Matthew_22

Scripture

Matthew‬ ‭22:37-40‬ ‭

“Jesus replied, “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

 

Observation-What does it say?

 

The Pharisees are trying to trap Jesus with some questions. They are trying to catch Jesus slipping, so they can arrest him. One of the Pharisees, who was an expert in religious law, tried to trap Jesus with the question, “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”

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Understanding-What does it mean?

 

Jesus keeps it simple.

 

Jesus basically boils down the Ten Commandments into two simple ones. If one can obey them both, it makes following the other eight commandments simple.

 

By loving God with all your heart, soul, and mind, you are putting God first in your life. Which means we are putting His Will, above ours. Which ultimately leads to doing things in our life that pleases Him, rather than upsetting Him. Then by loving others as we love ourselves, we are putting others needs before our own (the way Jesus did). When we follow these two important commandments in life, it just makes following the other commandments come naturally. (Please read

Exodus 20: 2-17 to refresh your memory on these Commandments).

 

Life Application

 

Finding true joy in your life is simple.

 

Just like the way Jesus made following God’s Commandments simple, I learned a really simple way to experience true joy in my life. It’s basically the same principles Jesus taught in this passage. So you want to find true joy in life?! Follow this acronym: J-O-Y (Jesus-Others-Yourself). Easy to remember right?! Put Jesus first in your life, then others, and finally yourself. I believe by following these basic principles in life, you will experience God’s many blessings, and you will be able to find joy in whatever circumstance you are in!  

 

-Moses Gaddi

 

Matthew___21

SCRIPTURE

 

Matthew 21:31-32; 43-46

 

Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. 32 For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him......43 “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. 44 Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.”

45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them. 46 They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet.

 

OBSERVATION-What does it say?

 

Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees and chief priests in most of this chapter. Through His actions and parables, He exposed their love of money, their judgment of children, their lack of integrity, their lack of bearing fruit, their pride, their fear of what others think of them, and their poor treatment towards Himself.

 

UNDERSTANDING-What does it mean?

 

Jesus is concerned with the heart, not the outward appearance.

 

Pharisees were very good at following the law. The Apostle Paul even spoke on his integrity towards keeping the law fully when he was Saul. However, what was missing in their lives were their hearts for Jesus. They refused to lose their lives to Him due to pride, fear of man and love for the world. As a result, none of the fruits of the Spirit were evident in their lives. They refused to repent (seek forgiveness and turn from their sin) and believe/have faith in Jesus. Instead, they chose to look down on everyone. Jesus said that the tax collectors and prostitutes would be entering the Kingdom ahead of them.

 

“The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭29:13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

 

LIFE APPLICATION

 

Jesus is our Savior, but He must also be our Lord and FIRST place in our lives.

 

Pastor Gary made a bold statement in one of his sermons. He basically said that he didn’t believe everyone in our church would be entering the Kingdom of heaven. Was that an unjust and cruel statement to make? Not at all because I completely agree and it’s based on Jesus’ words! Jesus said that not everyone who comes to Him saying, “Lord, Lord...” or claiming to do works in “His name” will enter the Kingdom, because He never knew them (See Matthew 7:21). They never had a true relationship with Him from their heart; the type of relationship that changes someone from the inside out; the type of relationship that bears fruit.

 

What are you holding on to that you are refusing to lose completely for the sake of Christ? What is taking God out of the first place throne of your life? Money/greed, anger, comfort, lust, fear of people, reputation, pride?

 

Let us be individuals who repents, has bold faith and bears abundant fruit for the sake of the Kingdom. It starts with us individually first in order to be contagious towards the whole church.

 

-Michelle Gaddi

 

 

 

Psalm_98

Scripture

Psalm 98:1¹ Sing to the Lord a new song,    for he has done marvelous things;his right hand and his holy arm    have worked salvation for him.

Observation

The below is taken from the Enduring Word Bible Commentary:https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/psalm-98/Praising Yahweh with a new song.Oh, sing to the Lord a new song!For He has done marvelous things;His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory.

1. Sing to the Lord a new song: The idea of a new song is found in many places in Scripture (Psalms 33:3, 40:3, 96:1, 144:9 and 149:1; Isaiah 42:10; and Revelation 5:9 and 14:3). The concept of the new song means there should be something fresh and dynamic about worship and the songs we sing to God.
2. For He has done marvelous things: The new song has a reason – to extol the great works of God, His marvelous It isn’t empty praise or singing for the sake of singing. The worship is connected to life experience of His marvelous things.
3. His right hand and His holy arm: These are the instruments of God’s victory, the expressions of His skill and strength. As in Isaiah 52:10, the idea of His holy armis that God has rolled up His sleeve to do His mighty work. Together, His hand and arm have gained Him the victory.

Understanding

Elijah came home from Surge tonight singing a new song and with something “fresh and dynamic” in his energy.  It was a fight to get him out the door; but it was clear, when he had returned, that something had shifted.  He was talking about wanting to fast and the things that God had put on his heart.I share this because it’s an example of the palpable refreshing that happens when we’ve been with God – we sing a new song, our hearts our filled and refreshed, our attention is reset and turned towards something far bigger and greater than ourselves or the immediate circumstances.  And why?  Because “he has done marvelous things.”  We don’t have to think to far ago to find some way where God has shown up in amazing ways – whether big or small.  Because He IS marvelous!  That’s His nature.   

Life Application

Get filled up!  As for a “how to” on getting filled up, a repeat from last week…

• Fast, Pray, Remember, Catch it, Hear it, Act on it

God, I’m in awe of you and your marvelous ways!  Even while I’m sick and feeling so far from refreshed, I still see at work.  May I sing a new song.  May I be filled to overflowing and pour it out.  May I carry that palpable refreshing that only you provide everywhere I go.Amen.ReiTo check out the discussion or to join in click here.