Author: Pastor Steve (Page 30 of 48)

Each of the Gospels shows that after a few months of initial enthusiasm for Jesus and His ministry, opposition began to grow so that at last Jesus was rejected by both the leaders and the people and was crucified. This was a complex period historically, and a variety of factors were at work. In Luke the opposition begins with Jesus’ first teaching in Nazareth, his home town (Lk.4.16–30). Matthew records objections to Jesus’ healing of the paralytic and later two blind men (Mt.9.3, 34). Each of the Gospels unites in saying that much of the opposition came from the Pharisees and others who objected to Jesus’ disregard of their tight rules for observing the Sabbath (Mt.12.1-14; Mk.2.23-3:6; Lk.6.1-11; Jn.5.1-16). Continue reading

Followers of Christ are not to fear the powerful people of this world. The soul matters more than the body and the rulers of this world can take only our lives. If we are going to be afraid of anyone, it should be God, who alone will determine our final destinies. Jesus said it like this: “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Mt.10.28). Continue reading

Jesus said, “If you…who are evil, know how to give good gifts…how much more will the heavenly Father give…to those who ask him!” Continue reading

If God is good, why does He allow suffering? And if He is all-powerful, why does He not put an end to sinful actions and natural catastrophes? If God is all-good and if He created only good things, then where did evil come from? How can evil come from what is perfectly good? Thinking Christians face these troubling questions. And many opponents of Christianity also challenge believers with these queries. Continue reading

The first thing these verses say Matthew 10.17-42 is that we can expect opposition. As far as the disciples were concerned, they could expect that in time they would be “hand[ed] … over to the local councils and flogged … in their synagogues.” This is what happened to Peter and other apostles in Acts 5.40 and to Paul on five separate occasions. As far as we are concerned, we can expect to be hated even by members of our own families, and to be severely persecuted even to the point of being put to death. Continue reading

Comparing the first three Gospels raises questions sometimes, but sometimes the comparisons are helpful, as is the case here in Matthew. In Mark’s and Luke’s accounts, Jesus’ instructions to the Twelve end with the material Matthew reported in the first half of chapter 8. Instead of stopping at this point, however, as Mark and Luke do, Matthew
continues by adding Jesus’ words found in vv.17- 42. These words
are not inappropriate for these first disciples, though they are
different in some respects from what Jesus told them earlier. But
their real application – and the reason Matthew has added to the
material – is for the mission of the disciples and others following
Jesus’ death and resurrection. In other words, the addition is for
us specifically. Continue reading