Devotions

The One Who Does the Will of My Father

by  • 

Jesus gave us what we call the sermon on the mount in Matthew 5, 6, 7 and presents important instruction for his disciples, also important for us as his followers today. Luke records the calling of the twelve as apostles and then gives us this sermon on the plain. Here, Jesus is healing the sick, all of them. Then he turns to his disciples and repeats what we call the beatitudes, and then adds more instruction: Do the will of the Father. Hear my words and do them.

Enter Through the Narrow Gate

Matthew 7:13–14
There are many distractions in the world, many demands, many needs and they all consume your time. But there are few things in life that carry with them eternal value. Jesus also said this another way in

Mark 8:36–37 (LEB) For what does it benefit a person to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? 37 For what can a person give in exchange for his life?

And to add emphasis, here are a few related references1 for
vs 13: Proverbs 9:6. Isaiah 55:7. Ezekiel 18:27–32
vs 14: Isaiah 30:21; 35:8; 57:14. Jeremiah 6:16 

Every Good Tree Produces Good Fruit

Matthew 7:15–20
Jesus warns that there will be false prophets, these are people that claim to be Christians, the y claim to have God’s word for you, yet are out for their own gain. These are false leaders in the Church. And “The connection of thought with vv. 13–14 may well be that, like the false prophets in the Old Testament (Jer. 6:13–14; Ezek. 13:1–16)”.2

Jesus said we would know them by their fruit: Are they bringing people to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ? Are they raising disciples? Are mature believers going out from their ministry? Or are they teaching some other doctrine, as it says in

2 Peter 2:1–3 (LEB) But there were also false prophets among the people, as there will be false teachers among you also, who will bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, thus bringing on themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their licentious ways, because of whom the way of truth will be reviled. 3 And in greediness they will exploit you with false words, whose condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

Lets not set aside the value of true prophecy though, “prophecy was an honoured gift (Acts 11:27–28; 21:9–11; 1 Cor. 12:10, 28; 14:1–3ff.; etc.)”2. 

The One Who Does the Will of My Father

Matthew 7:21–23
After Jesus cautions about false prophets, false teachers, false leaders, he turns to a caution about false followers. There is a simple test in Luke 6:21 “the one who does the will of my father”. And then there are those that always have a reason, who say God’s grace is sufficient, who continue in their own way. To these, Jesus will say, from Luke 6:23 “depart from me, you who practice lawlessness”.

There is a righteous and holy life that God has for us to live and he will lead us into it: John 10:14, 27–30, 2 Timothy 2:191

A Wise Man Who Built His House

Matthew 7:24–27
Jesus now reinforces this concept of “doing the will of my Father” by saying in Luke 6:24 “everyone who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man”. It is by hearing His words and doing what He says that we are able to stand against the adversity in this world. We have had recent evidence that hurricanes are not selective about their path. But the son of God, the man and woman that know Jesus Christ will speak to the storm. This wise man, will still be standing.

Matthew 8:26 (LEB) And he said to them, “Why are you fearful, you of little faith?” Then he got up and* rebuked the winds and the sea and there was a great calm.

Like One Who Had Authority

Matthew 7:28–29
Some of this message, that we call the sermon on the mount, was new information to some of these followers in the crowd. Jesus wasn’t talking like the scribes who may have offered this ones opinion or that ones ideas or the wisdom from the books of the oral or written tradition. Instead, “he (Jesus) was teaching them like one who had authority”. 

The Sermon on the Plain

Luke 6:17–23
There are many that believe this is simply Luke’s account of the sermon on the mount from Matthew 5, 6, 7. There are similarities in the message. However, Jesus went from city to city and shared the gospel of the kingdom. Since “we know that our Lord delivered some of His weightiest sayings more than once, there is no difficulty in supposing this to be one of His more extended repetitions”3

At the introduction in Luke 6:17 they “stood on a level place, and a large crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people” were there. This is different from Matthew’s account and Luke goes on in Luke 6:18-9 they “came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases, and … power was going out from him and healing them all”.

After this, in Luke 6:20 “he (Jesus) lifted up his eyes to his disciples and said”. Jesus begins speaking to his disciples. Note that he had just chosen twelve of his disciples and called them apostles in

Luke 6:13 (LEB) And when day came, he summoned his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he also named apostles

And, here in Luke 6:20 he is talking to his disciples. This is not just to the twelve apostles, and it seems he is not generally addressing the crowd. This is a message for Jesus followers, his disciples.

Woe To You

Luke 6:24–26

Be Merciful

Luke 6:27–36
Love your enemies

Study Verses

Today’s Reading

  • Matthew 7:13-29
  • Luke 6:17-36

The Life and Ministry of Jesus Christ – The Gospels

This series follows the order of readings from the Tyndale One Year Chronological Bible. Covering these events chronologically as they happened, gives a much different context and helps us understand the move of God as He is introducing the Saviour, the Light of the world, Jesus Christ. This series begins with Return To Me And I Will Return To You at the end of Malachi and introduces the “Witnesses” writing the Gospels.

Operation Exodus

is helping Jewish people return to their homeland. You might fund one that desires to go home. http://operationexodususa.org/Overview

National Day of Prayer

View the 2018 Highlight Video of National Observance of the National Day of Prayer in Washington, DC.

References

  • 1. Blayney, B., Scott, T., & Torrey, R. A. with Canne, J., Browne. (n.d.). The Treasury of Scripture knowledge (Vol. 2, p. 5). London: Samuel Bagster and Sons.
  • 2. France, R. T. (1985). Matthew: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 1, p. 151). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
  • 3. Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Vol. 2, p. 104). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.