MATTHEW

Yesterday was Saturday, and I didn't get my blog out.  I hope that I can share some things today from Matthew.  Today is Sunday!  I'm excited to see what the LORD has in store for us.  May God's blessings be yours and ours today.  Here are some items to share with you today:

1) MANY- I noticed this word over and over as I read in Matthew today, so I looked it up on E-sword and found out that the word is mentioned 37 times in Matthew, but the times it is mentioned in the context of Christ's teaching is what interests me.  I noticed that Jesus tells us in teaching about certain people, and He calls them "many".  Notice these:  Matthew 7:13  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:; Matthew 7:22  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?;  Matthew 8:11  And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.; Matthew 13:17  For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.;  Matthew 19:30  But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.;  Matthew 20:16  So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.; Matthew 20:28  Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.;  Matthew 22:14  For many are called, but few are chosen.;  Matthew 24:5  For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.;  Matthew 24:10  And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.;  Matthew 24:11  And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.;  Matthew 24:12  And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.;  Matthew 26:28  For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.  NOW, many is used many different times and in different ways, but these were used in the teaching of Christ that referred to a group of people.  When you read God's Word, look for words or phrases that jump out at you.  These will bring you some insights into God's Word that you did not have before.  There are many of them!!

2) THE GREAT COMMANDMENT- Matthew 22:37 "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thy heart, and with all of thy soul, and with all of thy mind."  The great commandment is to love God with all that we are.  Christianity is a matter of the heart!  Do we love Christ?  If we love Christ, then everything else in the Christian Life falls into place.  Our time in God's Word, our prayer time, our witnessing, our serving, our church involvement, our giving, our living, etc.  It all comes together when we get our hearts right!  It is truly a Matter of the Heart. 

3) THE GREAT COMMISSION- Matthew 28:19-20  "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:  20  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen."  This is the Great Commission!  This is Christ's charge to His followers.  Share the Gospel!  Win the lost to Him.  Win-Baptize-Teach!  That simple, and yet that hard.  Not an easy task because the field is the world!  But the task has not changed these almost 2,000 years.  Keep it simple.  Stick with the Great Commandment, and the Great Commission, and you have the Christian Life in a Nutshell! 

Hope you have a wonderful Sunday!  Pastor Mike Mutchler