Daily Bible Commentary (21st-26th Jan)

Monday - 21^st January

Topic: The King’s Principals

Read: Matthew Chapter 6

The true righteousness of the kingdom must be applied in the everyday activities of life. This is the emphasis in the rest of the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus related this principle to our relationship to God in worship (6:1-18), our relationship to material things (6:19-34), and our relationship to other people (7:1-20).

Jesus also warned about the danger of hypocrisy (6:2, 5, 16), the sin of using religion to cover up sin. A hypocrite is not a person who falls short of his high ideals, or who occasionally sins, because all of us experience these failures. A hypocrite deliberately uses religion to cover up his sins and promote his own gains. The Greek word translated hypocrite originally meant "an actor who wears a mask."

The righteousness of the Pharisees was insincere and dishonest. They practiced their religion for the applause of men, not for the reward of God. But true righteousness must come from within. We should test ourselves to see whether we are sincere and honest in our Christian commitment. In this chapter, Christ applied this test to four different areas of life.

Our Giving (6:1-4)

Giving alms to the poor, praying, and fasting were important disciplines in the religion of the Pharisees. Jesus did not condemn these practices, but He did caution us to make sure that our hearts are right as we practice them. The Pharisees used almsgiving to gain favor with God and attention from men, both of which were wrong motives. No amount of giving can purchase salvation; for salvation is the gift of God (Eph. 2:8-9) And to live for the praise of men is a foolish thing because the glory of man does not last (1 Peter 1:24). It is the glory and praise of God that really counts!

Our sinful nature is so subtle that it can defile even a good thing like sharing with the poor. If our motive is to get the praise-of men, then like the Pharisees, we will call attention to what we are doing. But if our motive is to serve God in love and please Him, then we will give our gifts without calling attention to them. As a result, we will grow spiritually; God will be glorified; and others will be helped. But if we give with the wrong motive, we rob ourselves of blessing and reward and rob God of glory, even though the money we share might help a needy person.

Does this mean that it is wrong to give openly? Must all giving be anonymous? Not necessarily, for everyone in the early church knew that Barnabas had given the income from the sale of his land (Acts 4:34-37). When the church members laid their money at the Apostles' feet, it was not done in secret. The difference, of course, was in the motive and manner in which it was done. A contrast is Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-1 1), who tried to use their gift to make people think they were more spiritual than they really were.

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Tuesday – 22^nd January

Topic: The King’s Principals

Read: Matthew Chapter 6: 1-15

Our Praying (6:5-15)

Jesus gave four instructions to guide us in our praying.

We must pray in secret before we pray in public (6:6)

It is not wrong to pray in public in the assembly (1 Tim. 2:1 ff), or even when blessing food (John 6: I I ) or seeking God's help (John 1 1:41-42;  Acts 27:35). But it is wrong to pray in public if we are not in the habit of praying in private. Observers may think that we are practicing prayer when we are not, and this is hypocrisy. The word translated closet means "a private chamber." It could refer to the store-chamber in a house. Our Lord prayed privately (Mark 1:35); so did Elisha (2 Kings 4:32ff) and Daniel (Dan. 6:10ff).

We must pray sincerely (6:7-8)

The fact that a request is repeated does not make it a "vain repetition"; for both Jesus and Paul repeated their
petitions (Matt. 26:36-46; 2 Cor. 12:7-8). A request becomes a "vain repetition" if it is only a babbling of words without a sincere heart desire to seek and do God's will. The mere reciting of memorized prayers can be vain repetition. The Gentiles had such prayers in their pagan ceremonies (see 1 Kings 18:26).

Dr. Robert A. Cook has often said, "All of us have one routine prayer in our system; and once we get rid of it, then we can really start to pray!" I have noticed this, not only in my own praying, but often when I have conducted prayer meetings. With some people, praying is like putting the needle on a phonograph record and then forgetting about it. But God does not answer insincere prayers.

We must pray in God's will (6:9-13)

This prayer is known familiarly as "The Lord's Prayer," but "The Disciples' Prayer" would be a more accurate title. Jesus did not give this prayer to us to be memorized and recited a given number of times. In fact, He gave this prayer to keep us from using vain repetitions. Jesus did not say, "Pray in these words." He said, "Pray after this manner"; that is, "Use this prayer as a pattern not as a substitute."

The purpose of prayer is to glorify God's name, and to ask for help to accomplish His will on earth. This prayer begins with God's interests, not ours: God's name, God's kingdom, and God's will. Robert Law has said, "Prayer is a mighty instrument, not for getting man's will done in heaven, but for getting God's will done in earth." We have no right to ask God for anything that will dishonor His name, delay His kingdom, or disturb His will on earth. 

It is worth noting that there are no singular pronouns in this prayer; they are all plural. It begins with "OUR Father." When we pray, we must remember that we are part of God's worldwide family of believers. We have no right to ask for ourselves anything that would harm another member of the family. If we are praying in the will of God, the answer will be a blessing to all of God's people in one way or another.

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Wednesday – 23^rd January

Topic: The King’s Principals

Read: Matthew Chapter 6: 1-15 again

If we put God's concerns first, then we can bring our own needs. God is concerned about our needs and knows theca even before we mention them (v. 8). If this is the case, then why pray? Because prayer is the God appointed way to have these needs met (see James 4:1-3). Prayer prepares us for the proper use of the answer. If we know our need, and if we voice it to God, trusting Him for His provision, then we will make better use of the answer than if God forced it on us without our asking.

It is right to pray for daily physical needs, for forgiveness, and for guidance and protection from evil. "Lead us not into temptation" does not mean that God tempts His children (James 1:13-17). In this petition we are asking God to guide us so that we will not get out of His will and get involved in a situation of temptation (1 John 5:18), or even in a situation of tempting God so that He must miraculously rescue us (Matt. 4:5-7). 

We must pray, having a forgiving spirit toward others (6:14-15). In this "appendix" to the prayer, Jesus expanded the last phrase of verse 12, “……..as we forgive our debtors." He later repeated this lesson to His disciples (Mark 11: 19-26). He was not teaching that believers earned God's forgiveness by forgiving others; for this would be contrary to God's free grace hand mercy. However, if we have truly experienced God's forgiveness, then we will have a readiness to forgive others (Eph. 4:32; Col. 3:13). Our Lord illustrated this principle in the parable of the unmerciful servant (Matt. 18:21-35).

We have seen that true praying is a "family affair"  ("Our Father. . ."). If the members of the family are not getting along with one another, how can they claim to have a right relationship with the Father?
The emphasis in 1 John 4 is that we show our love for God by loving our brothers. When we forgive each other, we are not earning the right to prayer; for the privilege of prayer is a part of our sonship (Rom. 8:15-16). Forgiveness belongs to the matter of fellowship: If I am not in fellowship with God, I cannot pray effectively. But fellowship with my brother helps to determine my fellowship with God; hence, forgiveness is important to prayer.

Since prayer involves glorifying God's name, hastening the coming of God's kingdom (2 Peter 3:12), and helping to accomplish God's will on earth, the one praying must not have sin in his heart. If God answered the prayers of a believer who had an unforgiving spirit, He would dishonor His own name. How could God work through such a person to get His will done on earth? If God gave him his requests, He would be encouraging sin! The important thing about prayer is not simply getting an answer, but being the kind of person whom God can trust with an answer.

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Thursday – 24^th January

Topic: The King’s Principals

Read: Matthew Chapter 6: 16-18

Our Fasting (6:16-18)

The only fast that God actually required of the Jewish people was on the annual Day of Atonement (Lev. 23:27). The Pharisees fasted each Monday and Thursday (Luke 18:12) and did so in such a way that people knew they were fasting. Their purpose, of course, was to win the praise of men. As a result, the Pharisees lost God's blessing.

It is not wrong to fast, if we do it in the right way and with the right motive. Jesus fasted (Matt. 4:3); so did the members of the early church (Acts 13:2). Fasting helps to discipline the appetites of the body (Luke 21:34) and keep our spiritual priorities straight. But fasting must never become an opportunity for temptation (1 Cor. 7:7). Simply to deprive ourselves of a natural benefit (such as food or sleep) is not of itself fasting. We must devote ourselves to God and worship Him. Unless there is the devotion of the heart (see Zech. 7) there is no lasting spiritual benefit.

 As with giving and praying, true fasting must be done in secret; it is between the believer and God unless it is a corporate fast called by the church or nation. To "make unsightly" our faces (by looking glum and asking for pity and praise) would be to destroy the very purpose of the fast. Our Lord here laid down a basic principle of spiritual living: Nothing that is truly spiritual will violate that which God has given us in nature. God usually does not tear down one good thing in order to build up another. If we have to look miserable to be considered spiritual, then there is something wrong with our views of spirituality.

Remember that hypocrisy robs us of reality in Christian living. We substitute reputation for character, mere words for true prayer, money for the devotion of the heart. No wonder Jesus compared the Pharisees to tombs that were whitewashed on the outside, but filthy on the inside! (Matt. 23:27-28)

But hypocrisy not only robs us of character, it also robs us of spiritual rewards. Instead of the eternal approval of God, we receive the shallow praise of men. We pray, but there are no answers. We fast, but the inner man shows no improvement. The spiritual life becomes hollow and lifeless. We miss the blessing of God here and now and also lose the reward of God when Christ returns.

Hypocrisy also robs us of spiritual influence. The Pharisees were a negative influence; whatever they touched was defiled and destroyed. The people who admired them and obeyed the Pharisees' words thought they themselves were being helped, when in reality, they were being hurt.

The first step toward overcoming hypocrisy is to be honest with God in our secret life. We must never pray anything that we do not mean from the heart; otherwise, our prayers are simply empty words. Our motive must be to please God alone, no matter what men may say or do. We must cultivate the heart in the secret place. It has well been said, "The most important part of a Christian's life is the part that only God sees." When reputation becomes more important than character, we have become hypocrites.

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Friday – 25^th January

Topic: The King’s Principals

Read: Matthew Chapter 6: 19-34

Our Use of Wealth (6:19-24)

We are accustomed to divide life into the "spiritual" and the "material"; but Jesus made no such division. In many of His parables, He made it clear that a right attitude toward wealth is a mark of true spirituality (see Luke 12:13ff; 16:1-31). The Pharisees were covetous (v. 14) and used religion to make money. If we have the true righteousness of Christ in our lives, then we will have a proper attitude toward material wealth.

Nowhere did Jesus magnify poverty or criticize the legitimate getting of wealth. God made all things, including food, clothing, and precious metals. God has declared that all things He has made are good (Gen. 1:31). God knows that we need certain things in order to live (Matt. 4:32). In fact, He has given us "richly all things to enjoy" (1 Tim. 6:17). It is not wrong to possess things, but it is wrong for things to possess us. The sin of idolatry is as dangerous as the sin of hypocrisy! There are many warnings in the Bible against covetousness (Ex. 20:17; Ps. 119:36; Mark 7:22; Luke 12:15ff; Col. 3:5; Eph. 5:5).

Jesus warned against the sin of living for the things of this life. He pointed out the sad consequences of covetousness and idolatry.

Enslavement (6:19-24). Materialism will enslave the heart (vv. 19-21), the mind (vv. 22-23), and the will (v. 24). We can become shackled by the material things of life, but we ought to be liberated and controlled by the Spirit of God.

If the heart loves material things, and puts earthly gain above heavenly investments, then the result can only be a tragic loss. The treasures of earth may be used for God. But if we gather material things for ourselves, we will lose them; and we will lose our hearts with them. Instead of spiritual enrichment, we will experience impoverishment.

What does it mean to lay up treasures in heaven? It means to use all that we have for the glory of God. It means to "hang loose" when it comes to the material things of life. It also means measuring life by the true riches of the kingdom and not by the false riches of this world. Wealth not only enslaves the heart, but it also enslaves the mind (vv. 22-23). God's Word often uses the eye to represent the attitudes of the mind. If the eye is properly focused on the light, the body can function properly in its movements. But if the eye is out of focus and seeing double, it results in unsteady movements. It is most difficult to make progress while trying to look in two directions at the same time.

If our aim in life is to get material gain, it will mean darkness within. But if our outlook is to serve and glorify God, there will be light within. If what should be light is really darkness, then we are being controlled by darkness; and outlook determines outcome.

 Finally, materialism can enslave the will (v. 24). We cannot serve two masters simultaneously. Either Jesus Christ is our Lord, or money is our Lord. It is a matter of the will. "But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare . . . " (1 Tim. 6:9). If God grants riches, and we use them for His glory, then riches are a blessing. But if we will to get rich, and live with that outlook, we will pay a great price for those riches.

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Saturday – 26^th January

Topic: The King’s Principals

Read: Matthew Chapter 6: 25-33

Devaluation (6:25-30). Covetousness will not only cheapen our riches, but it will also cheapen us! We will start to become worried and anxious, and this anxiety is unnatural and unspiritual. The person who pursues money thinks that riches will solve his problems, when in reality, riches will create more problems! Material wealth gives a dangerous, false sense of security, and that feeling ends in tragedy. The birds and lilies do not fret and worry; yet they have God's wealth in ways that man cannot duplicate. All of nature depends on God, and God never fails. Only mortal man depends on money, and money always fails.

Jesus said that worry is sinful. We may dignify worry by calling it by some other name—concern, burden, a cross to bear—but the results are still the same. Instead of helping us live longer, anxiety only makes life shorter (v. 27). The Greek word translated ‘take no thought’ literally means "to be drawn in different directions." Worry pulls us apart. Until man interferes, everything in nature works together, because all of nature trusts God. Man, however, is pulled apart because he tries to live his own life by depending on material wealth.

God feeds the birds and clothes the lilies. He will feed and clothe us. It is our "little faith" that hinders Him from working as He would. He has great blessings for us if only we will yield to Him and live for the riches that last forever.

Loss of testimony (6:31-33). To worry about material things is to live like the heathen! If we put God 's will and God ‘s righteousness first in our lives , He will take care of everything else, What a testimony it is to the world when a Christian dares to practice Matthew 6:33! What a tragedy it is when so many of us fail to practice it.

Loss of joy today (6:34).  Worrying about tomorrow does not help either tomorrow or today.  If anything, it robs us of our effectiveness today which means we will be even less effective tomorrow. Someone has said that the average person is crucifying himself between two thieves: the regrets of yesterday and the worries about tomorrow. It is right to plan for the future and even to save for the future (2 Cor, 12:14; I Tim, 5:8).  But it is a sin to worry about the future and permit tomorrow to rob today of its blessings.

Three words in this section point the way to victory over worry: faith (v. 30), trusting God to meet our needs; (2) Father (v. 32), knowing He cares for His children; and (3) first (v. 33), putting God‘s will first in our lives so that He might be glorified.  If we have faith in our Father and put Him first, He will meet our needs.

Hypocrisy and anxiety are sins.  If we practice the true righteousness of the kingdom, we will avoid these sins and live for God's glory.

Sunday Re Cap (13th Jan 2013)

THE MINISTRY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST

TEXT: MATTHEW 3:1-11 

Click here to listen

“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:2).


A. The Man:

1. His appearance was intended to result in an association with Elijah

2. His appearance was intended to signify separation from the world

3. His appearance would signify the coming of the Messiah





B. The Mandate:

1. A Call to Repentance

2. A Call to Regeneration

3. A Call to Renewal





C. The Message:

1. Prophetic Message

2. A Messianic Message

3. A Preparatory Message.



CONCLUSION:

John’s preaching that the Gospel of God begins with the bad news of man’s sin and future damnation and ends with the good news of Jesus’ work on the cross. There is an amazing contrast between John’s priorities and ours today. Jesus spoke highly of John calling him the greatest man!

Note John’s attitude toward the three most frequent priorities of man today:

(1) Popularity. We want more than anything to be sought out as friends by others. How different was John.

(2) Prosperity. Money is the god of many men today. John had little if any of that. John was never rich in this world’s eyes, but he received of our Lord the greatest compliment given any man.

(3) Position. Some men will sell their souls is position—power. They will, in their desire to get to the top, climb over anyone who gets in their way. How different was John. “He must increase, but I must decrease.

Sunday Re Cap (6th Jan 2013)

Carriers of The Covenant

Text: Matthew 28:18-20
Romans 12:1-2

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Covenant-A unique relationship, intimate fellowship, an exchange, a commitment, through it comes an empowering, an authorization, it is a promise…as He is so are we in the world. There is a loss of covenant consciousness among Christians. Salvation is not only our making a decision for Christ. Salvation is God’s making His covenant with us.

Christ has now commissioned the church to be carriers of His COVENANT; to restore the world into COVENANT relationship with Him. We have His power and authorization!

Matt 28:18-20
18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. (God making HIS COVENANT with us; His part of the deal, and our part is…) 19 Go therefore[c] and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you (We being COVENANT KEEPERS/CARRIERS); and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. (GOD’S COVENANT again!)” Amen.

It is not the duty of a select few, but the responsibly of each of every believer here on earth.

What if we can't preach? Rom12:1-8; 1Cor12:4-30; ..Eph 4:11-16...we are part of His body with different functions...

TEAM: Together Everyone Achieves More!

Daily Bible Commentary (14th-19th Jan)

Monday - 14^th January

Topic: The King’s Principals

Read: Matthew Chapter 5

The Sermon on the Mount is one of the most misunderstood messages that Jesus ever gave. One group says it is God's plan of salvation, that if we ever hope to go to heaven we must obey these rules. Another group calls it a "charter for world peace" and begs the nations of the earth to accept it. Still a third group tells us that the Sermon on the Mount does not apply to today, but that it will apply at some future time, perhaps during the Tribulation or the millennial kingdom.

I have always felt that Matthew 5:20 was the key to this important sermon: "For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." The main theme is true righteousness. The religious leaders had an artificial, external righteousness based on law. But the righteousness Jesus described is a true and vital righteousness that begins internally, in the heart. The Pharisees were concerned about the minute details of conduct, but they neglected the major matter of character. Conduct flows out of character.

Whatever applications the Sermon on the Mount may have to world problems, or to future events, it is certain that this sermon has definite applications for us today. Jesus gave this message to individual believers, not to the unsaved world at large. What .was taught in the Sermon on the Mount is repeated in the New Testament epistles for the church today.

Jesus originally gave these words to His disciples (v. 1), and they have shared them with us.

In this chapter, Jesus gave three 'explanations about true, spiritual righteousness.

What True Righteousness Is   (5:1-16)

Being a master Teacher, our Lord did not begin this important sermon with a negative criticism of the scribes and Pharisees. He began with a positive emphasis on righteous character and the blessings that it brings to the life of the believer.

The Pharisees taught that righteousness was an external thing, a matter of obeying rules and regulations. Righteousness could be measured by praying, giving, fasting, etc. In the Beatitudes and the pictures of the believer, Jesus described Christian character that flowed from within.

Imagine how the crowd's attention was riveted on Jesus when He uttered His first word: "Blessed." (The Latin word for blessed is beatus, and from this comes the word beatitude.) This was a powerful word to those who heard Jesus that day. To them it meant "divine joy and perfect happiness." The word was not used for humans; it described the kind of joy experienced only by the gods or the dead. "Blessed" implied an inner satisfaction and sufficiency that did not depend on outward circumstances for happiness. This is what the Lord offers those who trust Him.

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Tuesday - 15^th January

Topic: The King’s Principals

Read: Matthew Chapter 5: 1-16

The Beatitudes describe the attitudes that ought to be in our lives today. Four attitudes are described here.

Our attitude toward ourselves (5:3).

To be poor in spirit means to be humble, to have a correct estimate of one's self (Rom. 12:3). It does not mean to be "poor spirited" and have no backbone at all! "Poor in spirit" is the opposite of the world's attitudes of self-praise and self-assertion. It is not a false humility that says, "I am not worth anything, I can't do anything!" It is honesty with ourselves: we know ourselves, accept ourselves, and try to be ourselves to the glory of God.

Our attitude toward our sins (5:4-6).

We mourn over sin and despise it. We see sin the way God sees it' and seek to treat it the way God does. Those who cover sin or defend sin certainly have the wrong attitude. We should not only mourn over our sins, but we should also meekly submit to God (see Luke 18:9-.14; Phil. 3:1-14).

Meekness is not weakness, for both Moses and Jesus were meek men.

This word translated "meek" was used by the Greeks to describe a horse that had been broken. It refers to power under control.

Our attitude toward the Lord (5:7-9).

We experience God's mercy when we trust Christ (Eph. 2:4-7), and He gives us a clean heart (Acts 15:9) and peace within (Rom. 5:1). But having received His mercy, we then share His mercy with others. We seek to keep our hearts pure that we might see God in our lives today. We become peacemakers in a troubled world and channels for God's mercy, purity, and peace.

Our attitude toward the world (5:10-16).

It is not easy to be a dedicated Christian. Our society is not a friend to God, nor to God's people. Whether we like it or not, there is conflict between us and the world. Why? Because we are different from the world and we have different attitudes. As we read the Beatitudes, we find that they represent an outlook radically different from that of the world. The world praises pride, not humility. The world endorses sin, especially if you "get away with it." The world is at war with God, while God is seeking to reconcile His enemies and make them His children. We must expect to be persecuted if we are living as God wants us to live. But we must be sure that our suffering is not due to our own foolishness or disobedience.

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Wednesday - 16^th January

Topic: The King’s Principals

Read: Matthew Chapter 5: 17-20

How True Righteousness Comes (5:17-20)

Certainly after the crowd heard our Lord's description of the kind of person God blesses, they said to themselves, "But we could never attain that kind of character. How can we have this righteousness? Where does it come from?" They wondered how His teaching related to what they had been taught all their lives. What about Moses and the Law?

In the Law of Moses, God certainly revealed His standards for holy living. The Pharisees defended the Law and sought to obey it. But Jesus said that the true righteousness that pleases God must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees—and to the common people, the scribes and Pharisees were the holiest men in the community! If they had not attained, what hope was there for anybody else?

Jesus explained His own attitude toward the Law by describing three possible relationships.

We can seek to destroy the Law (5:17a). The Pharisees thought Jesus was doing this. To begin with, His authority did not come from any of the recognized leaders or schools. Instead of teaching "from authorities" as did the scribes and Pharisees, Jesus taught with authority. Not only in His authority, but also in His activity, Jesus seemed to defy the Law. He deliberately healed people on the Sabbath Day and paid no attention to the traditions of the Pharisees. Our Lord's associations also seemed contrary to the Law, for He was the friend of publicans and sinners.

Yet, it was the Pharisees who were destroying the Law! By their traditions, they robbed the people of the Word of God; and by their hypocritical lives, they disobeyed the very Law that they claimed to protect. The Pharisees thought they were conserving God's Word, when in reality they were preserving God's Word: embalming it so that it no longer had life! Their rejection of Christ when He came to earth proved that the inner truth of the Law had not penetrated their hearts.

Jesus made it clear that He had come to honor the Law and help God's people love it, learn it, and live it. He would not accept the artificial righteousness of the religious leaders. Their righteousness was only an external masquerade. Their religion was a dead ritual, not a living relationship. It was artificial; it did not reproduce itself in others in a living way. It made them proud, not humble; it led to bondage, not liberty.

We can seek to fulfill the Law (5:17b). Jesus Christ fulfilled God's Law in every area of His life. He fulfilled it in His birth because He was "made under the Law" (Gal. 4:4). Every prescribed ritual for a Jewish boy was performed on Him by His parents. He certainly fulfilled the Law in His life, for nobody was ever able to accuse Him of sin. While He did not submit to the traditions of the scribes and Pharisees, He always did what God commanded in the Law. The Father was "well pleased" with His Son (Matt. 3:17; 17:5).

Jesus also fulfilled the Law in His teaching. It was this that brought Him into conflict with the religious leaders. When He began His ministry, Jesus found the living Word of God encrusted with Man-made traditions and interpretations. He broke away this thick crust of "religion" and brought the people back to God's Word. Then, He opened the Word to them in a new and living way—they were accustomed to the "letter" of the Law and not the inner "kernel" of life.

But it was in. His death and resurrection that Jesus especially fulfilled the Law. He bore the curse of the Law (Gal. 3:13). He fulfilled the Old Testament types and ceremonies so that they no longer are required of the people of God (see Heb. 9-10). He set aside the Old Covenant and brought in the New Covenant.

Jesus did not destroy the Law by fighting it; He destroyed it by fulfilling it! Perhaps an illustration will make this clear. If I have an acorn, I can destroy it in one of two ways. I can put it on a rock and smash it to bits with a hammer. Or, I can plant it in the ground and let it fulfill itself by becoming an oak tree.

When Jesus died, He rent the veil of the temple and opened the way into the holiest (Heb. 10:19). He broke down the wall that separated the Jews and Gentiles, (Eph. 2:1 1-13). Because the Law was fulfilled in Christ, we no longer need temples made with hands (Acts 7:48ff), or religious rituals (Col. 2:10-13).

How can we fulfill the Law? By yielding to the Holy Spirit and allowing Him to work in our lives (Rom. 8:1-3). The Holy Spirit enables us to experience the "righteousness of the law" in daily life. This does not mean we live sinlessly perfect lives, but it does mean that Christ lives out His life through us by the power of His Spirit (Gal. 2:20).

When we read the Beatitudes, we see the perfect character of Jesus Christ. While Jesus never had to mourn over His sins, since He was sinless, He was still a "man of sorrows and acquainted with grief" (Isa. 53:3). He never had to hunger and thirst after righteousness since He was the holy Son of God, but He did delight in the Father's will and find His satisfaction in doing it (John 4:34). The only way we can experience the righteousness of the Beatitudes is through the power of Christ.

We can seek to do and teach the Law (5:19). This does not mean we major on the Old Testament and ignore the New! Second Corinthians 3 makes it clear that ours is a ministry of the New Covenant. But there is a proper ministry of the Law (1 Tim. 1 : 9ff) that is not contrary to the glorious message of God's grace. Jesus wants us to know more of the righteousness of God, obey it; and share it with others. The moral law of God has not changed. Nine of the Ten Commandments are repeated in the New Testament epistles and commanded to believers. (The exception is the Sabbath commandment, which was given as a sign to Israel, see Neh. 9:14.)

We do not obey an external Law because of fear. No, believers today obey an internal Law and live because of love. The Holy Spirit teaches us the Word and enables us to obey. Sin is still sin, and God still punishes sin. In fact, we in this present age are more responsible because we have been taught and given more!

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Thursday - 17^th January

Topic: The King’s Principals

Read: Matthew Chapter 5: 21-26

How Righteousness Works in Daily Life (5:21-48)

Jesus took six important Old Testament laws and interpreted them for His people in the light of the new life He came to give. He made a fundamental change without altering God's standards: He dealt with the attitudes and intents of the heart and not simply with the external action. The Pharisees said that righteousness consisted of performing certain actions, but Jesus said it centered in the attitudes of the heart.

Likewise, with sin: The Pharisees had a list of external actions that were sinful, but Jesus explained that sin came from the attitudes of the heart. Anger is murder in the heart; lust is adultery in the heart. The person who says that he "lives by the Sermon on the Mount" may not realize that the Sermon on the Mount is more difficult to keep than the original Ten Commandments!

Murder (5:21-26; Ex. 20:13). I have read that one out of every 35 deaths in Chicago is a murder, and that most of these murders are "crimes of passion" caused by anger among friends or relatives. Jesus did not say that anger leads to murder; He said that anger is murder. There is a holy anger against sin (Eph. 4:26), but Jesus talked about an unholy anger against people. The word He used in Matthew 5:22 means "a settled anger, malice that is nursed inwardly." Jesus described a sinful experience that involved several stages. First there was causeless anger. This anger then exploded into words: "Raca- empty-headed person!" These words added fuel to the fire so that the person said, "You fool rebel!"

Anger is such a foolish thing. It makes us destroyers instead of builders. It robs us of freedom and makes us prisoners. To hate someone is to commit murder in our hearts (1 John 3:15).

This does not mean that we should go ahead and murder someone we hate, since we have already sinned inwardly. Obviously, sinful feelings are not excuses for sinful deeds. Sinful anger robs us of fellowship with God as well as with our brothers, but it does not put us into jail as murderers. However, more than one person has become a murderer because he failed to control sinful anger.

Sinful anger must be faced honestly and must be confessed to God as sin. We must go to our brother and get the matter settled, and we must do it quickly. The longer we wait, the worse the bondage becomes! We put ourselves into a terrible prison when we refuse to be reconciled. (See Matt. 18:15-20 for additional counsel.) It has well been said that the person who refuses to forgive his brother destroys the very bridge over which he himself must walk.

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Friday - 18^th January

Topic: The King’s Principals

Read: Matthew Chapter 5: 27-37

Adultery (5:27-30; Ex. 20:14). Jesus affirmed God's law of purity, and then explained that the intent of this law was to reveal the sanctity of sex and the sinfulness of the human heart. God created sex, and God protects sex. He has the authority to regulate it and to punish those who rebel against His laws. He does not regulate sex because He wants to rob us, but rather, because He wants to bless us. Whenever God says, "No" it is that He might say "Yes."

Sexual impurity begins in the desires of the heart. Again, Jesus is not saying that lustful desires are identical to lustful deeds, and therefore a person might just as well go ahead and commit adultery. The desire and the deed are not identical, but, spiritually speaking, they are equivalent. The "look" that Jesus mentioned was not a casual glance, but a constant stare with the purpose of lusting. It is possible for a man to glance at a beautiful woman and know that she is beautiful, but not lust after her. The man Jesus described looked at the woman for the purpose of feeding his inner sensual appetites as a substitute for the act. It was not accidental; it was planned.

How do we get victory? By purifying the desires of the heart (appetite leads to action) and disciplining the actions of the body. Obviously, our Lord is not talking about literal surgery; for this would not solve the problem in the heart. The eye and the hand are usually the two "culprits" when it comes to sexual sins, so they must be disciplined. Jesus said,

"Deal immediately and decisively with sin! Don't taper off—cut off!" Spiritual surgery is more important than physical surgery, for the sins of the body can lead to eternal judgment. We think of passages like Colossians 3:5 and Romans 6:13; 12:1-2; 13:14.

Divorce (5:31-32). Our Lord dealt with this in greater detail in 19:1-12, and we shall consider, it there.

Swearing (5:33-37; Lev. 19:12; Deut.  23:23). This is not the sin of "cursing," but the sin of using oaths to affirm that what is said is true. The Pharisees used all kinds of tricks to sidestep the truth, and oaths were among them. They would avoid using the holy name of God, but they would come close by using the city of Jerusalem, heaven, earth, or some part of the body.

Jesus taught that our conversation should be so honest, and our character so true, that we would not need "crutches" to get people to believe us. Words depend on character, and oaths cannot compensate for a poor character. "In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin; but he that refraineth his lips is wise" (Prov. 10:19). The more words a man uses to convince us, the more suspicious we should be.

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Saturday - 19^th January

Topic: The King’s Principals

Read: Matthew Chapter 5: 38-48

Retaliation (5:38-42; Lev. 24:19-22).

The original law was a fair one; it kept people from forcing the offender to pay a greater price than the offense deserved. It also prevented people from taking personal revenge. Jesus replaced a law with an attitude: be willing to suffer loss yourself rather than cause another to suffer. Of course, He applied this to personal insults, not to groups or nations. The person who retaliates only makes himself and the offender feel worse; and the result is a settled war and not peace.

In order to "turn the other cheek," we must stay where we are and not run away. This demands both faith and love. It also means that we will hurt, but it is better to be hurt on the outside than to be harmed on the inside. But it further means that we should try to help the sinner. We are vulnerable, because he may attack us anew; but we are also victorious, because Jesus is on our side, helping us and building our characters. Psychologists tell us that violence is bon of weakness, not strength. It is the strong man who can love and suffer hurt; it is the weak man who thinks only of himself and hurts others to protect himself. He hurts others then runs away to protect himself.

Love of enemies (5:43-48; Lev. 19:17-18).

Nowhere did the Law teach hatred for one's enemies. Passages like Exodus 23:4-5 indicate just the opposite! Jesus defined our enemies as those who curse us, hate us, and exploit us selfishly. Since Christian love is an act of the will, and not simply an emotion, He has the right to command us to love our enemies. After all, He loved us when we were His enemies (Rom. 5:10). We may show this love by blessing those who curse us, doing good to them, and praying for them. When we pray for our enemies, we find it easier to love them. It takes the "poison" out of our attitudes.

Jesus gave several reasons for this admonition. (1) This love is a mark of maturity, proving that we are sons of the Father, and not just little children. (2) It is God-like. The Father shares His good things with those who oppose Him. Verse 45 suggests that our love "creates a climate" of blessings that makes it easy to win our enemies and make them our friends. Love is like the sunshine and rain that the Father sends so graciously. (3) It is a testimony to others. "What do ye more than others?" is a good question. God expects us to live on a much higher plane than the lost people of the world who return good for good and evil for evil. As Christians, we must return good for evil as an investment of love.

The word perfect in verse 48 does not imply sinlessly perfect, for that is impossible in this life (although it is a good goal to strive for). It suggests completeness, maturity, as the sons of God. The Father loves His enemies and seeks to make them His children and we should assist Him!

Daily Bible Commentary (7th-12th Jan 2013)

Monday - 7^th January

Topic: The King’s Credentials

Read: Matthew Chapter 3

Some 30 years passed between chapters 2 and 3 of Matthew, during which Jesus lived in Nazareth and worked as a carpenter (Matt13:55; Mark 6:3). But the time came for Him to begin in His public ministry which would culminate at the cross. Was he still qualified to be King? Had anything taken place that would disqualify Him? In chapters two and three, Matthew assembled the testimonies of five witnesses to the person of Jesus Christ, that He is the Son of God and the King.

John the Baptist (3: 1-15)

For over 400 years, the nation had not heard the voice of a prophet. Then John appeared and a great revival took place. Consider four facts about John.

His message (3:1-2, 7-10). John’s preaching centered on repentance and the kingdom of heaven. The word repent means “to change one’s mind and act upon that change.” John was not satisfied with regret or remorse; he wanted “fruits in keeping with repentance”(v.8). There had to be evidence of a changed mind and a changed life.

All kinds of people came to hear John preach and to watch the great baptismal services he conducted. Many publicans and sinners came in sincere humility (Matt 21:31-32), but the religious leaders refused to submit. They thought that they were good enough to please God; yet John called them a “generation of vipers.” Jesus used the same language when He dealt with this self-righteous crowd (Matt 12:34, 23:33; John 8:44)

The Pharisees were the traditionalists of their day, while Sadducees were more liberal ( see Acts 23;6-9). The wealthy Sadducees controlled the “temple business” that Jesus cleaned out. These two groups usually fought each other for control of the nation, but when it came to opposing Jesus Christ, the Pharisees and Sadducees united forces.

John’s message was one of judgment. Israel had sinned and needed to repent, and the religious leaders ought to lead the way. The ax was lying at the root of the tree; and if the tree (Israel) did not bear good fruit, it would be cut down. (See Luke 13:6-10). If the nation repented, the way would be prepared for the coming of the Messiah.

His authority (3:3-4). John fulfilled the prophecy given in Isaiah 40:3. In a spiritual sense, John was “Elijah who was to come” for he came in the “spirit and power of Elijah” (Luke 1:16-17). He even dressed as Elijah did and preached the same message of judgment (2Kings 1:8). John was the last of the Old Testament prophets (Luke16:16) and the greatest of them (Matt 11:7-15, see 17:9-13)

His baptism (3:5-6, 11-12) The Jews baptized Gentile converts, but John was baptizing Jews! His baptism was authorized from heaven (Matt 21:23-27); it was not something John devised or borrowed. It was a baptism of repentance, looking forward to the Messiah’s coming (Acts 19:1-7). His baptism fulfilled two purposes: it prepared the nations for Christ and it presented Christ to the nation (John 1:31)

His obedience (3:13-15). Jesus was not baptized because He was a repentant sinner. Even John tried to stop Jesus, but the Lord knew it was His Father’s will. Why was Jesus baptized? First, His baptism gave approval to John’s ministry. Second, He identified Himself with the publicans and sinners, the very people He came to save. But mainly, His baptism pictured His future baptism on the cross (Matt. 5:20; Luke 12:50) when all the “waves and billows” of God’s judgment would go over Him (Ps. 42:7; Jonah 2:3)

Thus, John the Baptist bore witness to Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and also as the Lamb of God (John 1:29). Because of John’s witness, many sinners trusted Jesus Christ (John 10:39-42)

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Tuesday - 8^th  January

Topic: The King’s Credentials

Read : Matthew Chapter 3 Again

The Holy Spirit (3:16)

The coming of the Holy Spirit like a dove identified Jesus to John (John1: 31-34), and also assured Jesus as He began His ministry that the Spirit’s ministry would always be His (3:34). The dove is a beautiful symbol of the Spirit of God in its purity and in His ministry of peace. The first time we see a dove in Scriptures is in Genesis 8: 6-11. Noah sent out two birds, a raven and a dove; but only the dove came back. The raven represented the flesh; there was plenty of raven to eat outside the ark! But the dove would not defile itself on the carcasses, so it came back to the ark. The second time the dove was released, it returned with an olive leaf, a symbol of peace. The third time, the dove did not return.

There may be another picture here. The name Jonah means “dove,” and he, too, experienced a baptism! Jesus used Jonah as a type of Himself in death , burial and resurrection ( Matt 12: 38-40). Jonah was sent to the Gentiles, and Jesus would minister to the Gentiles.

The Father (3:17)

On three special occasions, the Father spoke from heaven: at Christ’s baptism, at the transfiguration ( Matt 17:3) and as Christ approached the cross (John 12:27-30). In the past, God spoke to His Son; today He is speaking through His Son (Hebrews1:1-2)

The Father statement from heaven seems to echo of  Psalm 2:7- “The Lord hath said unto Me, “ Thou art My Son; this day have I begotten Thee.’” Acts13:22 informs us that this “begetting” refers to His resurrection from the dead, and not to His birth at Bethlehem. This statement ties in perfectly with the Lord’s baptismal experience of death, burial, and resurrection.

But the Father’s statement also relates Jesus Christ to the “Suffering Servant” prophesied in Isaiah 40-53. In Matthew 12:18, Matthew quoted from Isaiah 42: 1-3, where the Messiah-Servant is called “My beloved, in whom My soul is well pleased.” The Servant described in Isaiah is humble, rejected, made to suffer and die, but also see to come forth in victory. While the nation of Israel is seen dimly in some of these “Servant Songs,” it is the Messiah, Jesus Christ, who is revealed most clearly in them. Again, we see the connection with Christ in death, burial and Resurrection.

Finally, the Father’s statement approved all that Jesus had done up to that point. His “hidden years in Nazareth” were years of pleasing the Father. Certainly, the Father’s commendation was great encouragement to the Son as He started His ministry.

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Wednesday - 9^th  January

Topic: The King’s Credentials

Read : Matthew Chapter 4

Satan (4: 1-11)

From the high and holy experience of blessing at the Jordan, Jesus was led into the wilderness for testing. Jesus was not tempted so that the Father could learn anything about His Son, for the Father had already given Jesus His divine approval. Jesus was tempted so that every creature in heaven, on earth or under the earth might know that Jesus Christ is the Conqueror. He exposed Satan and his tactics, and He defeated Satan. Because of His victory, we can have victory over the tempter.

Just as the first Adam met Satan, so the Last Adam met the enemy (1 Cor. 15:45). Adam met Satan in a beautiful garden, but Jesus met him in a terrible wilderness. Adam had everything he needed, but Jesus was hungry after 40 days of fasting. Adam lost the battle and plunged humanity into sin and death. But Jesus won the battle and went on to defeat Satan in more battles, culminating in His final victory on the cross (John 12:31; Col. 2:15).

Our Lord’s experience of temptation prepared Him to be a sympathetic High Priest (Heb. 2:16-18, 4:15-16). It is important to note that Jesus faced the enemy as man, not as the Son of God. His first word was, “Man shall not live by bread alone…” We must not think that Jesus used His divine powers to overcome the enemy, because that is just what the enemy wanted Him to do! Jesus used the spiritual resources that are available to us today: the power of the Holy Spirit of God (Matt. 4:1), and the power of the Word of God (“It is written…”). Jesus had nothing in His nature that would give Satan a foothold (John 14:30), but His temptations were real just the same. Temptation involves the will, and Jesus came to do the Father’s will (Heb. 10:1-9).

The first temptation (4:1-4) involved the love of God and the will of God. “Since You are God’s beloved Son, why doesn’t Your Father feed You? Why does He put You into this terrible wilderness?” This temptation sounded like Satan’s words to Eve in Genesis 3! It is a subtle suggestion that our Father does not love us.

But there was another suggestion: “Use Your divine powers to meet Your own needs.” When we put our own needs ahead of our spiritual needs, we sin. When we allow circumstances to dictate our actions, instead of following God’s will, we sin. Jesus could have turned the stones into bread, but he would have been exercising His powers independently of the Father; and He came to obey the Father (John 5:30, 6:38).

The Lord quoted Deuteronomy 8:3 to defeat Satan. Feeding on and obeying God’s Word is more important than consuming physical food. In fact, it is our food (John 4:32-34).

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Thursday - 10^th  January

Topic: The King’s Credentials

Read : Matthew 4: 1-11

 The second temptation (4:5-7) was even more subtle. This time Satan also used the Word of God. “So You intend to live by the Scriptures,” he implied. “Then let me quote You a verse of the Scripture and see if You obey it!” Satan took the Lord Jesus to the pinnacle of the temple, probably 500 feet above the Kidron Valley. Satan then quoted from Psalm 91:11-12 where God promised to care for His own. “If you really believe the Scriptures, then jump! Let’s see if the Father cares for You!”

Note carefully our Lord’s reply: “It is written AGAIN…” (Matt. 4:7, emphasis mine). We must never divorce one part of Scripture from another, but we must always “compare spiritual things with spiritual” (1 Cor. 2:13). We can prove almost anything by the Bible if we isolate texts from the contexts and turn them into pretexts. Satan had cleverly omitted the phrase “in all Thy ways” when he quoted from Psalm 91. When the child of God is in the will of God, the Father will protect him. He watches over those who are “in His ways.”

Jesus replied with Deuteronomy 6:16 : “Thou shall not tempt the Lord thy God.” We tempt God when we put ourselves in circumstances that force Him to work miracles on our behalf. The diabetic who refuses to take insulin and argues, “Jesus will take care of me” may be tempting the Lord. We tempt God when we try to force Him to contradict His own Word. It is important for us as believers to read all Scripture, and study all God has to say, for all of it is profitable for daily life (2 Tim. 3:16-17).

The third temptation (4:8-11) offered Jesus a shortcut to His kingdom. Jesus knew that He would suffer and die before He entered into His glory (Luke 24:26; 1 Peter 1:11; 5:1). If He bowed down and worshipped Satan just once (this is the force of the Greek verb), He could enjoy all the glory without enduring the suffering. Satan had always wanted worship, because Satan has always wanted to be God (Isa. 14:12-14). Worshipping the creature instead of the Creator is the lie that rules our world today (Rom. 1:24-25).

There are no shortcuts to the will of God. If we want to share in the glory, we must also share in the suffering (1 Peter 5:10). As the prince of this world, Satan could offer these kingdoms to Christ (John 12:31, 14:30). But Jesus did not need Satan’s offer. The Father had already promised Jesus the kingdom! “Ask of Me, and I shall give Thee the heathen [nations] for Thine inheritance…” (Ps. 2:8). You find the same promise in Psalm 22:22-31, and this is the psalm of the cross.

Our Lord replied with Deuteronomy 6:13: “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only thou shalt serve.” Satan had said nothing about service, but Jesus knew that whatever we worship, we will serve. Worship and service must go together.

Satan slunk away, a defeated foe; but he did not cease to tempt Jesus. We could translate Luke 4:13, “And when the devil had ended every possible kind of temptation, he stood of from Him until a suitable season.” Through Peter, Satan again tempted Jesus to abandon the cross (Matt. 16:21-23); and through the crowd that had been fed, Satan tempted Jesus to an “easy kingdom” (John 6:15). One victory never guarantees freedom from further temptation. If anything, each victory we experience only makes Satan try harder.

Notice that Luke’s account reverses the order of the second and third temptations as recorded in Matthew. The word “then” in Matthew 4:5 seems to indicate sequence. Luke only uses the simple conjunction “and” and does not say he is following a sequence. Our Lord’s command at the end of the third temptation (“Get thee hence, Satan!”) is proof that Matthew followed the historical order. There is no contradiction since Luke did not claim to follow the actual sequence.

After Jesus Christ had defeated Satan, He was ready to begin His ministry. No man has the right to call others to obey who has not obeyed himself. Our Lord proved Himself to be the perfect King whose sovereignty is worthy of our respect and obedience. But true to His purpose, Matthew had one more witness to call to prove the Kingship of Jesus Christ.

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Friday - 11^th  January

Topic: The King’s Credentials

Read : Matthew 4: 12-23

Christ’s Ministry of Power (4:12-15)

Matthew has already shown us that every detail of our Lord’s life was controlled by the Word of God. Remember that between the end of His temptation and the statement in Matthew 4:12 comes the ministry described in John 1:19 through John 3:36. We must not think that John the Baptist was thrown into prison immediately after our Lord’s temptation. Matthew wrote his book topically rather than chronologically. Consult a good harmony of the Gospels to study the sequence of events.

In verse 16, Matthew quoted Isaiah (see Isa. 9:1-2). The prophet wrote about people who “walked” in darkness, but by the time Matthew quoted the passage, the situation was so discouraging that the people were sitting in darkness! Jesus Christ brought the Light to them. He made His headquarters in Capernaum in “Galilee of the Gentiles,” another reference to the universal outreach of the Gospel’s message. In Galilee there was a mixed population that was somewhat despised by the racially “pure” citizens of Judea.

How did Jesus bring this Light to Galilee? We are told in verse 23: through His teaching, preaching and healing. This emphasis is found often in the Gospel of Matthew; see 9:35, 11:4-5, 12:15, 14:34-36, 15:30, 19:2. Matthew was quite clear that He healed “all manner of sickness and all manner of disease” (Matt. 4:23). There was no case too difficult for Him!

The result of these great miracles was a tremendous fame for Jesus, and a great following of people from many areas. “Syria” refers to an area in northern Galilee. “Decapolis” means “10 cities” and was a district made up of 10 cities originally built by followers of Alexander the Great. The Decapolis was in the northeastern part of Galilee. “Beyond Jordan” means Perea, the area east of the Jordan. News travelled fast, and those who had afflicted friends or family members brought them to Jesus for healing.

Matthew listed some of the “cases” in verse 24. “Diseases and torments” could cover almost any disease. Of course, our Lord often delivered people from demons. The term “lunatic” did not refer to people who were insane. Rather, it was used to describe those afflicted with epilepsy (see Matt. 17:15). “Palsy” meant “paralytic.”

Miracles of healing were but a part of Christ’s ministry throughout Galilee; for He also taught and preached the Word. The “light” that Isaiah promised was the Light of the Word of God, as well as the Light of His perfect life and compassionate ministry. The word “preach” in verses 17 and 23 means “to announce as a herald.” Jesus proclaimed with authority the Good News that the kingdom of heaven was at hand.

The phrase kingdom of heaven is found 32 times in Matthew’s Gospel. The phrase kingdom of God is found only 5 times (Matt. 6:33; 12:28; 19:24; 21:31, 43). Out of reverence for the holy name of the Lord, the Jews would not mention “God” but would substitute the word “heaven.” The Prodigal Son confessed that he had sinned “against heaven,” meaning, of course, against God. In many places where Matthew uses kingdom of heaven, the parallel passages in Mark and Luke use kingdom of God.

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Saturday - 12^th  January

Topic: The King’s Credentials

Read : Matthew 4: 12-23 again

In the New Testament, the word kingdom means “rule, reign, authority” rather than a place or a specific realm. The phrase “kingdom of heaven” refers to the rule of God. The Jewish leaders wanted a political leader who would deliver them from Rome; but Jesus came to bring spiritual rule to the hearts of the people. This does not deny the reality of a future kingdom as we have already noted.

But Jesus not only proclaimed the Good News and taught the people God’s truth, He also called to Himself a few disciples whom He could train for the work of the kingdom. In Matthew 4:17-22 we read of the call of Peter, Andrew, James and John, men who had already met Jesus and trusted Him (John 1:29-42). They had gone back to their fishing business, but He came and called them to give up their business and follow Him. The details of this call may be found in Mark 1:16-20 and Luke 5:1-11.

The term “fishers of men” was not new. For centuries, Greek and Roman philosophers had used it to describe the work of the man who “seeks” to catch others by teaching and persuasion. “Fishing of men” is but one of many pictures of evangelism in the Bible, and we must not limit ourselves to it. Jesus also talked about the shepherd seeking the lost sheep (Luke 15:1-7), and the workers in the harvest-field (John 4:34-38). Since these four men were involved in the fishing business, it was logical for Jesus to use this approach.

Jesus had four and possible seven men in the band of disciples who were professional fishermen (see John 21:1-3). Why would Jesus call so many fishermen to His side? For one thing, fishermen were busy people; usually professional fishermen did not sit around doing nothing. They either sorted their catch, prepared for a catch, or mended their equipment. The Lord needs busy people who are not afraid to work.

Fishermen have to be courageous and patient people. It certainly takes patience and courage to win others to Christ. Fishermen must have skill; they must learn from others where to find the fish and how to catch them. Soul-winning demands skill, too. These men must work together, and the work of the Lord demands cooperation. But most of all, fishing demands faith: Fishermen cannot see the fish and are not sure their nets will enclose them. Soul-winning requires faith and alertness, too, or we will fail.

Matthew has presented to us the person of the King. Every witness affirms, “This is the Son of God, this is the King!”

Daily Bible Commentary-5th Jan 2013

Saturday - 5^th  January

Topic: The Kings Birth

Read : Matthew Chapter 2 again

Hostility against the King (2:13-18)

A person is identified not only by his friends, but also by his enemies. Herod pretended he wanted to worship the new born King, when in reality he wanted to destroy Him. God warned Joseph to take the Child and Mary and flee to Egypt. Egypt was close. There were many Jews there, and the treasures received from the Magi would more than pay the expenses for traveling and living there. But there was also another prophecy to fulfill, Hosea 11:1; “ I called My son out of Egypt.”

Herod's anger was evidence of his pride; he could not permit anyone to get the best of him, particularly some Gentile scholars! This led him to kill the male babies two years of age and under who were still in Bethlehem. We must not envision hundreds of little boys being killed, for there were not that many male children of that age in a small village like Bethlehem, Even today only about 20,000 people live there. It is likely that not more than 20 children were slain. But of course, one is too many!!

Matthew introduced here the theme of hostility, which he focused on throughout his book. Satan is a liar and a murderer ( John 8:44), as was King Herod. He lied to the Magi and he murdered babies. But even this horrendous crime of murder was the fulfillment of prophecy found in Jeremiah 31:15. In order to understand this fulfillment, we must review Jewish history.

The first mention of Bethlehem in Scripture is in connection with the death of Jacob's favourite wife, Rachel ( Gen 35:16-20). Rachel died giving birth to a son whom she name Benoni, “son of my sorrow”. Jacob renamed his son Benjamin, “son of my right hand.”. Both of these names relate to Jesus Christ, for he was a "man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief” (Isa 53:3), and He is now the Son of God's right hand ( Heb 1:3; Acts 5:31). Jacob put up a pillar to mark Rachel's grave which is near Bethlehem.

Jeremiah's prophecy was given about 600 years before Christ was born. It grew out of the captivity of Jerusalem. Some of the captives were taken to Ramah in Benjamin, near Jerusalem; and this reminded Jeremiah of Jacob's sorrow when Rachel died. However, now it is Rachel who is weeping. She represented the mother of Israel weeping as they saw their sons going into captivity. It was as though Rachel said, “I gave my life to bear a son, and now his descendants are no more.”

Jacob saw Bethlehem as a place of death, but the birth of Jesus made it a place of life! Because of His coming, there would be spiritual deliverance for Israel and, in the future, the establishment of David's throne and kingdom. Israel “the son of my sorrow” would one day become “the son of My right hand” Jeremiah gave a promise to the nation that they would be restored to their land again ( Jer. 31: 16-17), and this promise was fulfilled. But he gave an even greater promise that the nation would be regathered in the future, and the kingdom established. This promise shall also be fulfilled.

Very few people today think of Bethlehem as a burial place; they think of it as the birthplace of Jesus Christ. And because He died for us and rose again, we have a bright future before us. We shall live forever with Him in that glorious city where death is no more and where tears never fall.

Daily Bible Commentary-4th Jan 2013

Friday - 4^th  January

Topic: The Kings Birth

Read : Matthew Chapter 2 again

It's no surprise that Herod tried to kill Jesus, for Herod alone wanted to bear the title “King of the Jews.” But there was another reason. Herod was not a full blooded Jew; he was actually an Idumaean, a descendant of Esau. This picture is of the old struggle between Esau and Jacob that began before the boys were born (Gen. 25: 19-34). It is the spiritual versus the carnal, the godly versus the worldly.

The Magi were seeking the King; Herod was opposing the King and the Jewish priests were ignoring the King. These priests knew the Scriptures and pointed others to the Saviour, but would not go to worship Him themselves! They quoted Micah 5:2 but did not obey it. They were five miles from the very Son of God, yet they did not go to see Him! The Gentiles sought and found Him, but the Jews did not.

Verse 9 of chapter 2 indicates that the miraculous star was not always visible to the Magi. As they started toward Bethlehem, they saw the star again; and it led them to the house where Jesus was. By now, Joseph had moved Mary and the baby from the temporary dwelling where the Lord Jesus had been born ( Luke 2:7). The traditional manger scenes that assemble together the shepherds and wise mes are not true to Scripture, since the Magi arrived much later.

Matthew cites a second fulfilled prophecy to prove that Jesus Christ is the King ( Matt 2:5). How He was was a fulfillment of prophecy, and where he was born was a fulfillment of prophecy. Bethlehem means “ house of bread” and this was where the “ Bread of Life” came to earth ( John 6:48). Bethlehem in the Old Testament was associated with David who was a type of Jesus Christ in His suffering and Glory.

Daily Bible Commentary-3rd Jan 2013

Thursday - 3^rd January

Topic: The Kings Birth

Read : Matthew Chapter 2

Homage to the King

We must confess that we know little about these men. The word translated “wise men” (magi) refers to a group of scholars who studied the starts. Their title connects them with magic, but they were probably more like astrologers. However, their presence in the biblical record is not a divine endorsement of astrology.

God gave them a special sign, a miraculous star that announced the birth of the King. This star led them to Jerusalem where God's Word had told them that the King would be born in Bethlehem, They went to Bethlehem, and there they worshiped the Christ Child.

We do not know how many magi there were. From three gifts listed in Matthew 2:11, some people have assumed there were three kings from the Orient, though this is not certain. But when their caravan arrived in Jerusalem, there were enough of them to trouble the whole city.

Keep in mind these men were Gentiles. From the very beginning, Jesus came to be “Saviour of the world”( John 4:42). These men were also wealthy, and the were scholars- scientists in their own right. No scholarly person who follows the light God gives him can miss worshiping at the feet of Jesus. In Jesus Christ “ are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col 2:3). In Him dwells “all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Col 2:9).

The Magi were seeking the King, but Herod was afraid of the King and wanted to destroy Him. This was Herod the Great, called king by the Roman senate because of the influence of Mark Antony. Herod was cruel and crafty man who permitted no one, not even his own family, to interfere with his rule or prevent the satisfying of his evil desires. A ruthless murderer, he had his own wife and her two brothers slain because he suspected them of treason. He married at least nine times in order to fulfill his lusts and strengthen his political ties.

Daily Bible Commentary-2nd Jan 2013

Wednesday - January 2^nd

Topic: The Kings Birth

Read Matthew Chapter 1 again

            His divine heredity. Matthew 1:16 and 18 make it clear that Jesus Christ's birth was different from that of any other Jewish boy named in the genealogy. Matthew pointed out that Joseph did not “beget” Jesus Christ. Rather, Joseph was the “ husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.” Jesus was born of an earthly mother without the need of an earthly father. This is known as the doctrine of the virgin birth.

            Every child born into the world is a totally new creation. But Jesus Christ, being eternal God (John1:1,14), existed before Mary and Joseph or any of His earthly ancestors. If Jesus Christ were conceived and born just as any other baby, then He could not be God. It was necessary for Him to enter this world through an earthly mother, but not begotten by an earthly father. By miracle of the Holy Spirit, Jesus was conceived in the womb of Mary, a virgin.

            Both Mary and Joseph belonged to the house of David. The Old Testament prophecies indicated that the Messiah would be born of a woman ( Gen 3:15), of the seed of Abraham( Gen22:18), through the tribe of Judah ( Gen 49:10) and of the family of David ( 2 Sam 7:12-13). It is worth noting that Jesus Christ is the only Jew alive who can actually prove His claim to the throne of David! All of the other records were destroyed when the Romans took Jerusalem in AD 70.

            Before we leave this important section, we must consider the three names assigned to God's Son. The name Jesus means “Saviour” and comes from the Hebrew name, Joshua (“ Jehovah is salvation”). There were many Jewish boys with the name Joshua ( or in Greek Jesus), but Mary's boy was called “Jesus the Christ.” The word Christ means “anointed”; it is greek equivalent is Messiah. He is “ Jesus the Messiah.” Jesus is His human name, Christ is His official title; and Immanuel describes who he is - “God with us.” Jesus Christ is God! We find this name “ Immanuel” in Isaiah 7:14 and 8:8.

            The King, then was a Jewish male who was also the divine Son of God. But did anybody acknowledge His Kingship? Yes the wise men from the East came and worshiped Him!

Daily Bible Commentary-1st Jan 2013

Dear Church family,

As a church we have embarked on an exciting new journey of discovering the wealth in the Word of God together. This daily Bible commentary will allow us as a church to glean from God's Word chapter by chapter, book by book.

This is not a daily devotion, though you can use it for personal devotion time but its a simple commentary on the Bible that will give you more insight into what you are reading, in context and with the counsel of the whole Bible.

We are starting with the Gospel of Matthew. Each day there will be a  required chapter of the Bible you are to read. After reading the recommended portion, then read the daily commentary. You will notice that you may be required at times to read the same chapter for several days, this is because there is much to absorb from these chapters and you will notice that your depth of understanding increases as you persist in reading the same chapter repeatedly for several days.

This daily commentary will be loaded onto the church blog weekly. The cell groups will discuss the gist of what was gleaned each week from the said chapters. This will further add to your Bible reading experience as you realise how the same Words have spoken so specifically to each individual in the group.

Enjoy and Be Blessed.

Rivers of Water

Daily Bible Study – The book of Matthew

Tuesday - January 1^st 

Topic: The Kings Birth

Read Matthew Chapter 1

If a man suddenly appears and claims to be a king, the public immediately asks for proof. What is his background? Who pays homage to him? What credentials can he present? Anticipating these important questions, Matthew opened his book with a careful account of the birth of Jesus Christ and the events that accompanied it. He presented four facts about the King

The Heredity of the King ( 1: 1-25)

Since royalty depends on heredity, it was important for Jesus to establish His rights to David's throne. Matthew gave His human heredity (vv 1-17) as well as His divine heredity (vv 18 -25)

            His human heredity ( 1:1-17) Genealogies were very important to the Jews, for without them they could not prove their tribal membership or their rights to inheritance. Anyone claiming to be “ the Son of David” had to be able to prove it. It is generally concluded that Matthew gave our Lord's family tree through His foster father, Joseph, while Luke gave Mary's lineage.

            Many Bible readers skip over this list of ancient names. But this “list of names” is a vital part of the Gospel record. It shows that Jesus Christ is a part of History, that all Jewish history prepared the way for His birth. God in His providence ruled and overruled to accomplish His great purpose in bringing His Son into the world.

            This genealogy also illustrates Gods wonderful grace. It is most unusual to find the names of women in the Jewish genealogies, since names and inheritances came through the fathers. But in this list we find references to four women from Old Testament history : Tamar, Rahab and Ruth, and Bathsheba “ wife of Uriah”.

            Matthew clearly omitted some names from this genealogy. Probably he did this to give a systematic summary of 3 periods in Israel's history, each with 14 generations. The numeric value of the Hebrew letters for “David” equals 14. Matthew probably used this approach as a memory aid to help his readers remember this difficult list.

            But there were many Jewish men who could trace their family back to King David. It would take more than human pedigree to make Jesus Christ” the Son of David” and heir to David's throne. This is why the divine heredity was so important!

Sunday Re Cap (9th Dec 2012)

Chosen For Fulfillment 

Text: Luke 1:8-22

Click here to listen.

The concept of “fullness” in the Greek usage of the word is that something is never truly full until it is overflowing; an abounding and overflowing fullness; it transcends our greatest imaginations. God wants every person He’s created to be deeply fulfilled. Zacharias’ life and ministry is a model for us.

Three points that needs sensitivity on the way to fulfillment…

1. Sensitivity to your call…v8.

God’s pleasure with people who just keep doing what they’re doing. The name Zacharias means that “The Lord remembered.” The name Elizabeth means “God is a God of His oath.” He is the God who keeps His promise. He is the one who remembers you, and He will keep his promise. Zacharias is faithfully serving in the ordinary. It’s the surest path to the extraordinary. The Bible’s reference to the word “order” is a mindfulness of the fact that we’re to “keep a sweet spirit.” Then he entered the temple (v.9). The focus is always to keep the spirit of worship large in your soul. Continuing on faithfully in a right spirit and continuing in a spirit of worship at the same time…

2. Sensitivity to the prophetic

• The prophetic disrupts our systems and raises questions v21 
• It shatters the wall of present limits to life’s possibility v13 
• It promises the fulfillment of God’s intended joy in your life v14 
• It stretches the horizons of your presuppositions v15 
• It inevitably changes hearts and impacts family relationships v16-17 
• The prophetic always brings people to a deeper focus on and love for the Lord v17

3. Sensitivity to God’s laws of the prophetic

God is incredibly patient with unbelief. The angel doesn’t neutralize the promise in the face of his unbelief. This is a case of God’s patience. He doesn’t neutralize the promise. He just neutralizes Zacharias.

If there’s any testimony in this text, it’s this: If God can find a person who will keep on serving where they are, keep on worshiping, keep a sweet spirit, and keep moving ahead in openness to Him, He will bring fulfillment—He will fulfill His purpose in us.

Sunday Re Cap (2nd Dec 2012)

Has The Great Commission Become The Great Omission?

Text: Matt. 28:18-20

Click here to listen.
 
Intro: Before ascension Jesus issued what has come to be called The Great Commission. A “commission” is “an authoritative command; a directive; a command.” What was given as The Great Commission has turned into what some have labeled The Great Omission. When something is “omitted”, it is “left out, undone, neglected”.

Has The Great Commission become The Great Omission in our lives? Are we as a church doing everything we can to find inroads of outreach into the world around us?

Four facts from these verses that give us a greater insight into The Great Commission.

I. WE HAVE A DIVINE MANDATE v. 19
1.  It involves our Lifestyle – Matt. 5:13-16. We are the salt and light of the world.
2.  It involves our Lips – We are told to “teach”. It is not enough to just show it, we must also say it!

II. WE HAVE A DIVINE MESSAGE v. 20                 
We are to share the Gospel.
Our message is a simple message; Rom. 1:16; 1 Cor. 15:3-4. Sharing this Gospel message is as easy as telling lost people what Jesus did for you and what He can do for them, Mark 5:20.

III. WE HAVE A DIVINE MISSION v. 19                  
He tells us that we are to “Go…and teach all nations”. He us telling very clearly that our mission is to every person in the world. And that our mission field is the entire world. He may call someone from this fellowship to leave this country and reach a certain people group. OR, He may just ask us to send our money to support those whom He has called to reach those in other parts of the world. The Lord has placed a nation in every one of us!

IV. WE HAVE A DIVINE MENTOR v. 20                  
1. We Are Promised His Presence – “Lo, I am with you always…”
2.  We are Promised His Power – “All power in Heaven and earth is given unto Me” – He also says, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me…” (Acts 1:8).

Let us recommit ourselves to THE GREAT COMMISSION!

Sunday Re Cap (11th Nov 2012)

LEANING ON THE RIGHT WALL by Richard Yeoh

1 SAMUEL 21:10-15 

Click here for AUDIO

A. DAVID’S SUPPORT SYSTEM DEVELOPED

• HE LEANED ON THE SUPPORT OF POSITION 
• HE LEANED ON THE SUPPORT OF POPULARITY 
• HE LEANED ON THE SUPPORT OF PEOPLE 

• The Partner Michal 
• The Prince Jonathan 
• The Prophet Samuel 

DAVID’S SUPPORT SYSTEM IS DISMANTLED

• DAVID LOST HIS POSITION 
• DAVID LOST HIS POPULARITY 
• DAVID LOST HIS PEOPLE 

B. THE PURPOSE OF DISMANTLING

• OUR SUPPORT SYSTEM CAN LEAD US TO TAKE THE PLACE OF GOD 
• OUR SUPPORT SYSTEM CAN PREVENT US FROM LOOKING UP 
• OUR SUPPORT SYSTEM IS TEMOPRARY AT BEST 

C. DAVID’S SUPPORT SYSTEM DEVELOPED

1. HE LEARNED TO LEAN ON THE LORD’S PRAISE 
2. HE LEARNED TO LEAN ON THE LORD’S PROTECTION 
3. HE LEARNED TO LEAN ON THE LORD’S PROVISION 
4. HE LEARNED TO LEAN ON THE LORD’S PROMISES 
5. HE LEARNED TO LEAN ON THE LORD’S PRESENCE 

(TAKEN FROM PSALM 34 )

Sunday Re Cap (4th Nov 2013)

Walk In The Spirit Pt 1 

Click here to listen

Text: JOHN 15:9-17

WE NEED A COACH!

Our goal as Christians is to be Christlike which is to produce the fruit of love. We need someone to help us, tell us where we're missing the mark, how to measure our progress. Wouldn't you want to know if you're making progress towards becoming Christlike? These are some of the things we're going to explore today.

THE HOLY SPIRIT, OUR LIFE COACH

God gave us salvation as a gift.

Eph 2:8-9. 8 Is that all? If that were all, then we should have been zapped up to heaven. Why are we still here? To go through all the trials, persecution, challenges, etc?

Eph 2:10 He desires us to grow and to be fruitful. God our Father would do everything He needs to do to make us like His Son. However, He has not left us alone to navigate through these times. He gave us the best teacher/life coach of all! The Holy Spirit! To WALK IN THE SPIRIT!

WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT?

John 14:16; John 14:26; John 15:26; Romans 8:26; 1 John 2:27; 2 John 1:2

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. He is our connection to the Father and the one who is daily forming Christ in us. He helps us in our weaknesses and overcomes the area of our flesh daily to prepare us as a bride that is without spot or wrinkle or any kind of blemish for the day of the Lord's return. He is our helper. He is for us.. The function of the Holy Spirit is to make us Christlike. When we think of Christlikeness what comes to our mind is the character of Christ. The main character He wants to develop in us is love as in agape.

FOR WHAT PURPOSE?

Holy Spirit helps us to connect to, and form Christ in us for the purpose of fruitfulness.

God is not just looking for Christlikeness but to inspire others to be Christlike through us. So the key issue is to walk in the Spirit.

HOW TO WALK IN THE SPIRIT?

To be continued…

Sunday Re Cap (28th Oct 2012)

On That Day (Part 2) 

Click here to listen

Matt 7:23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ 

I. Who  Practiced Lawlessness?

1. In the context, it was the Pharisees.  
2. Many believe in Christ, come to church, attend and serve for years but have never professed Him as Lord or profess Him to be one of the many Gods; those who are following Jesus and serving Him out of tradition and not out of a personal relationship with Him. Then there are those who find it difficult to let go of their old habits, ways of thinking and traditions even after professing Christ to be Lord and Savior.  
3. Can we be Christians and practice lawlessness? Some clues in kingdom scriptures. Matt 5: 17ff.

II. What Does It Mean?

In the kingdom, lawlessness is of the heart rather than of outward actions or even words. Matt 5: 17; Heb 8: 10; Mark 12:29. What really matters is “how do we keep ourselves from a lawless heart?”

III. How Do We Keep Ourselves From A Lawless Heart?

John 15: 5. When we truly abide in the vine (Jesus) and allow Him to abide in us...meaning when the lawgiver Himself lives in us, it is impossible to be lawless! However, sometimes the heart is way to hardened. 1 Tim 4:4. How do we know that we are abiding in Him? Jesus says that it is through the fruit that we produce. What is the fruit? It is the fruit of the spirit.

IV. WALKING IN THE SPIRIT (Gal 5:16-25)

The most primary way of walking in the spirit is walking in reliance of the Holy Spirit which is to be dominated and controlled by the Holy Spirit! We practice lawlessness when we fail to give room to the Holy Spirit to move in our lives.

Sometimes we are even well meaning and try to put to death the deeds of our flesh (lawlessness). We try to “self prune”. The key to fruitfulness is not trying to get rid of the darkness; it is by allowing the Holy Spirit to work! Rom 8: 13

We then produce the fruit of the Spirit which is really Christ-likeness. One day when we stand face to face with Him we shall be like Him. 1 John 3: 2; Rom 8:29.

AS WE WALK IN THE SPIRIT, THE LAWGIVER IN US KEEPS US FROM A LAWLESS HEART.

John 15:8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Sunday Recap (14th Oct 2012)

ON THAT DAY

 To listen click here.  

 

Matt 7:21-22:

1.  A Day is coming, “On That Day”. Who will enter the kingdom of heaven? Jesus says that it is those who do the will of the Father. What is The Will Of The Father? The best person to answer that would be JESUS!
2. John 6:40 (AMP) See: To see Jesus in everything; meaning to see His power, wisdom, peace, strength, deliverance not ours BUT HIS!; Believes everything that the Son says about us; Trust Him, not ourselves (Prov3:5-6); Rely on Him not on ourselves…God will raise such AT THE LAST DAY!
3. WHAT DOES THIS SOUND LIKE? RELATIONSHIP! Abiding! John 15:1-8. Our abiding will produce fruit. The Father is glorified by the fruit.
• So what does it mean to ABIDE? The context is important.
• It was a very dark hour and not just because it was night. Jesus was saying all kinds of things to them. “I am going away…it is good for you…I’m going to send someone…I’m coming back…” There was fear in the disciples, confusion, bewilderment, helplessness, a sense of abandonment…have we been there? When nothing makes sense?
• In this situation, Jesus is telling them ABIDE in ME. “Hold steady guys; don’t look at your situation…keep your eyes on me…
• Fruit was the last thing on their minds but Jesus saw beyond the cross; beyond their trails, circumstances, testings that they were going to face.
• Maybe there those of us who are going through a storm at this time or even sometime in the past. Jesus is saying to you just like He told the bewildered disciples “Hold on to me, Abide in me… …I will work in your life…but it’s not going to end there…then as you have learn a little from me…I will bring people or even take you to those who are going through the same storm that you went through or are going through. You will minister to them through the little fruit that I have produced through you. Then as you do that, I will prune you a little and remove those things that are not of me and then you will understand more and produce more fruit and ultimately you will produce much fruit and in this My Father will be glorified! John 15:8; 2 Cor 1: 3-4 
4. What is the FRUIT that Jesus is talking about? 
• If we continue to abide in Him, He will continue to prune us and form Christ in us. Every trial, storm that we go through, forms a little bit more Christ in us. This is what Jesus was teaching the disciples. Let ME form ME in you. What will be produced is the fruit of the spirit which is really becoming like CHRIST!
• With Christ forming in us, how can we NOT minister to the lost i.e. the poor, the needy, and the downtrodden? How can we keep the message of the cross to ourselves? This is the work that truly validates our faith and glorifies the Father. On that day, The Father says, “Well done, my good and faithful servant!”  Matt 25:23

 

Sunday Re Cap (7th Oct 2012)

Call to Action by J. Daniel

 

To listen click here

 

1. Christian life must be built on a solid foundation

• God’s love for us is unconditional
• There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ
• God will never leave us nor forsake us
• And many more…

2. We as believers/ the church need to live lives that are starkly different from the world

• We need to first know Gods standards
• We have to stand by our convictions and values that are derived from the Word of God.

3. Faith without  action is dead (James  2: 14-24)

• James asks us how do we know we have faith?
• He says the proof of faith is the actions of our lives
• The natural manifestation of faith is God directed actions
• If the actions don’t match the faith we profess then we need to ask questions of ourselves.

4. There is a difference between faith and belief

• Belief is forming an opinion
• Faith is investing one’s life

5. Taking James 2:14-24 alone without the whole counsel of God's Word can make us go off on a tangent. It needs to be balanced with John 15:1-8

• Jesus is the Vine we are the branches.
• When the branches are connected to the Vine, fruits are a natural result.
• The fruitfulness in our life is an indicator of how well we are consistently connected to the Source of Life, Jesus
• The fruits come from being connected to Jesus but we have a responsibility to stay connected. We have a part to play.

6. John15:8 states ‘ When you bear (produce) much fruit, My Father is honored and glorified, and you show and prove yourselves to be true followers of Mine’

• The fruits glorify God
• The fruits are a confirmation of being a true disciples of Jesus