Matthew 8

Matthew 8:10

Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, "Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel.

The centurion knew the power Jesus wielded.  He knew that touch was not necessary, or even proximity.  He didn't try to reason it out, or explain away why it couldn't be possible; he just believed Jesus had the power to heal at a distance, and was right.

When we get to heaven, we'll certainly be surprised by some of the people we find there, and who we won't.  Jesus can be accepted by any, and does not discriminate from among men like we do.  If one truly believes, we will meet them one day.  If only my faith were as great as this centurion's.

Matthew 7

Matthew 7:14

For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

As much as some hate to hear it, not all ways lead to God.  In fact, most don't; most people will go merrily on their way to destruction, confident that they're headed somewhere else.  Too many today, even in the church, have a false sense of their destination, thinking they're just on different roads to the same place.

I like the term used for those on the narrow path.  It says that few find it; not take it, not brought to it, not happen upon it.  Salvation has to be found, through effort and discernment.  Just because one says they're on the narrow path, doesn't mean they actually are, or that they know how narrow it is.

Matthew 6

Matthew 6:7

"And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words.

I often feel like I've taken this verse too much to heart, because I tend to make my prayers extremely short to avoid repeating myself.  I sometimes think my small prayer life is in part because I've taken this verse to the extreme.  Rather than risk getting into repetition, I tend not to pray at all.

However, there's one thing I don't remember noticing before.  In the previous instructions, Jesus said not to do things like the hypocrites; here he says not to be like the Gentiles.  I guess the Gentiles were seen like the false prophets on Mt. Carmel, where they kept crying out to Baal to hopefully get his attention eventually.  We don't need to do that, because we know (intellectually, if not emotionally) that God is always listening, even when we don't see a response.

Matthew 5

Matthew 5:48

Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

This verse sums up the entire chapter quite well.  God has exacting standards, which He calls us to meet.  Since we can't do that, a sacrifice as substitution is necessary.

However, I'll admit this verse always leaves me a bit discouraged.  Even with the Spirit guiding us, we aren't perfect.  Our human nature always gets in the way.  So despite everything, we're still commanded to strive for an impossible standard.  The blood of Christ may cover our sins, but it can't completely change us in this life.

Matthew 4

Matthew 4:17

From that time Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

I don't recall remembering this verse before.  It's interesting now, because it says Jesus started preaching the same message that John had been.  There was no shifting of the message, even though the one John had been heralding was now the one preaching it.

Today, you still hear this message a lot.  Is the content changed any because the one bringing the kingdom has already come and gone?  I guess that depends on how you define the kingdom, but I think it's still the same; the end is coming, and you must repent to prepare.

Matthew 3

Matthew 3:7

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

Usually I read this verse, and jump to John's admonition.  However, this time, my thoughts stuck on the first part of the verse.  The leaders were coming to be baptized!

If they were coming to be baptized, that would seem to indicate that they understood that they needed more to be free of their sins.  They didn't think their current works were enough, and were willing to make the trip from Jerusalem to do more.  But given John's admonition, did they understand what they were getting into?  Or were they just trying to buy a bit of extra fire insurance, just in case they didn't have sufficient coverage?

Matthew 2

Matthew 2:12

And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way.

It always interests me when God speaks to non-believers.  These magi were pantheists and astrologers, at least.  They had some knowledge of Jewish prophecy, but it was doubtless intermixed with other religions and gods.

Despite that, they seemed to have some knowledge of God as being special.  They came all this way, based on a star no one had left prophecies behind about.  Either there was something that hasn't survived until now, or they simply understood the star was of importance, and because it led to Israel it must be a new Jewish king.  However, when God gave them a dream, they understood enough to believe its instructions.  I wonder if we might meet them in Heaven one day, to learn the rest of their story.

Matthew 1

Matthew 1:19

And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly.

I always admired Joseph's decision-making process in this verse.  However, as I've thought about it more recently, there's one thing that confuses me a little.  How is Joseph being righteous connected to keeping Mary's honor?

It seems obvious that either he didn't know the source of her pregnancy, or didn't believe her story.  Therefore, if he were righteous, wouldn't disclosing her sin have been considered the righteous thing to do?  How would keeping the secret of an adulterer, who I believe the Law said should be stoned, not taint him in the eyes of the Law?

Malachi 4

Malachi 4:4

"Remember the law of Moses My servant, even the statutes and ordinances which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel.

I'll admit, this messes me up in the timeline again.  The rest of the chapter seems to be talking about end times, either the Tribulation or end of the Millennium.  Yet this appears to be referring to a time much sooner.

Is it meant for sooner, where the Law was still in force; or later, when Christ has replaced the Law's ordinances?  Or is it a pointer to both, where they should look upon the Law, and see how Christ has substituted for it?  I guess with this being the end of the Old Testament, it's something to ponder in the New as I start reading it.

Malachi 3

Malachi 3:7

"From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from My statutes and have not kept them.  Return to Me, and I will return to you," says the LORD of hosts.  "But you say,' 'How shall we return?'

God always is willing to have us back, even after we've strayed or outright turned out backs on Him.  He wants us to come to Him, and has done all He can to make it possible for us to do so.  But there are steps we have to take, without which we are still separated forever.

Recently, I've come to realize there is a growing gap between me and both God and other people.  I don't like it, I don't want it, but I'm stuck.  I'm asking myself the same question the people here are:  how do I go back?  All I've been able to find are the trite, Christianese answers that are lacking depth, and it really hurts.

Malachi 2

Malachi 2:7

For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and men should seek instruction from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.

Verses like this always make me a bit nervous.  As the leader of an adult Sunday School class, I feel this would at least kind of cover me.  Leaders are held to a higher standard than the rest of the "flock."

That make me wonder, am I doing what's right?  Have I given false instruction, or led people astray, however unplanned?  I don't normally hide the places where I am uncertain or disagreeing with conventional wisdom, so does that mean I am failing them?

Malachi 1

Malachi 1:8

But when you present the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil?  And when you present the lame and sick, is it not evil?  Why not offer it to your governor?  Would he be pleased with you?  Or would he receive you kindly?" says the LORD of hosts.

One of the problems of people dealing with an intangible God is the awareness factor.  It's really easy to decide He isn't paying that close of attention to little old me, and cheat a bit.  After all, we know from long experience with our parents that what isn't seen is usually not punished.

However, God doesn't work like that.  If our governor isn't happy with blemished product, why would we expect God, who can even see the flaws we can't, to be accepting of sub-par?  Where we should be putting in the extra effort, we often only slide by, myself included.

Zechariah 14

Zechariah 14:2

For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city will be captured, the houses plundered, the women ravished and half of the city exiled, but the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city.

I'm not certain if this is jumping around in the timeline or not.  If it's not jumping around, then it suggests that Jerusalem will be sacked in the prelude to Armageddon.  This isn't mentioned anywhere else I can recall in the descriptions of the end times, so that is new information.

However, this sounds a lot more like it's out of the rest of the timeline, and is describing the Babylonian conquest and exile.  But if that's the case, why put the very next thing in as Christ's apparent return?  If the Mount of Olives gets split and used as an escape route right after this verse, isn't that jumping several millennia?