Monday, August 21, 2017

Give Thanks to God

GIVE THANKS TO GOD!
1.       Oh give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth forever. Psalms 107:1
2.       In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 1 Thes. 5:18
3.       And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. Col. 3:17.
4.       But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Cor. 15:57
5.       It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High. Psalm 92:1
6.       O come, let us sing unto the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.  Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. Psalms 95:1,2.
7.       Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. 4) Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. Psalms 100:1, 4
8.       Give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people. 1 Chronicles 16: 8
9.       And when ye will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving unto the Lord, offer it at your own will. Lev. 22:29
10.   Be careful for nothing: but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known unto the Lord. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Phil. 4:6,7.
11.   And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
12.   Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. 2 Cor. 2: 14
13.   Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

14.   By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

Thursday, August 10, 2017

The Gospel of Matthew

THE GOSPELS
The four gospels of Jesus Christ present a fourfold view of the life of Christ. There are a few scant references by Josephus and Tacitus about the life of Christ but our entire knowledge of the life of Jesus comes from these four accounts. Scholars believe that the early accounts were probably passed on verbally in the Aramaic language and later recorded in Greek manuscripts sometime between ad 60 and 90. All four accounts build upon one another with historical tradition and each keep and preserve different slants and aspects of it.
The whole purpose of the Gospels is to present to the world the Good News of the Redeemer-Savior. The focus and present Jesus as the Messiah of Israel, the Son of God, Christ the King, and Savior of the world. These accounts were written, inspired by God, so that their readers would come to believe in Christ and receive eternal life (see John 20:31). The Gospels present Jesus as the Lord of Glory who is alive and is seated at the right hand of God in heaven!
THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW
Author, Matthew (called Levi), one of the twelve apostles, Mark 2:14.. He was a Jew, a publican, or Roman tax collector. (Matt. 10:3). Matthew’s name means "gift of Jehovah", he left his job of gathering taxes (Mat 9:9-13) to follow Jesus.  When Jesus called him, he left all to follow him. Luke 5:27-28. He was an "eyewitness of Jesus entire ministry.
He made a great feast for Christ, who attended it despite that publicans belonged to a despised class, Luke 5:29-31, Mark 2:15-17.  Jesus is a friend of "publicans and sinners", that's good news. After this banquet Matthew is not mentioned again except in the list of the twelve (Matt. 10:3; see also Acts 1:13).
                                        MATTHEW
Jesus the Messiah!
“You are the light of the world. Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14,16.
“But seek ye first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well”. Matthew 6:33
The Emphasis of the Matthew
That Jesus is the Messiah foretold by the Old Testament prophets is the main emphasis of the book. He quotes from the Old Testament more than any other New Testament author and seems to be addressing the Jewish nation.
The book provides amazing examples of the power and accuracy of God’s prophets who had foretold of the coming Messiah. Born by a virgin ( see Isaiah 7:14) in Bethlehem ( see Micah 5:2), to his crucifixion ( see Psalm 22:14, 16-17) with thieves (criminals), (see Isaiah 53:12) and resurrection from the dead (see Psalm 16:10), Jesus did what the prophets had predicted-he fulfilled every prophesy and fit ever description of the Jewish Messiah.
He uses the terms “kingdom” or “kingdom of heaven” often (43 times), his gospel is often called the Gospel of the Kingdom! Matthew gives Jesus’s discourses quite precisely, especially the Sermon on the Mount (chapters 5-7) and Jesus discourse about the coming of the end of the world (chapters 25-25).
The book of Matthew is read more than any of the Gospels.
This gospel does not name its author, but has been accepted as the work of Matthew since the early church fathers, beginning with Papias, who was a student of the apostle John. The Didache, the Epistle of Barnabas, Papias ( the second century bishop of Hierapolis, Iranaeus ( the bishop of Lyons), Origen (third century), and Eusebius (fourth century) all agree as to Matthew as the author of this Gospel that bears his name. Good enough for me!
Matthew may have left a clue or two; however. After Matthew was called to be a disciple ( 9:9), the text says that Jesus ate a meal with tax collectors and sinners “in the house”, which could be said “in his house”. A parallel scripture Mark 2:15 states that this was Levi’s house (Matthew), it seems safe to believe that the author of this first gospel was speaking of his own house.
Matthew (Levi) was a former tax collector/Publican and one of the original twelve, he was an eyewitness to the whole ministry of Jesus.
Valuable Statistics of Gospel of Matthew
Purpose: To prove that Jesus is indeed the Messiah, the eternal King
Author: Matthew (Levi)
Written to whom: He wrote especially to the Jews
Date written: Probably between A. D. 60-65
Setting: Matthew was a Jewish tax collector (publican) who heeded the call of Christ and became one of the twelve. The gospel of Matthew forms the connecting link between the Old and New Testament because of the many emphases on the fulfillment of prophesy.
Key Verse: “Think not that I am come, to destroy the law or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill”. (KJV)
Key People: Jesus, Mary, Joseph, John the Baptist, the disciples, the religious leaders, Caiaphas, Pilate and Mary Magdalene.
Key Places: Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Capernaum, Galilee, Judea
Special Phrases: Matthew uses much messianic language (“Son of David” is used throughout) and Old Testament references (53 quotes and 76 other references). The gospel is not chronically written, but it’s purpose was to present the clear evidence that Jesus, is the Savior, the Messiah, the King!
                                OUTLINE OF MATTHEW (Wycliffe Bible Dictionary)
  1. Birth Stories, 1:1-2:23
  2. John the Baptist, 3:1-17
  3. Galilean Ministry, 4:1-18:35
 A. Preparation, 4:1-25
 B. Sermon on the Mount, 5:1-7:29
 C. Miracles and teaching, 8:1-18:35
  1. Activities in Jerusalem and Judea, 19: 1-25:46
  2. Passion: 26:1-27:66
  3. Resurrection, 28: 1-20
OUTLINE OF MATTHEW (Life Application Bible Commentary)
A.      Birth and Preparation of Jesus, the King (1:1-4:11)
B.      Message and Ministry of Jesus, the King (4:12-25:46)
1.       Jesus begins his ministry
2.       Jesus gives the Sermon on the Mount
3.       Jesus performs many miracles
4.       Jesus teaches about the kingdom
5.       Jesus encounters differing reactions to his ministry
6.       Jesus faces conflict with the religious leaders
7.       Jesus teaches on the Mount of Olives
C.      Death and Resurrection of Jesus, the King (26:1-28:20
(1) The complete Genealogy of Christ, ch. 1:1-17
(2) Incidents and Discourses found only in Matthew
Ch.2, The visit of the Magi v1
  The flight into Egypt, v. 13, 14
  The slaughter of the innocents, v.16
  The return to Nazareth, vs. 19-23
Ch. 3 The coming of the Pharisees and Sadducees to John the Baptist, v7
Chs. 5-7, The sermon on the Mount (complete)
Ch. 11;28, “Come unto me, all ye that labor”
Ch.14:28-31, Peter walking on the sea
Ch. 23, The denunciation of the Pharisees, as an extended Discourse
Ch. 26:15, The thirty pieces of silver received by Judas
Ch. 27, The return of the thirty pieces of silver, vs 3-10
  The dream of Pilate’s wife, v.19
  The appearance of resurrected saints, v. 52
  The watch at the sepulcher, vs. 64-66
Ch.28, The bribing of the soldiers, vs. 12,13
  The earthquake, v. 2; The Great Commission, vs. 19, 20
(3) Miracles found only in Matthew,
  Ch. 9: 28-30, the two blind men healed
  Ch. 17: 24-27, the tribute money
(4) Parables found only in Matthew
  Ch., The tares, v.24-----the hid treasure, v. 44…the goodly pearl, v. 45---the draw-net, v. 47
  Ch. 18, The unmerciful servant, v. 23
  Ch. 20, The laborers in the vineyard, vs. 1-16
  Ch. 21, The two sons, vs. 28-32
  Ch. 22, The marriage of the King’s son, v. 1-14
  Ch. 25, The ten virgins, v. 1-13
     The Talents, vs. 14-30
     The sheep and the goats, vs. 31-46