Jesus came preaching in Matthew 4:17 “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven is near.” and crowds of people gathered to hear him but not everyone understood the message. His natural family, Mary, his mother, and his brothers were concerned for him, yet he said in Matthew 12:50 “whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother and sister and mother.” His own disciples asked him in Matthew 13:10 “Why do you speak to them in parables?” Jesus answers that he is not hiding revelation from them by quoting Isaiah in Matthew 13:15 “they have shut their eyes, so that they would not see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.” Later on, Paul says this in 1 Corinthians 2:14 “But the natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he is not able to understand them, because they are spiritually discerned”. As Jesus explains to his disciples in Matthew 13:38 “the field is the world. And the good seed—these are the sons of the kingdom, but the darnel are the sons of the evil one”. Those who hear and do the word of God are transformed, but all live together until in Matthew 13:40 “the end of the age”. 

Whoever Does The Will of My Father

Matthew 12:46–50
Jesus had a family, just as we do. As the crowds pressed on him his family was concerned and came to him in

Matthew 12:46–47 And while he was still speaking to the crowds, behold, his mother and brothers were standing there outside, desiring to speak to him. 47 And someone told him, “Behold, your mother and your brothers are standing there outside desiring to speak to you.”

Since they were standing outside, we know this was not in an open-air setting like the sermon on the mount had been, more likely it was in the synagogue as was his habit in

Matthew 12:9 And going on from there he came into their synagogue.

Jesus responds, ignoring his natural family, and sometimes even well-intentioned family members don’t understand the work that God is doing, so Jesus says in

Matthew 12:49–50 And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Behold my mother and my brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother and sister and mother.”

It is those that recognize the work of God and join with you in it that are truly brothers and sisters.

Other Seed Fell On the Good Soil and Produced Grain

Matthew 13:1–9 

That They Would Turn and I Would Heal Them

Matthew 13:10–17
Jesus spoke to people of the kingdom of heaven, a realm they had little contact with. He was telling them about the spirit world where God exists. We may think of the spirit realm as coming and going, as ghost-like, because we have a very limited natural physical experience with it but it is more real, more enduring than our world. Jesus disciples asked in

Matthew 13:10 And the disciples came up and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?”

Jesus response was that in this natural world, there is a limitation, our senses see and understand physical things so “to those people” he says in

Matthew 13:11 And he answered and said to them, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to those people it has not been granted.

but to his disciples, revelation has come from God, “your eyes are blessed”, as he says in

Matthew 13:16 But your eyes are blessed because they see, and your ears because they hear.

but it is not God that is holding revelation back, but it is that “they have shut their eyes” in

Matthew 13:15 For the heart of this people has become dull, and with their ears they hear with difficulty, and they have shut their eyes, so that they would not see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.”

It says it this way in

Romans 1:18–22 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all impiety and unrighteousness of people, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what can be known about God is evident among them, for God made it clear to them. 20 For from the creation of the world, his invisible attributes, both his eternal power and deity, are discerned clearly, being understood in the things created, so that they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their reasoning, and their senseless hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools

Listen to the Parable of the Sower

Matthew 13:18–23

Let Both Grow Together Until the Harvest

Matthew 13:24–30

The Kingdom of Heaven is Like

Matthew 13:31–35 

The One Who Sows the Good Seed is the Son of Man

Matthew 13:36–43
Just as it happens today, there are those that participate in events, there are those that work together with us, and there are those that live with us. Here, “he left the crowds” and those working with him, his disciples asked in

Matthew 13:36 Then he left the crowds and came into the house, and his disciples came to him saying, “Explain the parable of the darnel in the field to us.”

So Jesus begins saying in

Matthew 13:37 So he answered and said, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man”

this is as we expect it to be but here in Matthew, he goes beyond “the sower sows the word” message we have likely all heard and gives another of what the seed is. Here, the good seed is what was produced by the word, “the sons of the kingdom” in

Matthew 13:38 and the field is the world. And the good seed—these are the sons of the kingdom, but the darnel are the sons of the evil one.

and here, he says in Matthew 13:40 “at the end of the age” in

Matthew 13:41 The Son of Man will send out his angels and they will gather out of his kingdom all the causes of sin and those who do lawless deeds,

and what will remain is those that are the ones that do righteousness and justice in

Matthew 13:43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. The one who has ears, let him hear!

Study Verses

• Matthew 12:46–50 Whoever Does The Will of My Father
• Matthew 13:10–17 That They Would Turn and I Would Heal Them
• Matthew 13:36–43 The One Who Sows the Good Seed is the Son of Man

Today’s Reading

• Matthew 12:46-50
• Matthew 13:1-43

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Time and again the religious came with accusations, with questions to trap Jesus and somehow catch him breaking the law of Moses. But Jesus was operating under the unction of the Holy Spirit, the same spirit that crafted that law. Their problem was that they had not recognized that Jesus was operating out of love and compassion and there is no law against love. So, Jesus cautions them in Matthew 12:32 “And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him either in this age or in the coming one!” but unlike those hearing Jonah in Ninevah, these do not repent. They cannot be saved. But, today, this same Holy Spirit is at work, “the Advocate” in John 16:7. It is the same Holy Spirit poured out on believers in Acts 10:44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all those who were listening to the message.

I Want Mercy and Not Sacrifice

Matthew 12:1–8 

Is It Permitted to Heal on the Sabbath?

Matthew 12:9–14
There are always those religious people, looking to accuse, trying to expose someone for doing wrong. Here, without any compassion for this man and knowing that it isn’t permitted to do any work on the Sabbath, they ask is it permitted to heal, not because they want an answer to that question, but to catch Jesus breaking the Sabbath law in

Matthew 12:10 And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand, and they asked him, saying, “Is it permitted to heal on the Sabbath?” in order that they could accuse him.

Jesus knew that it was permitted to help an injured animal at any time and any one of them would, even on the Sabbath so responds in

Matthew 12:11–12 But he said to them, “What man will there be among you who will have one sheep and if this one fell into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out? 12 Then to what degree is a man worth more than a sheep? So then, it is permitted to do good on the Sabbath.”

and Jesus healed him in Matthew 12:13.

He Healed Them All

Matthew 12:15–21 

The Kingdom of God Has Come Upon You

Matthew 12:22–32
Jesus continued going around and doing good and healing and in

Matthew 12:22 Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to him. And he healed him so that the man who was mute could speak and see.

All of the crowds recognized the power of God at work in

Matthew 12:23 And all the crowds were amazed and began saying, “Perhaps this one is the Son of David!”

But the religious, the Pharisees, again came judging Jesus actions. He isn’t from their group so they think he must be working evil in

Matthew 12:24 But the Pharisees, when they heard it, said, “This man does not expel demons except by Beelzebul the ruler of demons!”

Jesus responds in

Matthew 12:27–28 And if I expel demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons expel them? For this reason they will be your judges! 28 But if I expel demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you!

What Jesus is saying is, “I expel demons by the Spirit of God”. Jesus did not expel demons before the Holy Spirit descended on him. Then Jesus clarifies that their accusation was not against him, “the Son of Man” but it was against the Holy Spirit in

Matthew 12:32 And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him either in this age or in the coming one!

This is the same Spirit that Jesus said would come in

John 16:7 But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go away. For if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.

This is the same Holy Spirit Jesus told his apostles to wait for in

Acts 1:4–5 And while he was with them, he commanded them, “Do not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for what was promised by the Father, which you heard about from me. 5 For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

By Your Words You Will Be Vindicated

Matthew 12:33–37 

They Repented At the Proclamation

Matthew 12:38–42
After all of their accusations, after witnessing healings, miracles at Jesus hands, these same religious people come in

Matthew 12:38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you!”

Contrary to what some believe, Jesus didn’t always give a soft and gentle, what we would call loving, response. He calls them evil and adulterous in

Matthew 12:39 But he answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation desires a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah!

Even the apostles missed the meaning of this “sign of the prophet Jonah”. Jesus told them he was going away but even his disciples didn’t understand until after his resurrection. But his message is clear to us now, He, Jesus died on the cross, His blood, His life for ours and after three days, he rose to take His place at the right hand of the Father in heaven. Jesus tells them, some of the wisest people that ever lived will testify against them in

Matthew 12:42 The queen of the south will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here!

Solomon was a great king, wise, wealthy, blessed, but something greater was right in front of them and they didn’t know it, they couldn’t see it and because they couldn’t, they did not repent and there was no salvation for them.

Whenever An Unclean Spirit Has Gone

Matthew 12:43–45

Study Verses

• Matthew 12:9–14 Is It Permitted to Heal on the Sabbath?
• Matthew 12:22–32 The Kingdom of God Has Come Upon You
• Matthew 12:38–42 They Repented At the Proclamation

Today’s Reading

• Matthew 12:1-45

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Jesus sends his disciples and commissions them to preach the gospel of the kingdom and do the same works he himself has done, but he also warns them in Matthew 10:16 “Behold, I am sending you out like sheep in the midst of wolves”. This isn’t to worry them, but to encourage them to stand in Matthew 10:26 “Therefore do not be afraid of them, because nothing is hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing secret that will not become known”. God will vindicate, God will repay. But we sometimes question as John did in Matthew 11:3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” The answer is the same for us today, in Matthew 11:4–6 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised, and the poor have good news announced to them. 6 And whoever is not offended by me is blessed.” This is the message until Jesus returns, there isn’t any other so as Jesus said, in Matthew 11:15 The one who has ears, let him hear! 

Do Not Be Afraid of Them

Matthew 10:26–33
As Jesus commissions his disciples, he says to them in

Matthew 10:16 “Behold, I am sending you out like sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.”

but he also tells them in

Matthew 10:26 “Therefore do not be afraid of them, because nothing is hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing secret that will not become known.”

God id a righteous judge and knows, not only everything that happens but every evil scheme that has been plotted. He will repay according to what is done so there is only one thing for us to do and that is to acknowledge him in all we do in

Matthew 10:32 “Therefore everyone who acknowledges me before people, I also will acknowledge him before my Father who is in heaven.

The One Who Loses His Life Because of Me

Matthew 10:34–39

The One Who Receives You Receives Me

Matthew 10:40–42 

Are You The One Who Is To Come

Matthew 11:1–9
We often have an expectation that whatever we do will increase and keep on increasing. John the Baptist knew that he was preparing the way for Jesus, his mother knew the mother of Jesus. John had baptised Jesus and seen the spirit descend on him. And, John himself had said in

John 3:30 “It is necessary for that one to increase, but for me to decrease.”

Yet now, as John is in prison, he seems to doubt what he has known and sent his disciples to ask in

Matthew 11:3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?”

People are still asking this question today and the answer is still the same as the answer Jesus gave to John in

Matthew 11:4–6 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised, and the poor have good news announced to them. 6 And whoever is not offended by me is blessed.”

Jesus is who He says He is, the Son of God, the Messiah, who in

Revelation 19:16 And he has a name written on his outer garment and on his thigh: “King of kings and Lord of lords.”

 

The One Who Has Ears, Let Him Hear!

Matthew 11:10–19
God has been revealing himself to man from the beginning. John comes as described in

Matthew 11:18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’

Jesus came and brought his message of the kingdom to everyone ans described in

Matthew 11:19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a man who is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”

so what more can God do, but what he has already done? He sent John to prepare the way for Jesus in Matthew 11:10 and then he sent Jesus Christ, the Son of Man. There isn’t anyone else to send so he says this in

Matthew 11:15 The one who has ears, let him hear!

Woe To You

Matthew 11:20–24

Come To Me I Will Give You Rest

Matthew 11:25–30

Study Verses

• Matthew 10:26–33 Do Not Be Afraid of Them
• Matthew 11:1–9 Are You The One Who Is To Come
• Matthew 11:10–19 The One Who Has Ears, Let Him Hear!

Today’s Reading

• Matthew 10:26-42
• Matthew 11:1-30

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As Jesus went in Matthew 9:35 “And Jesus was going around all the towns and the villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and every sickness.” people came to him with their needs. Jesus healed them all without any judgment of clean or unclean and there were so many that in Matthew 9:36 “And when he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them”. His compassion motivated him, first to tell his disciples to pray, but also to commissioned them to go in Matthew 10:7 “And as you are going, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near!’. But this was not just about repentance as John the Baptist had prepared people, he also told them in Matthew 10:8 “Heal those who are sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, expel demons. Freely you have received; freely give”. Jesus sent them with his anointing, with his message from Luke 4:18–19 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because of which he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to send out in freedom those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.” There is a future, a hope, and joy in the Holy Spirit. 

If Only I Touch His Cloak I Will Be Healed

Matthew 9:18–22
People had heard that Jesus was healing the sick and they came to find him. These were not simple cases, this man’s daughter had died, this was urgent and Jesus went with him in

Matthew 9:18–19 As he was saying these things to them, behold, one of the rulers came and knelt down before him, saying, “My daughter has just now died, but come, place your hand on her and she will live!” 19 And Jesus and his disciples got up and followed him.

but as he was going, a woman came and touched him in

Matthew 9:20–21 And behold, a woman who had been suffering with a hemorrhage twelve years approached from behind and touched the edge of his cloak, 21 for she said to herself, “If only I touch his cloak I will be healed.”

A woman suffering with this was unclean, so separated because everything she touched also was unclean (see Leviticus 15:25–30) but this didn’t stop her from coming to Jesus. She knew that she would be healed and she was. It was a seven days later though, “and afterwards she becomes clean” in Leviticus 15:28. Jesus also though, knew He was not made unclean by her, if he had been, he would not have been able to go on the rulers house where he raised his daughter.

The Girl Is Not Dead

Matthew 9:23–26

Have Mercy on Us

Matthew 9:27–31

The Demon Had Been Expelled

Matthew 9:32–34 

The Harvest is Plentiful

Matthew 9:35–38
Jesus came to demonstrate the will of God the Father and in

Matthew 9:35 And Jesus was going around all the towns and the villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and every sickness.

Jesus also though, recognized the limitations of being in human flesh. He couldn’t be everywhere at once. He couldn’t reach all of the people that had needs. He did though, have compassion for them in

Matthew 9:36 And when he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were weary and dejected, like sheep that did not have a shepherd.

His compassion caused him to speak to his disciples but he didn’t just ask them to go, he told them to “ask the Lord of the harvest that he send out workers” in

Matthew 9:37–38 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 38 Therefore ask the Lord of the harvest that he send out workers into his harvest.”

When we read these words, we may put our religious training to work and say Jesus was only talking about eternal salvation, and He was “proclaiming the good news of the kingdom” but he was also “healing every disease and every sickness” and what he saw when he looked at the crowds was that people were “weary and dejected” with no leader, shepherd, hope. The harvest is to bring people into the kingdom, but also to free them from disease, to give them hope and joy in the Holy Spirit, to renew their passion and desire to live and love God and each other. 

As You Are Going, Preach

Matthew 10:1–15
Jesus not only asked his disciples to pray, he commissioned them and sent them out to do the same work He had been doing in

Matthew 10:1 And summoning his twelve disciples, he gave them authority over unclean spirits, so that they could expel them and could heal every disease and every sickness.

Jesus told them who to go to, “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” in Matthew 10:6, he told them what message to give them, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near!’ in Matthew 10:7, and he told them what to do for them in

Matthew 10:8 Heal those who are sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, expel demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

but he also had a requirement of those that he was sending them to in

Matthew 10:10 Do not take a traveler’s bag for the road, or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff, for the worker is deserving of his provisions.

but Jesus also knew that not everyone would receive his disciples just as some had rejected him, so he also told them in

Matthew 10:14 And whoever does not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you are going out of that house or that town.

How many of us today would go with this kind of commission? It is good to have missionary support, it is a blessing to have others that share in the fruit of the harvest with you, but Jesus has always been after one thing, those that will believe and act on the message ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near!’ in Matthew 10:7.

The Spirit of Your Father is Speaking Through You

Matthew 10:16–25

Study Verses

• Matthew 9:18–22 If Only I Touch His Cloak I Will Be Healed
• Matthew 9:35–38 The Harvest is Plentiful
• Matthew 10:1–15 As You Are Going, Preach

Today’s Reading

• Matthew 9:18-38
• Matthew 10:1-25

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A career Roman soldier, a centurion, came to Jesus asking for help for his slave who was sick and Jesus responded immediately to go with him. Yet, this man judged himself unworthy and said to Jesus in Matthew 8:8 “only say the word and my slave will be healed”. We sometimes set limits on how we will allow God to work and Jesus certainly would have gone without hesitation. Jesus recognizes that there is great faith in this man and commends him for his faith. But Jesus disciples, who were with him every day, who saw miracles happening around them, became fearful that they would perish in a storm. They were with Jesus, how could they perish? When they brought a paralytic to Jesus he said in Matthew 9:2 “Have courage, child, your sins are forgiven.” and he was healed. Jesus not only received all that came to him, but he also demonstrated his authority to forgive sin and heal disease. 

Such Great Faith

Matthew 8:5–13
Jesus was approached by a centurion in

Matthew 8:5 Now when he entered Capernaum, a centurion approached him, appealing to him

These were the men responsible for keeping order from day to day as “Commander of 100 men in the Roman army … responsible for his troops at all times … The position of centurion was prestigious and high paying; those who reached that rank usually made a career of it.”¹ So, as a military man, he would not normally have any dealings with Jesus except that, even as a soldier, he was a compassionate man and sought help for his slave in

Matthew 8:6 and saying, “Lord, my slave is lying paralyzed in my house, terribly tormented!”

Jesus didn’t pause for a moment and agreed to come with him to heal him in Matthew 8:7 but the centurion said “I am not worthy” in Matthew 8:8. This man knew his own history and he honored Jesus and though Jesus had no such hindering thoughts, the centurion judged himself unworthy and many fall into this trap, this deceit of the evil one who would keep us separated from the love of God. But this centurion would not allow his own sin to prevent help for his servant and he said to Jesus in

Matthew 8:8b–9 But only say the word and my slave will be healed. 9 For I also am a man under authority who has soldiers under me, and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another one, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”

Jesus marveled at this man, who judged himself unworthy, yet, he, above all in Israel, believed God in

Matthew 8:10 Now when Jesus heard this, he was astonished, and said to those who were following him, “Truly I say to you, I have found such great faith with no one in Israel.

He Healed All Those Who Were Sick

Matthew 8:14–17

I Will Follow You

Matthew 8:18–22 

We Are Perishing

Matthew 8:23–27
Jesus had been followed “by many crowds” in Matthew 8:18 and headed off in a boat to the Sea of Galilee with his disciples. Peter and Andrew and James and John had been fishermen so were seasoned mates so Jesus laid himself down and fell asleep in

Matthew 8:24 And behold, a great storm arose on the sea, so that the boat was being inundated by the waves, but he himself was asleep.

When the bible says it was a “great storm” it must have been because even these men that had made their living in boats were panicking in

Matthew 8:25 And they came and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us!* We are perishing!”

Jesus was surprised that they were so fearful and “rebuked the winds” in

Matthew 8:26 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.

How often do we react to circumstances rather than speaking God’s word and trusting God to deliver us in every situation.

What Do You Have To Do With Us

Matthew 8:28–29

The Whole Town Came Out

Matthew 8:30–34 

Your Sins Are Forgiven

Matthew 9:1–8
Jesus had been going around teaching and preaching and healing and as he came back to his own town in Matthew 9:1 they brought a paralytic to him in

Matthew 9:2 And behold, they brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher, and when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Have courage, child, your sins are forgiven.”

even today, there are many that believe that people are sick as retribution for their sin. Jesus doesn’t address the man’s paralysis, he only says “your sins are forgiven” but this causes the scribes, the religious people, to question because no man has the authority to forgive, until Jesus arrived that is. So, Jesus says in

Matthew 9:5–6 For which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 6 But in order that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,” then he said to the paralytic, “Get up, pick up your stretcher and go to your home.”

Whether it was caused by sin or is simply disease or some physical defect, Jesus has the authority to heal.

I Want Mercy And Not Sacrifice

Matthew 9:9–13

Your Disciples Do Not Fast

Matthew 9:14–17

Study Verses

• Matthew 8:5–13 Such Great Faith
• Matthew 8:23–27 We Are Perishing
• Matthew 9:1–8 Your Sins Are Forgiven

Today’s Reading

• Matthew 8:5-34
• Matthew 9:1-17

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References

• 1. Elwell, W. A., & Beitzel, B. J. (1988). Centurion. In Baker encyclopedia of the Bible (Vol. 1, p. 421-422). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.

Jesus told the crowd of people that had gathered to hear what we call the Sermon on the Mount, in Matthew 7:7–8 “Ask and it will be given to you … everyone who asks receives …”. And we are to ask the Father, the God of heaven, the creator of heaven and earth because He is the one with the answers. Jesus also warned the people that there were others, people around them, that were “ravenous wolves” in Matthew 7:15, people we would call robbers, swindlers, greedy and they would only know them by their fruit. Then, a man comes to Jesus and says in Matthew 8:2 “Lord, if you are willing, you are able to make me clean.” Jesus certainly had the power to heal, but was he willing to heal? Yes, Jesus immediately reached out and touched him and he was healed. This is what was said of Jesus in Acts 10:38 “Jesus of Nazareth—how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with him”. 

Everyone Who Asks Receives

Matthew 7:7–12
Jesus tells the crowd, speaking to everyone that will listen, “Ask” in

Matthew 7:7–8 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened for you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

Jesus is talking about the Father, God who is in heaven, the God of creation and says “how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him? in Matthew 7:11.

There isn’t anything He doesn’t know. There isn’t anything He is holding back. What father would hold back any good thing from his children? Think about the amazing things human beings have discovered about this universe we live in by curious inquiry. How much more is there for us to know by asking God, our Father? Are you asking for a cure for cancers, for alzheimers and all kinds of dementia? Are you asking for the cure for every disease? Didn’t Jesus pay the price for us as it says in

Isaiah 53:5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, crushed because of our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon him, and by his wounds we were healed.

Are you asking for the gifts of the Holy Spirit for a manifestation of the power of God to heal as in

1 Corinthians 12:7–10 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for what is beneficial to all. 8 For to one is given a word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another a word of knowledge by the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing of spirits, to another kinds of tongues, to another interpretation of tongues.

Narrow Is The Gate

Matthew 7:13–14 

Recognize Them By Their Fruits

Matthew 7:15–20
Jesus warns that there will be false prophets and describes then as “ravenous wolves” but they will come “in sheep’s clothing” in

Matthew 7:15 “Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inside are ravenous wolves.

These people will look like other sheep. They will seem to fit in with everyone else but they are only seeking their own interests. Here, “ravenous wolves” means “vicious, destructively ferocious, ravenous, rapacious (Mt 7:15+) … violently greedy, i.e., like a robber, a violent swindler (Lk 18:11)”.¹

but these people can be identified in

Matthew 7:16–17 You will recognize them by their fruits: they do not gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles, do they? 17 In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit.

The good fruit we are looking for is in

Galatians 5:22–23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self control. Against such things there is no law.

and the bad fruit, we can easily recognize also as the “deeds of the flesh” in

Galatians 5:19–21 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are sexual immorality, impurity, licentiousness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, factions, 21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, things which I am telling you in advance, just as I said before, that the ones who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

The One Who Does The Will of My Father

Matthew 7:21–23

Everyone Who Hears These Words of Mine

Matthew 7:24–27

He Was Teaching Like One Who Had Authority

Matthew 7:28–29 

If You Are Willing

Matthew 8:1–4
Jesus settled forever one question that people still ask today, “Is God willing to heal me?”. As the man afflicted with leprosy came to Jesus, he asked in

Matthew 8:2 And behold, a leper approached and worshiped him, saying, “Lord, if you are willing, you are able to make me clean.”

Lepers were unclean according to the Law of Moses and for the word used here “The major discussion of ṣāraʿat is in Leviticus 13–14 of the Priestly legislation (= P) of the Pentateuch.”² When anyone touched something unclean, they were made unclean. But here, Jesus reaches out and touches this man, not only healing him but accepting him as being clean in

Matthew 8:3 And extending his hand he touched him, saying, “I am willing, be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

Jesus also though, sent the man to the priest “for a testimony” in

Matthew 8:4 And Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.”

Study Verses

• Matthew 7:7–12 Everyone Who Asks Receives
• Matthew 7:15–20 Recognize Them By Their Fruits
• Matthew 8:1–4 If You Are Willing

Today’s Reading

• Matthew 7:7-29
• Matthew 8:1-4

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References

• 1. Swanson, J. (1997). Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Greek (New Testament) (electronic ed.). Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
• 2. Wright, D. P., & Jones, R. N. (1992). Leprosy. In D. N. Freedman (Ed.), The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (Vol. 4, p. 277). New York: Doubleday.