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

[Chopper]

Matthew 10:29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.
30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.


Welcome to our continuing study through the Book of Matthew, let’s bow our hearts in a word of prayer, …Father as we open Your word to study and hear what Your Son has to say to us, may we be comforted from it, assured from it and may it become an anchor for our soul, …in the name of Jesus.

VS 29. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.

Sparrows were the meat of the poor in Israel, and their value was so insignificant that two were sold for the smallest amount of currency in the land, and yet, with the thousands, hundreds of thousands that were so common in Israel, not one single bird fell to the ground, not just the knowledge of the act with the Father, but with the Father actually allowing the act.

If we stop and meditate on this fact, we can’t help but to see the providential care in action, that is, His careful attendance and Divine intervention which He exercises over all of His creation, …when we thoughtfully admit and believe the fact of Divine providence, then we have to admit there is a Creator and He is active in the world we live in, ….no Creator, …no providence, all is just random chance, …no providence, …then no Creator, everything is random chance, …but we read, In the beginning God created…., and through modern science we have learned that the wings of these insignificant little birds are stronger in proportion to their weight, than the wings of a commercial passenger jet, …what does that tell us, proof of Intelligent Design, …there is a Creator and in His Providential care guides and directs the lives of man and animals, …even insignificant you and me.

VS 30. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

Jesus was/is using a comparison between two insignificant birds and the hairs on our head, while there were hundreds of thousands of sparrows in Israel, we have millions of hairs (well, maybe not all of us) on our head, so many we don’t know ourselves, but Father does, …multiplied by the population of the world, and every time we brush or comb our hair some are removed and Father knows how many are left at any given moment in time, …concerning every head of hair on the planet, plus the number of sparrows that have fallen to the ground, plus guiding the planets through the universe, plus holding all things together, plus and plus and plus…

VS 31. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.

When seeing the word therefore I always like to ask, what is it there for?

I believe it’s there to cause us to meditate on what is our value?

Jesus stated our value is more than many sparrows, He was speaking to His disciples that had all bought animals to sacrifice in the Temple, …what might of possibly gone through their minds, …are we of more value than two turtle doves or pigeons, more than a lamb or goat, more than a young bull, the progenitor of the future herd?

Yes! We are more valuable than God’s Son, and that is the Truth that mystified Paul, the Pharisee of Pharisees and caused him to record for us,

What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Rom 8:31, 32

I believe Paul has summed up this short study better than anything I could offer,


If God be for us, who can be against us?


Fear not beloved, we are worth more than many sparrows in the Father’s eye and may I suggest we take the time to reflect back at the many times we have been recipients of His Providential care, saving us from harm or destruction or coming through for us right at the proper time.

Comments, additions, thoughts are welcomed,

Tomorrow’s study, Matthew 10:32, 33

Lord bless you.

Good teaching there Bro. Keep them coming.

 

[Chopper]

Hey there Bible Study family, Karl is in need of our prayers. He is suffering from what he calls chikungunya, apparently a foreign sickness. Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne illness. The virus that causes chikungunya is normally spread by Aedes albopictus (Asian tiger) and Aedes aegypti (yellow fever) mosquitoes. Under normal conditions, you have to be bitten by a mosquito carrying the virus in order to contract the disease. (from Web-md)

So lets keep him in prayer. This virus packs a lot of joint pain....Get well fast Bro.

 

[AirDancer]

Karl is most definitely in my prayers. Thanks, Chopper, for letting us know about his situation

 

[Chopper]

Matthew 10:32 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven,
Matthew 10:33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE.

One of the great events in a believer's walk with Jesus Christ is Baptism. V.32 indicates that it is most important that every believer in Jesus have a public profession of their faith in the Salvation that Jesus offers to everyone, and the fact that they have received Jesus as their Master Owner. Baptism is such an event that acknowledges that necessary fact.

On the other hand, if folk are reluctant to make their profession of Jesus public for one reason or another, I would not put any belief that that person is really saved. To me, Salvation is such a great spiritual accomplishment, that I would want to shout it from the roof tops.

At any rate, a public profession is necessary for Jesus to claim that person is a child of God. I might add that Baptism isn't the only way, but in my "old school" way it's the best.

 

[ezrider]

Matthew 10:32 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven,
Matthew 10:33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

I see this as a warning to those who call themselves believers. This is not a warning to unbelievers. Unbelievers can not deny what they do not believe in.

So as a believer, in what ways could we possibly find that we might be denying the very Lord that has bought us, even though we continue to profess his name?
We can only find the truth in the face of our own sin and unbelief. To deny Him is to deny that you have already been judged; instead you believe that when you are judged, that all your sins be forgiven you.
Christ took unto himself all the sins of the world; to acknowledge Him before men is to know yourself as already judged in Christ, guilty of all sins before the law. Humbled in our state of Grace, and trusting to the mercy of the Lord we are free to know ourselves as a man of sin after the flesh, that we might hear and bear witness of the Spirit of Christ that lives in our heart.

Though your sins be forgiven you, there is yet one sin that remains unto man, one that Jesus himself said could not be forgiven.

 

[Chopper]

I see this as a warning to those who call themselves believers. This is not a warning to unbelievers. Unbelievers can not deny what they do not believe in.

So as a believer, in what ways could we possibly find that we might be denying the very Lord that has bought us, even though we continue to profess his name?
We can only find the truth in the face of our own sin and unbelief. To deny Him is to deny that you have already been judged; instead you believe that when you are judged, that all your sins be forgiven you.
Christ took unto himself all the sins of the world; to acknowledge Him before men is to know yourself as already judged in Christ, guilty of all sins before the law. Humbled in our state of Grace, and trusting to the mercy of the Lord we are free to know ourselves as a man of sin after the flesh, that we might hear and bear witness of the Spirit of Christ that lives in our heart.

Though your sins be forgiven you, there is yet one sin that remains unto man, one that Jesus himself said could not be forgiven.

Ok?

 

[Deborah13]

I think that those two verses cannot stand alone. They must be read in context of the subject Jesus is talking about.
Do not fear because the Lord is always with us, even in times of persecution.
Do not fear men who can only destroy the flesh. Fear the One who can destroy both body and soul.
So to me this scripture is talking about denying Christ, being a traitor, when someone challenges you about being a follower of Christ.
We can't be hiding and proclaiming Christ. So He tells the disciples, go out and confess me to the world. Do not be afraid because God knows what you will be going through, He will protect you, you will not die until God determines it is time.
And they did. They proclaimed (confessed) Christ to the world even though they were beaten, stoned and left for dead, delivered up to the sanhedrim courts and before pagan kings and were killed by them.
So I was trying to think of an example of where and how we, in our own particular society could face something like this. Well the best example that I could think of is David Wilkerson and Nicky Cruz. A gang member threatens you with a knife and tells you to stop proclaiming the Gospel. What would you do?
David Wilkerson, said he was scared, shaking. But he said, paraphrased, "You could cut me up in a thousand pieces laying here on this sidewalk and every little piece would scream, I love you."
He would not deny the message of our Savior.
That is what I think this passage is about.

 

[Karl]

Hey all, I'm back from a short walk through the valley of the shadow of death, thank you all for your prayers, I appreciate them very, very much, I contacted the dengue fever once, this one makes the dengue look like a cake walk, the virus attacks the joints, especially those that have been injured, kinda like the gout, but 100 hundred times worse, I woke up Tuesday night with what felt like someone was sticking a ice pick in my back, since this virus also attacks the kidneys and liver we decided to go to the hospital for treatment, praise the the Lord for your prayers, they didn't keep me in the hospital, gave me a prescription and sent me hole, ...I'm home for Christmas! Thank you Jesus!!!

I see my bud Chopper stepped in for today, I'll resume the study tomorrow if you want me too.

Merry Christmas and,

I thank God for His gift that words cannot describe. 2 Cor 9:15

For God so loved Karl (and you all too), that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Thank you Jesus for this family and walking with me through this.....,

In His Love,

Karl

 

[Chopper]

I think that those two verses cannot stand alone. They must be read in context of the subject Jesus is talking about.
Do not fear because the Lord is always with us, even in times of persecution.
Do not fear men who can only destroy the flesh. Fear the One who can destroy both body and soul.
So to me this scripture is talking about denying Christ, being a traitor, when someone challenges you about being a follower of Christ.
We can't be hiding and proclaiming Christ. So He tells the disciples, go out and confess me to the world. Do not be afraid because God knows what you will be going through, He will protect you, you will not die until God determines it is time.
And they did. They proclaimed (confessed) Christ to the world even though they were beaten, stoned and left for dead, delivered up to the sanhedrim courts and before pagan kings and were killed by them.
So I was trying to think of an example of where and how we, in our own particular society could face something like this. Well the best example that I could think of is David Wilkerson and Nicky Cruz. A gang member threatens you with a knife and tells you to stop proclaiming the Gospel. What would you do?
David Wilkerson, said he was scared, shaking. But he said, paraphrased, "You could cut me up in a thousand pieces laying here on this sidewalk and every little piece would scream, I love you."
He would not deny the message of our Savior.
That is what I think this passage is about.

Very very good Deb. You hit a home run with this comment. That is probably the best view to take on these verses.

 

[Deborah13]

Hey all, I'm back from a short walk through the valley of the shadow of death, thank you all for your prayers, I appreciate them very, very much, I contacted the dengue fever once, this one makes the dengue look like a cake walk, the virus attacks the joints, especially those that have been injured, kinda like the gout, but 100 hundred times worse, I woke up Tuesday night with what felt like someone was sticking a ice pick in my back, since this virus also attacks the kidneys and liver we decided to go to the hospital for treatment, praise the the Lord for your prayers, they didn't keep me in the hospital, gave me a prescription and sent me hole, ...I'm home for Christmas! Thank you Jesus!!!

I see my bud Chopper stepped in for today, I'll resume the study tomorrow if you want me too.

Merry Christmas and,

I thank God for His gift that words cannot describe. 2 Cor 9:15

For God so loved Karl (and you all too), that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Thank you Jesus for this family and walking with me through this.....,

In His Love,

Karl

So glad you are feeling better and to have you back here. :nod

 

[Karl]

Matthew 10:32 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven,
Matthew 10:33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE.

One of the great events in a believer's walk with Jesus Christ is Baptism. V.32 indicates that it is most important that every believer in Jesus have a public profession of their faith in the Salvation that Jesus offers to everyone, and the fact that they have received Jesus as their Master Owner. Baptism is such an event that acknowledges that necessary fact.

On the other hand, if folk are reluctant to make their profession of Jesus public for one reason or another, I would not put any belief that that person is really saved. To me, Salvation is such a great spiritual accomplishment, that I would want to shout it from the roof tops.

At any rate, a public profession is necessary for Jesus to claim that person is a child of God. I might add that Baptism isn't the only way, but in my "old school" way it's the best.

The word "acknowledge" in this version is confess in the KJV, when I confess something I am stating something I own, I'm telling of a personal act or observation in my life, it's a part of me, a part of my life, ...a part of the very fabric of my being, because I own it, it's me/it's mine, ...since I confess the Lord Jesus Christ publicly I own Him, He is mine, which He confirms in the verse also, He owns me, I'm His personal possession, imagine that, I'm not only a part of His creation, I'm now His personal possession.

This is the mystery that blew Paul's Jewish mind, that Christ is in us Gentiles,

Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Col 1:26, 27

That just makes my heart and soul leap for joy, ...I am my beloved's and he is mine!

Jesus is the reason for the season!

 

[Karl]

Mat 10:34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

Father, I thank you for this family of brother and sisters, as we open Your Word I ask You encourage them, reveal to them their standing in your Son Jesus Christ, and may each one of us take the time to stop and reflect on what is the significance of the Christmas story is in our personal lives, ..in the name of Jesus.

After Jesus’ statement of vs 32, that we are His and He is ours, comes a reality check, in the next six verses He gives is the conditions in a regenerated child of God’s life, …reality in our daily walk with Him.

VS 34. Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

So often new believers think their new life will be without difficulties, trials and persecutions, it’s a fortunate lamb that finds itself in a flock that has a wise pastor that grounds them in the Truth, the Angel’s message to the shepherds that night was; now there was to be/could be peace between man and God.

However, when we enter into that peace with God we instantly have an enemy, the devil has lost one of his and the sword is our defense against him, the more we speak the Truth the more the anger of the enemy of our souls is aroused.

VS 35. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

Yes, the coming of Messiah is good news to all, but in that coming there will be division, and the division will be heart rending within one’s own family.

VS 36. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.

The very ones that brought us into the world, which loved and tenderly cared for us will turn against us, the word foes comes from the root word to hate, those that are the dearest to us will hate us, that is what the sword of the Gospel does, it divides asunder Heb 4:12

VS 37. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

Here is the test, the reality check, are we worthy, worthy of the Divine love shown us, given to us, our position in the cosmos, ...children of God, or are there earthly ties that are stronger, …do we love someone more than God?

VS 38. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

Maybe I have love for Him more so than my family or loved ones, but do I still love myself? Taking up a cross speaks of death, have I died too my desires, my will, my understanding, even my interpretation of the Holy Word? Am I walking moment by moment, 24/7 guided by the Holy Spirit through His Word, if so, then I will be crucified for reproving their unfruitful works of darkness, first by the world and second by the tares, the mockers in the Church, I am, we are, born again children of God, we don’t need a Simon to carry our Cross for us, I am worthy to suffer the shame and ignominy of the Cross my Savior suffered, I/we, will/can carry our Cross as we walk toward our home, the New Jerusalem, where Eternal peace will reign, …He will complete what He has started.

39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

Carrying our Cross, walking with Jesus, …we will find our lives, …it’s a promise from our Lord!

That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
…I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Php 3:10, 14

Comments, additions, thoughts are welcomed,

Tomorrow’s study, Matthew 10:40-42

May the Lord richly bless you during this holiday season.

 

[Chopper]

Another good teaching there my friend. This verse, "That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings" is quoted by a good many believers, at least the first part, "That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection." Oh my, to have lots of knowledge of Jesus is what many believers seek after. The POWER of Jesus' resurrection? That would be so great! Why, with that much power? I could move mountains. That's a lofty ambition that's for sure. The problem with that aspiration is, without the "fellowship of His sufferings" the power of Jesus' resurrection is out of reach.

It seems to me that many believers want Jesus' power, but don't want the suffering. How many times are we asked by someone to pray that they might be healed from a sickness that just might be the suffering that the Lord wants in the person's life that will bring on the POWER. The Pentecostals say God wants everyone healed, the Baptist says, Your will be done. What I sometimes say is "Lord, when Your purpose of this sickness has run its course, please heal this person.

 

[reba]

Christmas and all the trimmings have kept me from commenting ... So it should start to settle down around here ... today is either turkey soup of turkey and dumplins ...

Agree Chop... there should be no difference between our shadows and Petes

 

[ezrider]

Another good teaching there my friend. This verse, "That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings" is quoted by a good many believers, at least the first part, "That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection." Oh my, to have lots of knowledge of Jesus is what many believers seek after. The POWER of Jesus' resurrection? That would be so great! Why, with that much power? I could move mountains. That's a lofty ambition that's for sure. The problem with that aspiration is, without the "fellowship of His sufferings" the power of Jesus' resurrection is out of reach.

It seems to me that many believers want Jesus' power, but don't want the suffering. How many times are we asked by someone to pray that they might be healed from a sickness that just might be the suffering that the Lord wants in the person's life that will bring on the POWER. The Pentecostals say God wants everyone healed, the Baptist says, Your will be done. What I sometimes say is "Lord, when Your purpose of this sickness has run its course, please heal this person.

Matt 17:20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

There is only one mountain that I know of that requires faith to remove it hence: Mt. Sinai

 

[Karl]

Amen Chopper!

I'm so against praying, "Lord heal this person," I tremble at the thought of telling GOD what He should do, I'm a wretch saved by His grace, and to think of myself as anything else comes straight from the pit!

When asked to pray for someone I usually use what Mary and Martha said to our Lord, "Lord, one whom you love is sick," and leave it in His hands, ...I used to pray some what like you, "Lord, there is a lesson to be learned in this sickness, it has come to pass and it will pass, but don't let the lesson be lost," funny how few come and ask me to pray for them now, ...you are right, most want the power of His Resurrection, without the sufferings that caused His Crucifixion, too many want a Simon to carry their cross and forget that our Lord was so beaten, tortured and weak from loss of blood that He physically couldn't carry His Cross, even though He tried, ...a man's Man to the end!

 

[Karl]

Christmas and all the trimmings have kept me from commenting ... So it should start to settle down around here ... today is either turkey soup of turkey and dumplins ...

Agree Chop... there should be no difference between our shadows and Petes

Ummm, turkey and DUMPLIN'S, man I haven't had dumplin's in ages, :drool...no turkey left in our house, gonna have to thaw a yard bird.


Who's Pete?

 

[reba]

Act_5:15 Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.

 

[Karl]

Gotcha ya, thanks

 

[Deborah13]

Jesus began teaching and His words angered the Jewish leaders. They fervently went about the people defaming Him and His words. They deliberately denied the people of Him. They stole the Gospel from the people. They promoted hatred and defiance and "kept them from entering in."
Jesus caused a dramatic change to come to the Jewish people. They were being forced to choose between Him, and what He taught, and what the Rabbins taught.
Stephen was stoned for this offense. Using him as an imaginary example....
'Woman, where is your son Stephen. He is with the disciples of that man Jesus. He speaks His words.' She cries because in her understanding her son as gone away from the faith (the truth) that he was taught all his life. This means he is no longer welcome in the nation, no longer a citizen. He had to flee or die. A father would have seen this as dishonoring him, his mother, and the nation. He may have delivered up his own son.
Jesus was counted with the transgressors when He was crucified as a common criminal between two thieves. They were all viewed as criminals. False prophets.
Very, very few of us have ever faced this type of persecution in our families.