Pastor Billington's Blog

Matthew 12

Here Jesus confronts the hypocrisy of the religious leaders. They claim to be experts in the law, and yet they don’t consider the example of David or the priests when it comes to the Sabbath. And they would have more compassion for a sheep on the Sabbath than they would for a man! By his actions and teaching Jesus shows that mercy and love should rule the Sabbath, as well as rule the law:

Romans 13:10 (WEB) “Love doesn’t harm a neighbor. Love therefore is the fulfillment of the law.”

Jesus is identified by several names here, all of which point to His authority, dominion, and even divinity! First, He is the Son of Man, which has several implications, with the most important being from the book of Daniel:

Daniel 7:13-14 (WEB) “I saw in the night visions, and behold, there came with the clouds of the sky one like a son of man, and he came even to the Ancient of Days, and they brought him near before him. Dominion was given him, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which will not pass away, and his kingdom one that will not be destroyed.”

Jesus is also the suffering servant from the book of Isaiah (the suffering servant songs in Isaiah are found in 42:1-4, 49:1-6, 50:4-7, and 52:13-53:12). Here Matthew quotes from Isaiah 42:1-4 to explain Jesus’ secrecy, but he also shows that the Jewish messiah will bring hope to the Gentiles! I believe the best understanding of His secrecy is that He has a divine timetable to adhere to, and He’s keeping the Jewish authorities at bay.

Finally, Jesus identifies Himself as the Lord of the Sabbath, which I believe is subtle claim to deity. Yes, He’s claiming authority to declare how the Sabbath should be obeyed, but who has the authority to do that? Only God, because it is His Sabbath (Exodus 31:13; Leviticus 19:3; Ezekiel 20:12; etc.)!

As we continue through the passage, we’re reminded that righteousness begins in the heart and is shown by words and actions (12:33-37). Then we see that people are looking for a sign/reason to believe (12:38-42) and are given the sign of the resurrection! In 12:46-50 we’re reminded that when we believe we become a part of a new family, and we show that we’re a part of that family by following God and His Word!

Let’s take 12:43-45 next. Jesus makes it specific to that generation. They are experiencing the grace of God through Jesus and His ministry (the unclean spirit is gone). If they end up rejecting Him as a nation, then what happens next will be truly horrible. We see that with the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in 70 A.D.

I believe this plays into 12:22-32. Jesus is continually challenging the religious leadership and the lack of belief in that generation. In the context of Jesus defending His ministry and pointing out the Pharisees illogical assumptions, Jesus makes a statement about the Spirit:

“Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. 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 that which is to come.”

Jesus makes these comments right after sharing that He is able to cast out demons by the Spirit of God and not by the power of Satan. I have come to believe that the best way to understand this verse is to see it as specific to that time and context. In other words, it could happen precisely because Jesus Christ was physically ministering on the earth at the time in the power of the Spirit, and the Pharisees were saying that He was casting out demons by the power of Satan. If we are worried about an unpardonable sin in our generation, it is simply an unwillingness to believe in Jesus Christ.

John 3:36 (WEB) “One who believes in the Son has eternal life, but one who disobeys the Son won’t see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”

Thought for the day: A tree is known by its fruit. What is your fruit?

Galatians 5:22 (WEB) “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.”

Matthew 11

John isn’t finding Jesus’ yoke easy or load light! He is the greatest prophet from OT times. He is the one who is preaching to prepare the way for the coming Messiah. He is the forerunner, Elijah as was foretold, for those who take his message to heart. And yet he’s in prison, and he’s beginning to wonder if everything he thought about Jesus was wrong. He sends some of his disciples to ask Jesus a question: “Are you the one who is to come?” Jesus responds by reminding them of Isaiah 61:1 (11:4). Jesus is doing exactly what God said the Messiah would do! And that’s an important reminder to us. Whenever we are hurting, whenever we are doubting, whenever we are in despair, we need to turn to the Word. The Word reminds us of who God is and what God does. The Word reminds us that God is at work. The Word reveals fulfilled prophecy, and the Word predicts what is in our future. The Word provides directions for our lives, and the Word provides perspective for our lives. The Word comforts, encourages, and gives us hope!

Jesus also reminds us of another important truth: as great as John was, those who believe are greater! John is a transitional figure between the Old and New Testaments. He is preparing the way for the coming Messiah. The era of law effectively ends with Jesus’ death, and the era of grace begins. John dies before the era of grace begins, so he can only look forward to it without fully understanding everything that it means, and we see that confusion here. We are blessed because we can fully understand and experience that grace in our lives! And there is a warning here: if we refuse to believe and repent, then we’ll face judgment. Are there degrees of judgment suggested here (11:24)? I would suggest that it’s probably just dramatic hyperbole for effect. Judgment is judgment, and it’s not pleasant. No-one should want to experience it.

Thought for the day: Grace means God reveals Himself through Jesus Christ. Grace means we have home with Him. Grace means we don’t need to fear death, hell, and the grave. Grace brings rest!

Matthew 11:28 (WEB) “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Matthew 10

Note that in 10:1 we have the “12 disciples,” and then in 10:2 we have the “12 apostles.” I think that helps us to make a certain distinction between the Twelve and us. The term apostle means “one who is sent,” and can be used as a title on occasion (Acts 13:2). But most often it seems to be used to describe an office: i.e. someone who fulfills a very distinct and specialized role. There seem to be two unique qualifications for those who fulfill the office of apostle. First, they have seen the risen Lord:

1 Corinthians 9:1 (WEB) “Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Haven’t I seen Jesus Christ, our Lord? Aren’t you my work in the Lord?”

Acts 1:21-22 (WEB) “Of the men therefore who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out amongst us, beginning from the baptism of John to the day that he was received up from us, of these one must become a witness with us of his resurrection.”

And second, they must display the signs of an apostle:

Corinthians 12:12 (WEB) “Truly the signs of an apostle were worked amongst you in all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty works.”

Therefore, I believe that the apostolic office was time and situation specific. Revelation 21:14 also seems to support the idea that the Twelve were special and fulfilled a specific role:

Revelation 21:14 (WEB) “The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them twelve names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb.”

While the apostles may have been special, we are all called to be disciples. And although this passage contains much that relates to the specific mission of the Twelve (both immediately and perhaps into the era recorded by the book of Acts), there are specific truths that apply to all disciples:

• All disciples are to share the gospel.
• All disciples are to rely on the Spirit.
• All disciples should expect persecution.

And regarding that persecution, Matthew 10:23 causes a lot of discussion and consternation! “For most certainly I tell you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel until the Son of Man has come.” Does this refer to then? Does it refer to the end times? Has it happened? Are we still waiting for it? How are we to understand this verse?

One way that people interpret this verse is to speculate that Jesus might not be talking about His literal return, but the “Son of Man has come” may be a description of the coming judgment of God, and that judgment fell on Israel in A.D. 70 when Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed. The book of Acts would then be seen as fulfilling the description of events in Matthew 10:16-20.

However, I believe there may be a better way to understand it, if we allow for Jesus’ words to be a little figurative rather than strictly literal. He may be speaking to His disciples in a way that would mean something to them then, but in reality also providing hope and encouragement to all His disciples in all ages. He says, “People will dislike you. They will betray you. They may even hate you! You will have to give an account of your faith before authorities. The Spirit will guide you! You will face pain, persecution, and death, but God is with you and cares about you. Continue to witness. Members of your own family will even turn against you. Don’t be afraid of them. Don’t give into them! Some with believe. Some will even be helpful. Be faithful, because I am coming back!“

Thought for the day: Denying Jesus is a big deal. Are you willing to be His witness?

Matthew 10:38-39 (WEB) “He who doesn’t take his cross and follow after me isn’t worthy of me. He who seeks his life will lose it; and he who loses his life for my sake will find it.”

Matthew 9

There are people that we know who are as spiritually needy as the paralyzed man was physically needy. Are we willing to go the extra mile to try to introduce them to the one person who can take away sin? After all, those are the kinds of people Jesus is looking for: “Pray therefore that the Lord of the harvest will send out laborers into his harvest.”

The religious leadership was apoplectic that Jesus would claim such a power. Why would they get so upset when Jesus said, “Your sins are forgiven you?” Because only God can forgive sins!

Ex 34:5-7 “The LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the LORD’s name. The LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, ‘The LORD! The LORD, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness and truth, keeping loving kindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and disobedience and sin.”

And yet His ability to heal the man’s condition proved that He could actually do what He claimed!

Jesus’ next encounter with a tax collector further illustrated the lengths He would go to in order to redeem sinners. The religious leadership didn’t know that they needed help. They thought that they had everything under control. It was those who understood that they were sinners who wanted an encounter with Jesus. They were the ones who were ready for salvation, not the leadership who already thought they were righteous.

But it’s not just they recognized religious authorities who question Jesus. The disciples of John even get in on the act! While fasting and prayer are recognized as spiritually good, there was no law that states you have to do them at particular times. The more religious apparently did that twice a week. Jesus tells them that now is not the time for fasting; that time will come (He is alluding to His death). He then goes on to confront them with two illustrations from life. There is a new era coming, and the self-righteous and ceremonial obligations of the old will not fit into it. After the resurrection, everything changes!

Sometimes when we’re busy and are interrupted for one reason or another, we get really annoyed. But Jesus doesn’t! Jesus is busy healing, casting out demons, and is even going to end up raising the dead! And in the midst of it we find people stalking Him, touching Him, and bringing others to Him. In each of the cases, we see Jesus treating the interruptions as divine appointments that also further His mission. How would our lives change if we had that perspective?

Here’s a big question: what is the relationship between faith and healing, and what is our faith in? In other words, is our faith in what Jesus can do, or who Jesus is? We see the blind men confess that Jesus is both “Lord” and the “Son of David,” but we have no mention of how the woman with the discharge of blood views Him. We’re just told that she wants to touch His garment because she believes it will heal her, and Jesus commends her faith. What is she ultimately putting her faith in?

Thought for the day: Are you putting your faith in what Jesus can do for you, or in the nature and character of the one who can do all things? If it’s the latter, then you understand that He will do what is best, and not just what you want.

Luke 22:41-42 (WEB) “He [Jesus] was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and he knelt down and prayed, saying, ‘Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.’ “

Matthew 8

Matthew is concerned with showing us how Jesus fulfills the Old Testament prophecies about the coming Messiah. Matthew 5-7 shows Jesus as the great teacher/prophet that was predicted: “The LORD your God will raise up to you a prophet from amongst you, of your brothers, like me. You shall listen to him” (Deuteronomy 18:15, WEB). Matthew 8-9 shows Jesus as the great healer that was prophesied: “Surely he has borne our sickness and carried our suffering” (Isaiah 53:4, WEB).

I think that it’s important to note that Jesus is fulfilling these roles during His earthly ministry to prove who He was/is. He’s showing that He is the Messiah by His teaching and by His healing. But we need to understand that Jesus doesn’t heal every person he comes into contact with. Sometimes He leaves places where people are coming to see Him (Mark 1:38). Sometimes He chooses certain people to heal (John 5:6). Why is this important to note? Because there are some that say Jesus came so that we would be healed of all our physical issues, but only if we have enough faith.

In truth, sometimes God’s children are healed miraculously. Sometimes we’re healed another way. But not everyone is healed all of the time. And we see this illustrated by Paul: “By reason of the exceeding greatness of the revelations, that I should not be exalted excessively, a thorn in the flesh was given to me: a messenger of Satan to torment me, that I should not be exalted excessively. Concerning this thing, I begged the Lord three times that it might depart from me. He has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me” (2 Corinthians 12:7-9, WEB).

While the Isaiah 53:4 passage is used primarily to identify the Messiah by Matthew, it is applicable to us in two ways. First, we all have been healed spiritually. Jesus has healed us of our sins! 1 Peter 2:24 (WEB) says, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live to righteousness. You were healed by his wounds.” And second, one day we will all be physically healed. We will have new bodies in a new kingdom in the new heavens and the new earth.

The encounters with the teacher of the law and the disciple teach us that there is a cost to following Jesus. Why should we be willing to pay that cost? Because of whom Jesus is! He has control of the natural and the supernatural. Why wouldn’t we trust Him with our lives?!?!?

We see something else here as well. When the awesome power of the Son of Man is on display it provokes a reaction. In each instance where Jesus displays His authority it causes people to respond with fear. The disciple’s fear is akin to awe, and it causes them to be amazed. When the townspeople understand what Jesus did, they seem to be terrified and beg Him to leave! Can you imagine? But in truth, even in our day and age, when people are introduced to the only one who can save them, they end up turning away. Not much has changed in 2000 years.

Thought for the day: Peter had a mother-in-law. Peter was married! It is unbiblical to suggest that a spiritual leader needs to be single.

1 Corinthians 9:5 (WEB) “Have we no right to take along a wife who is a believer, even as the rest of the apostles, and the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?”

Matthew 7

In the entirety of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) Jesus is presented as a master teacher because He teaches with authority. He has a grasp of the Scriptures, dares to make their commands even more prohibitive, and doesn’t quote other teachers to make His points. He is different than the other teachers of the law!

And what does He teach? He teaches us not to judge others without examining ourselves first. He teaches us not to waste our time trying to help others who don’t want to hear what we have to say. He teaches us that God loves us like children, and we should go to him when we need help. He teaches us that we should treat others the way we want to be treated. He teaches us that it’s difficult to know and follow God, and that most people don’t even try! He teaches us to be careful about who we follow, and that we’ll be able to tell false prophets by their conduct. True believers will follow God completely, not just do some things in His name. And finally, he teaches that the wise follow His teachings and are saved, but the foolish don’t and are destroyed.

Thought for the day: Jesus (and His teaching) is the rock that we must build our lives on!

1 Corinthians 10:1-4 (WEB) “Now I would not have you ignorant, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and all ate the same spiritual food; and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of a spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ.”

1 Peter 2:6 (WEB) “Because it is contained in Scripture, ‘Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, chosen and precious. He who believes in him will not be disappointed.’ ”

Matthew 6

Worship, both public and private, should be sincere. When we pray, when we fast, and when we give, we need to make sure that we’re doing it for God and not to be seen by others. That means when we do things like pray in a public setting, even though we may say things in a different way because of where we are, in our hearts we are supposed to be praying to God. That’s why praise is a significant part of prayer, even before petition. And since God already knows what we need, we have the freedom to make our petitions selfless. “Give us,” “bring us,” and “forgive us” all speak to the corporate nature of faith. We are a family, and our love for others means we should be willing to forgive just as we’ve been forgiven.

If we understand the verses about the eye to be a warning against desiring what you see and allowing it to control you, then the rest of our passage deals with riches and how we respond to them. First, accumulate spiritual treasure, rather than earthly. Next, don’t allow your desire for things to sabotage your relationship with God. Third, understand that God needs to be your ultimate priority in life. But what does this mean practically? Don’t we need the things that money buys in order to live? Of course, but we need to trust that God cares about us enough to provide for us. He takes care of those who trust, worship, and serve Him.

Thought for the day: Trust. It’s a lesson in both testaments. When we master it, we can let God worry about tomorrow so that we don’t have to!

Proverbs 3:5-6 (WEB) “Trust in Yahweh with all your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Matthew 5

Jesus is like a new Moses, giving God’s Word from the mountaintop, and He’s teaching us how to live in the kingdom. Believers are to behave differently, have different values, and be of different character than the world around us. Where the world values pride, we are to be humble. Where the world values safety, we should consider being persecuted a blessing. And this shouldn’t be a surprise to us, because God’s Word has always taught a different standard and Jesus is encouraging us to embrace it. We are to be examples of that higher standard, which means we are to be salt and light to the world around us.

What may be the most surprising is that this standard appears to be an enhancement of the law. The law isn’t gone. In fact, Jesus’ standards are even higher! “You have heard that it was said…but I tell you.” Believers understand that murder starts in the heart with anger. Believers understand that adultery starts in the heart with lust. Believers understand that God hates divorce. Believers understand the importance of telling the truth. Believers understand the importance of mercy. Finally, believers understand the importance of love, even to the point where they are to love those who want to do them harm.

Thought for the day: The key to all of this is the heart. If we allow sin to start in our hearts, then we will eventually act on it. We need to continually fill our hearts with the Word of God, ask God to transform us through His Spirit, and seek the help and guidance of the community of faith if we truly want to live for God!

James 1:14-15 (WEB) “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lust and enticed. Then the lust, when it has conceived, bears sin. The sin, when it is full grown, produces death.”

Matthew 4

One of the most interesting things about the word for “test” in the Greek is that it can also mean “tempt.” Its translation depends on the context. Satan surely wanted to “tempt” Jesus to sin, but Jesus was “tested” and passed with flying colors! Jesus’ encounter teaches us some important lessons about testing/temptation:

• God allows us to be tested. Notice that it’s the Spirit that leads Jesus into the wilderness.
• Others (including Satan) will try to get us to sin.
• We should pray so that we can withstand “temptation” (fasting implies prayer).
• We can also fast (be careful here). Start small and understand your motives.
• Knowing the Bible can help us to resist temptation. Jesus used the Bible to counteract
  Satan at each point of temptation.

Scripture is not only predictive (Matthew 4:14-16), but it is protective! Hopefully we’ve all felt that initial call to follow Jesus and obeyed it, but then we have a responsibility to continue in discipleship. A big part of that is knowing Scripture, because Scripture helps us to resist both sin and Satan.

Psalm 119:11 (WEB) “I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”

Notice that in the list of illnesses and afflictions that were brought to Jesus we have a differentiation between “all who were sick, afflicted with various diseases and torments, possessed with demons, epileptics, and paralytics.” Some skeptics try to claim that in NT times people thought that everything was caused by demons. Not so! But this should also show us that there are some things that happen and have a demonic component. God is real. Satan is real. Angels are real. Demons are real. The natural is real. The supernatural is real. We would do well to remember that in our day and age!

Thought for the day: Since Jesus was tested, we can go to Him for strength and understanding.

Hebrews 4:15-16 (WEB) “For we don’t have a high priest who can’t be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but one who has been in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin. Let’s therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace for help in time of need.”