November 4, 2012
We, in our study of Matthew, have seen Jesus heal a leper
(direct ask), the servant of a Roman believer (mediator), and Peter’s mother
in-law (saw the need). This is how God works even now. We can go to Him ourselves, someone can go on our behalf, and God will see and meet our need. God’s mercy endures even today.
In v18, Jesus calls his disciples aside for a little
teaching. Jesus was touching the lives of a lot of individuals. The multitude
was still following him but he shifted the focus to feeding his disciples. He
decides to leave the multitude to go to the other side so that he could explain
to the disciples what is going on. Jesus lets us know that we have to know what
we have gone through and what we have experienced to fully understand its impact and what it means. Jesus needed to have a private conversation
with his disciples to explain everything they have seen and heard.
v19: As they went, a scribe asked if he could join them. He has
written the laws and seen the lives of the Pharisees and now, seeing the life of Jesus
he wants to follow Jesus because he has seen the good things Jesus has
done. We follow things that look good to us but Jesus wants us not to just see
Him but also understand who He is and why He came.
V20: We all want to be followed but instead of Jesus saying come
on He gives this scribe a lesson. He lets the scribe know that following Him
will not be easy. His decision will cost him. The Christian life can be
difficult. It is not always easy. It costs us to follow Jesus.
V21: A disciples then asks to bury his father. The disciple is
starting to consider what Jesus is saying and may be looking for an excuse to get
out of following Jesus. The price that Jesus laid out was too much for him.
Jesus responds by saying that those who are in darkness can take care of those
in darkness. But you have experienced the Light and you need to share that
Light.
The decisions we make cost not just us but those around us.
Who we choose as our elected officials, where we work, how we work, who we marry all have a compound effect on our lives and our world. Our decision to sin
cost Jesus His life. But we need to make the decision for Christ. We need to
make the choice to follow God. We need to trust in Him to provide for our
needs, to take care of us so that we can have peace in our heart knowing that
God will provide.
Your decision will always cost. When the rubber meets the
road and we are in dire need its Jesus.
Pastor Pete
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