Bible Summary:
Jesus tells the crowd at the Sermon on the Mount they must continue to obey the Laws of Moses and teachings of the prophets if they wish to enter heaven. They must follow the Laws faithfully and do what God requires.
My Thoughts:
Laws of Morality: Every community and religion covers the basic laws of morality like not lying or stealing. These and the other Ten Commandments are the laws that Jesus refers to that people are to follow.
Bible Summary:
Jesus tells the crowd at the Sermon on the Mount they are like salt for all mankind and a light for the whole world. “Your light must shine before people, so they will see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven”
My Thoughts:
Salt and Light: Salt brings out the goodness in foods during cooking. Light shines for all to see. Salt also preserves foods for a long time. So, show your goodness for all to see. Be the example they can follow to preserve mankind forever.
Bible Summary:
Jesus begins the Sermon on the Mount with the Beatitudes:
– From the English Standard Version Bible at Bible.com which is how I know it.
My Thoughts:
Doing right can be hard, but rewarding: In less than 150 words, Jesus touches each person’s heart, since they had experienced at least one of the characteristics – poor in spirit, mourning, meek, and hunger or thirst; teaches them how to behave – merciful, pure of heart, peaceful, and righteous; and warns them that doing right can cause others to revile and persecute them, but they will be rewarded in heaven.
Foreshadowing: the last part about persecuted prophets describes the past but also foreshadows what will happen to Jesus and the apostles.
Bible Summary:
Jesus walks along Lake Galilee, sees two brothers Simon Peter and Andrew catching fish, and tells them to join him so they can catch men. They leave at once with Jesus. Later, they meet James and John readying their nets in a boat with their father Zebedee. Jesus calls them and they too leave with him.
Jesus preaches the Good News all over Galilee and heals people of many diseases. News spreads throughout Syria and people bring him all who are sick – and Jesus heals them all. Large crowds follow him around the ten towns near Jerusalem.
My Thoughts:
When God Calls: Jesus calls these four men and they drop everything to join him. When God calls we need to drop everything and follow Him. The challenge today is hearing Him above all the other choices.
Whole Healing: Jesus heals both body and soul of the people around Jerusalem. He shows us that wellness is related as much to mental wellbeing as physical health. Lifting people’s spirits likely touched more people and did more good than the physical healing, though the latter gets more press because “proof” is in seeing.
Bible Summary:
Jesus hears that John the Baptist is imprisoned so he flees from Nazareth to Capernaum, near Lake Galilee. This location matches what prophet Isaiah foretold and is the land of the people who live in darkness that will see a great light, the Gentiles. Jesus begins to preach his message, “Turn away from your sins, because the Kingdom of heaven is near.”
My Thoughts:
Prophecies: Jesus matching so many prophecies (born in Bethlehem, flees to Egypt so they can say he came out of Egypt, lives in Nazareth, moves to Galilee) sure seems too convenient, like Matthew “fit” Jesus into the criteria of the Messiah.
The Message: Jesus begins preaching in Galilee, telling people to turn away from their sinful behavior in his campaign to teach people to be kind to each other and do right.
People do not like to be told they are wrong and especially when they are doing wrong, even though in their hearts they know it is true. Take a look today, inside at the thoughts that come up and outside at the things that are done or said. Be the witness to your own behavior and decide if you have room for improvement. I know I have areas where I continue to struggle, so keep the faith and with God’s help we can beat them together. Peace.
Bible Summary:
Jesus goes to the desert for forty days and nights without food. The Devil comes along and tempts him three times to prove he is the Son of God.
My Thoughts:
Three Temptations of Life: I believe these temptations of christ are like the food, fame, and riches of today.
Bible Summary:
Jesus arrives at the Jordan River to be baptized by John. John says he should be baptized by him instead. Jesus tells him to continue as God requires. John agrees and baptizes him. As Jesus comes up from the water, the heavens open and the Holy Spirit descends on him. Then God says from heaven, “This is my Son, with whom I am pleased.”
My Thoughts:
Within a couple of pages, Matthew’s story of Jesus jumps from birth in Bethlehem to rebirth in adulthood through baptism in the Jordan River. One is the birth into the realm of our physical world and the other a birth into the spiritual world.
I believe we make the transition from childhood to adulthood at the point that we experience this connection with the spiritual world.
And, God is pleased.
Bible Summary:
John the Baptist preaches in the desert telling people to turn away from their sins since “the Kingdom of heaven is near.” The people come from all around Jerusalem to confess their sins and be baptized in the Jordan River.
John chastises the Pharisees and Sadducees for coming to be baptized, telling them to act without sin and not hide behind God’s covenant with Abraham.
He later tells people he baptizes them in water as they repent, but another will come to baptize them in the Holy Spirit, one that is much greater such that John is not worth to carry his sandals.
My Thoughts:
Repent Sins: John admonishes everyone to stop doing bad things. You cannot just say you are going to change or hide behind being absolved through confession. You must act without sin.
Proclaim the Coming of Christ: John proclaims someone greater than he is coming. He is a very humble and does not take advantage of his position after drawing an audience.
Baptize with Water and the Holy Spirit: Water is one of the purest things on the earth, the thing that sustains all life. The Holy Spirit is often shown as light coming down on a person. Water can cleanse us from our sins but only if we truly “see” them by the light of the Holy Spirit.
Bible Summary:
Jesus is born in Bethlehem. Wise men follow a star to Jerusalem. King Herod learns of Jesus’ birth and plots to have the wise men lead him to the baby. The wise men find baby Jesus and present him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. God warns them about Herod, so they leave by another road.
An angel warns Joseph about Herod, so they escape to Egypt. Herod realizes the wise men tricked him, so he orders the death of all boys two and younger in Bethlehem, which fulfills the prophecy about Rachel weeping for her children.
After King Herod dies, God tells Joseph to return to the land of Israel. Joseph is afraid to learn that Herod’s son has succeeded him, so God guides him to Nazareth in the province of Galilee, fulfilling the prophecy that the Messiah will be a Nazarene.
My Thoughts:
Wise Men: This story conflicts with all the nativity scenes and stories that have the wise men show up right at the birth of Jesus instead of two years later. Must be poetic license.
These Magi came from “the East”, which was likely Mesopotamia where Abraham was from or possibly Persia.
Jesus similar to Moses: Jesus miraculously survives the killing of all the baby boys in Bethlehem like Moses survived the King of Egypt’s edict to kill all the Hebrew babies (see the Israelites Grow Numerous in Egypt and Moses is Born stories in Exodus).
Bible Summary:
Matthew’s story of Jesus begins with a list of all ancestors from Abraham to King David and finally Joseph. He then tells the story of how Mary and Joseph get married. Mary is engaged to Joseph when she discovers she is pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Joseph finds out and plans to break off the engagement in private. An angel appears to him in a dream, explains that she conceived by the Holy Spirit, tells him to marry her and to name the boy Jesus because he will save people from their sins. This happens as God foretold through the prophets that a virgin would give birth to a son called Immanuel, which means God is with us. Joseph marries Mary and names their son Jesus.
My Thoughts:
Ancestors: Lineage is very important to the Jews, so they show Jesus’ all the way back to King David, Abraham and ultimately Adam and Eve (see list below).
Faith of Joseph: I am sure most people concentrate on the immaculate conception of Mary, birth of Jesus, the Holy Spirit or even Angel Gabriel, but I decided to focus on Joseph this time. Joseph basically thinks Mary has been unfaithful and he plans to break off their engagement until an angel appears to him in a dream. Joseph has faith that God has a plan for Mary’s son and wants Joseph to be a part of that plan. He could easily have left her to deal with the shame that would have come from becoming pregnant out of wedlock, but instead takes on the role of essentially becoming Jesus’ step-father. God asked a big favor and Joseph came through.
Ancestors of Jesus: