Bible Study WELCOME TO AN IN DEPTH STUDY OF MATTHEW'S GOSPEL.

[Chopper]

You are absolutely right Reba. I've been guilty myself from trashing the modern day church. Probably because of my Wife and I having been a member for about fifteen years in a church which has become more of a social club than a Church of Jesus Christ.

Praise the Lord that He, the Lord, led us to the church of which we are attending now. The Pastor started this church about 35 years ago and still maintains the leadership and respected authority over the direction of the church. I personally believe that when the members of a church rule the Pastor, rather than the Pastor's rule over the members, you've got a serious problem!

 

[reba]

yup

 

[Chopper]

Monday 3/2/15 Matthew 13:44 A Field Of Dreams.

Mat 13:44
"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

First, we must realize that the "Treasure" is the Kingdom of Heaven.

In the first Century, some folk hid their wealth in fields since there were no formal banks as we have today. The "bankers" in 25:27 were money changers who would exchange currency and also loaned money with interest.

An example of this is the following:
Jeremiah 41:8
But there were ten men among them who said to Ishmael, "Do not put us to death, for we have stores of wheat, barley, oil, and honey hidden in the fields." "It was customary to hide grain in cavities underground in troubled times", Says Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown. (e-Sword).... "This either means storehouses of such things in the field; or else that these things were hid in cells under ground, the land having been invaded, to secure them from the enemy, as is common to do in time of war." Says John Gill, (e-Sword).

I would say that it was around 1970 when I was searching for the truth about if God was real, and why He was interested in me. I do know that there is a theology about that we don't seek after God, He seeks us. This event in my life actually started around 1964 with a mild questioning in my mind about how to get to God. Then around 1970, my search intensified to where, as I said, "why was He interested in me."

I have posted my testimony several times, so I won't post it here, just to say that in 1974, being prodded by one of my best friends, my Wife and I attended his Baptist Church for the first time. That was when my Wife Jennie, died of cancer in 1993, and we gave our hearts to Jesus in Salvation. The search was over. Just like our Text today, my treasure of the entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven, laid hidden to me in the field of the Glenwood Square Baptist Church in Portland, Maine.

I do have a question, as some of you might have as well, it seems to me that a field that had treasure buried in it might belong to someone else. There was warfare in that land in times past, and I suppose that the land was owned by someone who had been killed in a battle not wanting someone to know where it was, kept it hidden. There are a lot of other possibilities, but for right now, I assuming that the field was up for grabs, so to speak.

"Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field." So, our Text says "The Kingdom of Heaven is like." It is like a person who hears the Gospel for the first time. A joy over having all the sin's of this person forgiven, and to have a personal relationship with Jesus, the Christ of God, and to have a new life, this person repents of his old life and sinful ways, is like selling all he has, and places his trust by faith in this great treasure of becoming a child of God thru Salvation and Baptism.


But there were ten men among them who said to Ishmael, "Do not put us to death, for we have stores of wheat, barley, oil, and honey hidden in the fields." So he refrained and did not put them to death with their companions.

 

[Chopper]

Monday 3/4/15 Matthew 13:45-52 Treasure Or Trash.

Mat 13:45 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls,
Mat 13:46 who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
Mat 13:47 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind.
Mat 13:48 When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad.
Mat 13:49 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous
Mat 13:50 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Mat 13:51 "Have you understood all these things?" They said to him, "Yes."
Mat 13:52 And he said to them, "Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old."

V.49 Sums up these parables of Jesus. At the end of life as we know it, there will be a judgment that all people who ever lived will face. We catch a glimpse into the process once Jesus the Just One and Judge has determined who will spend eternity with Him or without Him.
There have been a lot of questions about where the people who are separated from Jesus, the lost, or those who never placed their belief and trust in the Savior of men. What we can say is what Jesus says, "in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

I'd like to concentrate on the message of V.52 The word "scribe" is anyone who basically "writes." but also can mean someone who has information and transfers it somewhere else.
The words "trained for the Kingdom of Heaven" means anyone who has been trained in the Gospel, like the Disciples of Jesus.
The words "like the master of the house" would mean in this case, the Disciples who understand the Gospel, should not just add it to their "treasure" and keep it hidden, but to proclaim it to those who don't know it and to tell them what they had learned long before and also what they had just learned, the new and the old.

 

[reba]

Mat 13:47 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind.
Mat 13:48 When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad.

wheat and tares grow together
fish of 'every kind' swim together
then the sorting...

 

[Cturtle]

The niv and the nlt read the same way....therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of Heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old....

so if we embrace the kingdom of Heaven, and the kingdom of God, like they are our treasure. Every nugget of truth, is like a precious stone. Or even like the best grapes you ever ate. Well for the spirit it is but i can imagine the intensity of craving the Word, like many crave a good steak, or a warm fresh baked loaf of homemade bread. And every morsel is just smooth, and tender, and melts in our mouths... the Word is smooth, Jesus is tender, and it washes over us like the water of the Word, renewing our minds and bodies.

As we soak in the message of the cross and the richness of the freedom that we have in Christ, we are able to taste of the sweetness of life full of God's grace and what Jesus obtained for us on the cross. No longer having to try to earn our way into eternity with God, our wonderful, loving Father. As we crave everything new and old that God has given us through the Word....every nugget of truth becomes so real like the treasures that are found in the storeroom of the master of the house.

We are to search, even long for those nuggets of truth, those precious treasures. Long to be hungry for what God's ways are. How He operates, How we can achieve the wisdom of the scriptures that only revelation knowledge can bring. Communing with God on such levels, learning all about Him, so that we may become just like Him.

Whew what a wonderful place to be! A disciple of the most High, transformed into a likeness of the master of the house by the treasure of the Word, that's in the storeroom of our hearts, planted there by the Holy Spirit. But notice we have to search for them, and commit to being a disciple of the Word, because they do not come automatically. We must do something.
Thanks for the thread

 

[Chopper]

The niv and the nlt read the same way....therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of Heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old....

so if we embrace the kingdom of Heaven, and the kingdom of God, like they are our treasure. Every nugget of truth, is like a precious stone. Or even like the best grapes you ever ate. Well for the spirit it is but i can imagine the intensity of craving the Word, like many crave a good steak, or a warm fresh baked loaf of homemade bread. And every morsel is just smooth, and tender, and melts in our mouths... the Word is smooth, Jesus is tender, and it washes over us like the water of the Word, renewing our minds and bodies.

As we soak in the message of the cross and the richness of the freedom that we have in Christ, we are able to taste of the sweetness of life full of God's grace and what Jesus obtained for us on the cross. No longer having to try to earn our way into eternity with God, our wonderful, loving Father. As we crave everything new and old that God has given us through the Word....every nugget of truth becomes so real like the treasures that are found in the storeroom of the master of the house.

We are to search, even long for those nuggets of truth, those precious treasures. Long to be hungry for what God's ways are. How He operates, How we can achieve the wisdom of the scriptures that only revelation knowledge can bring. Communing with God on such levels, learning all about Him, so that we may become just like Him.

Whew what a wonderful place to be! A disciple of the most High, transformed into a likeness of the master of the house by the treasure of the Word, that's in the storeroom of our hearts, planted there by the Holy Spirit. But notice we have to search for them, and commit to being a disciple of the Word, because they do not come automatically. We must do something.
Thanks for the thread

Thank you for joining us in this Bible Study Cturtle. You appear to have a great love for Jesus, thank you for expressing your heart with us.

 

[Chopper]

Friday 3/6/15 Matthew 13:53-58 No Place Like Home.

Mat 13:53 And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there,
Mat 13:54 and coming to his hometown he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, "Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works?
Mat 13:55 Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?
Mat 13:56 And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?"
Mat 13:57 And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household."
Mat 13:58 And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.

From a human point of view, home is a favorite place on this old planet to be, especially on the Holidays. For most of us, especially me because of all the great memories of growing up with a wonderful Father, Mother, and an older Sister and a younger Brother. Life was good. Jesus grew up with similar circumstances except that His family had the right hand of the Almighty Yahweh at the controls....I feel so sad for those who did not have a wonderful home life that I had.

Although Capernaum had become Jesus' city during His Galilean ministry (ESV notes), His hometown was Nazareth, the Village of His family and where He spent His childhood.

The mention of Jesus' family members included His father (carpenter), Mother, four brothers, and all His sisters. I believe that it must have been an awkward early life for Jesus, knowing that He was really the Son of His Father Yahweh, and to realize that other than His father and mother who had a limited knowledge of who Jesus really was, but His brothers and sisters, once Jesus had reached His teen years and was becoming more Messianic, there must have been some very interesting conversations in that household.

In verses 55 & 56 it reveals what Jesus' neighbors were asking one another. "Where did this "man" get this wisdom and these mighty works? And, where then did this "man" get all these things?" Now, here is the root of all these questions! "They took offense at Him." Jesus says basically, "I don't have any honor here in My hometown or My family."

Verse 58 presents a sad, pathetic reality that effected the folk in His hometown and also effects us today. There are times when we pray, and nothing happens, why" Because of unbelief! Lets look at Hebrews 11:1 KJV Heb 11:1 "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Now in the ESV "Heb 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."

IMO, there is a big difference in the two translations....To be honest, the KJV didn't have the impact as did the ESV. Many of us memorized the KJV but didn't really "jump out" at me like the English Standard Version has. Faith is the "assurance" Man, if I'm assured of something, it's going to happen!! Then the word "convicted" is a strong word for something that I will defend even to the death. "assured and convicted." That is what Faith is. Because of these two words, there is no doubt in my mind that it's coming!

 

[Chopper]

Hello my Bible Study friends. I have had to make a difficult decision to stop writing the study in Matthew. I am experiencing some memory difficulties that make it very difficult to concentrate the way I should, to do the study. I will be seeking my doctor for some answers. Thank you folk who have been with me making the study a delight.

I had hoped that someone else would rise to the calling to continue the study but that has not come about....God bless all of you.

 

[Chopper]

Hello again my Bible Study friends. This time it's different. With some loving response from Reba, I decided to keep this study going. I'll do my best to be frequent in posting. Perhaps every Tuesday and Friday. We'll see.

 

[Chopper]

April 2nd 2015 Matthew 14:1-12 The Sad and Cruel Death Of John The Baptist.

Mat 14:1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard about the fame of Jesus,
Mat 14:2 and he said to his servants, "This is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him."
Mat 14:3 For Herod had seized John and bound him and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife,
Mat 14:4 because John had been saying to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her."
Mat 14:5 And though he wanted to put him to death, he feared the people, because they held him to be a prophet.
Mat 14:6 But when Herod's birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company and pleased Herod,
Mat 14:7 so that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask.
Mat 14:8 Prompted by her mother, she said, "Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter."
Mat 14:9 And the king was sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he commanded it to be given.
Mat 14:10 He sent and had John beheaded in the prison,
Mat 14:11 and his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.
Mat 14:12 And his disciples came and took the body and buried it, and they went and told Jesus.

HISTORY LESSON: Herod Antipas was the Roman ruler over the region where Jesus ministered. He was only 17 years old when his father Herod the great died.

Herod Antipas had fallen in love with Herodias, the wife of his half brother Herod Phillip 1. Even though both were married at the time, Herodias divorced Herod Philip 1 and Herod Antipas divorced his wife, and they were married. John the Baptist had publicly condemned Herod Antipas for his actions. "It is not lawful for you to have her."

It appears to me that sex has been a stronghold that the evil one has used to pervert the minds of men throughout all the ages and still does. The fall of good men has been over his lust for other women. Such is the case here in Vs. 6-11.

I have found that whenever a man of God takes a bold stand against public sin, the outcry of unholy people seek revenge. The average Christian does not want others to know about their weaknesses.

I remember such an occasion where I took a bold stand in the first full time church that I was the pastor. The South Somerville Baptist Church had never had a full time pastor until they called me. Soon, the Lord added many new believers to the membership. The head deacon knew of a pastor who had spent some time in their area and he was representing the movie "The Mountain of Light." by a major missionary Agency.

I agreed to a showing on a Sunday night. For the first 10 minutes there was tribal nudity. The women were topless. They were black women and I had black folk in the church. Once I figured out that this was only the start, I went over to where the projector was and pulled the plug. I made the announcement that there was no difference in a half naked black woman and a white woman and would not show the rest of the movie. I excused the folk and left the church building very upset.

Oh boy, the you know what hit the fan. The deacon and a few of the older folk were very upset at my decision. But, praise the Lord, the Teens (about 20) were grateful and proud of their pastor including my two teenage Daughter and Son. Every once in a while my kids remind me of that decision....I stuck to my guns and as a result the Lord the Lord caused that little country Baptist Church of 25 people to grow to 125 people. Most were new converts. Praise the Lord. Today, that little church still thrives.

 

[DanielGarneau]

Welcome back!

I agree with those who said you should not worry about participating as intensively as you would like to.

How is your health?

 

[Chopper]

April

Welcome back!

I agree with those who said you should not worry about participating as intensively as you would like to.

How is your health?

Why thank you Daniel. I appreciate your welcome. I know that you are a pretty sharp student of the Word of God and would appreciate all the comments that you see fit to help me with this study. Thank you.

 

[Chopper]

April 3rd Matthew 14:13-21 Send Them To McDonald's.

NOTE: In order to be compliant with copy rite rules, The text that I present is copied from e-Sword and is the ESV translation. I'll post this from time to time.

Mat 14:1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard about the fame of Jesus,
Mat 14:2 and he said to his servants, "This is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him."

These two verses set the stage for explaining our text for today. Herod was now aware of Jesus but not in a favorable way. Herod thought that Jesus might be a resurrected John the Baptist and would pick up his condemnation of Herod's marriage to Herodias. So now we can get to our text for today.

Mat 14:13 Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns.
Mat 14:14 When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
Mat 14:15 Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves."
Mat 14:16 But Jesus said, "They need not go away; you give them something to eat."
Mat 14:17 They said to him, "We have only five loaves here and two fish."
Mat 14:18 And he said, "Bring them here to me."
Mat 14:19 Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.
Mat 14:20 And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over.
Mat 14:21 And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
Mat 14:22 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.
Mat 14:23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone,

Verse 13 pictures Jesus leaving His home town in case Herod might come there looking for Jesus for not very good reasons. Jesus wasn't afraid of Herod, His departure from there was that His time to die was not yet come, it was not His time.

Jesus loved John the Baptist with a great love because this forerunner 5tr46y67uwould announce Jesus to the public. John would also baptize Jesus which would be the start of His public ministry by the descending dove and the voice of God. There was no doubt, this was the Son of God.

Jesus wanted to be alone to grieve for His special co-worker John the Baptist and also to have some special communion with His Father. I know what it means to grieve over someone important who shared the ministry that God had given me. My Wife Jennie died of cancer at the age of 50. We had been married for almost 34 years, 20 of those years was beside me as we ministered in 3 Baptist Churches. The day she died, I just wanted to be alone so that I could grieve. Grieving for the loss of a loved one is so very important.

Jesus, in Verse 14, after a time with His Father, came ashore and was greeted with about 10,000 people who needed Him. From grief to compassion for others in need is the sign of a great man of God and Jesus sets the standard. Unfortunately, no one is there to meet the needs of the grieving one, he must get himself together and minister to others who are grieving for a multitude of reasons. One of those reasons was that Jesus could see many of the people who had come to see Him were in need of healing.

In Verse 15 we see that it is probably past supper time and the folk were hungry. The Disciples wanted Jesus to dismiss the crowd so that they could go to McDonald's for something to eat. Little did they know that something much better than a hamburger was about to miraculously appear.

Verses 16, 17 Picture the frustration of the Disciples when Jesus tells them to feed the crowd with what they have. I can almost hear Peter say, "what did He say?" as he looked down at a basket with five loaves of bread and two fish. Jesus must have been a little amused at the look on the Disciples faces. They responded like anyone else would have responded, "We have only five loaves here and two fish."

I wonder how Jesus responded, O ye of little faith? or, is anything impossible for Me? Jesus simply responds with "bring them here to Me." Perhaps His tone gave the Disciples a hint that they should have expected Jesus to do something out of the ordinary.

From Verses 19 to 21, A great miracle unfolded in front of everyone. This miracle, we have seen before in the Hebrew Scriptures where God sent down manna to feed His people in their wilderness wandering on the way to the Promised Land. This miracle also reminds us that our Heavenly Father will supply our needs if we are faithful to His will in seeking His Kingdom.

14:22 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.
14:23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone."

This scene shows Jesus dismissing the crowd, much like a pastor who stands at the door and shakes hands with the church folk after a service. He sends His Disciples by boat to the other side of the lake while He goes up on a mountain to be alone with His Father and to pray....I have often wondered what Jesus, the Son of the living God would have to pray for. I do know that He prayed for His Disciples, and prayed about His soon coming death on the cross. It still causes me to wonder.

 

[Chopper]

Welcome back!

I agree with those who said you should not worry about participating as intensively as you would like to.

How is your health?

My health? I'm almost 75 and my doctor tells me that many of my ailments are due to my age. My biggest problem is back pain a result of 2 failed spine surgeries. Memory loss and vertigo are what I face daily. Other than that I'm doing Ok. Thanks for asking. Your prayers for strength thru my weakness will be appreciated.

 

[Deborah13]

Verses 16, 17 Picture the frustration of the Disciples when Jesus tells them to feed the crowd with what they have. I can almost hear Peter say, "what did He say?" as he looked down at a basket with five loaves of bread and two fish. Jesus must have been a little amused at the look on the Disciples faces. They responded like anyone else would have responded, "We have only five loaves here and two fish."

I would have been so confused, too.
That says to me, just do what He tells you to do even if it doesn't make sense to you.

 

[Chopper]

I would have been so confused, too.
That says to me, just do what He tells you to do even if it doesn't make sense to you.

You know Deb? That would be a very wise thing to do. I'll have to remember that statement.

 

[reba]

Joh 6:48 I am that bread of life.
Joh 6:49 Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.
Joh 6:50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.
Joh 6:51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

 

[reba]

Chopper ....

 

[Deborah13]

Luk 22:19 And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.