November 1 - Matthew 20-21: Jesus Uses a Vineyard to Teach the Expansion of the "God's Chosen People" Label

Today’s Reading: Matthew 20-21

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

God would soon take the His exclusive "Chosen People" tag from Israel and give it to others.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

Israel would not receive more blessings because she was called first.
James and John's mother asked that her sons be given the highest places of honor at Jesus' Crucifixion and Resurrection. "I do not give places of honor. The first will be last."
Blind men called Jesus' healing name.
Many people honored Jesus while entering Jerusalem—fulfilling prophecy.
Jesus outraged religious leaders in the Temple.
Jesus condemned a fig tree for not bearing fruit.
Jesus played political chess with the religious leaders.
"Unrighteous" people who changed would enter God's Kingdom before Israelites. God would hand the Kingdom to new people.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

The three parables of the vineyard told Israel they would be replaced since they were not doing their job.

God called Israel to be lighthouses to the nations. Instead, Israel acted like everyone else and eventually placed idols in the Temple in Honor of God. Jesus gave three parables which would anger Israel because they removed their exclusivity on being "God's Chosen People". They told God they would obey Him, failed to follow through, killed His Chosen Prophets, killed His Son, and complained that they were given the exact-same wage as a person who set things right later in life. That isn't a good track record.
As God's Chosen People today, we need to make sure we understand these parables. We must follow through on our promises to obey God. We must not reject His Chosen Messengers. We must not complain when others receive the same blessing as we do though they came to know Him late in life. These are difficult things to do—though you probably already knew that. Many places in the world see an explosion of people setting things right who are not part of an "organized" religion when God's Chosen People fail to act. We should not feel threatened or angered by this. We should realize that God gives blessings to anyone who sets things right and punishes His Chosen People who reject His Message.

The blind men were healed because they did not listen to the crowd but cried out to God anyway.

May we find more and more people willing to cry out to God even though the people around them are telling them to stop. (No, I'm not talking about the guy on the street with the bullhorn telling people how their sins are going to land them in Hell for eternity. He should stop. Now.)

Jesus is preparing for His Crucifixion.

We started the long trek toward the crucifixion a few days ago. As Jesus entered Jerusalem for the last time, His Followers greeted Him as they should—a benevolent King who asks for voluntary worship, not forced obeisance. I believe this episode gave Him hope as He moved toward the end.

The Temple was a house of prayer, not a house of merchandise.

We have read a similar story in John, so I will not go into detail here. However, I wanted to remind us that a space that has been dedicated to God should stay dedicated to God. It should be used to set relationships right.

Are you willing to cry out to God even when the crowds tell you not to?

October 3 - Matthew 2; Luke 2:39-52: Jesus' Childhood

Today’s Reading: Matthew 2; Luke 2:39-52

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

Non-Chosen People celebrated Jesus' birth.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

Scholars from the East asked Herod where the "King of the Jews" lived. They paid homage and gave gifts to Him.
God's angel told Joseph to seek refuge in Egypt, fulfilling prophecy.
Herod slaughtered the infants in Bethlehem, the prophesied place of the Messiah's birth, in order to kill his rival. This fulfilled prophecy.
When Herod died, Joseph, Mary, and Jesus resettled in Nazareth, fulfilling prophecy.
The family travelled to Jerusalem for Passover. Twelve years-old, Jesus stayed behind in the Temple to deal with His Father's things. His parents frantically searched.
Jesus matured physically and spiritually, with God and people.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

Non-Chosen People are entering the sphere of God's Influence.

The band of scholars from the East were not Jews. They were not Chosen People. Malachi told Israel there were many people outside their ethnic group that wanted to worship Him. Now we have an example of people doing such. Isaiah prophesied that God would open His Temple to outsiders. Another major theme in the New Testament is this opening of God's Direct Influence on non-Chosen People and their eventual invitation to join God's Chosen People.

Herod commits infanticide because of his misguided jealousy.

Herod could not believe this newborn could be the next King of the Jews. He would not have anyone challenge his power; therefore, he murdered all of the children under two in Bethlehem to maintain his position. The irony of the story is that Jesus' Kingdom was not a worldly kingdom. He was not Herod's rival after all. Beware a love of power. It can lead you to commit horrible acts which may not help you in the end.

Jesus grew up obedient to His parents.

Jesus was God in human form but he submitted to His parents. He grew physically, spiritually, and socially mature and was blessed by people and God. What a contrast between Jesus and Herod—Jesus was the Son of God but lived obedient to his earthly parents. Herod was the son of earthly parents but would not be obedient to God.

Are you jealous of people who are not your rivals?

October 2 - Matthew 1; Luke 2:1-38: Jesus is Born to Praise from Shepherds

Today’s Reading: Matthew 1; Luke 2:1-38

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

God has moved into the neighborhood.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

There were 42 generations between Abraham and Jesus.
An angel told Joseph that Mary was pregnant by the Holy Spirit and her son would save Israel from their sins—fulfilling the virgin-birth prophecy. Joseph believed the angel.
Mary gave birth to Jesus and laid him in a manger, since there was no room for them in hotels. Nearby shepherds heard angels praising God and came to see the baby.
Joseph and Mary took Jesus to the Temple to offer the sacrifice to redeem the firstborn son. Two elderly people, Simeon and Anna, praised God for letting them see the Messiah.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

God moved into the neighborhood.

(Repeat of yesterday's comment) God was in the Garden at the beginning. When God came to Israel in the wilderness they asked that He use Moses as an intermediary. The intermediary way of communicating with Israel lasted over a thousand years. With Jesus, God not only interacted with His Chosen People face-to-face again, He came in human form and lived among them to set His relationship with Israel right. He also came to make us what we should be—"God-begotten" (John 1:13, The Message). This means Jesus came to help us understand we are much greater than the son or daughter of humans. By submitting to Him we become our true selves—children of God. God came to Earth in human form to set our relationship right and make us what we should be—Children of God.

Joseph had faith that God would set things right.

Joseph was a good man, not willing to make a spectacle of his fiancé's infidelity. When God's angel spoke to him in a dream, Joseph had to trust that God would bring Jesus safely into the world and keep them safe from any zealot that wanted to make them an example. Because of his faith, Mary and Jesus lived secure lives. When God's Chosen Men have full faith in God, God can set things right for their family.

The shepherds told everyone they met what they saw.

This is the first example that will become a theme in the New Testament. When God's Chosen People tell others what they have seen God doing, others will praise God, too.

Matthew's purpose is to show how the Old Testament proves Jesus' authenticity and contrasts the Scriptures to the Jews' expectations of the Messiah.

You will see some form of the phrase "this fulfilled prophecy" many, many times in this Gospel. Matthew wanted the Jews to understand how Jesus fits the description of the Messiah the prophets wanted Israel to wait for. The Jews, on the other hand, were expecting a much different Messiah. Matthew is showing how their view is a misreading of the Prophets. Jesus' authenticity was founded on more than His teachings and miracles. His authenticity included everything Israel considered sacred.

Remember Simeon's words.

Simeon's words are prophetic:

God, you can now release your servant;
   release me in peace as you promised.
With my own eyes I’ve seen your salvation;
   it’s now out in the open for everyone to see:
A God-revealing light to the non-Jewish nations,
   and of glory for your people Israel.
…
This child marks both the failure and
   the recovery of many in Israel,
A figure misunderstood and contradicted—
   the pain of a sword-thrust through you—
But the rejection will force honesty,
   as God reveals who they really are. (Luke 2:29-32, 34-35, The Message)

I would love to write on each one of these here, but they will be written about as we go through the rest of the New Testament.

Do you want God to reveal who you really are?