Matthew 26

26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”

27 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the[b]covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 

Our pastor just used this verse in our service yesterday.  He said, "...isn't it amazing that Jesus is telling us to do something in remembrance of him.....that hasn't happened yet?"  That is pretty mind blowing.  If you are like me, sometimes doubt can creep into my reasoning.  Then I hear something like this.  It solidifies everything.  There can be no doubt.

I think there is enough in this chapter to write a book on.  Lots of lessons.  Lots of things to think about.  Many sermons right out of this chapter.

tp

Matthew 25

40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Many lessons in today's chapter, a very familiar chapter.  I picked this verse because this section fits into the theme of loving God and loving others.  The way I read it is he tells us when we care for others in need he himself feels that...in fact we are loving God by loving others.

The world at least in the US needs a whole lot more of that attitude right now.

I feel like I'm failing on my challenge this week.  My time has been 100% dedicated to being at work sitting in meetings.  We do have a few people on my team feeling extreme stress at the moment, so I have taken time to stop and listen to their concerns.  Not just from a work perspective but from how they are feeling.

This feels like just part of my job, but maybe the way I handle those situations can be an opportunity to have my actions be shaped by trying to follow his commandment to love others.  Maybe that is something I need to have more in the conscious part of my mind so that I am using situations at work to do work that God wants me to do?  I guess I'm struggling with finding how God wants to use me, is it right where I'm at now or am I to be seeking something completely different?  Should I be finding new activities to be engaged in to create opportunities for him to use me?

knut

Matthew 24

34 Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

This verse confuses me.  To me, it sounds like the end times will be before the men he is talking to will die.  Doesn't it?  Or is he referring to a "generation" as a time-block of history?  Hhmmm.

There's a LOT to absorb in this chapter.  I always try to look at the big picture.  See the intent or the meaning behind the meaning.  I'm noticing in all the previous chapters we have multiple, quick hitter stories and parables.  Then comes this hammer.  It's one subject for the entire chapter.  And its a long chapter.  What should we take from that?.........it's really important.  


45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? 46 It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.  

This part of the chapter tells me we need to be ready.  We need to be living our lives as if Jesus is coming back today.  That way, we will be ready when it happens.  There won't be any warning.  No time to get our schtuff together, and modify our appearance.   How we are when it starts, is how we will be judged.

peace out.

Matthew 23

29 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!...’31 So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Go ahead, then, and complete what your ancestors started!

7 Woes and simple examples of being a hypocrite.  Funny I've thought before if I lived when Jesus did and saw all he did how much easier it would have been to have faith.  Then I read v.29-32 and see the statement where they basically say we would not have acted like our ancestors and Jesus is like yeah right go ahead and kill me your are exactly like them.

I don't feel like a Pharisee because their hypocrisy seems so blatant.  But I think if I'm truly honest with myself I leak out a bit of hipocrisy.  It may not be so visible to others but my thoughts of others are sometimes less forgiving of them than my judgments of my own actions and flaws.

He says 7 woe to you teachers... well that seems like a strong warning about being a hypocrite and the cost of those actions.

As for my challenge stated yesterday, I don't know that I did anything special for anyone at work.  At home I may have done a few small things, but I need to raise my game and be on the look out for ways to love others today.

knut

Matthew 22

37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[c] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[d] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Jesus was at it again in this chapter easily disarming any challenging questions like we discussed in previous chapters.  But here in these 4 versus he says so much with so little words.

If we can just keep these 2 commandments everything else will take care of itself.  Think how different the world would be if we put our energy into loving God and loving others.  In our society globally the advent of social media has really created a door too easily opened to failing on following the second of these commandments.

But at times you see acts of love towards others too and how infectious that can be to others.  I am going to make it a goal to show love to someone outside my family everyday this week.  Challenge me to report back to you next week.  I know this should just be a way of life but I'm sitting here thinking how often do I truly act out of love?  Its not that I think I'm bad but I reading this thinking loving your neighbor as yourself is an action not just a thought.

rambling now but really just trying to break myself out of being too routine and self absorbed.  God show me what to do for others big or small, that is my prayer in this moment.

knut

Matthew 21

31 “Which of the two did what his father wanted?”

“The first,” they answered.

Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.

I don't remember this story.  But, its a great one.  Really quick, but loaded with brain-hurting philosophy questions.  Jesus is unbelievable at telling these stories, asking the priests questions that they can't answer.  Its really funny.  It shows his greatness. He is on top of everything!  

In this story, he is showing that a person can be sinful their whole like and then turn to him in the end.  They will be in better shape than the priest who keeps the laws all of their life...but doesn't accept him as the savior.  

Awesome!  Its a great reminder that we need to keep him in our hearts and not just follow through the motions of what we are "supposed to do" to be a good Christian.

Matthew 20

21 “What is it you want?” he asked.

She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”

that took balls!  If you really believe that Jesus is who he says he is....and you ask him this question?  WOWSERS!  That's taking it to a whole new level.

The first part of the chapter talking about the workers in the vineyard....that's such a hard concept for us to get.  At least it is for me.  On one hand, I want what I've earned and deserve.  With this mindset I'm always looking at those that I feel are less deserving than me.  But, there are those that are more deserving than me.  And, we all fall short and need his substitution for us.  So, if you think about it that way....we are probably closer to the 5 o'clock hires than the morning hires.  At least in thinking about what we deserve.  Imagine how grateful the 5 hires would be.  That's the gratitude we need to approach Jesus with.

tp

Matthew 19

This morning's reading was a good one.  I was struck by this verse.

14 Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” 15 When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.

I've read this many times, and heard countless sermons on it.  But, it has special meaning for me lately.  Kim and I have been slowly releasing the "church" responsibilities of the kids over the past couple of years.  Not forcing them to go to youth group, and not volunteering on Sunday mornings.  The hope is that their faith will cease to be their parent's thing, and start to be theirs.  My belief is that it only sticks if you discover it for yourself.  But, they are moving in exactly the wrong direction, at least for my desire.  Both of them are not seeing faith as something that is important to them.  Which brings me back to this verse.  I think the reason Christ talks about child-like faith, is that it is pure.  It isn't weighed down with analysis and counterpoint.  Its just faith because that's the way you told me it is. I love that.  
I know the boys will find it....because it's modeled all around them in several people.  But, their path will include more pain than if they had the child-like faith.


tp

Matthew 18

18 “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be[e] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[f] loosed in heaven.

This verse caught my eye today.  To me, it means.......whatever is your priority here on earth, will be your forced reality in heaven.  If your priority is worshiping and living for God, then that will be celebrated in heaven.  But, if you have saddled yourself with something other than that here on earth, then you will bear that burden for the rest of eternity.  Its almost as if, God gives you exactly what your heart desires.  If it's him, then heaven is a fantastic place.  If your heart desires something else, you will spend eternity chasing it and never being satisfied.

tp

Matthew 17

20 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

He makes it clear to us if we have even a small amount of faith we are unlocking some serious power available to us in God.  All it takes is faith.  Yet how difficult it is for us to have even a mustard seeds worth of faith.  I noticed what drove him to make this statement was the disciples in ability to heal a boy because their faith was so little.  

So not to make excuses but if it was difficult for the disciples in the presence of Jesus to have strong faith, then it seems our challenge may be even greater.

Being in the word and in prayer every day is probably the key and maybe our only chance to develop the relationship and knowledge of God to enable our faith to be strong...strong being defined as still a small amount since a mustard seed is the threshold for being able to move mountains.

knut

ps--i went back and read what we wrote in 2014.  picked the same vs and wrote the same stuff.  not sure what that tells me--am I growing at all?

Matthew 16

New look to the blog for 2017!  I thought we should probably switch it up.

There is a lot to glean from this chapter.  I am always fascinated by Jesus and the things he says.  But. the phrase that catches my eye today is this one.  It is probably the most important question that we as humans need to ask our selves.  Who is Jesus?  Is he who he says he is?  If that is true, how does it change my life.  You can't answer it as .."the Son of God," and not have it change your life.  If you do....then something's wrong.

“Who do you say I am?”

Matthew 15

First off good to see you finding time right now, I expected the auto show to possibly be consuming your time and energy this week.

13 He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. 

I only noticed this because of the connection back the ch13.  He told us the weeds are from the devil and the harvest angels will be pulled, if that had been more than 2 chapters ago my little mind probably misses the connection here!

18 But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. 

Such a simple statement that just nails the truth.  Over the years I have worked hard to control my tongue.  But this goes further than just the words it includes our actions and our thoughts.

18 But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. 

From the outside looking in most of my spoken words and actions probably appear to be coming from a decent person.  But God knows my heart and while I may control my tongue and actions, which is a good step I guess, my thoughts of others often are not ones that demonstrate loving God and loving others.  

So today I pray that God can continue to shape me and eliminate evil from me.  Grow me to the point where I don't even have thoughts that need to be controlled or kept in check by my mind consciously.  

knut  

Matthew 14

13 When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place....

23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray.  Later that night, he was there alone, 

I am noting the importance of having time alone with God.  Jesus in this chapter twice goes to be alone with God and pray--the first time maybe not successfully as people followed him.  I often feel very busy, no down time for myself or with God.  The time I have right now in the mornings is probably the only time I have truly alone and quiet, I think it is time I need to always protect and make sure happens.  Without out it I will let the busyness of every day squeeze out my connections with God.

also random wondering...when the extra fish and bread showed up did it just appear instantly?  how did they not notice when a new piece or fish showed up in their baskets?

knut

Matthew 13

28 “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.

“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’

29 “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”

I don't really remember this story.  I remember the story of the sower.  But, this one struck me today.  This is a new idea to me.  That getting rid of the weeds might hurt the good plants.  Can we extrapolate that to mean that getting rid of all the evil people in the world might hurt the good people?

Interesting idea that I hadn't thought of.  I explains God's plan a little bit.  Let everyone run their life and sort it out in the end.  You don't really make it to the bad pile or the good pile until the very end.

hmmm.  (have you noticed that I end a lot of my posts with that? hahaha)

tp