Matthew 14:1-12

Matthew 14:1-12

When Herod was hearing about Jesus he thought maybe He was John the Baptist back from the dead.  John whom had been beheaded at the request of herodias' daughter

Herod: son of the king who put babies to death when Jesus was born.  Having a relationship with His brother's wife.  See's her daughter dance before them and promises whatever she wants.  

She asks for john's head and although Herod liked John he stuck to his oath and killed him.  

Application:  be careful with the words of my mouth and the promises I make and oath that I say.  Set a guard over my mouth keep watch over my lips Oh Lord.  Sometimes I need a filter especially with what I am saying to my children.  Words can have grave consequences.  They can curse or give life, they have the power to destroy or heal.  Lord please help my words be what You would want me to say.  I love You.  

Matthew 13:53-58

Matthew 13:53-58

Jesus comes down to His own territory to teach in their synagogues.  

People there knew him as the son of a carpenter and the son of Mary and the brother of James Joses Simon and Judas and his sisters.  

They questioned where He got these things and were offended at Him.  

Jesus states a prophet has no honor in his own country.  

Because of their unbelief He did not do many mighty works.

Application:  beware of becoming cold or unfamiliar with Jesus or too comfortable that you would start to have doubts of His work.  

I have been struggling with this lately.  It is hard to pray for things for a long period of time, and not see answers.  But two things I have to remind myself.   

God does not run on my time.  And I cannot change people.  

I think lately I have been having a lack of desire to want to pray.  And that is not a good place to be.  I don't want to miss out on His mighty works or even just taking a moment to lift up His mighty works to be done, because of being apathetic.   

Lord I need some major healing in my life.  You know the areas I am weak in right now, and how drained and empty I am.  I ask that in these coming weeks Your cup may begin to refill into my soul that I may start to find Your life again, and be able to pour back into the lives of those I love most. 

Please take my dry bones and breath Your life in me.  

Matthew 13:47-52

Matthew 13:47-52

Kingdom of heaven is like... A dragnet cast into the sea.  It picked up some of everything.  When it was filled they took it to shore and gathered the good into the vessel.  They threw the bad away.  

The Angels are going to come and separate out the wicked from among the just.  

Wicked will be cast into the furnace of fire.  There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.  

Jesus asks His disciples if they understand.  

He tells them every teacher that is taught about the kingdom of heaven is like a householder bringing out treasures old and new things.   

Application: 

Seek to understand the truth He teaches.  Be available to share it with others.  Understanding both the old and New Testament are very important pieces of understanding my Savior whom I believe in.   Recognize the treasures in the old and the new.  

My past is preparing me and creating me for the new things God is doing in my life.  There are treasures to be found in the old and the new in my life. 

Matthew 13:44-45

Matthew 13:44 & 45

Kingdom of heaven is like...

Treasure hidden in a field which a man found and hid - the man sells all has and buys that field

A merchant seeking beautiful pearls.  When he finds one of great price sells all that he has to buy it 

Two different interpretations:  

1. That we are the ones searching and when we found Jesus we sold all we have for Him

2. That Jesus is the one searching for us that He gives up all He has for us when He finds us, that we are valuable to Him and He buys us with a price.  

If it was to follow the second interpretation it reminds me similarly of the story of the shepherd looking for His lost lamb.  

Application: 

I think it can go both ways for me.  Each of us are so valuable.  Jesus bought us with a price.  We are considered to be great treasure and like costly pears to Him.  On the flip side, the closer we walk with Jesus the more we want to imitate and follow Him.  We know how selfless He was and We want to be like that too.  

But, I cannot do this on my own, in my own strength.  Only by the power of His Spirit in me can I accomplish this.  

Lord please help me be able to know how to find the time to be refreshed in You that I can do what You have called me to do,  with Your love.  

Please.  

Matthew 13:36-43

Matthew 13:36-43

Jesus reveals the parable of the tares of the field to His disciples after He sent the multitude away.  

The man who sows the good seed in the field: Son of Man - Jesus

The field: the world

Good seeds: sons of the kingdom

Tares: sons of the wicked one

The enemy who sowed them: the devil

The harvest: end Of this age

The reapers: the Angels

At the end the angels are going to sort between the tares and the good seed

The tares:  gathered and burned up in the fire, those that offend and practice lawlessness, cast in the furnace of fire:  wailing and gnashing of teeth

The good seed: righteous shining forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father

Conclusion:  those who have ears listen!

Application:  

Celebrate being in His kingdom...  

Also I don't need to concentrate on who are the tares vs who is the wheat.  That's not my judgement call to make.  Christ knows the heart and He will send His angels out at the end to separate them out.  My job is to love those around me and point them to His truth.  And pray for those that need Him.  He has given me so much opportunity to love.  Thank You for that.  And thank You for Your truth and Your Spirit.  

Matthew 13:34-35

Mathews 13:34-35

Jesus only spoke to the multitudes with parables

This was fulfilling a prophecy in Psalm 78:3 I will open my mouth in parables and utter dark sayings of old

Jesus is uttering things kept secret from the foundation of the world

I want to focus personal application on a few more verses in psalm 78.  I will list them below for personal application to me:

Give ear to Jesus' Word, to His law.  

Incline my ear to the words of His mouth.

Do not hide these things from my children.  

Tell my children, part of the generation to come of His praises and His strength and wonderful work that He has done.  

I need to praise what He has done.  And tell my children of that.  Maybe even speak in parables of those things to them.  Like the Ava princess story.  

Your daughter always

Kari

Matthew 13:33

Matthew 13:33

Kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid meal until it was all leavened

Leaven typically represents sin in the bible.  I am guessing this refers to how fast sin can expand in the kingdom?  Some people may interpret it to refer to how quick God's kingdom can expand... 

I'm not sure.  

But personal application:  

Be ware of how quick sin can expand in His kingdom.  Be watchful of things that are not of truth and be diligent to guard my home from leaven.  

I have seen this happen in our family.  And it's hard to get leaven out once it has been in our home.  I have been spending the last few months sorting out truth vs what was falsehoods that I had blindly taken as truth to keep the peace.  I so wish I had been more clear on things in the beginning but now God is taking me through a time to sort out all the leaven and replace it with truth. It takes time but is well worth it.