Bible Examples

What Do You Want Me To Do For You?

2012-02-19T11:05:00.004+08:00

Matthew 20:29-34

The two blind beggars saw what the scribes and the Pharisees failed to see.

They saw in Jesus the Messiah promised in the Old Testament.

When they addressed the Lord Jesus as the “Son of David”, they were giving Him the title of the Messiah.

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The two blind beggars had never seen Christ’s mighty miracles.

But they had strong faith in His power and His willingness to heal them.

This is the pattern for us when we pray.

We should always come to the Lord, trusting in His power and willingness to answer our prayers.

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The two blind beggars had a persistent faith in Christ.

They did not give up when faced with discouragement.

When warned to be quiet, they cried out all the more.

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Despite all the hustle and bustle of the crowd, the Lord Jesus stood still and called them to Himself.

He asked them, “What do you want me to do for you?”

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The two blind beggars did not ask for wealth so that they would no longer need to beg.

Their greater need was for sight.

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The Lord Jesus gladly granted them their request.

They were healed immediately.

And they began to follow Him.

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Lessons:

We must believe in Jesus as the promised Messiah.
We must have strong faith in His power and willingness to save us.
We must have a persistent faith in Him too.
We must remember to bring our greater needs to God in prayer.

If God loved us so much that He did not spare His own Son Jesus, but gave Him to die for us, then He will surely grant the prayers of those who love Him and obey Him.

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The Lord Jesus stopped and called them. "What do you want me to do for you?" He asked.

"Lord," they answered, "we want our sight."

You Do Not Know What You Are Asking

2012-02-05T06:26:00.002+08:00

Matthew 20:17-28

The Lord Jesus predicted His death and resurrection for the third time (Matthew 20:17-19).

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James and John and their mother came to the Lord Jesus with a request. They wanted to sit either side of the Lord Jesus in Heaven. They wanted the best and the most exalted place, little wonder that the other disciples were moved with indignation against them.

The Lord Jesus answered them, “You don’t know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?”

His cup was one of appalling suffering but James and John insisted that they were able to drink of such a cup.

They did suffer for the Lord Jesus! James was killed by Herod Agrippa I (Acts 12:1-2). John, who lived longer than any of the 12 disciples, spent the end of his life in exile (Revelation 1:9).

There is no easy way to blessing and fruitfulness in the Christian life. Those who would know Christ best will also know the fellowship of His suffering.

When James and John made their request to the Lord, He said to them, “You don’t know what you are asking”. We often do the same thing when we pray. We may ask God to give us a position in the church which would be disastrous both for us and for the church. We may ask for things which would only hinder our walk with the Lord.

Our heavenly Father delights to hear our prayers, but we do not always realize the implications of our requests being granted. It is for our good that He doesn’t always say, “Yes,” or answer us in the way we expect.

We must beware of seeking power for ourselves. Selfish ambition and pride have wrecked many a church!

Jesus said that the way to true greatness lies in humble service. If we deny ourselves and take up our cross, selfish ambition will be kept in check in our lives.

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others” (Philippians 2:3-4).

The Lord Jesus is our great example. Let us follow Him.

Don’t I Have The Right To Do What I Want?

2012-01-30T17:57:00.003+08:00

Matthew 20:1-16

The Lord Jesus Christ likened the kingdom of Heaven to a landowner who hired laborers for his vineyard.

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The landowner agreed to pay the first group of workers the normal daily rate of a denarius for their 12 hours labor.

Others were taken at 9.00 am, 12.00 midday, 3.00 pm, and 5.00 pm.

They agreed to work for what the landowner considered right.

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Those who did less than 12 hours work were delighted to receive a denarius each.

Those who had worked the full day, after seeing the generosity of the landowner, expected to receive more than the agreed rate.

They murmured against the landowner when they too received a denarius!

They had worked the full hours, and had toiled in the burden and the heat of the day!

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The landowner pointed out that he had done them no wrong for they had agreed to that wage.

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In the kingdom of Heaven, God’s rewards for our service are all of grace.

Like the landowner, God would say, “Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money?”

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There are some lessons for us here:

We must beware of envying other believers when God appears to bless them more than He blesses us.
We must remember that reward is an extra incentive for us to serve the Lord.
We should count it a wonderful privilege to serve God who has graciously saved us from our sins.

God do have a right to do what He wants with His rewards to His people!

With God All Things Are Possible

2012-01-18T16:24:00.003+08:00

Matthew 19:23-30

The disciples were exceedingly amazed at the comments of the Lord Jesus Christ as He warned them that riches were a great hindrance to any who wanted to go to Heaven.

The Lord Jesus Christ said that “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God” (24).

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The disciples asked, “Who then can be saved?”

The Lord Jesus Christ reassured them with a glorious truth: “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (26).

No one is too hard for the Lord to save!

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The Lord Jesus Christ very soon demonstrated this truth to his disciples when he saved Zacchaeus, who was very rich and also a chief tax collector (Luke 19:1-10).

Tax collectors were generally wicked cheats.

As far as many Jews were concerned, they were beyond redemption.

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We must never lose heart when we encounter people who are hardened or indifferent to the message of the gospel.

The Lord Jesus Christ is able to melt the hardest of hearts.

He is able to save the vilest sinner.

He can easily break the chains of sin which enslave people!

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We think, ‘Impossible,” but Scripture says, “with God all things are possible.”

Let us persevere in prayer and in evangelism!

The Lord Jesus Christ has many a surprise for those who wait upon him.

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Peter began to speak about their commitment in following the Lord Jesus Christ.

He asked, “Therefore what shall we have?”

The Lord Jesus pointed out to him that no one is the loser for following him (27-29).

He said, “Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit everlasting life.”

And this promise is for everyone!

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Earthly treasures and pleasures may be sacrificed, but what can compare with God’s blessing upon us, with eternal life and treasure in heaven?

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Come to the Lord God today and put our trust in Him.

With God all things are possible!

He Went Away Sorrowful

2012-01-12T18:11:00.004+08:00

Matthew 19:16-22

The young man who came to the Lord Jesus Christ was rich.

He was esteemed in religious circles.

He was a ruler, probably an official in charge of the local synagogue (Luke 18:18).

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He asked the Lord Jesus Christ, “What good thing must I do to get eternal life?”

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He might have sincerely felt that he had kept the Ten Commandments.

But he was ignorant of the state of his own heart.

He forgot that he had sinned and broken God’s commandments from a very early age!

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His wealth was a great idol in his life and a proof that he was guilty of breaking the first commandment.

He also failed to understand that salvation is by grace alone and his good works couldn’t save him.

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Had he given away his wealth, it would have been an evidence of his repentance and trust in Christ.

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He was wealthy and religious, but these things did not meet his deepest need.

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He wanted eternal life, but he also wanted to hold on to his possessions.

His wealth was his god.

His riches meant more to him than his religion.

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He went away sorrowful because he was not willing to face up to the cost of following the Lord Jesus Christ.

This involved getting rid of anything that had become a god in his life.

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Some thoughts...

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Becoming a Christian is more than making a decision for Christ.

It means taking up the cross.

The cross is a symbol of self-denial, of shame, of suffering, and of death.

We must die to the old selfish life if we want to be disciples of Jesus.

We must embrace his lordship.

If He is not Lord of all, he is not Lord at all!

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Many have turned away from the Christian faith disillusioned because they find the cost of following the Lord Jesus Christ too great.

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There is a price to pay for treasure in Heaven.

But what blessing is enjoyed by all who truly follow Christ!

There is a greater price to pay for refusing to follow Christ.

It is an eternity of separation from God!

Celibacy & Children Ministry

2012-01-06T18:59:00.003+08:00

Matthew 19:11-15

The Lord Jesus had so stressed the solemn commitment involved in matrimony that the disciples wondered if it were better for a person to remain single.

The Lord Jesus pointed out that some do not get married because they were born eunuchs (they have some defect at birth) or have been physically castrated by other man.

There are others, however, who choose the single state for the sake of the kingdom of heaven.

These verses do not sanction the compulsory celibacy of those who serve as ministers in the church or for pressure to be put on young people to take vows of celibacy.

If a person chooses to remain single, it is their personal choice and should never come from group pressure.

Whether single or married, we should always seek to glorify God in our lives!

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The Lord Jesus always had time for children, but the disciples would have sent them away.

We must never despise children or work among the young.

Those of us who are parents have the great privilege and solemn duty to train our children by teaching them the word of God.

We are to show them how Scripture is applied to everyday life in the home, and teach them how to pray.

We are to be a godly example to them.

The Lord Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

Gospel work among children in Sunday School and other activities is very important because we are receiving children in Christ’s name.

Most children are ignorant of Bible teaching and do not know the message of the gospel.

If we are serving Christ in teaching children His word, persevere.

There is a great joy, blessing and reward in such work.

Remember, children need to be saved from their sins too.

Marriage And Divorce

2011-12-31T18:57:00.002+08:00

Matthew 19:1-10

There were conflicting views concerning marriage and divorce in New Testament times.

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There were two opposing schools of thought among the scribes and Pharisees in understanding Deuteronomy 24:1.

Some believed it taught that divorce was only permissible when there was adultery.

Others gave a man the most flimsy excuse to divorce his wife.

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The Pharisees wanted to trap the Lord Jesus into taking sides.

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Why did Moses permit divorce?

It was because of the hardness of men’s hearts!

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The provision of Moses was to protect a wife who could be left destitute by divorce, with no means of support.

The certificate meant that she was free to remarry (Deuteronomy 24:1-4).

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The certificate was also meant to make people think very seriously before embarking upon divorce.

Once a couple had remarried, there was no way that they could later marry their former partners again.

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The Lord Jesus took His hearers back to the institution of marriage in Genesis 2:24.

God means marriage to be permanent!

“Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate (Matthew 19:6).”

If marriage was seen to be a Divine institution, people would not rush in and out of it!

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A marriage involves two sinners, not two angels!

Christian couples must recognize that their spouse is not perfect and that it takes much hard work, patience and self-giving love to make a happy marriage.

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But divorce is not the unforgivable sin.

There is forgiveness and a place in the church for those who have suffered the trauma of marriage break-up.

They need understanding and help, not self-righteous condemnation.

A Forgiving Spirit

2011-12-25T15:36:00.002+08:00

Matthew 18:21-35

Apostle Peter understood that he must not shun a brother who had sinned against him.

But this prompted him to ask a question, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me?”

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The answer of the Lord Jesus Christ and the parable that followed show that every Christian must be merciful and have a forgiving spirit.

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The cruel behavior of the man, who had been forgiven the massive debt which he had no hope of repaying, rightly fills us with indignation.

He had owed a huge fortune, but his fellow servant owed him just a hundred denarii or a hundred days’ wages.

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The message of this parable is that God has graciously forgiven the Christian.

We could never have saved ourselves.

How can we possibly refuse to forgive anyone who has sinned against us when they have repented and sought our forgiveness?

How dare we be so eaten up by anger, like the man in the parable, who refused to forgive?

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But if those who have sinned against us refuse to repent, we are not expected to forgive them.

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God only forgives those who repent of their sins and any forgiveness which does not lead to reconciliation falls short of the biblical ideal.

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We must, however, pray for our enemies, desire their salvation and be prepared to forgive them.

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Are we refusing to forgive someone who has sinned against us and has repented of that sin?

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Forgiveness must be whole-hearted.

If our attitude is, “I’ll forgive but I will never forget,” we have not really forgiven or been reconciled.

We are still harboring a bitter and a resentful spirit.

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How is our heart before God?

Church Discipline

2011-12-19T19:21:00.002+08:00

Matthew 18:15-20

Church discipline is important.

It is essential for the sinning believer.

It is essential for the church itself.

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Church discipline is a collective decision.

It involves the initiative of those who want to put things right for the good of the church.

It involves the collective decision of all the church members.

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Church discipline must be done with discretion.

It must be done with great wisdom; eternal issues are at stake.

We must pray to God to help us at such a time.

It must be exercised in love, with the intense desire to restore the offender.

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Church discipline must be done according to the book.

There can be no forgiveness for the offender until he repents of his sin.

Reconciliation between the aggrieved parties must be done upon forgiveness.

Restoration of fellowship must be followed upon reconciliation.

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Church discipline must be done with proper guidelines.

We must go and tell the offender privately and seek to win him over by his repentance and reconciliation to us.

If he refuses to listen to us, we must then take with us one or two witnesses. We must make sure that the witnesses are godly and not seen as our closest friends.

If he still refuses to listen to us, the matter must be taken to the church. The witnesses are then to confirm our complaint.

If he refuses to listen to the church and fails to repent, he must be excommunicated from the church and be considered as someone who is not Christian.

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It is never easy to carry out church discipline.

But it must be done for the sake of the purity and prosperity of the church.

Guardian Angels

2011-12-13T16:32:00.003+08:00

Matthew 18:10-14

The Lord Jesus warned, “Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones”.

‘These little ones’ are believers.

We must not despise any of God’s children.

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The sin of pride often raises its ugly head among us.

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Let us not despise another believer because he is not of our social class, intellectual ability, or race.

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Let us take the warning of the Lord Jesus to heart!

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It is no small matter to despise those who have the guardian angels as their friends!

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The Lord Jesus said that “in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.”

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Angels do watch over us and minister to us.

God uses His mighty angels to protect us!

Angels will deliver us in times of need.

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We see many examples of this truth in the Bible.

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An angel fed and encouraged the prophet Elijah when he fled from wicked Jezebel.

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Daniel was protected from the lions surrounding him in the den.

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Peter was protected from prison by an angel.

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Let us think about the ministry of angels who work silently and invisibly on our behalf.

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The parable of the lost sheep illustrates God’s concern for His people when they go astray.

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“It is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish”.

Oh! What an encouragement this is for the weak and despairing believers!

Oh! What an encouragement this is for those to persevere in prayer for the backslider!

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Have we been straying from the Lord?

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The Good Shepherd loves His sheep.

Let us call upon Him and ask Him to restore our soul.

He will then rejoice over us.

He will then restore to us the joy of our salvation.

Who Is The Greatest

2011-12-07T18:37:00.002+08:00

Matthew 18:1-9

The disciples asked, “Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

The Lord Jesus called a little child to Himself.

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He told the disciples that no one entered the kingdom of heaven without childlike trust and humility.

True greatest lies in humility.

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The Lord Jesus went on to give some stern warnings.

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Woe to those who causes a Christian to sin.

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Those who would seek to entice us into sin will face a dreadful judgment.

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We must be prepared to give up anything that stands between us and the salvation of our souls.

Things that are dear to us like our hands, feet, or eyes must be given up if they cause us to sin.

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This does not mean that we literally cut them off.

But we must put fleshly passions to death.

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It is better to put sin to death now, than to suffer eternal pains of hell.

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The Greek word used here for ‘hell fire’ is ‘Gehenna.’

It was also the name of a valley to the south of Jerusalem which became known as ‘the place of fire’.

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During the reigns of the wicked kings, Ahaz and Manasseh, children were roasted to death as sacrifices to the god Molech.

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‘Gehenna’ became the word used to describe hell where the fire is eternal.

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The truth about hell should cause us to be urgent in making the gospel known to sinners.

Lest We Offend Them

2011-12-01T18:20:00.001+08:00

Matthew 17:22-27

The Lord Jesus again taught the disciples that He would be killed and that he would rise again the third day.

But they just could not take it all in and were bewildered and exceedingly sorrowful.

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The Lord Jesus and the disciples had been absent from Capernaum for some time.

On their return, Peter had a tax demand.

The collectors of the temple tax asked Peter if the Lord Jesus paid the temple tax.

This was the ransom price of a half-shekel paid by every Jew of 20 years and above for the maintenance of the sanctuary.

Peter answered, “Yes.”

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Peter was amazed to find the Lord Jesus opened a conversation on this subject as soon as he returned to the house.

Through His question to Peter, the Lord Jesus showed that just as king’s sons are exempt from paying taxes, so He was also exempt from paying the double-drachma (half-shekel) temple tax.

He is the Lord who is greater than the temple, which is His Father’s house.

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The Lord Jesus told Peter that the tax should be paid, “Lest we offend them”.

Peter was told to cast a line and hook into the sea.

The first fish to be taken would have in its mouth a piece of money.

It was a coin sufficient to pay exactly the temple tax for two.

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This miracle and His knowledge of the incident in which Peter was questioned about the temple tax, again demonstrates that the Lord Jesus is the almighty Son of God.

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The Lord Jesus was careful not to give offence by asserting His rights over a trivial matter.

The message of the gospel offends many but we must be careful not to give offence by our attitude to those who are not believers.

Let us seek to be sensitive to others.

Let us also be encouraged that the Lord knows all of our needs and is able to meet them.

Faith As Small As A Mustard Seed

2011-11-25T19:12:00.001+08:00

Matthew 17:14-21

When the Lord Jesus Christ came down from the mountain with Peter, James and John, He found the other disciples surrounded by a crowd.

They were disputing with the scribes after failing to exorcise a demon from a boy.

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This failure brought much scorn from the enemies of the Lord Jesus Christ.

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The distraught father of the boy pleaded with the Lord Jesus Christ to deliver his son from the demon which had rendered him deaf and dumb and caused him to throw fits.

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The Lord Jesus Christ rebuked those around Him, “You unbelieving and perverse generation”.

The disciples and the boy’s father were lacking in faith.

The perverse scribes were gloating at the failure of the disciples to help the man and his son.

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The Lord Jesus Christ graciously answered the man’s prayer.

The boy was delivered from the demon that had so tormented him.

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The disciples had known success on other occasions.

They were very concerned at their failure to help the boy.

The Lord Jesus Christ told them that they were lacking in prayer, in fasting, and in faith.

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We cannot live on past successes.

If we neglect our communion with God, we will become weak and impotent in our work for God.

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The Lord Jesus Christ promised, “if you have faith as small as a mustard seed …. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

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A mustard seed was very small and yet grew into a tree which was large enough to shelter birds.

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“Faith as small as a mustard seed” is a trust in God which does not give way to despair when prayer is not immediately answered.

It continues to maintain fellowship with God and to pray fervently.

It is not motivated by sinful desires when it prays.

It expects great things from God and attempts great things for God.

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Is our faith very small, just like a mustard seed?

Do not be discouraged.

Exercise that faith and discover what God is able to do!

The Transfiguration of Jesus

2011-11-19T18:35:00.002+08:00

(Matthew 17:1-13)

The transfiguration of the Lord Jesus Christ was to have a lasting impression upon the 3 disciples who were with Him.

Apostle John wrote, “We beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).

Apostle Peter recorded, “We... were eye-witnesses of his majesty” (2 Peter 1:16-17)

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Luke told us in his gospel that at His transfiguration, the Lord Jesus Christ spoke with Moses and Elijah about His death (Luke 9:31).

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Moses represents the Law, and Elijah the Prophets.

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The Lord Jesus Christ has fulfilled the Law and the Prophets through His life and death.

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Moses had seen the majesty of God on Mount Sinai, and later, his face shone, reflecting the glory of God.

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The Lord Jesus did not merely reflect the glory of God – He is God!

The brilliance and the majesty seen by the 3 disciples was that of God Himself!

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A bright cloud overshadowed the Lord Jesus Christ and His disciples.

The voice of God was heard coming from the cloud, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!”

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On hearing this, the disciples were filled with fear and fell on their faces.

The Lord Jesus Christ then came and touched them, telling them to get up and not be afraid.

The Lord Jesus Christ then told them not to tell anyone about the vision until He had risen from the dead.

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The Lord Jesus Christ told His disciples that just as John the Baptist suffered, so He too would suffer.

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The words of the Lord Jesus Christ did not seem to register with the disciples.

They could not take in that their beloved Master had to die and that He would rise from the dead.

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When the Lord Jesus Christ was betrayed and arrested, they were scattered in helpless confusion.

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We will be spared of much confusion and trouble if we do all that we can to know and understand God’s word.

Take Up The Cross And Follow Me

2011-11-13T17:38:00.002+08:00

Matthew 16:20-28

The Lord Jesus Christ commanded His disciples not to reveal His identity as the Messiah.

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From then on, He began to teach them that He must go to Jerusalem, where He would suffer at the hands of the Jewish leadership, be killed, and raised the 3rd day.

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If we are to know God, we must be sure of who the Lord Jesus is, and why He came to this earth.

We must know the Person and the Work of Christ.

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Peter confessed that Jesus is ‘the Christ, the Son of the living God'.

But he could not accept that the Lord Jesus had to suffer and to die.

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He rebuked the Lord Jesus for saying these things.

But the Saviour rebuked him with the words, “Get behind me, Satan! You are an offence to me.”

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Peter wanted to turn the Lord Jesus away from His mission of suffering and death.

Such thoughts could only come from the devil!

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The Lord Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me”.

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Discipleship is a costly business.

But the alternative to following Christ is too dreadful to contemplate.

“For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

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To prefer the world and its passing pleasures to the Lord Jesus Christ is the height of folly!

To lose one’s soul is to suffer eternal loss.

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Have we taken up our cross to follow Christ?

Are we denying ourselves to please Him?

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The Lord Jesus went on to speak of His coming again.

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He promised that some of those present would not die until they had seen Him coming in His kingdom.

This probably refers to His resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost.

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The gospel had a tremendous impact upon the Roman world which the apostles were accused of turning upside down.

I Will Build My Church

2011-11-07T17:17:00.002+08:00

Matthew 16:13-20

The Lord Jesus Christ told Peter that he was blessed to receive the revelation from God the Father that Jesus is “the Christ, the Son of the living God”.

He then went on to say to him, “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hades shall not prevail against it.”

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Does this support the claim of the Roman Catholic Church that Peter was the first pope?

Not at all! The golden rule we must always apply when seeking to find the meaning of obscure or difficult verses is to bring the rest of the Bible to bear on our interpretation of such verses.

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There is a play on the Greek words ‘Petros’ (Peter) and ‘petra’ (stone or rock) on this verse.

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It is important to see that Christ has built His church on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner-stone (Ephesians 2:20).

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The ‘keys of the kingdom of heaven’ speak of authority and Peter’s authority in the early church is not disputed.

He preached the sermon on the Day of Pentecost and was prominent in the leadership of the Jerusalem church.

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The ‘binding and loosing’ spoken of in verse 19 is also shown to be the prerogative of the local church.

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Those who trust in ‘apostolic succession’ for church authority deny many essential Christian doctrines and contradict the plain teaching of the Bible.

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Their spiritual successors are those who submit to the whole counsel of God as it is taught in the Bible, embracing the doctrine of the apostles.

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The word of the Lord Jesus Christ, “I will build my church, and the gates of the hades shall not prevail against it” are very encouraging.

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The church is constantly under satanic attack but she will never be destroyed.

We are assured of the triumph of the gospel!

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Let us be encouraged and persevere in our work for the Lord.

He will build His church!

But Who Do You Say That I Am?

2011-11-01T18:33:00.002+08:00

Matthew 16:13-20

The Lord Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”

The disciples replied that some thought Him to be John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.

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People until today continue to have different opinions about the Lord Jesus:
• He is the founder of Christianity.
• He is a great religious teacher.
• He is a good person.
• He is a prophet.

But all these answers are inadequate.

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The Lord Jesus then asked the disciples their opinions concerning Himself.

Peter’s confessed, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

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Peter acknowledged the Lord Jesus Christ as

The Christ, the Messiah promised through the prophets of the Old Testament.
The Son of God. This is a title of deity! The Lord Jesus is God. Any religion that denies that the Lord Christ is God is a false religion.

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Peter was blessed because God had revealed these things to him.

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It is important to know God’s revelation that the Lord Jesus is the almighty, holy, sinless, perfect Son of God.

It is also important to know that He came into the world to die on the cross to save sinners.

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The Lord Jesus Christ had told the Pharisees after they rejected His claim to be the Son of God that they would die in their sins (John 8:24).

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If we remain mistaken about the identity of the Lord Jesus, we cannot have eternal life.

We will die in our sins.

We will be lost forever.

Beware Of The Leaven Of The Pharisees And The Sadducees

2011-10-26T18:48:00.001+08:00

Matthew 16:1-12

The Pharisees and the Sadducees had seen enough evidence of the mighty power of the Lord Jesus Christ.

But they came again to ask for more miraculous sign from heaven.

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The Lord Jesus Christ condemned them for their willful unbelief.

He repeated His assertion that the only sign that would be given them was the sign of the prophet Jonah.

They were again promised the greatest sign of all – the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead.

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The disciples had forgotten to take bread with them.

They were puzzled when the Lord Jesus Christ warned them, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.

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They might have thought that the Lord Jesus Christ was forbidding them to accept bread from these people.

But the Lord Jesus Christ was actually warning them against their doctrine.

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The Pharisees were proud and lacking in compassion.

They were more concerned for their man-made tradition than for loving God and obeying His word.

Their religion was loveless and lifeless.

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The high priests and most of the priests were Sadducees.

They did not believe in the resurrection of the body, in angles or demons, in judgment, or in heaven or hell.

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We must beware of teaching which adds to the Scripture with unbiblical traditions.

We must also beware of teaching which takes away from the Scripture, like denying the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ for sinners, or of judgment and hell.

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Maybe we feel that we are sound in doctrine and that we do not need to be warned about these things.

There are many Christians who are sound in doctrine but who are puffed up.

God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

Let us be careful of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.

Hunger

2011-10-20T16:20:00.004+08:00

Matthew 15:32-39

Some people claim that there are contradictions in the Bible.

They say that in one place of the Bible records the feeding of the 5000, but here it is 4000 who were fed.

There is no contradiction.

They are 2 distinct miracles (Matthew 16:9-10).

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The Lord Jesus Christ was still in Decapolis on the eastern side of the sea of Galilee.

He told the disciples that He had compassion for the people who had been with Him for 3 days and were hungry.

Some of them were far from their homes.

He said, “I do not want to send them away hungry”.

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The disciples had not learned the lesson of the feeding of the 5000.

They thought it impossible that the crowd could be fed with just 7 loaves and some small fish.

They asked, “Where could we get enough bread in the wilderness to fill such a multitude?”

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The Lord Jesus Christ then miraculously fed 4000 men, besides women and children, and 7 large baskets were filled with the remains of the meal.

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There is always a famine of hearing the words of the LORD.

Religion without true godliness and power cannot satisfy spiritual hunger.

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Like the Lord Jesus Christ, we must have compassion for those who are lost.

We must be concerned with those who will spend eternity in hell unless they are saved through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Are we sharing our spiritual food with those around us?

Let this be our concern.

We must not send anyone away who still have unsatisfied spiritual hunger.

Great Is Your Faith

2011-10-14T18:37:00.004+08:00

Matthew 15:21-31

The Lord Jesus Christ left the Gennesaret area of Galilee to go to the region of Tyre and Sidon.

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A Gentile woman of Canaan came to Him.

She pleaded that he cast a demon out of her daughter.

But the Lord Jesus Christ answered her not a word.

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The woman was not put off by the Lord’s silence or the unfriendly attitude of the disciples.

She persisted in her request even though the Lord Jesus Christ said that the children’s bread was not for the little dogs.

In other words, the Lord Jesus Christ had come to minister to the Jews.

But the woman pointed out that the little dogs ate the crumbs which fell from their masters’ table.

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The woman asked for some crumbs and her faith pleased the Lord.

The Lord Jesus Christ said to her, “O woman, great is your faith!”

Then He delivered her daughter from the demon.

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Faith is important.

Without faith, we cannot please God.

Without faith, we cannot be a Christian.

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Those who have great faith, focus their trust in God.

Great faith also perseveres in the face of discouragement.

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The Canaanite woman persisted in seeking the Lord’s help until her prayer was answered.

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God sometimes delays answering our prayers.

But we must not stop praying.

Like the Canaanite woman, we must persevere in our prayers.

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The Lord tests our faith in order to strengthen us.

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The Lord Jesus Christ then traveled to Decapolis (SE of the Sea of Galilee).

Many were healed of serious, incurable ailments.

God was glorified.

Their Heart Is Far From Me

2011-10-08T15:59:00.003+08:00

Matthew 15:1-20 (NKJV)

In NT times, Jewish religious life was marked by many traditions and ceremonies which have no biblical basis.

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The scribes and Pharisees meticulously observed the tradition of the elders.

They were quick to condemn those who did not share their scruples.

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They censured the disciples who had not performed the ritual washing of hands before eating a meal.

In this ritual, hands were washed in a special manner to cleanse them of any religious defilement caused by contact with Gentiles in the market-place.

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The Pharisees had plenty of religion.

But the Lord Jesus Christ applied to them the words of the prophet Isaiah, “These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me”.

They made a great show of religious tradition but they set aside obedience to the commandment of God.

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The Lord Jesus Christ reminded them how they used tradition to disobey the 5th commandment.

They would claim that money that could be used for the support of their elderly and needy parents had been dedicated as a gift for the work of God.

They thus avoided honoring them by providing for them.

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If we do not provide for our own family, we deny the faith and are worse than an unbeliever.

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The disciples were concerned that the Lord Jesus Christ had offended the Pharisees by His reply to their question.

The Lord Jesus Christ pointed out that they were not plants which his Father had planted and that they would be uprooted.

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The Pharisees were blind leaders of the blind.

We should not be surprised when the plain teaching of the word of God offends many religious people who are blinded by their own traditions.

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The Lord Jesus Christ stressed the importance of heart righteousness rather than ritual.

Food eaten with unwashed hands has no effect on the state of a man’s heart (his soul, character, mind and will).

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The human heart is a breeding ground for all kinds of sin.

We may be very religious and yet have a heart which is far from God.

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How real is our Christianity?

It Is I; Do Not Be Afraid

2011-10-02T18:17:00.000+08:00

Matthew 14:22-36 (NIV)

The Lord Jesus Christ sent the disciples ahead of Him to cross the Sea of Galilee to Gennesaret.

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He spent time alone in prayer before walking on a wind-tossed sea to the disciples’ boat.

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They were terrified when they saw Him, believing that they had seen a ghost.

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The Lord Jesus Christ calmed them with the words, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”

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The Greek for “It is I” is literally ‘I am’, the covenant name of God (Exodus 3:14).

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The Jews recognized this when the Lord Jesus Christ used the expression on another occasion (John 8:58-59), and they attempted to stone Him for blasphemy.

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The Lord Jesus Christ is God!

His enemies understood this.

But they rejected His claims.

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Peter’s entry into the stormy sea was no foolhardy venture of faith.

He was beckoned by the Lord Jesus Christ to walk on the water.

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All was well until he saw the storm around him.

Perhaps the reason his faith failed him was that he took his eyes off the Lord.

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The Lord Jesus Christ heard his cry for help.

He took him by the hand.

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As they got into the boat, the storm abated.

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The amazing disciples knew that their Master was no ordinary man.

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He is the Son of God who is worthy of our worship.

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The disciples had no need to fear when their Lord was with them.

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They were greatly amazed at the demonstration of the Lord’s power over the sea.

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They had seen His divine power in multiplying the loaves and fish.

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Why should they fear when they had such a Savior, such a Friend?

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Why should they fear?

“Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”

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When the Lord Jesus Christ and the disciples landed on the shore of Gennesaret, they were soon surrounded by huge crowds seeking healing.

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Everyone who touched the hem of the Lord Jesus Christ’s garment was healed.

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They too recognized that the Lord Jesus Christ was no ordinary man.

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Have we come to faith in the Son of God?

Have we experienced His power in our lives, saving us from our sins and transforming us?

He Was Moved With Compassion For Them

2011-10-01T18:01:00.002+08:00

Matthew 14 : 12-21

The feeding of the 5000 is the only miracle recorded in each of the gospels, except for the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

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We learn 2 wonderful things about the Lord Jesus Christ from this miracle.

It reveals His great love and compassion.

It reveals His great power.

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The 12 disciples had returned from their preaching mission.

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The Lord Jesus Christ had heard the dreadful news of the murder of John the Baptist.

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The Lord Jesus Christ and His disciples had been so busy that they had not had any time to eat.

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They also needed rest and refreshment.

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They went by boat along the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee to a deserted place.

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But there was no escape from the huge crowds.

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They went by foot around the shore to await the arrival of the Lord.

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When the Lord Jesus Christ saw the huge multitude, He was moved with compassion for them.

He healed the sick and taught them.

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When evening came, the weary and hungry disciples wanted the Lord Jesus Christ to send away the multitude.

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But He miraculously fed them from just 5 loaves and 2 fish.

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5000 men, besides women and children had more than enough to eat.

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12 baskets were filled with the remains of the meal.

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We must never let weariness or other personal needs shut off our compassion for needy souls!

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God had given the Israelites manna when they were led by Moses.

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After seeing this miracle, the crowd recognized that the Lord Jesus Christ was the promised Messiah.

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The Lord Jesus Christ is wonderful in His power and compassion.

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He became man, knowing grief, hunger, and weariness.

But He would not send away the needy crowd until they had been fed.

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The Lord Jesus Christ knows about us and about all our needs and burdens.

He is full of compassion and love for us.

Let us come to Him and cast all our care upon Him.

The King Was Sorry

2011-09-29T18:01:00.004+08:00

Matthew 14:1-12

Herod the Great, the tyrant who had sought to kill the infant Jesus, had 10 wives.

He bequeathed his kingdom to three of his sons.

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Herod Antipas ruled over Galilee and Perea.

Philip ruled over the north eastern territories of the kingdom.

Archelaus ruled over Judea and Samaria.

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Archelaus was deposed by the Romans who then imposed direct rule over Judea and Samaria in AD 6.

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Pontius Pilate became governor of their territories in AD 26.

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The fame of the Lord Jesus Christ reached Herod Antipas who was living in adultery with Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife.

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John the Baptist had fearlessly denounced Herod Antipas for his sin.

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The enraged king had him thrown into the dungeon at his palace.

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The evil scheming Herodias wanted to kill John the Baptist.

She was unable to do so because Herod Antipas respected John the Baptist.

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Herod Antipas feared the reaction of the people who counted John the Baptist as a prophet.

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He also feared John the Baptist.

He heard him gladly.

But he did not repent of his sin.

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Herodias had her revenge when Herod Antipas made a rash promise to her daughter.

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She had pleased the king while dancing before him and his guests at his birthday party.

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Herod Antipas solemnly promised to give her whatever she desired.

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Herodias prompted her daughter to ask for the head of John the Baptist on a platter.

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The macabre request was granted.

John the Baptist was executed.

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Herod Antipas was sorry.

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But he did not have a godly sorrow which produces repentance.

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Herod Antipas had silenced John the Baptist.

But he was unable to silence his own conscience.

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When Herod Antipas heard about the Lord Jesus Christ, he thought that John the Baptist had risen from the dead.

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It is just not enough to feel sorry for our sin.

We must forsake it and obey God.

They Were Offended At Him

2011-09-23T19:37:00.003+08:00

Matthew 13:53-58

The people of Nazareth were astonished at the wisdom of the Lord Jesus Christ when He taught in their synagogue.

They had heard of His mighty works but they despised Him.

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They asked, “Is not this carpenter’s son?”

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They did not understand how someone from a humble family could have such wisdom and power.

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He had lived a sinless and perfect life among them for 30 years, but they still rejected Him.

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Jesus reminded them that a prophet is not accepted in his own country or by his own relatives.

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The same mistake is made by many today who see the Lord Jesus Christ as just a man.

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They refuse to accept the teaching of the Word of God that He was not Joseph’s son in a literal sense but was conceived through the Holy Spirit.

They do not believe that He is the Almighty Son of God, co-equal with the Father and the Holy Spirit and that in Him dwells al the fullness of the Godhead bodily.

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They were offended at Him.

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The Lord Jesus Christ did some mighty works at Nazareth, but not many, because of their unbelief.

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Satan blinds sinful men to the greatness of the Lord Jesus Christ.

People are still offended by our message that the Lord Jesus Christ humbled Himself and died on the cross to save sinners.

The preaching of ‘Christ crucified’ is a ‘stumbling-block’.

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We too were blind in our minds, but the Lord Jesus Christ has enlightened us.

We should be eternally grateful for all that He has done for us!