Matthew 13

As with the parables of the seeds, it is interesting to see how things around us can have such a big influence on our lives. If we surround ourselves with things that are bad and allow those things to enter into our lives, we can be swallowed up by them. While we wtill have a chance to look and appear righteous, we ultimately will still have things that are taking away from our abilities to be fully devoted to God.

Matthew 11 & 12

I have to piggyback off of what you said Eric about chapter 11. This reading of the NT has allowed me to read things much more deeply then I ever had before. I remember Jesus praising John the Baptist (JTB), but not in the detail and the honor that the Son of God did in Matthew 11. Just reading it made me feel so proud of what JTB did and endured to pave the way for Jesus.

I have always wondered about the cities where Jesus performed miracles and their responses to those acts. I was frightened by Jesus’ words about cities that witnessed great things, but did nothing to repent from their ways. The fact that Sodom will be judged easier then these cities is quite a scary thought. As I think about it, would we of heard and believed instantly? I don’t know.

Chapter 12 is full of deceit and anger to me. From the Pharisees trying to trick Jesus from Jesus’ response to it.

I wonder what it would have been like to be Jesus’ sibling? To know that your brother is experiencing these things and performing miracles would motivate me to do more and follow. But Jesus doesn’t just put the family or sibling tag on the people that are related by blood, anyone who “does the will of God” is part of a family of believers in Christ. That is the motivation to love everyone in the body of Christ as part of a family.

Matthew 12

Does anyone else want to just beat-up the Pharasees? All they care about is following the laws so closely and nothing else. I don't think that I would be motivated to follow someone like that. I compare them to the people you hear about in neighborhood associations that go around and check to see if your house meets the neighborhood bylaws. They go around checking to make sure that your mail box is at the appropriate height, they see that your lawn is cut and your bushes are trimmed. They make sure that your house looks good and if not you end up getting a letter saying that your house is not up to code. I think of these people as ones that need a life. I say that is right in line with how the Pharasees were. They were just waiting for Jesus to make a mistake so that they would have a reason to arrest Him and to eventually try to kill Him.

Imagine if the Pharasees really did listen to Jesus' teachings. The Jewish religion would look much different. As would so many other things in this world (WWII). It would be interesting to see our world today if they had paid more attention to Jesus and accepted what he was saying.

Matthew 11

Can you imagine being John the Baptist? You serve your live being a follower of God and are so excited about the arival of the Savior and you find out from Him that you were a chosen one that was sent out before Him. What a moral booster. Unfortunately, he was in jail when he found this out, but it definitely must have lifted his spirits!

Matthew 10

Following up on Chapter 9, we looked there at the need to address the lost and the unsaved. We are now in chapter 10 looking at going out and sharing Jesus' message. Boy would that have been tough for the disciples to do. Jesus also didn't make it into something that looked like it was going to be a cakewalk either. The phrase, "22All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved," is one that is encouraging, but tough to hear. "All men will hate you" is not a term that anyone wants to hear. The reassurance though that God is the one that is in control of all that happens is what makes that phrase be much more bearable. It is nice to konw that when you have God on your side, no one can defeat you.
All this said, it is much easier to say than to actually carry out these actions. It takes being deliberate in your actions and conviction of what you are doing. These are both things that I know I need plenty of work on.

Matthew 9

Has anyone in this group ever fasted? I have never really done it and was wondering the thoughts of everyone else in the group. I remember guys in college doing it and spending the time they would be eating in prayer, but I didn't really ask them about their experience afterward.

Matthew 8

Wouldn't it be cool to have faith as strong as the centurian had. To just ask and know that God will take care of it and to be free of worry. So often we need to get confirmatino to amke sure something actually happened before we believe. It would be awesome to be that sure that something would happen.