The Notes are Good

24 BSF Matthew Week 24, Day 3

My Daily Journal

The tipping point. Like when water is cooling and it reaches 32F/0C. Everything changes. Like when the maximum weight a bridge can carry is exceeded. Everything changes. So it will be.

As christians living in a fallen world, we see a study decline around us. Today the gospel, the good news, is still being preached. Today missionaries are reaching out to people across the world and here at home who have never had the opportunity to truly hear and understand the promise of salvation in Jesus Christ. But while that is going on, we also see an increasing moral decline. We see blatant sin becoming not only the norm but something people celebrate and endorse. We see a slow slide.

But Jesus explains it will only be a slow slide to a point, and then it will tip. There will be a tipping point, an abomination that causes desolation. A time when the last vestige of hope for a better existence on this world is extinguished.

The bible is filled with “do not fears.” Over an over again in both new and old testaments believers are told “do not be afraid.” But when that event occurs that tips the boat, Jesus tells all those still in Judea to get out, don’t look back, don’t return. As in the days of Lot, but this time instead of a redeeming storm on a sinful city, the storm is one of increased sin and dread.

New and expectant mothers always hope for a better life for their children, but in those days, that hope is gone.

But even within this time of dread, God has not given up or relinquished control. And as bad as things will get, the time will be cut short by the triumphant return of the promised one. There will be no mistaking the real deal, no need to seek Him out in a room or in the wilderness. When Christ comes again every one know.

My Answers:

6.
a.
‘the abomination that causes desolation,’spoken of through the prophet Daniel

b.
flee to the mountains, do not return

c.
Daniel, Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11

7.
a.
How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers!

b.
Because they will be cut short for the sake of the elect

24 BSF Matthew Week 24, Day 2

Today’s Scriptures

My Daily Journal:

From the old testament scriptures and prophecies, the faithful were expecting a Messiah who would rule as King. As Jesus approaches His final days it has become important for clarification.

There are only 3 possibilities.

1. The scriptures and prophecies were wrong

2. The followers understanding and interpretation of the scriptures and prophecies was wrong

3. Jesus was not the Messiah

Jesus clarified that the prophecies are true and all will be fulfilled, through Him. However, instead of this happening in a single event, as followers thought they understood, He explained to them about His second coming. This was in no way a contradiction or a change to anything in the scriptures, it was, instead, an illumination on a perspective that they had not previously understood.

They had put their faith and trust in the physical church; the building (temple), the infrastructure of the pharisees and teachers of the law, the courts and offerings. So Jesus started with that. It would all be destroyed, but His word would live forever.

My Answers:

3.
a.
2. not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.

b.
when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?

c.
End of the age = That Christ’s reign as King and Lord would not be a continuation, but a new beginning

d.
70 AD

4.
a.
1. Persecution of the believers, trials and betrayal (12-19); 2. Desolation of the temple, flee (20-21); 3. Time of punishment(22-24) 4. Signs in the Heavens and the return of the Son of Man (25-28)

b.
Until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled

5.
a.
(from Luke) seize, persecute, handed over to synagogues and prison, trials, betrayal, everyone will hate you, dread, distress, tramples, faint with terror, apprehension, (from Matt): False christs, wars, rumors of war, nation rise against nation, famines, earthquakes, persecution, death, hatred, false prophets, deceit, wickedness, love of most will grow cold.

b.
this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations

c.
Missionaries have reached almost every unreached group – Local/International Missions

23 BSF Matthew Week 23, Day 5

Today’s Scriptures

My Daily Journal:

I think it is important to understand that the woes in Matthew 23 are not curses, they are warnings, very serious warnings with very serious consequences, but not a sentence to be served. (see Isaiah 6:4-7, Woe reversed power of God)

None of this was new. For example, at the center of the woes, in verse 23, the warning addresses tithing on spices but not giving justice, mercy and faithfulness. Turn back to Micah 6:8, “What does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

Jesus began this warning with the parable of the tenants and the wedding banquet. Flip back to Matt 21:45, “When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them.” Matt 21:43, “the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.”

The wedding feast is starting. Christ is being married to His church, the body of believers and the religious leaders will not see Him again until He returns as the righteous husband returning to redeem His bride. On that day every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. (Philippians 2:8-11)

My Answers:

11.
13. shut the door to the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces – open
14. devour widow’s houses and make lengthy prayers for show – care for widow’s pray quietly
15 travel over land and sea to win convert, then make them 2x more child of hell – be missionaries, but feed and nourish them in the scriptures
16 value gold over temple, altar, God – value God above all else, Don’t swear
23 tithe spices, but don’t give justice, mercy and faithfulness, strain out a gnat, swallow camel – Put Jesus First, love with all heart, soul, mind, strength
25 clean outside of cup but inside full of greed and self-indulgence – repent and ask for a clean heart and for God to renew a right spirit within
27 place selves above ancestors – not killed prophets – go ahead, finish what your ancestors started – Accept the prophets and the one they prophesied

12.
a.
Jewish leaders = vipers, Sending = disciples, apostles

b.
They rejected the prophets, the scriptures and Jesus – His blood will be on their heads

c.
We are given free choice. If we choose to reject Jesus, He honors that decision, even though it means separation from Him until judgment day and then for eternity

d.
There will come a day when every knee shall bow and every tongue confess. God has kept the door open until the final measure of believers has come to Christ

23 BSF Matthew Week 23, Day 4

Today’s Scriptures

My Daily Journal:

This discussion reminds me so much of my golf game.

The religious leaders were trying to pull Jesus off into the weeds to trip Him up. Everything they asked Him about was on the far fringes of the course of life. That is where they played, going from patch of weeds to patch of weeds.

Jesus wasn’t afraid of the weeds, but His response was always the same. The solution is not to go from weed-patch to weed-patch, but to get the game back on the fairway. Return to the scriptures. Return to the power of God. Return to right thinking and right living.

No where is that more evident than in Matthew 22:42. The leaders are gathered. They had plotted and planned and asked questions, all attempting to get Jesus into their weeds. And now, Jesus asks them a question. But Jesus question isn’t in the weeds. It isn’t on the fringe. It is at the very heart of the green. What do you think about the Messiah?

That is the core question, isn’t it? That is the question all of religion hinges on. We know we need a savior. What do you think about the Messiah? In the game of life, that is the hole-in-one shot, that is where we should play.

My Answers:

8.
a.
What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?

b.
Shows that while He was a descendent of David, he was Lord, the son of the Living God

c.
To address Him as my Lord and Master, not only in word but in action

9.
a.
what the teachers and Pharisees who sit in Moses’ seat say to do

b.
Do not do what they do

c.
done for people to see

d.
To be humble and ensure the honor and glory are God’s alone

10.
To be humble, to not take on titles belonging to God (Rabbi, father, instructor)

23 BSF Matthew Week 23, Day 3

Today’s Scriptures

My Daily Journal:

I was really struck by how I, like the lawyer who asked the question of Jesus about which is the most important commandment, sell myself short.

We prioritize. We are taught to identify which are the big rocks, the most important tasks, and put them first. Eat that frog, don’t sweat the small stuff. I’ve read the books and I understand how that approach can help navigate the pressures of life on this earth.

If I do my lesson each day and spend some quiet time in prayer, I think I’m doing pretty good. But I’m not “holy”. That approach would not qualify me to be a “treasured possession” of God. God wants “All”.

All my heart, all my soul, all my mind, all my strength. Not just 20 minutes of my heart and mind, but all. Yes, we trip and fall and veer off path – we sin.

The lawyer asking the question of Jesus was on this path. I can’t keep all the commandments all the time, so which one or ones are the most important and I’ll prioritize those first. What is the minimum passing grade, Jesus? What is the least I have to do?

But God says, you will sin, but then repent and give it all back to me. If you fall down, that does not mean you have reached the final destination, you just tripped. Get up and keep going.

What would a day look like if every calorie I burned reflected God’s strength. What if every thought was directed to His glory? What if my heart and soul fully reflected His love for 1440 minutes in a row? That would be holiness. I am not capable of that but God is capable of that. Ask and He can move mountains. Why do we settle for “doing pretty good” when we are created to be so much more?

My Answers:

6.
a.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul mind (and strength)

b.
Look out for yourself first, charity begins at home,

c.
We protect our own life – we feed and clothe ourselves and see to our needs of comfort and security. These same basic instincts, through love, should extend to others.

d.
Why would someone do this without a belief in God, how would anyone understand true love?

7.
a.
Heart: Having no love that you put before God, that you would not give up for Him
Soul: Pledging not just this life but eternity to Him, we are souls with a body, not bodies with a soul.
Mind: To think first of God, even above self, to trust in Him above reason
Strength: Physical ability – not just philosophical or spiritual, but real

b.
Start my day with God. End my day with God. Take better care of my heart, soul, mind, strength. They belong to God, I am just the steward, the renter.

c.
made holy by God, chosen, treasured possession, based on love and commitment of God

23 BSF Matthew Week 23, Day 2

Today’s Scriptures

My Daily Journal:

There is a very simple axiom. Right thinking leads to right living, while wrong thinking leads to wrong living. Athletes recognize this. Nutritionists, psychologists, sociologists, scientists, business executives, all recognize this.

The question is “where does right thinking come from?”

If I wanted to learn to be a brain surgeon, I would not turn to my co-leader (an engineer) to teach me, and if I did, you would not want to be my patient. He is a wonderful and knowledgeable man, who is great with his hands and very careful and methodical. In other words, he has the characteristics of a brain surgeon, but he doesn’t have the specific knowledge and experience.

Jesus pointed out the same thing in the Sadduccees. They learned from each other, like someone reading every self-help book ever written. It wasn’t that all of their education was wrong, but they did not know the scriptures or the power of God. They were so focused on the messiness of human life, that they plugged in to their own interpretations which were built on taking that messiness down a “logical path”. Their roots were in legalism built to try to organize messiness, but at heart, it was just that, organized messiness. In that process, they had unplugged from the scriptures and the power of God and veered off into the weeds.

There is only one source for Right Thinking and Right Living and that is to open the text of the creator and turn to the experience of the only man to have ever lived a perfect life, Jesus.

My Answers:

3.
a.
The people lived under the protection and economy of Rome, but wanted to be exempt from taxes

b.
taxation, equality, sovereignty of other nations

c.
earthly authority, submission, taxes, governance to Caesar, To God: heart, soul, mind, strength

4.
a.
They did not know the Scriptures or the power of God

b.
People do what is right in their own eyes, trusting their wisdom/judgment and that of others

5.
a.
God is the God of the living – Abraham, Isaac and Jacob lived

b.
The dead will rise and live like the angels in heaven

22 BSF Matthew Week 22, Day 5

Today’s Scriptures

My Daily Journal:

Luke 19:47 says “Every day he (Jesus) was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him.”

So, despite the fact that His life was threatened and the head people were not only plotting and discussing but were trying to kill him, here He is. Jesus didn’t shy away. Jesus didn’t hide. Jesus didn’t adjust His schedule to not be as predictable. He went to the temple and taught “Every Day.”

I struggle to do my bible study every day. I used to struggle to pray every day. But even though I have improved in that area, there are numerous days that the only time the words Jesus and God cross my lips is in my private prayer time. Days can go by without another living person hearing those names in my vocabulary.

Our lesson today references us into Revelation. The book of Revelation opens with a blessing and a warning to Hear and Heed. But we don’t. Even those of us who hear, fail to heed the call to spread the good news of the gospel daily. We, like the invitees to the banquet, busy ourselves with daily life, work, and other matters. None of which are as important or lasting.

What if we each made a point to mention Jesus to someone at least one time daily? What if we not only prayed and did our study daily, but taught daily, both by our words and our actions? In other words, what if we not only were fed, but fed others daily = we consisted not only of leaves but also of fruit every day!

I believe if that became more of a core of our daily life, the other distractions would fade away. I believe we would move from being just invitees to being the members of the household, the servants who diligently prepared the feast and setn out the invitees. Who did more to honor the master?!

My Answers:

11.
a.
The invitation to be saved through the sacrificial blood of Jesus Christ, to put all trust in faith in him

b.
Apostles martyred, prophets were martyred, believers were persecuted

c.
Any of the times the Jews were exiled, particularly the destruction of the temple in 70AD

d.
The common people, gentiles, jewish sinners, greeks, romans, the ends of the earth

e.
garments of salvation, robe of righteousness (from God through faith in Christ)

f.
Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth

12.
a.
Busy in the everyday business of life, focus on the physical on self

b.
Do not be too busy to hear and heed God’s invitation – it doesn’t turn out well!

c.
Yes, I wear the robes of salvation of my Lord. I am not worthy by anything of my own, but in Jesus

d.
God would welcome all, but we are given choice and few choose to trust only Him

22 BSF Matthew Week 22, Day 4

Today’s Scriptures

My Daily Journal:

I think it is interesting that the bible says that Jesus is the cornerstone and capstone. It doesn’t say that He “can be” the cornerstone and capstone, it says He is. The foundation has been laid. The cornerstone is in place. The capstone will be put in place.

All of that is fact.

But that doesn’t mean we have to build on lives on that foundation. That is the choice. We can build anything we want. A shack, a tent, an ice-palace. But unless we build on the foundation of faith, the foundation of the apostles with Christ as the cornerstone, our building will not last. It may season a few storms of this life, but it won’t survive past.

The cornerstone doesn’t go away. Imagine if there was a large perfectly square and level stone right outside your front door, right in the center of your driveway. If your house isn’t built with Christ as the cornerstone, that doesn’t mean He goes away. He is in the way of you living the way you want. You can never ignore Him. He is Immutable. Unmovable. A fact.

But step back – recognizing that stone is in each of our lives. If you had such a stone on your property, you would not be so stubborn. You would build on it. You would not be so blind or in denial that you think you could just ignore it, it is a rock, the Rock.

We are called to build. We are given the gift of a foundation and cornerstone. It is only logical to build on that firm foundation.

My Answers:

9.
a. God, heavenly Father
b. The nation of Israel and the people of Judah
c. Jews, teachers of the law
d. Prophets
e. Jesus
f. The Romans destroyed the temple of Jerusalem in 70 AD
g. His share of crop at harvest time

10.
a.
Psalm 118:22, 23

b.
1 Peter: precious to believers, stumble by disobey the message
Romans: pursued not by faith but by works = stumble
1 Cor: Christ crucified=stumbling block to Jews, foolishness to non-believers

c.
They build their life and faith on something other than the foundation of Jesus and the apostles

d.
builders, who build in faith on the roots of Jesus to produce fruit and offer the first fruits back to God

22 BSF Matthew Week 22, Day 3

Today’s Scriptures

My Daily Journal:

People often misunderstand the term “Fear of God.” I don’t think this means a fear of punishment, viewing God as someone to cower from or to avoid so as not to anger him. Instead, I think it means fear of disappointing.

I grew up in my father’s home town. When I went someone, anywhere, the odds were very high that someone there knew my dad and knew I was his son. My actions, and my mis-deeds, reflected not only on me but on him. I did not fear so much his anger or punishment, but that I would dishonor or disappoint him by my callous behavior.

I think having that same type of fear of God is important and that it reflect love and honor and respect for our Heavenly Father. But that is not whom the spiritual leaders in the temple feared. When Jesus challenged them about John the Baptist, there was nothing in their thought process about God or truth. It was all about fear of men.

Whom you fear reflects whom you honor and respect.

My Answers:

5.
a.
show us your qualifications, license, certification, authority – Union card, who died and made you the messiah?

b.
Every day Jesus taught in the temple – teachers of the law and the leaders were trying to kill him

6.
a.
They decided to not believe John the Baptist, the prophets, the prophecies of scriptures

b.
seeing don’t see, hearing don’t hear, hear don’t understand, see, not perceive, calloused heart, blind

7.
a.
Gentiles, tax collectors, prostitutes – others that were considered blatant sinners

b.
The jews, particularly the teachers of the law and pharisees

8.
a.
Said no, but did: Same, drugs, prostitution, open sin. Said yes, but no: Church going hypocrites

b.
I was the later, but now am the says yes and does

22 BSF Matthew Week 22, Day 2

Today’s Scriptures

My Daily Journal:

On any fruit tree the leaves are what feed the plant and the fruit is what feeds others and prepares the next generation. But how many people do we know at church who are all leaves? I know during a period of my life my main focus in deciding what church to go to was what am I getting out of it.

Jesus did not have any frustration with the fig tree because it had leaves. A healthy plant needs to be fed. But His frustration was that it only had leaves. When we approach spiritual life with a complete focus on what is in it for me, we model the same hypocrisy.

My Answers:

3.
a.
may you never bear fruit again

b.
Immediately the tree withered

c.
They had nourishment to grow, but no fruit – They pretended to be what they were not

4.
a.
with faith, command and move mountains, don’t receive reward in the act – trust in God. Bear fruit!

b.
Forgive others (cleanse yourself) so that God may forgive you