Part Four

Matthew

Chapter 16

1-12   the pharisees and saducess were quite difficult... The apostles showed their lack of faith, again. Also are a bit thick.

13-20 some complicated stuff here.  Jesus wants to know who people say he is...he then asks the apostles who they think he is.  Peter declares Jesus is the son of God.  Jesus was very please because he had not revealed the to Peter, but God had. Jesus then declares "on this rock I will build my church"  This rock.... the Premise that he is the Son of God, is that the rock? And on this premise the church will be established. That hell can not destroy...  is the church, the kingdom?

21-28 Jesus scolds Peter for worrying about his death. Worldy things.  To follow Jesus, I must say NO to myself... I must say no. I must take my cross and follow Jesus... my cross?? I do not need to put my life before my soul...  " 27 The Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory. His angels will come with him. And he will reward everyone in keeping with what they have done."  So... Is this referring to the end, when the angels will cull the weeds from the field, and the members of the kingdom shall be rewarded?  28 "What I'm about to tell you is true. Some who are standing here will not die before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom."  Okay. So Jesus earlier tells his apostles, to pray for the kingdom to come. He now tells them, most of them will see the day when the kingdom comes. I know from earlier the kingdom is not there yet, he was preparing everyone for the kingdom. What does Jesus do to initiate the kingdom, that will allow the disciples, and me, to be a part of it???

Summary:
*Jesus drops some instructions one less of me and more of him. My soul befor my life..
*Jesus reveals more about the mysterious kingdom and the day it will be possible to be a part of it.

Chapter 17
1-13  John the Baptist was the coming of Elijah..the man of the desert. Idk. thats complex for me. 
 14-23   More on faith. Jesus is once again disappointed in the lack of faith. He makes a reference to if they had the faith the size of the mustard see...anything would be possible. Did they not have faith, or were they just stupid. They just dont seem smart... just dense (HP reference anyone?)

Chapter 18
1-9  Some great passages...(going to break character here, some of my favorite passages)  Sin must exist, that is the way it is. But to be a cause of that sin.... is a great evil. To make a follower of Jesus sin, is bad...  We as followers must break our pride, to that of a child. That will allow us to enter the kingdom.


10-14  ...Jesus earlier compared a follower to a child. I think he still is. He compares a lost follower to a stray sheep. the shepherd goes to much trouble to get the sheep back.  ...God is like this shepard though he may have many followers, he is concerned when one goes astray. He longs for this follower to come back, and rejoices when he does. 


15-20 Confront people who sin against me. I should try and settle it quitely..then if that does not work, I bring a few brothers with me... then i can take it to the church.  Jesus is where ever people meet in his name. 


21-35 ....I must forgive. Plain and simple.


Summary:
*Humility
*As a follower, I am very important to God, and he will be concerned about me if I wander away. He will rejoice when I come back to him.
*I must forgive. This also take humility.


Matthew 19


1-12 God joins a couple together in marriage. He intends for the marriage to not break. God takes marraige seriously.   This almost reads like.. get married, or become a eunuch... oh my. I think I will take marriage.  ha.  I like how this scared the crap out of the diciples, and they decided it better to not even get married. They would give up sex, just so to no put up with a woman the rest of their life. WOW.  ...women arnt that bad.   These verses have cracked me up.


13-15  Jesus compares the followers of his kingdom to children again.


16-17  Jesus refers to being in the kingdom to having eternal life.


18-30  Being rich makes it hard to go to heaven. The more you have to lose on earth, will make it hard for you to give up if needed, if it gets in the way you doing what you need to do...to be part of the kingdom. Fight Club anyone? The more you give up for the kingdom...the more you have to gain in the kingdom.

 Summary:
*Relationship rules. Being a man, If I do not think I can put up with one woman the rest of my life or that I can not stay faithful.... I may need to go see a surgeon. Or a skilled rancher... 
*Humility
*I need to be wary of a lot of worldly things tying me up.


Chapter 20


1-16  ....I am having a hard time with these verses. I guess its my personality. But it is HARD for me, to this in. Because, if I had been a working for a day, Id be ticked off when someone who work a couple hourse made as much as me. I guess this is my pride. I suggest you to read these passages and dwell on them. This is some tough stuff. I should not worry about what others do, buy my own soul, and my 'reward'  Who am I to judge what Jesus does. 


28 Jesus came to serve and offer himself for me. Okay... this is fitting together. IS this what Jesus does, to initiate the kingdom?


Overall Summary for the Night:
*To be in the kingdom. I must make myself like a child. HUMILITY
* The kingdom, as of the reading tonight, Jesus is still preparing for. I believe it will be closely associated with his death. His own personal cup of suffering he will go throgh, to set me free. 
*Once again...Faith. 
*Take marriage seriously. It is not meant to be broken. 
*For good measure, more humility.