1. The Choosing of the Twelve
   1. Matthew 10:1-4 We left off with a call for the disciples to pray for more harvest workers. Little did they know that God would answer that prayer by sending them out to lead the way! Jesus equips his disciples to do work in the same vein as He has been doing.
   2. This is the first time that the term "apostle" is used to describe any of the disciples. An apostle is one who is a "messenger" and one who is "________ with a mission."
2. The Mission of the Twelve
   1. Matthew 10:5-6 The first part of the mission is to tell the disciples where they are going: to their fellow Jews. Later in Matthew, we'll see Jesus extend the mission to the Gentiles, but at this point He is sending them to their own people.
   2. Matthew 10:7-8 Next, we see what the twelve are supposed to be doing: they are to proclaim the same __________ that Jesus Himself has been teaching regarding the nearness of the Kingdom, with emphasis on how the disciples have received freely and so they are to preach, teach, and serve freely.
   3. Matthew 10:9-10 Lastly, we see "what to pack," which really is Jesus telling the disciples to trust in God's provision.
   4. Matthew 10:11-12 When a disciple enters a town, they are to find a place to stay - most likely this will be with somebody who __________ _________ the Kingdom message.
   5. Matthew 10:13-15 And yet, Jesus hints that being a disciple will often not be an easy task. Nevertheless, the disciples are to continue to move forward to where the message will be received. Let God judge those who reject Christ.
3. Our Response
   1. We have been given everything (grace) and so we should freely and willingly do the same for others.
   2. We must proclaim the Good News, God will handle the rest.

1 )  "If you want your kids to give away their heart [to God] then you must show them how by doing it yourself." -Pastor Douglas Wilson, speaking on how to raise up your children with a vibrant and healthy faith.

2 ) The idea of headship (and the consequent idea of submission) has been taken to unhelpful extremes in the church. "The issue in headship isn't necessarily related to gender," said Wilson, referencing how Christ relates to God. Similarly, "Submission isn't about disrespect or lack of value," again referencing how Christ submitted to God. Instead, Wilson argued, we would be wise to realize that "Biblical headship is bleeding sacrifice... The application then is that men are called to provide and protect... A man is to be a fortress for his family. This is exactly what Adam did not do when the serpent tempted Eve." Or, to cast the whole debate in a different light: "Men, your authority is a gift to others, not a gift to you."

3 ) Speaking of setting an appropriate balance in the home between what is prohibited (i.e. parents saying "no") and what is encouraged, Wilson observed that "The Garden of Eden was a world primarily of 'yes' with only one 'no.' Do our homes have any relation to this balance?" (As an editorial sidenote, don't take this out of context - Wilson's point is that we should be encouraging out children to live with wide-eyed wonder at all that God has provided for them while at the same time respecting and obeying what God has commanded of them which their parents are responsible for teaching)

4 ) "You are called to have a home of grace regardless of whether your kids are 'good' or 'bad'." Wilson made this excellent point when he was asked by a parent about what to do with children who are difficult. His wise reply indicates that our parenting is answerable to God - there aren't escape clauses stating that we get out of our responsibilities when our kids don't behave like we would want them to. Regardless of their actions, we are in control of our own actions.

5 ) Pastor Crawford Loritts noted that "manhood must be engraved into your boys." This is to be done by showing them that a "real man embraces obligation and responsibility."

6 ) Another helpful comment by Pastor Loritts: "Your children need you [their father] more than they need you to work for more square footage in the home." The point is simply this: if the choice is between providing "better" for your kids or actually being there with them, the second should always win out even if it means you make do with a little less.

7 ) Pastor Darren Patrick had this wonderful quote that every Christian needs to understand: "Struggle in life isn't a sign of God's absence, but instead it is a sign of God's presence." Why would he say this? Because "spiritual fruit grows painfully - this is the truth of Christianity."

8 ) One closing quote from Ramez Atallah of the Egyptian Bible Society: "Western countries may actually be more hostile to Christianity than muslim nations because there are fewer religious similarities in western countries." By this Atallah means that at least there is a basic religious underpining in muslim nations. Granted, that underpining is not God honoring, but it creates a national conversation that allows folks to speak more openly about their faith than is common in most western countries.

For anyone who is interested in listening to the sessions, they have been posted online (both audio and video) here.

1. A Healing
   1. Matthew 9:27 The scene changes from the healing of a little girl to two blind men who seek mercy from Jesus. The title that they use - "Son of David" - is very significant here.
   2. Matthew 9:28-30 Finally, Jesus turns to the blind men and asks if they believe He can do this? Do what? Give them _______. But what kind of mercy - cimply to see, or something else? Jesus heals their blindness - on account of their faith - but we also get a hint of that very faith.
   3. Matthew 9:31 And of course we see that news of this healing spreads, even though Jesus wishes to be known of as more than simply a healer.
2. A Second Healing and A Controversy
   1. Matthew 9:32-33 Immediately after healing the blind men, another person comes to him who is demon-possessed and cannot ________. Without much fanfare, Matthew records that Jesus heals the man who is then able to speak. The people are amazed at this...
   2. Matthew 9:34 ...and yet the Pharisees are not. They don't deny Jesus' power, but they attribute it to the devil. This will become a major point that we'll see again soon. The conflict with the religious authorities has begun in earnest.
3. The Workers and the Harvest
   1. Matthew 9:35 We see here a phrase that is almost the exact same as the one which we read in 4:23 - the point is that we are reminded of Jesus' mission.
   2. Matthew 9:36-37 We move from the big picture to an introduction of what is happening on the ground: the harvest is plentiful but the workers are _______. The disciples are then called to pray for more workers.
4. Observation and Application
   1. We must also ask "do we believe that Jesus gives mercy?"
   2. Do we pray for more workers? What is God's response?

Right off the bat, one area of disappointment is the manner in which the commentary has been put together: these are a series of teachings which are broken down and explained exactly like sermons with sections on introduction, body, and conclusion. While the structure can be helpful at times, it took away from the book’s usefulness as a commentary and in some chapters is more noticeable (and thus less helpful) than in other chapters where it is virtually invisible (and thus quite helpful). While Hughes & Chapell do some of this as well, I never got the feeling while reading their text that I was reading sermon manuscripts and at the same time I could easily find their comments for any given passage.

Moving forward, the book begins with a single chapter overview of the entirety of Revelation, which is a feature that more commentaries should have as the Biblical-Theological implications of this are massive and help us to locate the teachings of the text within the larger framework of the entire revelation of Scripture. After this introduction, Hamilton then moves into his first section, Revelation 1:1-8. On the content side of the equation, the comments that Hamilton makes on the text itself are spot on and quite helpful. On the other hand, to get at those nuggets one has to dig through quite a bit of sermon text linking everything together. For example, when speaking of 1:3 (p.33), Hamilton offers some explanation of the text itself, but then launches into a section of question after question (“Is your experience of Christianity like John’s?” and “Do you know the relief that comes from knowing that faith in Christ and his death on the cross makes you right before God?” amongst others). While these questions are well meant and potently asked, their helpfulness in a commentary seems at times distracting from the point that these particular verses are making. Perhaps they would make more since in a concluding application section at the end of each chapter. Speaking of, application is of course, a perennial issue in our information-overload culture, but before we can get to application we need observation and interpretation. It is in these two attributes that I occasionally was left lacking in my understanding of the text before jumping straight into the application.

On the positive side in the same chapter, Hamilton describes the blessing of reading the Book of Revelation as the “blessing of being affected by the reading and hearing of the words of this prophecy. The reading and hearing of the words of Revelation changes those who experience it. They believe what it reveals, and as a result they ‘keep what is written in it’ (p.34).” Now this is helpful stuff: Hamilton’s view is that the blessing isn’t some sort of undefined action that God does as a reward for reading but that instead the blessing is offered in the reading itself. The message from God itself is the blessing, which should provoke us with much food for thought.

Moving forward, Hamilton also does an adequate job of dealing with differences in interpretation (a major issue in the Book of Revelation!). To give just one example, we see that Hamilton describes the angel’s purpose in 10:2-3 is to reflect Christ’s glory rather than to be an apocalyptic picture of Christ Himself: “…some suggest that this angel might be Christ himself. But this figure is called ‘another mighty angel’ in the first part of 10:1…we saw a ‘mighty angel’ back in 5:2…we’ll see a third ‘mighty angel’ in 18:21. So I don’t think this angel is Jesus because there are other ‘mighty angels’ in Revelation (p.224).” This is good, practical commentary, using the entire teaching of the book to show us what the book says.

Another area in which Hamilton excels is in drawing out Old Testament references and parallels. There are numerous examples of this throughout the book, but one that sticks out is found in the parallels between Ezekiel’s eating of the scroll and John’s eating of the scroll (to show that John is a true prophet just as Ezekiel was, p.228). Hamilton continues with a chart and explanation of how the Book of Ezekiel very much parallels the structure of Revelation (p.229). Seeing this connection is incredibly valuable to our understanding both of Revelation itself and of the Bible as a whole.

Finally, let us close by examining one more chapter. Revelation 21 gives us a picture of hope and great joy when, in a very tangible sense, God will be “with us.” I am greatly pleased to see Hamilton reinforcing this picture in ways that are nothing short of worshipful. Continuing his helpful links between Old Testament and New, Hamilton states: “Verse 1 gives us the wide-angle view of the new heaven and earth, and now 21:2 seems to focus in on the new city… here John describes the fulfillment of Isaiah 52:1, where Jerusalem, the holy city, is called to put on beautiful garments, and it also fulfills Isaiah 61:10, where the redeemed are likened to a bride who ‘adorns herself with jewels’ (p.383).”

Another helpful comment is given regarding the relationship of the word-pictures that John gives us: “So this new Jerusalem is a city because God will dwell there, and it seems to be likened to a bride because God will be in covenant with his people who dwell with him there (p.384).”

In conclusion, I would recommend Revelation: The Spirit Speaks to the Churches as a worthwhile commentary provided that you have other more focused resources available to aid you as well. This is a commentary that gets right to the point of understanding the big picture of Revelation and would be well used as preparation for a small group or similar teaching role as well as for personal understanding and devotions.

(In the interest of full disclosure, I wish to note that the publisher of this book, Crossway, provided it to me at no cost as a review sample. That said, my review is in no way influenced or controlled by them and thus I write my review of this book with honesty and integrity.)

This reminded me of a comment that I read once regarding the great humility which is shown throughout the Scriptures by folks who have done all manner of service for God - some were "successful" in the eyes of the world and others were not, but they had God's glory (as the Lord of the Harvest) in mind rather than their own...

Peter preaches and 3000 repent. Stephen preaches and he is martyred. The seed of the Gospel falls on every type of soil. Whether people respond and repent, rejoicing in the glory of the Lord and experiencing the refreshment of forgiveness, says nothing of the the sower. “God causes the growth.” And of course growth doesn't necessarily mean numbers. The size of a congregation (big or small) should not be our measuring stick for Gospel faithfulness.

Having said that, I am concerned that we are not as disturbed as Peter and John in Acts 3 or Paul and Barnabas in Acts 14, when people look at us as if anything that has happened is by our own power. That radical humility will determine in the end whether we draw people to ourselves or to Jesus.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, this is the turning point! Who do we serve? Who do we bring glory to? The answers to those questions should be the same: to God, the Lord of heaven and earth. Let us be a people who are faithful at spreading the Gospel and by the same token let us be a people who trust God to do what He will with His own harvest.

Bible Reading in 2012

1. Of Tax Collectors and "Sinners"
   1. Matthew 9:9-10 Who would you pick to be one of Jesus' disciples? Probably not Matthew - tax collectors in those days were widely known for their ______________. And not only does Jesus choose Matthew as His disciple, but He also goes to a social dinner with a bunch of Matthew's friends.
   2. Matthew 9:11-13 The Pharisees are shocked at Jesus' choice of friends - so they confront Him - but notice His response: Jesus has come for those who know they aren't perfect and who need a spiritual doctor.
2. Being Religious Enough
   1. Matthew 9:14 A second question is posed to Jesus: why don't His disciples ________ like other spiritual people do?
   2. Matthew 9:15-17 Jesus' response is simple: you fast because you are in mourning, repentant, or perhaps hoping for something to be different. None of these is an issue when the One you are fasting to is right there with you. There will be time enough for fasting in the coming days, which is shown by Jesus' examples of "old" and "new" - fasting will have a place, but someday it will be no more.
3. Faith and Trust
   1. Matthew 9:18-19 In the midst of a teaching moment comes crisis: this leader (probably of a synagogue) comes to Jesus believing that Jesus can bring his daughter back to _______.
   2. Matthew 9:20-22 However, before Jesus can arrive at the man's house, a woman who is in poor health believes that simply by touching His cloak, she will be healed. This she does, and indeed she is healed through her faith in Jesus.
   3. Matthew 9:23-26 Finally, Jesus arrives at the house where there is a funeral going on. In the midst of angry jeers, He goes into the house and raises the dead girl to life.
4. Application: Asking questions will build a faith you can lean upon, which is based upon Jesus' forgiveness of sinners.

1. Do We Hear and Do? Or Simply Hear?
   1. James 1:19-20 What does it look like to live in accordance witht he life of devotion that Christ calls us to? I means that we must be quick to hear and slow to _______. This is exceptionally difficult when everything in life screams, beeps, pops up, or otherwise notifies us that it needs attention right at this moment and that we should be doing likewise in our communications to others. This teaching will keep us from anger, which leads to sin.
   2. James 1:21-22 James' main point: don't merely be a hearer of the Word, but also a do-er. This is only accomplished by accepting (:living in light of, wrestling with the implications of") the Word of God and all that it says.
   3. James 1:23-25 The example James gives of a person using a mirror - the whole point of a mirror is to see if anything needs correcting. But what about the person who looks in the mirror, sees something that needs correction, and then does nothing about it? James tells us that they haven't truly heard. The two ways to live: as a hearer and a do-er who will be blessed by God or as a hearer only who will live in sin.
2. Living for the Lord
   1. James 4:13-15 The application of James' teaching fits rights in with this passage about making plans for the future. Do you make plans with the Lord in mind? Many don't, but this is unwise because they really aren't in _________. Those who are wise make their plans with regard to God's Word.
   2. James 4:16-17 The rubber meets the road in these two verses: if you make plans aside from what the Scriptures say, then you are both unwise and sinful. But, if you make plans in order to honor God, you will be found faithful.
3. Applying the Difficult to Apply
   1. Make plans in Word-informed, God-honoring ways.
   2. Your plans show your commitment to maturing in the Lord.

1) Remember how long Elihu waited before he spoke to Job and his three faulty counselors.

2) Younger men ought to focus on growing personally spiritually strong by overcoming the devil's work in their life and growing deep in God's Word (1 John 2:13-14).

3) Waiting to be asked for an opinion is not such a bad thing: "Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent." (Proverbs 17:28)

1. The Gadarenes
   1. After calming the storm, Jesus lands on the other side of the Sea of Galilee in the land of those who were Gentiles.
   2. Matthew 8:28-29 A problem is immediately presented: Jesus is confronted by two demoniacs who recognize His ultimate authority and yet desire for Him to leave them be.
   3. Matthew 8:30-34 The story moves quickly at this point, as Jesus tells the demons to leave the men and go into a herd of _________. The pigs rush to their death and this is reported to the town which asks Jesus to leave them.
      1. Note how different this response is when compared to the other Gentile stories of faith we've heard.
      2. The townspeople cared more for their herd of pigs than for the healing of the two men.
2. The Paralyzed Man
   1. Matthew 9:1-2 A study in contrasts - Jesus heads back across the Sea and is confronted with the challenge of a man who is completely paralyzed. The response Jesus gives ("your sins are forgiven") is certainly not the expected one, and yet it is the necessary one because Jesus cares for what is eternal even more than what is temporary.
   2. Matthew 9:3-6 Just as with the story of the Gadarenes, there is more to this story: it's not only about a healing but also about how the teachers of the law respond to Jesus' authority. Jesus, however, knows their thoughts and so chooses to heal physically as an example of His authority which extends to both physical and spiritual.
   3. Matthew 9:7-8 As confirmation of Jesus' authority, the man rises up and _________! The crowd's response is recorded by Matthew: they praise God.
3. Our Application
   1. Jesus authority is the cure to our spiritually sick souls.
   2. Do we faithfully bow to Jesus' authority in our lives?