In Matthew 9 we get a highlight reel of Jesus performing miracles, and the faith of the people who come to him for it. The people recorded are diverse and come from different places in society, but one thing they have in common is they have a great need and they recognize Jesus as the one who can meet it.
Jesus quoted Psalm 110 to the Pharisees and religious leaders to challenge their idea of who the Son of David, the rescuing King they were awaiting, would be. Their misconceptions of what the Messiah would look like and what he would come to do had caused them to miss what God was doing in their very midst.
Psalm 22 is relived in Matthew 27 as Jesus is betrayed, handed over to the authorities, and cries out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
This week we explored this passage and its’ significance in what Jesus was accomplishing for all of creation.
From Jesus' first model of prayer to his final recorded prayer alone with his Father, we see the heart of the kingdom continue even to the very end. Jesus lives out the prayer "Your Kingdom come, Your will be done" and "Not my will, but Yours" as he faces his final moments on earth. And he invites his friends to join him.
When Jesus taught his followers how to pray, he included how essential forgiveness is. If you withhold forgiveness of another, you do not experience the forgiveness of the Father. What does this mean? What order does this happen in? How can we experience true forgiveness in a way where we both receive and give it?
Jesus didn’t market to people or invite them in with empty promises, good vibes, and exciting experiences. In fact, when people said they wanted to follow him he responded with how difficult it would be. And when he displayed his power and authority, people wanted even less to do with him. And yet, if they were willing to lay down their control and comforts in life, they found that Jesus’ power and authority brought the wholeness of life they had truly been searching for.
Jesus not only called people to follow him as disciples, but he also sent them out to bring good news to others. This was a group of people who would otherwise not have much to do with one another, if it weren’t for Jesus. It was also a group of people who would otherwise not have much authority or presence in the places they went. But with Jesus, they were formed into a community and sent with the power and authority of Jesus, for the sake of others.
You've got something in your eye.
Pointing the finger at another's fault or shortcoming comes naturally to us. It was the first response of the first man and woman when God approached them in the garden after their rebellion. 'It was the woman'. 'No, it was the serpent'. Jesus has some wisdom for us when it comes to pointing fingers.
You’ve heard the phrase “Love your neighbor”, but was Jesus really serious when he said we are to love our enemies? This countercultural and counterintuitive way of Jesus is not only exemplified in his life and death, but it is also an expectation on those who would call themselves his followers. But how can we do this?
Each week over the next two months we’ll journey through one of the beatitudes in Matthew 5. Take time to move slowly through the rhythms of reflection.
Read. Listen. Reflect.
This week we focus on Matthew 5:7, “Blessed are the merciful…”
Find the full guide here: missiodeicommunities.com/beatitudes
Ever broken a promise? Ever had someone break a promise to you? Jesus seemed to think this was a pretty big deal. But why did it matter enough to put up there alongside murder, sex, and the tearing apart of households? Could it really be that any time we are not true to our word that is ‘from the evil one’? How can we even have hope of being more honest, reliable, and faithful with our words?
Each week over the next two months we’ll journey through one of the beatitudes in Matthew 5. Take time to move slowly through the rhythms of reflection.
Read. Listen. Reflect.
This week we focus on Matthew 5:6, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness…”
Find the full guide here: missiodeicommunities.com/beatitudes
Murder. Sex. Adultery. Divorce. Jesus wasn’t afraid to talk about the heavy stuff.
But where the religious leaders thought they had these things all figured out, Jesus seemingly takes it a step further and makes it even harder to be right with the Law. When it came to obeying the Law, Jesus seemed to agree with what they all should’ve already seen through the Old Testament Scriptures, God looks at the heart.
