Matthew – Page 24 – Be Still…

Matthew 5:1-12 – What is a Beatitude?

Have you heard that word, Beatitude, before? Do you know what it means? The Google dictionary says “supreme blessedness.” For the purpose of our text, it represents the blessings spoken by Jesus. It’s such a beautiful passage. In our last reading, we hear how people are following Jesus, gathering crowds where ever he goes. Today’s text looks, in particular, at one of those days.

Picture this. The crowd was gathering, and Jesus was ready to teach. He went up the mountainside and sat down with his disciples gathered around. Everyone was ready to hear what Jesus had to say. Today was special. Jesus is about to preach a sermon that will rock their world. He starts with the blessings.

Matthew 4:23-25 – Do You Like Crowds?

Read Matthew 4:23-25

I am not much of a crowd person. I suppose it goes back to a time when I was in a parking ramp after a huge concert got out. It was bumper to bumper the whole way down…and I’m not a huge fan of parking ramps in the first place. But I do like the energy a crowd can bring when gathered for a common goal. Like in worship. When the music is so loud you can hardly hear yourself singing…but you know everyone around you is singing their heart out. I like that. When your football team scores a touchdown, and you’re in the stands shouting and jumping up and down with everyone else. I like that, too.

What are your feelings or thoughts about crowds? What do you picture when you see crowds around Jesus?

Matthew 4:18-22 – Follow Me

Read Matthew 4:18-22

Jesus said, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” What if he said that to you? Have you ever fished for people? You may recall another translation, becoming “fishers of men.” Still, the notion of fishing for people seems out of the ordinary. What was happening here is Jesus was offering these fishermen an invitation to follow him.

What was their response? “Not today, I’m too busy.” “I can’t follow you right now, I can’t leave my father.” No! They dropped everything and followed Jesus. That may seem a little crazy to us. For me, I would want to tie up some loose ends or at least know where I was going. But these men did not hesitate.

Matthew 4:12-17 – Darkness and Light

Read Matthew 4:12-17

Jesus has been baptized and taken into the wilderness to be tempted. He is now ready to begin his mission, the reason he came to earth. Again, we see Scripture fulfilled from a geographical standpoint. It seems Jesus goes in response to the news of John’s arrest.

God’s word has placed Jesus in a territory populated by Gentiles as well as Jews. The Gentiles were living in darkness but probably didn’t realize it. They hadn’t been brought up with the same beliefs, law, or expectations as the Jews had. They would not be looking for a savior. If anything, they were enamored with false gods with empty promises. Many in our society today are also lost in the darkness.

Matthew 4:1-11 – Temptation

Read Matthew 4:1-11

Temptation is all around us. What tempts me may not tempt you. For an alcoholic, a drink is a temptation to sin. But for a non-drinker, a drink is just a drink. For a gossiper, a bit of juicy news is a temptation to gossip and share it with everyone, but for another, it would just be news. What can we take from today’s passage to help us with our own temptations?

First of all, note how the reading says that Jesus was led by the Spirit to be tempted. I’ve read those words before, but today it really struck a chord. God allowed the temptation. His Spirit even led Jesus right into the thick of it. There was a lesson to be had, a teachable moment. Isn’t there some comfort knowing that even Jesus was tempted. God even allowed his own Son to be enticed by the evil one.