Podcasts about Matthew 8

Sermon Notes: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KK3g1P96FSXGu-YxefXcfT4Hg1Ay7ESQ/view?usp=drive_linkSubscribe to our channel:https://www.youtube.com/shepherdshouseazFor more information about Shepherd's House Bible Church or to help support this ministry, please visit us at www.shepherdsaz.orgWebsite: shepherdsaz.orgInstagram: @shepherdshouseazFacebook: /shepherdshouseazTiktok: @shepherdshouseazYoutube: /shepherdshouseaz

Matthew 8

Listen, read, watch, or see further resources: https://clarence-cc.squarespace.com/podcast-feed

Sermon Notes: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PUcXms6w3YZOX_AD8Ln8Y8TcRY_eyMT1/view?usp=drive_linkWebsite: shepherdsaz.orgInstagram: @shepherdshouseazFacebook: /shepherdshouseazTiktok: @shepherdshouseazYoutube: /shepherdshouseaz

Sermon By: Pastor Roman Folia (The Gospel of Matthew pt 28)

Who's Got The Authority? (Matthew 8:5-22)

#bible #podcast #jesuschrist #healing #biblestudy #disciples #discipleshipjourney #discipleshipjourney In this episode, Ric and Mary discuss the profound message that the Lord Jesus Christ shares with His disciples and followers as He crosses the Sea of Galilee. They explore His journey from healing many to enduring a storm and arriving on the shores of Gentile territory, where He encounters demonic activity. Join Bible Study Company to learn more about Jesus as a man, Jesus as God, and Jesus as our Savior.

A Christian radio ministry founded by Lester Roloff in 1944. Visit roloff.org for more resources from Roloff Evangelistic Enterprises.

Listen, watch, or see further resources: https://clarence-cc.squarespace.com/podcast-feed

We continue our study in Matthew moving from the Sermon on the Mount with words of authority to the beginning of Jesus' miracles and His works of authority.

A Healing Touch - Marvin McCooty | Matthew 8:14-15 by Hope Church Toronto North

Sermon By: Pastor Roman Folia (The Gospel of Matthew pt. 27)

Daily Morning Prayer (5/10/25) from Trinity Anglican Church (Connersville, IN): Psalms 50-52; 2 Kings 2; Matthew 8 and a brief reading from The Books of HomiliesTo read along, visit: https://ie.dailyoffice1662.com/To own a Bible, visit: https://www.thomasnelsonbibles.com/product/kjv-center-column-reference-bible-with-apocrypha/To own a prayer book, visit: https://anglicanway.org/product/the-1662-book-of-common-prayer-international-edition-hardcover-march-2-2021/To own a hymnal, visit: https://anglicanhousepublishers.org/shop/the-book-of-common-praise-of-the-reformed-episcopal-church/

#podcast #truth #biblestudy #Godsword Josh Monday Christian and Conspiracy Podcast Ep. 244Join the Patreon here: Linktree: https://linktr.ee/Joshmonday_podcastIf you want to donate to the Ministry or Buy the Mug Here is our CashAPP: https://cash.app/$JoshmondaymusicNew affiliate: https://wsteif.com/ Sign up for Gold and Silver 7Kmetals: https://www.cocsilver.com/Flat Earth Books by Sakal Publishing Affiliate Link: https://booksonline.club/booksonlinecYoutube: ⁠ @joshmondaymusicandpodcast ⁠ Tips for the show to Support our Ministry: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/joshmondayCoffee Mug Is Available email me your mailing address Joshmonday⁠@rocketmail.com ⁠ Please subscribe to our Spotify and You Tube Channel Joshmondaymusic and Podcast and help us grow so we can keep on spreading the good news.To all of our current and future subscribers thank you for your time, we appreciate you. Please do us a favor subscribe to our You Tube Channel, hit that bell, share, like and comment below on our You tube. Please leave us a 5-Star review on Apple and Spotify.Check out my new show Sunday Service and Wednesday Brought to you by Cult of Conspiracy Podcast. On Cult of Conspiracy Spotify, Patreon and Apple Podcast Channel.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/josh-monday-christian-and-conspiracy-podcast--6611118/support.

The connection between liberty and Christian principles forms the beating heart of this episode, as Jesse Cope takes listeners on a journey through historical documents, spiritual reflections, and contemporary applications of timeless truths.Beginning with a powerful reading from Matthew 8, Jesse examines the centurion whose extraordinary faith amazed even Jesus. This biblical account serves as a mirror for modern Christians, challenging us to consider whether our denominational labels have become more important than our actual faith. "If someone accused you in court of being a Christian," Jesse asks pointedly, "would there be enough evidence to convict you?" Rather than relying on religious identification, we're called to produce daily evidence of genuine faith.The episode's exploration of Fox's Book of Martyrs reveals a profound truth: while not everyone who supports liberty identifies as Christian, the principles of liberty themselves are fundamentally Christian in origin. This establishes one of the most compelling arguments of the podcast – that freedom and Christianity share an unbreakable bond, whether acknowledged or not by liberty's advocates.Justice James Wilson's writings provide historical weight to this argument. As an original Supreme Court Justice who signed both the Declaration of Independence and Constitution, Wilson explicitly stated that "religion and law are twin sisters." This historical perspective directly challenges modern notions of separation between faith and governance, demonstrating that our founding generation viewed Christian principles as essential foundations for just governance.Through examining Mercy Otis Warren's historical account of the American Revolution and honoring Medal of Honor recipient Leonard L. Alvarado, the episode weaves together themes of sacrifice, duty, and divine providence in America's formation. The consistent thread throughout is clear: as we've moved further from our Christian foundations, our society has experienced increasing chaos and moral confusion.Whether you're deeply religious or simply interested in the historical foundations of liberty, this episode offers profound insights into the relationship between faith and freedom. Take a moment to consider: what evidence does your life produce about your values and convictions?Support the showThe American Soul Podcasthttps://www.buzzsprout.com/1791934/subscribe

EPISODE 1146 It's Monday, May 5 and Malachi VanderZwaag and Paula Vasquez discuss Matthew 8. For the full VP Bible Reading Plan, head to https://www.victorypoint.org/resources. For more on the context of today's passage check out the resources at https://bibleproject.com/explore/book-overviews. To find out more about VictoryPoint Church go to victorypoint.org.

Listen, read, watch, or see further resources: https://clarence-cc.squarespace.com/podcast-feed

The Divine Healer (Matthew 8:1-22)

To Be Like Him | He Was Moved with Compassion | Matthew 8:1-17, Mark 1:29-44, Luke 4:38-41, Luke 5:12-13, Luke 7:1-17This year, we're studying the gospels as one harmonious story in order to see the glory of God as revealed through them with the clearest picture of God in the person of Jesus painted for us and “To Be Like Him.”In today's sermon, pastor Abie Kulynych discusses God's heart as the base for the fulfillment of the law and the demonstration of the teachings of Jesus through His actions.

#Bible #Podcast #BibleStudy #Faith #healing #jesuschrist Today, we discuss faith and healing. Ric and Mary explain that faith involves putting your full weight and trust in Christ, believing in who He claims to be. As our relationship with Christ deepens, it strengthens our faith and trust in Him and the unique individuals He created each of us to be.

Matthew 8

#bible #healing #jesuschrist #biblestudy #matthew8 In this episode, Ric and Mary explore a compelling question: Did the leper truly believe he would be healed? They challenge us to consider our own faith—do we worship God in the midst of our circumstances, just as the leper did in Matthew 8?

“When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, ‘Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith.'” Matthew 8:10

Habitation MinistriesThank you for listening to The Habitation Podcast! Click above to stay up to date on news, events, and how you can partner with the ministry.  School of Habitation Sign up today to be a student member at School of Habitation! Click the link above to find out more! • $50.00/monthly membership• Join live teachings from Pastor William via zoom and participate in Q&As, prayer, & discussions• Sign up at anytime• Pause at any time• Option to participate in bi-weekly discipleship groups• Private links to prayer & worship rooms Follow us on YouTubeFollow us on Instagram

Genesis 13-15; 19 Psalms 16-17; 40 Matthew 8

Matthew 8:23-34 John Foley March 30,2025 by New Hope Community Church

Sunday, 30 March 2025   And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus. And when they saw Him, they begged Him to depart from their region. Matthew 8:34   “And, you behold! All the city, it went out to the Jesus meeting. And having seen Him, they begged that He might depart from their borders” (CG).   In the previous verse, Matthew noted that those who had kept the pigs went into the city and conveyed all the details of what happened to the demon-possessed men. He next continues with, “And, you behold! All the city.”   Like every car slowing down on the highway to see an accident, people are attracted to interesting events that enter into the normal daily activities of life. With news of what had happened, the people gathered together to participate in the matter which had been told to them.   Saying “all the city,” however, is a superlative that means “a great portion of the city.” As seen elsewhere, not every “every” means every and not all “alls” mean all. Despite that, the majority of the people would have been curious about the events and willing to take time off from whatever they were doing to check things out. And so, the population of the city, “it went out to the Jesus meeting.”   Almost all translations make this a verb, such as, “they went out to meet Jesus.” However, it is a new noun, hupantésis. It signifies an encounter or a meeting. They had been told what He had done and they formed together intent on a meeting with Him. Next, it says, “And having seen Him, they begged that He might depart from their borders.”   Matthew's account doesn't fill in the details like Mark and Luke do. Mark 5 says –   “Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. 16 And those who saw it told them how it happened to him who had been demon-possessed, and about the swine. 17 Then they began to plead with Him to depart from their region.” Mark 5:15-17   The comments of scholars concerning why they asked Jesus to depart are all over the place –   “It was characteristic of the wild, half-heathen population that they were led to look on the Prophet who had wrought so great a work as a Destroyer rather than a Saviour.” Ellicott   “The motive for the request was fear lest a greater disaster should follow.” Meyer   “These Gerasenes, vexed at the loss of wealth, felt, like the demoniacs, that there was nothing in common between themselves and Jesus, but, unlike them, showed no consciousness of sin. Without this he could do nothing for them, so he granted their request.” Pulpit Commentary   Albert Barnes says –   This shows:   That the design of Satan is to prejudice people against the Saviour, and even to make what Christ does an occasion why they should desire him to leave them.   The power of avarice. These people preferred their property to the Saviour. They loved it so much that they were blind to the evidence of the miracle, and to the good he had done to the miserable people whom he had healed.   Meyer is the only one who is close. Mark and Luke both say they were afraid. All the other commentary is nonsense. If the demon-possessed men were so powerful that they could scare people so badly that they wouldn't even pass by that way, and if Jesus was able to cast out the demons that made the men so powerful, then Jesus obviously possessed power that was greater than the demons.   Further, by casting them into the pigs, it demonstrated that He had control over the demons to cause this to occur. He not only could cast out demons, but He could direct them once cast out. If He could do these things, what more could He do? This caused them to fear. Without further information to go on, everything else is speculation and presupposition.   Life application: Luke 5 says –   “But Simon answered and said to Him, ‘Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.' 6 And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. 7 So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, ‘Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!'” Luke 5:5-8   When Peter saw the miracle of Jesus, He asked Him to depart. His explanation was that he was a sinful man. Peter understood the position and power of Jesus and he measured his sin against what he saw and it affected him.   The people in the city saw the capability and power of Jesus, and it affected them. When we read the Bible, we should see the glory, power, authority, and capability of God and it should affect us. If we are left unaffected by the law when we read the law, we are not grasping the magnitude of our sin before God.   When we read about the cross of Jesus, we should understand our precarious state before God without a suitable Substitute to cover our sins. We should appreciate the grace that is displayed in what occurred there. We should feel the love of God for us as we contemplate the length He went to in order to restore us to Himself.   The Bible is a book that asks us to interact with the events in our hearts and minds, considering the majesty of what God has done for the people of the world.   Heavenly Father, how can we not be moved when we read the pages of the Bible. Each book is set forth to instruct us concerning our relationship with You. Help us to consider this as we enter into its pages each day. Amen.  

March 30th, 2025 - Matthew 8:1-9:8 – Jesus Breaks Cultural BoundariesPoint 1 – V.1-17 – Jesus helps Israel's marginalized peoplePoint 2 – V.18-22 – Jesus changed the concept of discipleshipPoint 3 – V.8:23-9:8 – Jesus' authority over everything and all things

Saturday, 29 March 2025   Then those who kept them fled; and they went away into the city and told everything, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. Matthew 8:33   “And those feeding [the pigs], they fled. And having gone into the city, they reported all – even the ‘of those demon-possessings'” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus gave direction to the demons to go into the sounder of pigs. Having done so, they went into them and the entire sounder dashed down the precipice and perished in the water. Having seen this, it now says, “And those feeding [the pigs], they fled.”   There were people tending to the pigs as they went about rooting and eating whatever they found. When the pigs went berserk and headed over the cliff, the men were probably aghast. From the surrounding words, it appears that they heard the exchange between Jesus and the demon-possessed men. Therefore, it next says, “And having gone into the city, they reported all.”   Unless they had been aware of what happened between Jesus and the demon-possessed men, these words would not apply. Therefore, even if the pigs were off in the distance, as indicated in verse 30, the men tending to them were nearer. It may be that they too were at a distance, but when they heard the commotion of the demon-possessed men, they drew near as people tend to do when something like that comes about.   In whatever way they knew what transpired, they went and told those in the city everything, “even the ‘of those demon-possessings.'”   The brevity of the wording in the Greek means that words must be inferred. The intent is, “even the matter concerning those who were demon possessed.” Whether they knew of the healing of the man, or if they just saw the pigs go ballistic and jump over the cliff and then ran away terrified at that time, they at least knew that there was an encounter between Jesus and the two men.   This is what they conveyed to the people in the city. In Mark's account, it says of the people in the city, “Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. 16 And those who saw it told them how it happened to him who had been demon-possessed, and about the swine.” Mark 5:15, 16   Therefore, it appears they were not sure about the healing of the man until they came back with the people of the city. Either way, the ejecting of the demons took place according to the word of the Lord.   Life application: Jesus, even during the time of His earthly ministry, had power over the spiritual world of Satan and his demons. They feared Him and knew who He was at the time. Since the completion of His work, the world has steadily followed the path that Scripture laid out two thousand years ago.   The life and Person of Jesus is there in the pages of Scripture for any and all to see and believe. It is the only way to overcome the dark forces of this world, including our own wicked hearts. And yet, how many of us are willing to share this life-changing message with others?   Unless someone just chances upon a website, video, or Bible, without us opening our mouths and speaking, there will not be any way for others to come to a saving knowledge of Him.   The people of the city were told of the exciting events that happened that day when Jesus cast out the demons. What Jesus has done for us is way more exciting than that. Let us tell others! We need to get the word about Him out. May we do so to the glory of God.   Lord God, help us to faithfully use our time in getting the word about Jesus out to others. We have received the good news. How can we keep it to ourselves? Give us the desire, the opportunity, and the wisdom to do what we should be doing in this regard. Amen.

Friday, 28 March 2025   And He said to them, “Go.” So when they had come out, they went into the herd of swine. And suddenly the whole herd of swine ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and perished in the water. Matthew 8:32       “And He said to them, ‘You withdraw!' And having gone out, they went into the sounder of pigs. And, you behold! They dashed, all the sounder of pigs, down the precipice into the sea, and they died in the waters” (CG).   In the previous verse, the demon possessed men begged Jesus to be cast out into the sounder of swine. Now, Matthew continues with, “And He said to them, ‘You withdraw!'”   The command is given without any further words, implying that their request, as stated, has been granted. They must leave the men and they are to go into the sounder of swine. With that, it next says, “And having gone out, they went into the sounder of pigs.”   There is a clear distinction between the men and the demons now. They have left the men and they have entered the pigs. It is at this moment that he is free of the demon possession. That would give the men eyewitness evidence that they were truly freed from the demons when the next events take place. Of those events, Matthew excitedly pens, “And, you behold! They dashed, all the sounder of pigs.”   The verb hormaó, is introduced. It signifies to rush or set in motion. In this case, it is used reflexively. The pigs dashed themselves. As such, it is their action that is being described, even if it is the demons causing it.   This is no different than saying that the men who were demon possessed troubled those who attempted to pass by. The demons were the efficient cause, but it is still the men who are the material cause. As for the actions which make it evident to them that they are completely free of the demons and that they will not be returning, it next says that the pigs dashed “down the precipice.”   It is another new word, krémnos. It will be used only three times. The other two are in the comparable passages in Mark and Luke. Strong's says it signifies an overhanging. Vincent's Word Studies disagrees and says –   “Much better the steep (Rev.). Not an overhanging precipice, but a steep, almost perpendicular declivity, between the base of which and the water was a narrow margin of ground, in which there was not room for the swine to recover from their headlong rush. Dr. Thomson (‘Land and Book') says: ‘Farther south the plain becomes so broad that the herd might have recovered and recoiled from the lake.' The article localizes the steep as in the vicinity of the pasture.”   Either way, it is evident that the swine were heading in a bad way without pig parachutes (pigachutes?) to save them. They went down the precipice and “into the sea.”   This means the Sea of Galilee. The area where this is located is a very steep drop and there would have been no way to avoid plunging into the waters. Upon arrival there, Mathew finishes the thought with, “and they died in the waters.”   This is now a third new word, apothnéskó. It comes from two words, apo, away from and thnéskó, to die. It thus intensifies the thought of dying. They, in essence, died away. Scholars argue as to the purpose of this scene, trying to determine why the events occurred as they did.   Further, the question arises as to how Jesus could send the demons into someone else's property, allowing it to be destroyed. As for that, it wasn't Jesus who destroyed the pigs. The demons did. The purpose of this is merely speculation, but if being demon possessed is enough to drive a human crazy, how much more a pig with a brain about the size of an orange.   For all we know, the pigs went absolutely bonkers and followed one another right off the edge. What would become of the demons enclosed in dead pig bodies isn't stated. Were they freed to go do more demon stuff around the area? Were they consigned to a demon-prison when the death occurred? The narrative doesn't say, and surely outside of Hollywood movies, there is probably no record of a demon named Legion infecting other people.   The main thing to know is that the demons were ejected and the men would have seen the results of the ejection. Seeing how it affects an entire sounder of pigs, they would have every reason to be thankful, to not feel responsible for their past actions, and to want to serve the Lord with every fiber of their being.   Life application: It appears that demons can still possess people today. We see people that are so seemingly possessed that it seems to be the only explanation. It could be chemical imbalances or other things as well, but if we suppose it could also be demon possession, we should attempt to share the gospel with such a person anyway. If it is a demon, and the person accepts Christ, it would logically follow that the person will be free from the demon.   Christ is here to save people. If He saves them, the demon no longer has power to rule in that person's life. This doesn't mean demons cannot afflict people. If they are out there, it is their job to make the lives of humans miserable. If they can do that while possessing someone else, we shouldn't suppose they won't attempt to do so.   Ephesians 6 gives instructions on how to deal with spiritual battles. Take time to read up on that chapter and remember what we should be doing to remain strong in the Lord as we continue our walk in this life.   We are so grateful to You, O God, for being with us as we walk in this world. This is especially true when we follow You, apply Your word to our lives, and remain close in our hearts and minds to You through prayer and fellowship with others. Thank You for Your glorious presence among us and in us. Amen.

Thursday, 27 March 2025   So the demons begged Him, saying, “If You cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of swine.” Matthew 8:31   “And the demons, they invoked Him, saying, ‘If You eject us, You permit us to go into the sounder, the pigs'” (CG).   The previous verse noted the sounder of pigs that was feeding in the distance. Now, Matthew continues with, “And the demons, they invoked Him.”   The words are straightforward and continue the same understanding previously displayed, which is that Jesus has total authority over them. It is the same word, parakaleó, used already three times in Matthew which has been translated twice as comforted. In Matthew 8:5 and here, it is active rather than passive. Therefore, it signifies to invoke.   They are looking for a type of comfort by invoking Jesus to withhold His hand of judgment until the set time. In this state of begging Him, they were “saying, ‘If You eject us, You permit us to go into the sounder, the pigs.'”   In Mark's account, it says Jesus was invoked to not send them out of the country. In Luke's account, it says Jesus was invoked to not send them into the abyss. Each account is focusing on what the writer thought was the key point for his gospel. There is no contradiction then.   Rather, the conversation may have been something like this:   Jesus: “What is your name?” Demon guy: “Legion.” Legion: “Please don't send us out of the country.” Jesus: “Eventually you will have to go.” Legion: “Yes, but please don't send us to the abyss. It isn't the set time.” Jesus: “You must leave this man.” Legion: “We accept that. Instead of sending us to the abyss, please permit us to go into the sounder of pigs.” Of course, this is speculation, but a simple example like this shows how each of the gospel narratives could be true at the same time. Matthew, being a Jew, focused on the unclean pigs. Mark, being told the matter from Peter, focused on the demons not wanting to be removed from the surrounding country. But with Jesus there, how could they continue in the country? Luke, being a Gentile doctor, focused on the final destination for their condition, the abyss.   Matthew, above all else, knew pigs were unclean and remembered that these demons would accept being in unclean animals. This would have had all the more impact on him after the law was fulfilled and annulled. He would then come to understand how the Holy Spirit could even descend on unclean Gentiles.   We are being schooled in the workings of God in Christ, and how He is able to make something clean out of something unclean and how He can bring near those who were far away.   Life application: The words of Matthew are perfectly in line with the words in Mark and Luke. What seems contradictory at first fits harmoniously with what could be when thought through. John, as he completed his gospel, said –   “And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen” (John 21:25).   As this is so, John is giving a reason for the brevity of the gospels. Matthew could have meticulously recorded every single word of every conversation that occurred in the presence of the Lord. And Matthew's gospel would go on and on. It would be a giant, cumbersome, and difficult book to get through.   This would be the case with each gospel. But then each gospel would be identical to the other and they would be superfluous. However, each is an acceptable length to allow an understanding of what God in Christ has done so that we can then accept, by faith, that they are sufficiently presented in order to harmoniously weave together with the other gospels without being burdensomely long.   The things that were not necessary to know have been omitted entirely from the four gospels, such as conversations around the dinner table with Lazarus, Martha, and Mary.   Though such accounts may be interesting, they have no bearing on Jesus' work and fulfillment of the law. Hence, they are not included in the word. What we have is fully sufficient to allow us, by faith, to accept what God has done in the stream of redemptive history. Therefore, let us have faith and believe.   Lord God, may we be people of faith by accepting Your word for what it is, a reliable and accurate account of what You have done in and through Jesus to restore us to Yourself. Thank You for this precious word that tells us of our wonderful Savior, Jesus! Amen.

Wednesday, 26 March 2025   Now a good way off from them there was a herd of many swine feeding. Matthew 8:30   “And it is, far from them, a sounder of many pigs feeding” (CG).     In the previous verse, the demon-possessed men called out to Jesus, acknowledging Him as the Son of God and asking if He had come before the set torment time. Matthew now continues with, “And it is, far from them.”   Here is a new word, makran. It signifies a distance, meaning something far away. Paul uses it in Ephesians 2 when speaking of Gentiles once being far off from God but who are now brought near to Him through Christ.   Returning to the words of Matthew, he next says what was far off, a sounder.” This is another new word, agelé. It signifies a drove, as in a herd or flock. The appropriate name for a herd of pigs in English is a sounder. Matthew specifically tells us it is pigs with the next words. It is a herd “of many pigs feeding.”   A third new word is introduced, boskó. The word signifies to pasture. By extension, it includes foddering, grazing (when used reflexively), feeding, keeping, etc. The number of them, according to Mark's narrative, was about two thousand swine.   As for there being swine there, nothing is said of who owned them. The dietary restrictions of the law forbade the Jews from eating pigs, but nothing is said about owning them. Jews owned horses and donkeys, animals that could not be eaten. People single out the pig as if it couldn't be touched, something completely false.   If Jews owned them, they could hire foreigners to take care of processing them for selling to the Romans. Or these pigs could have been owned by Gentiles. It is unreasonable to somehow equate the fact that there are lots of pigs to some type of violation of the law. If that were the case, then owning horses would be exactly the same type of violation.   Life application: To this day, the pig is singled out as almost an unspeakable animal by many, even by Christians. The thought of touching one sends terror shivers down the backs of people as if they will get some type of supercharged penalty at the judgment for doing so.   So ridiculous is this that having pictures of them is offensive to some. Muslims have this same attitude. But many Jews or legalistic Christians, who wouldn't think of having a pig around, own dogs. The Bible is replete with Jews riding horses and donkeys. In fact, the greatest Jew of all is said to have ridden a donkey –   “Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written: 15 ‘Fear not, daughter of Zion; Behold, your King is coming, Sitting on a donkey's colt.'” John 12:14,15   How can it be that people don't understand what God is telling us in Scripture? This is so much the case that even normal Christian commentators make wholly erroneous statements about events like this one recorded in Matthew.   Meyer's NT Commentary says, “Seeing the Jews were forbidden (Lightfoot) to keep swine, as being unclean animals, the herd must either have been the property of Gentile owners, or been the subject of Jewish trade.”   Benson says, “a herd of many swine — Which it was not lawful for the Jews to keep much less to eat.”   Bengel says, “The owners of the swine were either heathens dwelling among the Jews, or Jews greedy of gain.”   There is no hint of such accusations in Scripture. Again, if keeping pigs was against the precepts of the law, it would be true with the horse, mule, and donkey as well.   Saying that the Jews who would do this were “greedy of gain” is preposterous. Rather, it would demonstrate their business acumen, just as if they were raising and selling donkeys.   Be careful about what you believe in commentaries. Once you have learned and accepted something, it is much harder to unlearn or admit you were wrong.   God was giving Israel information about what He would do in Christ when He gave the dietary restrictions to Israel. Now, with the law annulled in Christ, it is unthinkable that professing Christians continue to impose upon themselves precepts that they were never bound to in the first place.   Lord God, help us to carefully consider Your word, keeping it in context and not mishandling the precepts You have laid forth in it for us to learn by. Thank You for this word. It tells us about Jesus and what He has done to free us from bondage. Praise You, O God, for Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.  

Tuesday, 25 March 2025   And suddenly they cried out, saying, “What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?” Matthew 8:29   “And, you behold! They croaked, saying, ‘What – us and You – Jesus, Son of God. You came here to us before torment time?'” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus had arrived on the opposite shore of the Sea of Galilee. Upon arrival, it mentioned that He had met two men possessed by demons who were very fierce. This was so much the case that nobody could pass by their way. However, Jesus is now near them, and the demons recognize Him. This begins to be seen in Matthew's next words, which say, “And, you behold! They croaked.”   This is a new word, krazó. It is an onomatopoetic term for the raven's cry. There are various sounds a raven is noted for, such as a kraaa, a croak, short repeated shrills, knocking sounds, squeaking, and swooshing of their wings. The easiest way to describe them is a croak. As for what they croaked out, they were “saying, ‘What – us and You – Jesus, Son of God.'”   It is a Hebrew form of speaking that is found in the Old Testament, such as in David's words to some of his men –   “And says, the king, ‘What to me and to you, sons Zeruiah? If he will make light, and for Yehovah said to him, “Make light of David,” and who says, “Why done thus?”'” 1 Samuel 16:10 (CG).   The demons, therefore, are croaking out a desire to know why Jesus has come and what business He has with them. They seem surprised, but they also note that Jesus is the Son of God, thus acknowledging His deity and that He has every right to be wherever He wants at whatever time He desires.   So far in Matthew, Jesus has only been directly called the Son of God by the Traducer in Matthew 4:3 and 4:6. This is now the first time He is called this in front of others. However, chronologically, He was called this earlier, as recorded in John 1 by John the Baptist (John 1:34) and Nathanael (John 1:49).   In this same account, as recorded by Luke, Legion calls Him “Son of the Most High God” (Luke 8:28). As is clear, they understood Him to be God incarnate, not just a man who is called a son of God as occurs elsewhere in both testaments. This is all the more certain based on their next words which call out, “You came here to us before torment time?”   They use a new word, kairos, which signifies a particular time. Another common word for time in Greek is chronos, which is time that continues to move forward (think of a chronometer), whereas kairos speaks of a particular time such as a season, a set time, an opportune moment, etc.   The demons acknowledge that there is a torment time coming when the demons will be punished, and more, they understand that Jesus is the One who will mete out the punishment. This is not something a regular man will be in charge of. The words leave no doubt about their knowledge that Jesus is the incarnate Lord God.   Life application: Hebrews 2 says that God has not put the world to come in subjection to angels. Instead, He has given that authority to the Son. If Jesus were an angel (meaning a created being) then it would not be referring to Him. The same logic applies to evaluating this verse in Matthew.   God has given authority to the Son to punish both the fallen angels and the humans who fail to come to God through Him. This is seen in Matthew 25:41 –   “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.'”   The demons (fallen angels) in Matthew 8 have a place prepared for them, along with the devil. As the judgment of all beings is not granted to angels (meaning created beings), then it logically follows that Jesus is not an angel. However, this is the doctrine of the Jehovah's Witnesses. They claim that Jesus is the archangel Michael.   It is true that the same word in both Hebrew and Greek, which is translated as “angel,” can simply mean a messenger, and this is what both John the Baptist and Jesus are called in Malachi 3:1. But context determines the meaning and the context is that the Messenger of Malachi 3:1 is the Lord, Yehovah.   Care needs to be taken when evaluating Scripture. Be certain to take all things you are taught with a grain of salt until you have verified them yourself. The deity of Jesus Christ is key to a right relationship with God. Any gospel message that is presented, and which denies this fundamental precept, it is a false gospel. Jesus is the Lord God.   Glorious God, thank You for sending Jesus to redeem us from sin. We know that You united with humanity in the Person of Jesus, and we hail You for what You have done. May we never deny the truth that Jesus is our Lord God! Amen.  

Monday, 24 March 2025   When He had come to the other side, to the country of the Gergesenes, there met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way. Matthew 8:28   “And He, having come into the beyond, into the country of the Gergesenes, two demon-possessings, they met Him, coming out from the tombs – exceedingly dangerous – so too, not anyone capacitate to pass through that way” (CG).   In the previous verse, the disciples marveled at the capability of Jesus to silence the storm, asking who He could be. Matthew next records, “And He, having come into the beyond.”   In other words, they had left Capernaum, sailed across the Sea of Galilee, and had then arrived on the other side, having gone “into the country of the Gergesenes.” Depending on what source text is used, or what book (Matthew, Mark, or Luke) is being evaluated, the area arrived at could be –   Gergesenes Gadarenes Gerasenes   Charles Ellicott notes the following: “Gadara was a city east of the Sea of Galilee, about sixteen miles from Tiberias. ... Gerasa was a city in the Gilead district, twenty miles east of the Jordan, described sometimes as belonging to Cœle-Syria, sometimes to Arabia. ... There was no city named Gergesa, but the name Gergesenes was probably connected with the older Girgashites, one of the Canaanite races that occupied the country before the invasion of Israel (Genesis 10:16; Genesis 15:21; Joshua 3:10; Joshua 24:11; et al.). Apparently, however, from the last passage referred to, they were on the western side of the Jordan. It is, on the whole, more likely that the reading was a mistake, than that the old tribe still remained with its old name; but it is possible that the name of Gerasa may represent an altered form of Girgashim.”   Both Matthew's and Mark's gospels say that the herd of pigs noted in the account rushed into the sea. Luke says they rushed into a lake (meaning the Sea of Galilee). Therefore, the location now must be on the shore of the sea, not some place 20 miles from the Jordan.   Despite this, Albert Barnes rightly states, “There is no contradiction, therefore, in the evangelists. He came into the region in which the two cities were situated, and one evangelist mentioned one, and the other another. It shows that the writers had not agreed to impose on the world; for if they had, they would have mentioned the same city; and it shows. also, they were familiar with the country. No men would have written in this manner but those who were acquainted with the facts. Impostors do not mention places or homes if they can avoid it.”   As for their arrival, Matthew next says, “two demon-possessings, they met Him.” Another seeming problem arises. Matthew says two but Mark and Luke only note a man in the singular. Again, there is no contradiction. This occurs elsewhere in the gospels where one person is noted here and two there.   If there are two, then there is one. Mark and Luke are giving specific focus to one of the men who they encountered. Of these two people possessed with demons, it next says they were “coming out from the tombs.”   Here is a new word, mnémeion. Specifically, it means a remembrance, as in a monument. As such, it then provides the thought of a tomb where one is laid and a remembrance is implied. These demon-possessed men were there, and they were “exceedingly dangerous.”   Another new word is found here, chalepos. It is found only one more time, in 2 Timothy 3:1, where it speaks of perilous or difficult times. It signifies that which is dangerous, but it can also be applied to the state of a person by saying he is fierce or furious. The context will decide the intent.   Of them, it next says, “so too, not anyone capacitate to pass through that way.” The men were so violent that people avoided the area lest they be harmed. In the gospel records of Mark and Luke, the one that they focus on explained that the demons in him were named Legion, signifying many demons possessed him.   His violence was so great that Luke records that “he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness” (Luke 8:29).   One can see that because of this, while Matthew focused on the fact that there were two of them, the other two narratives wanted to highlight this one man who was an especially terrible case.   Life application: With a little bit of mental effort, difficulties between the gospel narratives are seen to be not impossible contradictions. It is good to remember that these are eyewitness accounts. As such, people's perspectives will naturally be different, and they will focus on different things.   Further, the fact is that when two accounts are exceedingly similar, those who want to dismiss the Bible will use that as an excuse, saying they were merely copied from one account to the next.   In other words, no matter what God has revealed in His word, there is always someone who is there to tear it apart and challenge it as if it is corrupt. The corruption can be found in their own mirror. They have failed to accept the written word of God for what it is.   Lord God, we pray for Your word to be held in the highest esteem among churches who proclaim You. When pastors, preachers, and teachers fail to uphold it for what it is, it can only damage the listeners who are waiting to be instructed by it. May we carefully and contemplatively consider it, and may we expect that from our spiritual leaders as well. Amen.

Sunday, 23 March 2025   So the men marveled, saying, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?” Matthew 8:27    “And the men, they wondered, saying, ‘What kind, He is – this – that even the winds and the sea, they obey Him?'” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus reprimanded the winds and the sea. In doing so, a great calm came about. Now, Matthew continues with, “And the men, they wondered.”   The word translated as wonder has already been seen in verse 8:10 when Jesus wondered at the great faith of the centurion. Now, the word is applied to the attitude of the disciples toward Jesus. The word signifies a sense of admiration, but it must have been much more than that in the case of the disciples.   They surely admired His power to control the elements through His word, but that is something otherwise unheard of. Because of this, Matthew next notes that they were “saying, ‘What kind, He is – this?'”    A new word is introduced here, potapos. It is a word coming from pote, when or what kind, and pou, where or in what place. Together, they give the sense of “what possible sort?” Today, we might say, “What on earth?” or “Who on earth?”   It is a question looking at the broadest scope and conveying the idea of “Out of everywhere and every place, I can't think of anything comparable!” This was because, as they next say, “that even the winds and the sea, they obey Him?”   Searching the sum of their lives' memories and all of the cumulative things they had been taught or heard over the years of their lives, they were at a complete loss of knowing another instance of such an event taking place.   The only time such things ever occurred in all of their knowledge base would be the hand of the Lord effecting such an event as recorded in their Scriptures, such as –   “So they picked up Jonah and threw him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging. 16 Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice to the Lord and took vows.” Jonah 1:15, 16   The disciples would have known this story as well as the other miracles of the Lord, but this did not extend to the power of mere men. And so how could Jesus have effected such a wondrous miracle as He did?   Life application: It is again evident in the words of the apostles that they had no idea of the true nature of Jesus' character. It is true that they would have considered Him the Messiah, but the Messiah was just a man who would be sent to deliver Israel!   How could He also be a man who could calm the raging seas? The disciples are being schooled on the nature of Jesus, and yet they continue to fail to understand who He truly is. This continues on today.   People read the word, and if they have been told that Jesus is not God, blinders remain firmly fixed over their eyes. It is as if the words their eyes alight on are soaked with water and have turned to blobs of ink, impossible to decipher.   It is proper to come to the Bible without presuppositions and to search out what it says by laying aside what we want the word to say or what we have been told it says. Until we have checked out what we have been told, let us be sure to let the Lord speak to us through His word.   By doing this, along with prayer for Him to reveal His word to us, we will be allowing Him to speak. This is how it is intended to be when we read His word.   Lord God, we pray for Your word to be revealed to us as You intend. Help us to put aside our presuppositions, biases, and desires concerning Your word and instead look for what You intend to convey through what You have spoken as is recorded there. May it be so, O God. Amen.  

Matthew 8:1-17 Justin Domino March 23, 2025 by New Hope Community Church

Saturday, 22 March 2025   But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. Matthew 8:26   “And He says to them, ‘Why you are timorous, little-faithed?' Then having arisen, He reprimanded the winds and the sea. And it was great calm” (CG).   In the previous verse, the disciples woke up Jesus and implored Him to save them. Now, His response to them is given, “And He says to them, ‘Why you are timorous, little-faithed?'”   Notice how Jesus addresses the disciples first. They are terrified for their lives, thinking that their doom is at hand. However, Jesus addresses them before taking action. It was a way of alerting them to the fact He was more concerned about their learning than He was about what was going on around Him.   It was also a way of solidifying the moment in their minds because they would be more likely to remember what took place. His response is one that directly challenges their faith. They had seen Jesus' miracles, several notable ones recorded just prior to stepping into the boat, and yet they didn't understand the power of His capabilities.   In His statement is a new word, deilos. It is an adjective that, according to HELPS Word Studies, means dreadful, as in “a person who loses their ‘moral gumption (fortitude)' that is needed to follow the Lord.”   One of the disciples had asked to bury his dead father. However, no other such note of hesitancy is recorded. They willingly followed Him. But when times got tough, they cried out, completely lacking the faith necessary to accept the situation.   Their only hope left was that Jesus could do something. Well, they were at least right about that because it next says, “Then having arisen, He admonished the winds and the sea.”   Here is another new word, epitimaó, generally translated as rebuke. Its meaning extends beyond that, though. It comes from epi, upon, and timaó, to prize or fix a value upon. By implication, it then means to honor or revere. At times, it is used to describe the thought of strictly warning someone.   Therefore, the word admonished is sufficient to signify the intent in any such situation. In this case, the winds and the sea were raging around them. Jesus admonished them openly, “And it was great calm.”   By the spoken word, just as in the case of the healing of the centurion's son, the winds subsided, and the sea quit from raging. Where they lacked the necessary faith in Jesus' ability – an ability they had just seen demonstrated – He was fully capable of accomplishing what was necessary for the situation at hand.   Life application: How often believers seem incapable of accepting the power and capability of the Lord. One thing is certain for each of us: we all will die. And yet, Christians often cling to this life as if it is the most important thing we possess. However, we have been told that what we have now is inconsequential in comparison to what lies ahead. Instead of moaning about what our sicknesses may lead to, we should accept them as a part of the human condition and admit that whatever it is that is afflicting us may, happily, lead us to our next state, releasing us from the bonds of this corruptible existence.   This is not to say that we need to rejoice in the pains that accompany them. Being miserable, wracked with pain, incapacitated, and so forth is never enjoyable. But while in such a state, we should be all the more willing to anticipate freedom from it.   Let us not get so caught up in clinging to this life that we, in turn, lack faith in the promise of that which lies ahead. Being fearful for this life is shown to be a demonstration of just that, lacking faith. Remember this. There is a difference between not liking the current situation and being fearful of what it will lead to.   A good way to think of this is to remember that in good times or in bad, the Lord has your back. Trust this at all times.   Lord God, help us to be faithful people, accepting that You have us completely under Your care despite the trials and afflictions we may face. In the end, and no matter what situation we find ourselves in, we are Yours because of Jesus. Help us to have this thought deeply imbued in us at all times. Amen.

This is the message from our Thursday evening service on 3/20/2025 with Pastor Chet Lowe.

Friday, 21 March 2025   Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” Matthew 8:25   “And His disciples having come to Him, they aroused Him saying, ‘Lord, You save us! We perish!'” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus was sleeping in the boat as it crossed the sea despite the storm that raged around them. Matthew next records, “And His disciples having come to Him, they aroused Him.”   It is evident that the men, whether after a few minutes or an extended struggle, realized they had no other option but to wake the Lord. As noted in the previous commentary, a storm like this can arise quickly and in a very short amount of time the waters can go from a tranquil calm to a terrifying tempest.   Quite a bit is often read into these words. People think it is as if the disciples understood they could come to Jesus and suddenly be delivered from their peril. In just two verses, that will be proven an incorrect analysis. They were certainly not thinking, “If we wake up Jesus, He will get up and calm the sea.”   Rather, they were concerned about the right now of the situation. The waves were swamping the boat, and they needed another hand to help bail it out, row, or whatever they, as experienced shipmen, directed.   But more, they may also have thought, like the mariners with Jonah, that He would petition the Lord for deliverance –   “So the captain came to him, and said to him, ‘What do you mean, sleeper? Arise, call on your God; perhaps your God will consider us, so that we may not perish.'” Jonah 1:6   They had seen the miracles and knew Jesus had a direct and intimate relationship with God. Therefore, His prayer to them would have been heard. It seems this, too, may have been on their minds. Therefore, Matthew records that they were “saying, ‘Lord, You save us! We perish!'”   The word translated as save, sózó, carries various significations. It can mean to save from peril, to heal from a disease, to rescue from physical or spiritual disaster, etc. One instance in Acts has a similar taste to what is seen here in Matthew –   “And as the sailors were seeking to escape from the ship, when they had let down the skiff into the sea, under pretense of putting out anchors from the prow, 31 Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, ‘Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.' 32 Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the skiff and let it fall off.” Acts 27:30-32   This account in Acts does not refer to salvation from sin, healing, etc. Rather, Paul is telling them that their lives will be lost in the storm if they don't take the appropriate action. The disciples are asking for the same thing. Thus, whether through prayer to the Father or bailing out the water, they need Jesus' ability in the matter to get them through the ordeal.   Life application: The commentary above is not intended to dismiss the nature and capabilities of Jesus. But we are looking back on an account of men being swamped in a boat, knowing that He is the Lord God incarnate. These men did not know this. They were about to die and needed Jesus to assist in their deliverance.   It is important to not take our later knowledge of a matter and insert it into what is being said. The prophets of old received the word of God and wrote it down accordingly, but they had no idea what was being conveyed to and through them. Peter explains this –   “Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, 11 searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. 12 To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into.” 1 Peter 1:10-12   Likewise, the apostles had to go through the ministry of Jesus, experiencing each step of it to incrementally learn His nature and ability. Even as they stood at the cross, they were still without understanding. And even after the resurrection, and having been told what happened, one of them still couldn't believe it –   “Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples therefore said to him, ‘We have seen the Lord.' So he said to them, ‘Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.' 26 And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, ‘Peace to you!' 27 Then He said to Thomas, ‘Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.' 28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, ‘My Lord and my God!'” John 20:24-28   The understanding of Thomas only came after all of these things took place, including an actual, physical encounter with the risen Lord. Such accounts are all we need to see that we should not insert our knowledge of who Jesus is into what the apostles knew as they struggled in the ship as it passed across the Sea of Galilee.   Lord God, we are so grateful that we now have a full understanding of who Jesus is. We don't have to struggle with the truth that is revealed in Your word. We know that You, O God, came in the form of a Man, having united with Your creation to return us back to Yourself. How great You are, our Lord and our God! Amen.  

Thursday, 20 March 2025   And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. Matthew 8:24   “And, you behold! A great gale, it arose in the sea, so too the boat being swamped under the waves, and Himself, He slept” (CG).   The previous verse said that Jesus got into the boat while the other disciples followed Him. Next, Matthew records, “And, you behold! A great gale.”   The widest spot of the Sea of Galilee is about 8 miles. As they were going from Capernaum to the country of the Gergesenes, this would have extended the trip quite a bit, it being further south from Capernaum.   As such, and depending on whether they rowed or hoisted sail, the trip would be several hours at a minimum. For example, for one to row 10 miles, it would take from 1.5 to 3 hours, but the longer time would be assumed for normal traveling.   At some point, a seismos, a gale, arose. The word signifies a commotion either in the air or the ground. It is most generally translated as an earthquake. In this instance, it is referring to a gale coming downward from the higher mountainous areas and disturbing the sea.   Despite its small size, the shape and depth of the Sea of Galilee can produce enormous waves very quickly during such a wind event. The winds off the Mediterranean come heavily upon the land. When they reach the Arbel Pass, they are squished between the mountains, gaining speed.   From there, the winds rush down upon the lower sea and lift its surface. Such an event can arise in mere minutes, going from a calm and tranquil state to raging waters agitated as if by an underground tremor.   To see such an event actually occurring there, one can go to YouTube and search “Monster Storm at the Sea of Galilee where Jesus Walked.” This is to be found on the Sergio and Rhoda in Israel channel. Get ready for big fun and adventure where they highlight footage from just such a storm. Understanding this, Matthew next records concerning this seismos, “it arose in the sea, so too the boat being swamped.”   There are a couple of new words. The first is hóste. It is a word derived from hós (as, like, since, etc.), and te (and, also, etc.). Together, they form a word that connects a cause to a necessary effect. Thus, “so too” gets the point across.   The next word is kaluptó, to be swamped. The word is akin to krupto, to cover up or conceal. Thus, it gives the sense of covering. As this is a boat on the sea, it means the waters are covering the ship. They were being swamped, “under the waves.”   The word, kuma, wave, is also new, coming from kuo, to swell (as when bearing a child). Thus, it is a billow or wave. Such a situation, even to the most experienced of seamen, would be terrifying. They would be completely at the mercy of the elements as they were tossed about. Despite this, it next says of Jesus, “and Himself, He slept.”   Another new word is seen, katheudó, to sleep. Despite the raging of the seas, Jesus was getting much-needed sleep after all of the time He had spent tending to the people. He was in a carefree state despite the raging of the waters.   Life application: On Sunday, 25 January 1736, while traveling to America on a ship, John Wesley had a similar event happen. There was a terrifying and dangerous storm swirling around them. Despite this, his journal records these words –   “At seven I went to the Germans. I had long before observed the great seriousness of their behaviour. Of their humility they had given a continual proof, by performing those servile offices for the other passengers, which none of the English would undertake; for which they desired, and would receive no pay, saying, ‘“it was good for their proud hearts,' and ‘their loving Saviour had done more for them.' And every day had given them occasion of showing a meekness which no injury could move. If they were pushed, struck, or thrown down, they rose again and went away; but no complaint was found in their mouth. There was now an opportunity of trying whether they were delivered from the Spirit of fear, as well as from that of pride, anger, and revenge. In the midst of the psalm wherewith their service began, the sea broke over, split the main-sail in pieces, covered the ship, and poured in between the decks, as if the great deep had already swallowed us up. A terrible screaming began among the English. The Germans calmly sung on. I asked one of them afterwards, ‘Was you not afraid?' He answered, ‘I thank God, no.' I asked, ‘But were not your women and children afraid?' He replied, mildly, ‘No; our women and children are not afraid to die.' From them I went to their crying, trembling neighbours, and pointed out to them the difference in the hour of trial, between him that feareth God, and him that feareth him not. At twelve the wind fell. This was the most glorious day which I have hitherto seen.”   The main point of this entry is that when you have the hope of eternal life because of Christ, there should be no true fear of death. It is coming to all of us, whether we like it or not. But in Christ, His people will be raised to eternal life. Death, schmeath. No fear here! We belong to Jesus.   Lord God, whether we live for You or not, our days are set and numbered. You know them all. For those who know You, why should we be concerned about the things that hem us in and cause commotion? Troubles are sure to come, but they are temporary and will pass away into the eternal joy You have promised Your people. Thank You for the reassurance we can possess if we just trust in You. Amen.

Wednesday, 19 March 2025   Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. Matthew 8:23   “And He, having in-stepped into the boat, His disciples, they followed Him” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus instructed the hesitant disciple to follow Him and let the dead bury their own dead. With that, the journey the scribe (verse 19) wanted to join and the disciple (verse 21) wanted to be excused from begins with the words, “And He, having in-stepped into the boat.”   A new word, embainó, is found here. It is a compound word coming from en, in, and basis, a step. By implication, it refers to a foot, such as in Acts 3:7 –   “And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.”   Translating this as in-step is a direct and literal translation, even if it is a bit clunky. Being a ship, a normal English translation would be that “He boarded the ship.” As for His in-stepping, it next says that “His disciples, they followed Him.”   Notice that it says nothing of the disciple of the previous verses having turned back or remained on the shore. It would be an argument from silence to say this didn't happen, but it is of note that any such detail is left out. Rather, we are left to hopefully assume the best, thinking he got on board with Jesus, both literally and figuratively.   Life application: Jesus, the Lord God incarnate, has come. He faithfully completed every task set before Him by the Father. He tirelessly spent His time – days, months, and years – pursuing the will of God and expending Himself for the joy that lay ahead after His fulfillment of the Law of Moses.   This fulfillment, however, included the torturous events leading Him to the cross as well as the cross itself. And yet, knowing that lay ahead, He continued on. As it says in Luke –   “Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem.”   From the beginning of His ministry to the very last moments of His life ebbing away on the cross, Jesus sought the will of His Father. He has set the example for His followers. Each interaction with one of His disciples or apostles is recorded to give us information that we can use to come to our own decision concerning following Jesus.   Will we get on board with Jesus' agenda of spreading the gospel to the world. Or will we spend our time, money, and abilities satisfying ourselves? This doesn't mean we cannot tend to ourselves, live comfortable lives, and enjoy the many blessings of life in His presence. But is our time first and foremost spent with the main focus of pleasing Him?   Are we contemplating Him and considering how we can better ourselves as Christians while being willing to learn His word and get it out to others? Is “I'm going to church every Sunday” enough for you? Or are you living out a Christ-centered life throughout the week?   Consider this, and be willing to include Jesus in everything you do. Be like Him in that you are seeking the will of the Father at all times. May it be so.   Lord God, there is no better way of spending our days than getting closer to You in our minds and actions. Jesus sought Your will at all times. May we be willing to emulate Him, abandoning that which is of no eternal use and focusing our souls on pursuing that which is eternal. May it be so to Your glory. Amen.

Tuesday, 18 March 2025   But Jesus said to him, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.” Matthew 8:22   “And Jesus, He said to him, ‘You follow Me, and you leave the dead to inter the dead of themselves” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus was approached by one of His disciples who said, “Lord, You permit me first to go and inter my father.” In response to this, Matthew next records, “And Jesus, He said to him, ‘You follow Me.”   The word translated as “follow” is imperative. Jesus is instructing him that he is to forget the notion of staying around waiting to inter his father. It is a way of having the person decide upon his priorities right then and there and not to waffle in the direction he will take.   It is unlikely that Jesus would tell this disciple that he couldn't bury his father if he was already dead. Nor would it be likely that Jesus would tell him he couldn't depart to bury his father if the news about his death was brought to him as they traveled.   This isn't the point of what Jesus is conveying to him. He is speaking of priorities. In this case, it is the priority of either waiting around for his father to die or to accompany Jesus and the others in the ministry. Understanding this, it next says, “and you leave the dead to inter the dead of themselves.”   It is obvious that Jesus is using the word dead in two different senses. Those who are literally dead can't bury anything. Various uses of the word dead that are not literal are seen, such as he is a dead man, he is a dead dog, for all my father's house were but dead, I am like a dead man, dead to sin, dead because of sin, etc.   In this case, the dead refer to those who are spiritually dead and not seeking a remedy to that. For example, Leviticus 18:5 says, “You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does, he shall live by them: I am the Lord.” The words speak of living, not dying. They do not mean “living well,” “living prosperously,” etc. They refer to continued existence.   Jesus has already shown what the true demands of God are. The bar is far above the law itself, but the promise of the law is given, and if someone was to do just the things of the law, it would mean continued life. As nobody had ever accomplished this, death continued to rule in all men.   Like Haman and his ten sons (a picture of the Law and the Ten Commandments which issue from it), the law stood against the people. But Jesus has already told the people, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.”   His promise of the fulfillment of the law means that He will live. Although the disciples didn't yet understand the ministry of Jesus, they are being instructed that His ministry is the way to find life from this body of death which man is born into. Those who do not participate or accept His ministry are the dead being referred to. They were born into spiritual death, and they will remain in that state. Let them deal with the dead.   Life application: Stories from Israel's history were selected to give us insights into the greater work of Christ. These started in Genesis, and they continue throughout all of the historical books. When you read about the burial of Sarah, the hanging of the king of Ai, or the acceptance of Ruth into the line of Judah and which led to David through her marriage to Boaz, you are reading typological representations of things that would occur because of Jesus and His ministry.   Many of these stories anticipate Jesus directly. Others detail what would come about because of His work. David slaying Goliath is given to show us the work of Christ against the great foe of the people of God. Samson and the events of his life, likewise, were selected to be used in this manner.   Time and time again, God is showing us that it is law stands against us. It is what got man into trouble when he was in Eden. It is what kept Israel from life because of the impossibility for any of them to fulfill it. But the remedy is Jesus. He alone fulfilled the law. In His fulfillment of it, He introduced a New Covenant.   Without coming to Christ, the law which brought death to Adam stands against us. The Law of Moses only made things more difficult for the people of Israel. But Jesus stepped in and took the burden off the people. Follow Jesus. He is the Life leading to life.   Lord God, for all our days, may we remember the reason Jesus came. He told Israel, and through that, He is telling us. We need grace, not law. Help us to not get called back into a failed system of working to please You. Rather, help us to trust in Your great deeds, accomplished through Jesus, to carry us back to Yourself. With this, surely You are pleased. Amen.

Monday, 17 March 2025   Then another of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” Matthew 8:21   “And another – of His disciples – said to Him, ‘Lord, You permit me first to go and inter my father'” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus told the scribe that the Son of Man has nowhere to recline His head. Next, He is again approached. Matthew records that, beginning with, “And another – of His disciples.”   The word translated as another, héteros, signifies another, but distinct in kind. This is in contrast to the Greek word állos which signifies another of the same kind. In other words, this appears to confirm that the scribe of the previous verse was not a disciple.   Rather, he was just an opportunist looking to ingratiate himself to Jesus in order to somehow profit off of His ministry. Of this person now, it says that he “said to Him, ‘Lord, You permit me first.'”   The word epitrepó, to permit, is introduced here. It literally means “to upon turn.” In other words, it is an expression to be used in a figurative sense to mean permit, yield, allow, etc.   If one thinks of a wheel turning, one might say, “As the wheel turns, I want to do this.” It would indicate an interval of time being permitted for him to do the requested thing. In this case, this upon turning is “to go and inter my father.”   Another new word is used, thaptó, to inter. Saying “bury” is something that we generally do, and so it is what we think of. However, it says in translations of 1 Corinthians 15:4, using this same word, that Jesus was buried. That is technically not correct. He was entombed or interred.   This was a common form of disposing of a body in Israel. It would be placed in a tomb, allowed to decay, and then the bones would be collected and placed in an ossuary. This can be seen in the passage about Lazarus –   “Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, ‘Take away the stone.' Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, ‘Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.' 40 Jesus said to her, ‘Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?' 41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, ‘Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.' 43 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come forth!' 44 And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘Loose him, and let him go.'” John 11:38-44   This is also why it was pointed out that no one had been laid in the tomb where Jesus was interred before –   “This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53 Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a tomb that was hewn out of the rock, where no one had ever lain before.” Luke 23:52, 53   The tombs were reused after the bones had been removed and placed in an ossuary. The disciple is saying to Jesus that he would follow Him, but he first had to tend to his father's internment. The probable meaning is that his father was old and would need to be buried upon his death. He was asking for a chance to see him off before following him.   What precipitated this was that Jesus was going to go to the other side of the sea with His disciples. Not knowing how long this would be, based on what He said to the scribe, he didn't want to abandon his father at the time of his passing.   The reason this is the likely scenario is that when a person died, the culture insisted on an immediate internment. A delay of twenty-four or fewer hours would not call for such a response. Rather, the unknown date of an elderly person's passing could ostensibly go on for years.   Life application: In 1965, a lawyer named André-François Raffray signed a contract to buy the house of Jeanne Calment. At the time Jeanne was 90. André-François figured it wouldn't be long until she punched her ticket, and so he agreed to pay 2500 francs a month until she died. This is about $500 in today's dollars.   Raffray didn't expect her to live to be 123 years old. In fact, he died in 1995 at 77 while Jeanne Calment, the seemingly Everlasting Bunny, was still a spry 120. She lived three more years while Raffray's family continued to pay her the monthly agreed upon amount.   In all, the over-eager Raffray (and his family after him) paid Jeanne Calment a total of 918,000 francs. This was nearly double the amount that the apartment was worth.   Remembering this lesson, we need to not get ourselves into things without any set end to them lest we lose our shirts in the process. Eternity is forever. Be set in where you will go when you go. Invest in Jesus, the only true guarantee of eternal life in the presence of God. Do it today!   O God, we invest in a lot of things in this life. Many of them turn out to be bad decisions filled with loss. But even when they are successes, they will eventually fade away. Nothing is sure except that we are set to die and then face the judgment. May our judgment for salvation wisely be settled now by calling on Jesus! Amen.  

This is the message from our Thursday evening service on 3/13/2025 with Pastor Chet Lowe.

Matthew 8:28-34

Matthew 8:23-26