of this blog comes to the fore again. The theme of “listening to Jesus”. Jesus speaks in the light of His use of parables to teach. The first point He makes is that understanding the message of the parables is not available to everyone. He specifically says to the disciples, “The secrets of the kingdom have been given for you to know”. It is the special privilege of those who follow Jesus to be able to understand the parables. IOW it can be seen as a form of judgement on those who are outside the kingdom.

He then goes on and explains that it is because of their hardened hearts that people outside will not be able to understand. OK if we take that and turn it over in our minds, it means He holds the privilege of revealing the secrets to whoever He wishes, because there must be a point at which those whose hearts are not hardened but are not yet in the kingdom will, at least understand and hear something of what He is saying.

The beauty of the promise is that those who have will be given more. Remember the beatitude, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be filled. So there is an encouragement here to all who read this blog. If you come to His word to hear Him speak, and your heart is softened, IOW you are hungering to hear Him, you will indeed have that beautiful privilege of meeting with Him and hearing Him speak. We don’t have to do something special to hear Him, simply desire it and to listen carefully to what He is saying to you through His word.

The first parable demonstrates this. Jesus is the sower and He is sowing the seed which Is His word. Notice that the crop does not depend on the goodness or effectiveness of the seed. It depends on the soil into which it is sown. Then there are all the factors that affect whether the seed will grow and produce a crop. It has a lot to do with the soil, is it rocky or on a footpath? That is hardened. Hardened soil will not provide a suitable bed for seed to grow. Or are there many weeds representing the distractions of the world and the Devil.

The first three are probably descriptions of the outsider’s hearts. However the factors mentioned here can also prevent the insider from hearing Jesus’ word effectively. Hardened hearts and the distractions of the world are a factor which faces us all from time to time. So the admonition is that we should always be looking to have soft, receptive hearts when we come to Jesus to hear Him speak to us. Ready to listen and obey. Thy will be done Oh Lord.

This passage is once again a warning that studying God’s word for the sake of studying it will not necessarily lead one to hear Him speak to you. His word has been given to us as a vehicle to be able to hear Him and meet with Him personally. We should remind ourselves of this regularly and ask Him to give you a hunger and thirst for Him through His word and any other way we may meet with Him.

Let’s listen to Jesus then.

I send Martha to the kitchen so that Mary can sit at Jesus feet.

I have been singing and longing – Jesus only Jesus help me trust you more and more”.

“ Look at the cross – look at the figure on the cross. It is not just a picture – it is a real person – look at the blood running down the face from the crown of thorns pushed into His scalp, look at the hands and feet pierced by spikes – feel the agony – that was for you that he did that, for you as much as anyone else. Now you have also been singing, ‘How long oh Lord, how long?’ That is the experience I am giving you to help you to trust me more and more. If the path was easy and the answer immediate and pat it would not contribute to your trust at all. So I take you at a measured pace along a path I have preconceived so that your trust will grow day by day and will be rewarded at the end of the path. Take a deep breath then, relax and placed your trust in Me – remember it does not ultimately depend on you. You cannot bring anything to contribute. It depends in the end entirely on Me and my grip on you.”

As we move into Ch 12 of Matthew, the focus falls again clearly on the answer to the question, “Who is this Man?” The Sabbath was a clear point of contact between God and His people. In many ways they misunderstood the purpose of the Sabbath, trying to keep it simply by refraining from work, without realizing the real purpose that God had set the day aside for .A celebration of the covenant and their relationship of awe and adoration of Yahweh, demonstrated by a life of obedience. So regularly the people are castigated for profaning the Sabbath, not simply for working on that day but for following other Gods. Which He takes as a sign of their rejection of Him and His love for them. So the Sabbath represented the contact point between God and His people and showed their trust in Him and His love for them.

Now at the beginning of ch 12 there is a conflict between Jesus over the keeping of the Sabbath. It could be a full dress repetition of the Old Testament problem of God’s people. Their rejection of Him as their Lord Jehovah. By saying “The Son of Man is Lord of the sabbath”, Jesus is actually reprimanding the Pharisees for their inability to recognize who He really is. He is the One to whom the Sabbath was pointing to all along!

To underline this Matthew then repeats Isaiah’s prophecy from Isa 42:1-4. This man standing before the Pharisees and before you dear reader, is none other than this unique “Servant” of Yahweh whom the sabbath was pointing to all along.

In the background the other theme of Matthew is playing out. The theme of rejection of the Messiah, especially by the religious establishment. Not only were the Pharisees rejecting the claims that Jesus was making, they were actively becoming engaged in discrediting Him. This was only the beginning and would rise in vigour till it would eventually lead to Jesus’ crucifixion. In the next section till vs 37, Matthew shows to what extent their rejection will actually go. They are prepared to identify Him as Beelzibub – the Devil himself. Consider to what extent they had sunk.

Now friends, as we ponder this. This is a warning. The act of rejecting Jesus is a short step from actually considering His supernatural power as demonic. C.S.Lewis has said that if one rejects Jesus’ claim as to who He is, then the only alternative is that He was either mad or bad. Yes – even the Devil himself.

Once again we are reminded of the importance of understanding the OT symbolism, especially that of the Sabbath correctly, to be able to fully appreciate who Jesus is. It is in reading and re-reading passages like this that our faith grows and is undergirded. So that we are ready when the little voice inside us says, “Is He really God?”. “Does He really care?” “Can I really trust Him?”

It is interesting how severely Jesus addresses these “important” men. “Brood of vipers” for instance. As you read this you can see the subtle shift of Jesus’ words, He is not of the Devil, it is they who stand beside the Devil trying to carry out his purposes. Ultimately He says, as He repeats what He had already said in 7:15 ff, “It is by their fruit that they will be recognized”. A timely word in this day with some debates in the religious sphere hitting rock bottom.

The angels called Him Jesus, Mary called him Jesus – but I call him Lord.

I am overcome by a sense of worship – bowing low before the “Lord”, “Jehovah”– “I AM”– “Before everything and after everything” – I look up and see a bright shining light rising up and up lighting up even the mountains and then I feel as if I am being lifted like on the wings of an eagle into this light, into His Presence.

“Yes Ian, in the presence of My great worth it is appropriate that you declare that. That you feel that, that is why you have been made. I receive your worship – you are precious to me just as every other saint is precious to Me. I hold you tight in Jesus – you are safe and secure in Me – your feet on the Rock. Allow yourself just to appreciate Me and feel My Presence here in the room with you – this is just a tiny foretaste of what it is going to be like when you come home into my Presence. Experience My joy – receive it and express it. Amen”

Moving into ch 11 of Matthew, we first have the story of John the Baptist. (Just a little side morsel of interest: My father’s name was Johannes and everyone knew him only as “Doper” – Baptiser). I think the story of John here is summed up in vs 13 John was the last in the line of the OT prophets. Just as Jesus stated in ch 5 that He had come to fulfil the law and the prophets, so John comes completing and ending the role of the OT prophets. To underline that, he is persecuted and put to death just as many of those prophets had been treated.

However there is a connection here also with the instruction by Jesus to take the message of the gospel out. This is confirmed by the rest of the chapter. As we take out the gospel, what sort of response are we to expect? Surely such a precious message, a pearl of inestimable value will be gladly grasped by everyone. Jesus warns that is not going to be the case.

People create their own expectations of what God is like. Just as some children want to play weddings and others funerals, so people who hear the gospel will find fault with the Jesus you present. Ascetic and self sacrificing? No . Normal and behaving like any ordinary person? No.

The explanation comes in the next paragraph. It is necessary for Jesus to reveal Himself v 25 before He is seen and accepted. These wonderful truths are hidden from those who have great worldly wisdom and say they are following Him in their way with a preconceived idea of who He is and what He is like. A God made in the image that suits their ideas. 1 Cor 2 from vs 6 describes that in detail. We see that played out even today where books are published by theologians and experts in the bible where they express all sorts of doubts and theories which take away the very nature of the gospel, while the simple, ordinary people accept it without question when they meet Jesus face to face.

This, like so many other truths of the gospel is perhaps difficult to understand yet can and should be accepted at face value. Our role is for us to accept and then repeat the beautiful invitation in vs 28. “Come unto me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest”. The deep realization of your need is a prerequisite for receiving everything that Jesus wants to offer you. Just as He said in the beatitudes, blessed are the poor in spirit, that is those who realize their need and hunger and thirst, they will be filled. They will receive what Jesus died to give us.

Is that how you experience the gospel? Is that how you and I are to present it? Like offering water and bread to one crawling out of the wilderness where they have been lost for ever. It is not up to us to force a response. That comes from Jesus and we must expect much rejection, but never take it personally. Remember last week, “Who do you fear most?” But we can and must keep praying for Him to open the eyes and ears of those we speak to and be faithful to Him in all circumstances.

I go to sit at Jesus‘s feet. He is not sitting high up on a golden throne – he is sitting on my level on a cushion. As I sit at his feet my eyes are taken up by those feet – scuffed and bruised from contact with the world, but washed by the host.

“ I did not invite you here to wash my feet, I came to wash your feet – your feet represent that part of you which comes physically and actually in contact with the world. Your feet become stained by the world and its ways. Your feet also take you on the way you go, yes which path you follow. But your feet do not have a mind of their own – they represent what your heart’s desires are. So that is why I wash your feet – representing that part of you which is most easily contaminated. I wash your feet so that you can take up your cross and follow me rather than go your own way into the world. My washing is powerful because I wash with my own blood and dry your feet with my grace – come, follow me today and every day and I will cleanse your feet and give you the direction you should go”.

At the end of the Sermon On The Mount Matthew tells us Jesus looked at the crowds and was deeply moved. The word translated ‘compassion’ does not fully bring out the full depth of His sorrow at the state of the world. His gut is moved deeply. The message, the gospel, He has just preached, is the only answer to that awful state. So the logical conclusion to this is that it must be taken out and shared that as many people as possible may hear it. Taken into the world to those who are ready to hear it and respond – ‘the harvest’. What are you and I to do in response to this? Well firstly pray for workers to take this message out in the world. Then secondly, be the bearers of the message yourself as you go out. That is the example he gives of the 12 being sent out. Some are chosen for a special assignment, but everyone of us should also feel that urgency as we move around.

Jesus gives various instructions and warnings to the 12. But I want to focus on 10:26 – 31. Three times Jesus says to them, “Do not fear“. I suppose that is the logical response to the warning of the reality of persecution which he had just told disciples they faced. But what about us? Of course many Christians do face the reality of persecution today, but what about you and I? Jesus gives a stark choice. Either, “Fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul or fear Him who is able to destroy both body and soul in hell”.

I had to search myself deeply. How does this message affect my motivation to speak out the message of the hope of the gospel in hostile situations? Where that message may be sneered at or you stand the chance of being mocked and rejected. The answer lies in a little word in v31. The word “value” or “worth”.. I have been told that the greatest need of every person is to be valued. Mankind is driven by this need. Yet here we see that in Jesus we find the greatest value. Our real value. So valuable that He died for us. If therefore, Matthew writes, we have this great value will not Jesus protect us because he values us so much. After all if He died for you and I, is it not just a small thing in comparison to show this love and protection as we speak out on His behalf. Do you want to live out this value?

If fact the very motivation for us to speak out lies in this realization of our value in His eyes. And so Jesus goes on to remind us, “That if we are ashamed of Him before men, well… He will be ashamed of us before the Father in heaven“. v 33. So expect rejection, even and especially in the close relationship of families. It is not necessary to seek that, but often there is a choice we must make, to stand up for Him and be counted or to keep quiet and go with the flow.

That friends, is one of the things that is a very real part of living a life where you take up your cross daily as you follow Him.v38 You demonstrate your worth, especially when you show your appreciation as you follow Him and stand up and be counted on His behalf.

So who are you afraid of? The word here is phobos from which we get the word phobia. Is your overwhelming awe and wonder for the unseen One who created you and the world you live in and has saved you, stronger than the fear you have for those in the world who stand before you physically?

What a message we have in or hands!. A pearl of great price, meant to be shown and shared with as many people as possible in our daily lives.