MATTHEW

It is a beautiful Monday morning!  Yesterday I enjoyed church so much and it was such a blessing.  Today, I'm reading in Matthew.  I'm picking only a few thoughts from the first 20 chapters.   1) HEAVEN WERE OPENED-  Matt. 1:16,17- Here we see the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist.  He was baptizing in a remote area in the river Jordan.  Jordan flowed from the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea.  It was not a particularly clean river, but usually flowed muddy.  But I draw your attention to the fact that when Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, that when he came up out of the water the heavens were opened.  To get into the land of Canaan from the wilderness, you remember that the priest carried the ark of the covenant over the river Jordan, and God parted the river.  Now God's Son is in the same river being baptized and it is not the river that parted, but the heavens above the river were parted.  So we have a parting in the Old Testament below and a parting in the New Testament above! 2) Chapter Six- Concerning Prayer, Fasting, and Alms.... do it in secret and your Father which seeth in secret shall reward you openly!! 3) Preaching Grows!!  In Matt. 9:35, Jesus is preaching and teaching... In Matt. 10:7 Jesus sends the twelve out preaching and teaching... Later, Jesus sends out the seventy preaching and teaching.... and in chapter 28 in the great commission, we are all told to go out preaching and teaching till we reach the world!  4) Matt. 17- "Jesus Only".  That is what the three disciples saw a the Mount of transfiguration after Moses and Elijah were taken away.  Jesus only!  That is what we need to focus on today.... Jesus only.  Only as we focus on Jesus, will others come into clear focus with our spiritual eyes as well. Well, got a busy day ahead of me.  See you tomorrow!!  May God richly bless! Pastor Mike Mutchler