Matthew 2:16-18

For all the mothers who have lost their children…God hears your cries.

Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted. Matthew 5:5

This prophecy comes from Jeremiah, in which Rachel, who had been entombed near Bethlehem some 13 centuries before the Babylonian captivity, is seen weeping for her children as they were led away to Babylon in 586 b.c. In the slaughter of the male infants at the time of Christ’s birth, Rachel once again is pictured as mourning the violent loss of her sons.

Matthew 2:16-18

¹⁶ Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. ¹⁷ Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying:

¹⁸ “A voice was heard in Ramah,

Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning,

Rachel weeping for her children,

Refusing to be comforted,

Because they are no more.”

¹⁵ Thus says the Lord: “A voice was heard in Ramah, Lamentation and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children, Refusing to be comforted for her children, Because they are no more.” 

Jeremiah 31:15

God watches to see how we, as Christians, handle the plight of others. He knows our actions speak louder than our righteous words. He showed us how to fulfill the commandments now He wants to see us carry them out. Jesus said that these works and more we would do in His name because He would send the Holy Spirit to live within us with His power.

Jesus came to save, heal and free those whom Satan was seeking to kill, steal from and enslave. 

Teaching … preaching … healing summarizes Jesus’ earthly ministry.

Matthew 4:23-24

²³ And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. ²⁴ Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them.

²¹ Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught. 

Mark 1:21

⁴³ but He said to them, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent.” 

Luke 4:43

³⁸ how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. 

Acts 10:38

Mark 2:17

The whole mission of Jesus was to be born a man and live a life without sin, to suffer a horrible death on a cross for our sins and to rise again. In His resurrection He conquered death and sins’ hold on mankind. 

We no longer have to struggle alone. 

We overcome our sinful nature with the Blood of the Lamb and the power of the Holy Spirit within us. We, who are not righteous and deserving of death, can live in His righteousness. Believers,precept by precept, are sanctified into the Body of Christ.

The minute that we accept Jesus Christ into our life we are on the road to eternal life with Him. The only one who can halt our progression is ourself. Evil no longer has a claim on our life. 

Live in the precious new life that you have been given… rejoining God who created you.

Jesus required repentance, a change of mind, that recognizes the need of a Savior and recognizes Him as the only way to the Father.

Mark 2:17

¹⁷ When Jesus heard it, He said to them,  “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

¹¹ For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. 

Matthew 18:11

¹⁰ for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” 

Luke 19:10

1 Corinthians 1:4-9

God faithfully provides sanctification in and through Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish what  He purposed from the beginning of time.  We are safe in His hands, He changes us from the inside out!

May we let our light so shine before men that all are drawn to Him through the salvation of Jesus.

Paul does not praise the Corinthians for their good works as he does some other churches instead, he praises God who works in them. 

When we focus on people’s faults, hope soon wanes and discouragement follows. But when we concentrate on the Lord, even the darkest hours can be filled with praise.

1 Corinthians 1:4-9

⁴ I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, ⁵ that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, ⁶ even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, ⁷ so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, ⁸ who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

⁸ First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. 

Romans 1:8

³ But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. 

2 Thessalonians 3:3

⁶ who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time, 

1 Timothy 2:6

⁶ being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; 

Philippians 1:6

⁴ Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 

John 15:4

Ezekiel 18_30-32

It is not the Father’s desire to destroy His own creation. The Triune Godhead wants no one to die in their sin but while there is life, to recognize sin, repent of it and change. God knew that man would fail on His own, we were never created to be separate from Him, and from the beginning He had a plan to restore us. Jesus offered to die for our sins, in our place, so that we could have life, abundant,  full of mercy and grace… if we would only humble ourselves and accept it. God wants us to love Him freely and to come to Him out of this love.

When the Holy Spirit calls, answer, He will change you from the inside out! 

If you have left Him, return. It is never too late. He is merciful, kind and gracious to forgive.

There is a right way and a wrong way to live and it has physical consequences. In this passage, Ezekiel further clarifies his teaching on individual responsibility for sin by answering certain questions that reflect what his audience might be thinking. God’s response to their questions through Ezekiel is in part also composed of questions. Live and die in these passages refer to physical death and not eternal death, since this passage relates to the standards and stipulations of the Mosaic covenant.

Ezekiel 18:30-32

³⁰ “Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways,” says the Lord God. “Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin. ³¹ Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? ³² For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord God. “Therefore turn and live!”

⁷ Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon. 

Isaiah 55:7

¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. 

Psalm 51:10

⁹  The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 

2 Peter 3:9

Matthew

The Father gave us redemption through His only begotten Son, Jesus. We can choose to accept or reject His gift. He is the ultimate gentleman. He forces no one and the decision is a personal one between you and Your God. The Holy Spirit will do whatever it takes to invite you in but you must enter on your own free will. 

The battle has already been fought…Jesus won.

God’s heavenly kingdom came to earth in the person of Jesus Christ. This kingdom begins with the incarnation of Christ, continues with the inception of the church, and will be fully manifested when Christ returns.

The Purpose of the Book of Matthew

Many Jews of Jesus’ day rejected Him as Messiah, even though both Jesus and John the Baptist continually preached that the kingdom was “at hand”. This rejection of Jesus by the Jews is a dominant theme of Matthew. Because of this rejection, God postponed the fulfillment of His promises to Israel and subsequently extended His blessings to both Jew and Gentile in the church.

Matthew 3:2  and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” 

Matthew 4:17  From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 

Matthew 10:7 And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 

Matthew 11:12–15 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. ¹³ For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. ¹⁴ And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come. ¹⁵ He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

Matthew 12:28 But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.

Jeremiah 22:15-17

Any country built on oppression, greed and violence will implode. Make no mistake what  is sown is reaped!

We need justice for all people. Keep in mind that God reigns on the just and the unjust and He provides for those who believe and those who do not. He shows no partiality. He wants no one to perish but all to come to His salvation in Christ….but He forces no one! 

God’s will for believers is for us to hold up this great love that He provided in Jesus for all the world to see so that others will be drawn to it not run the other way. 

Israel perished because of its lack of knowledge of God. Knowledge of God here is related to concern for the poor and needy.This triad of sins characterizing the reign of Jehoiakim would hammer home a resounding message to Judah concerning the collapse of its kingship. 

Covenant violations would not go unpunished.

Jeremiah 22:15-17

¹⁵ “Shall you reign because you enclose yourself in cedar?

Did not your father eat and drink,

And do justice and righteousness?

Then it was well with him.

¹⁶ He judged the cause of the poor and needy;

Then it was well.

Was not this knowing Me?” says the Lord.

¹⁷ “Yet your eyes and your heart are for nothing but your covetousness,

For shedding innocent blood,

And practicing oppression and violence.”

¹⁵ And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” 

Luke 12:15

¹⁰ “Say to the righteous that it shall be well with them, For they shall eat the fruit of their doings. 

Isaiah 3:10

²³ But this is what I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you.’ 

Jeremiah 7:23

Matthew 23:23-24

God is not interested in your piousness. He is interested in your heart!

We can become so preoccupied with external rules and regulations in the church that we forget the principles behind them.

The Pharisees would meticulously strain out the smallest unclean insect—the gnat—with a cloth filter before drinking liquids, especially wine. However, Jesus said they would easily swallow a large unclean animal—a camel. Jesus was exaggerating a point to illustrate how much the Pharisees had neglected justice, mercy, and faith.

Matthew 23:23-24

²³ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. ²⁴ Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!

⁴² “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. 

Luke 11:42

²² So Samuel said: “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. 

1 Samuel 15:22

⁶ For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. 

Hosea 6:6

⁸ He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God? 

Micah 6:

Acts 12:21-23

Don’t be fooled into thinking that man controls the state of the world today. Make no mistake God is all powerful and He controls everything…every. little. thing. This passage should encourage all Christians and especially pastors to take a moment to ponder if they have or are receiving glory due God.

We are living in a time of His mercy and grace so He withholds judgement… it will not always be so. To God be all glory!

The Herods were the Edomite family that ruled Israel during the time of Jesus' earthly ministry and the first Christian church. The Jewish ruling council, called Sanhedrin, was under the authority of the Herods, who were in turn under the authority of the Roman emperor.

Josephus, the Jewish historian, recorded that on this occasion, the people hailed Herod as a god, and confirmed, "Upon this, the king did neither rebuke them nor reject their impious flattery... A severe pain also arose in his belly, and began in a most violent manner... He was carried into the palace... and when he had been quite worn out by the pain in his belly for five days, he departed this life." (Antiquities of the Jews, Book 19, Chapter 8)

Acts 12:21-23

²¹ So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them. ²² And the people kept shouting, “The voice of a god and not of a man!” ²³ Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died.

Luke 4:18-19

The Almighty Physician, the healer of the broken and disparaged, Jesus ushered in the New Covenant between God and man by fulfilling the old. The great I AM!

In the measure that you believe... you can receive. Great faith produces great miracles.

What Israel had failed to do, Jesus does. The image here addresses both physical and spiritual realities. Jesus proclaimed the acceptable year of the Lord, an allusion to Jubilee. This was every fiftieth year, in which all debt was forgiven, slaves were given their freedom, and ancestral lands were given back to its original family. The Year of Jubilee allowed for a new start. Jesus offers a total cancellation of spiritual debt and a new beginning to those who respond to His message.

Luke 4:18-19

¹⁸ “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,

Because He has anointed Me

To preach the gospel to the poor;

He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,

To proclaim liberty to the captives

And recovery of sight to the blind,

To set at liberty those who are oppressed;

¹⁹ To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

⁸ Thus says the Lord: “In an acceptable time I have heard You, And in the day of salvation I have helped You; I will preserve You and give You As a covenant to the people, To restore the earth, To cause them to inherit the desolate heritages; 

Isaiah 49:8

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; 

Isaiah 61:1

²⁴ “Seventy weeks are determined For your people and for your holy city, To finish the transgression, To make an end of sins, To make reconciliation for iniquity, To bring in everlasting righteousness, To seal up vision and prophecy, And to anoint the Most Holy. 

Daniel 9:24

³⁴ For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure. 

John 3:34

Luke 6:20-22

In the Kingdom of God, in His heaven, there will be no more tears over missed opportunities, no more sorrow for those gone from your life to soon, no more yearning for social justice…no more pain! Eye has not seen nor ear heard what God has prepared for those who love Him and are called by Him into eternal life.

And what does God require of you?

Be fair to everyone

forgive easily and

walk humbly with Him

Micah 6:8

Luke 6:20-22

“Blessed are you poor,

For yours is the kingdom of God.

²¹ Blessed are you who hunger now,

For you shall be filled. 

Blessed are you who weep now,

For you shall laugh.

²² Blessed are you when men hate you,

And when they exclude you,

And revile you, and cast out your name as evil,

For the Son of Man’s sake.

³ “Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ⁴ Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted. ⁵ Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth. ⁶ Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. ⁷ Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. ⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God. ⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God. ¹⁰ Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ¹¹ “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 

Matthew 5:3–11

⁵ Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? 

James 2:5

¹⁷ for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” 

Revelation 7:17

Ezekiel 11:2-7

God will remove leaders in His house, His Church, who use His name to devise evil against those who trust in Him. These men try to remove the hope of the common man and use fear as a weapon against them. God, the Triune Godhead, came to save the humble giving the Body and Blood of Jesus as redemption.  God is in total control…trust Him!

Christ within is the hope of glory…God’s glory not mans’.

Ezekiel saw twenty-five civic leaders at the temple. These men had been giving wicked counsel, and even stooped so low as to devise iniquity against their own people. These leaders had deceived themselves and their followers into thinking that they were speaking for the true God. 

Jerusalem’s official leaders had been accused of wicked activities and giving unrighteous advice here we discover that they had killed fellow countrymen. Contrary to the leaders’ false beliefs, the ones they killed were the godly people whose presence might have offered protection in the caldron—that is, Jerusalem. Those who had gained power by the sword, knowing the dread of such force, would experience defeat and death the same way. They would be dragged out of the city and slain by strangers.

Ezekiel 11:2-7

² And He said to me: “Son of man, these are the men who devise iniquity and give wicked counsel in this city, ³ who say, ‘The time is not near to build houses; this city is the caldron, and we are the meat.’ ⁴ Therefore prophesy against them, prophesy, O son of man!”

⁵ Then the Spirit of the Lord fell upon me, and said to me, “Speak! ‘Thus says the Lord: “Thus you have said, O house of Israel; for I know the things that come into your mind. ⁶ You have multiplied your slain in this city, and you have filled its streets with the slain.” ⁷ Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Your slain whom you have laid in its midst, they are the meat, and this city is the caldron; but I shall bring you out of the midst of it.

⁴ and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” 

2 Peter 3:4

¹⁰ I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings. 

Jeremiah 17:10

² You who hate good and love evil; Who strip the skin from My people, And the flesh from their bones; 

Micah 3:2

Ephesians 4:11-16

All parts of the Body are essential. The Trinity is lifted up by each Christian doing his or her part to cooperate with God’s plan for humanity through the Body of Christ. Finding our gifts and using them for the good of His Church is our ultimate goal. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to guide, correct and teach us the ways of truth. Joy in His work in us is our strength.

All things… thoughts, words and actions…must be filtered through Gods’ great love!

The final goal is maturity, truth, and love.

Ephesians 4:11-16

¹¹ And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, ¹² for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, ¹³ till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; ¹⁴ that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, ¹⁵ but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—¹⁶ from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

²⁴ I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, 

Colossians 1:24

² that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, 

Colossians 2:2

²⁰ Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature. 

1 Corinthians 14:20

¹⁴ But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. 

Hebrews 5:14

²² And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 

Ephesians 1:22

⁴ For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 

Romans 12:4

¹⁹ and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God. 

Colossians 2:19