Matthew – God’s Purposes
The Son of God, Jesus Christ, knew what was about to happen to Him. He knew he was sent from God to redeem the world of people then, later and now, that God loved and created. He knew, being the perfect, without sin, Person who was Truth, Way and Life, that He had to be the sacrificial lamb that would pay for our sins once and for all.
Jesus agreed with God’s will that is must be done this way. He also knew he would die and rise again on the third day. He knew God would turn his back on his Son in that moment when all sin of the world would be placed on his shoulders. When he cried out, “It is finished”, Jesus knew the work of redemption was complete. The curtain to God torn away so all can enter in who repent of sin in Jesus Name. Relationship to God restored.
He agreed the process must begin.
Also in agreement were the religious elite who harassed, questioned, mocked and plotted to kill our Lord and Savior.
Passover, the time when God’s people celebrate God’s care over them when He rescued them from the hand of Pharaoh and gave them freedom from slavery long ago in their history of relationship that had gone sour in the minds of most of His people, especially with the ones “in charge” in succeeding generations. Passover…when death passed over their families only because of their obedience to God who told them to spread the blood of a sacrificial lamb over their doorposts.
Yes, all are in agreement. Jesus agreed with God to fulfill His plan of redemption. The ones who thought they were in charge over the people agreed it was time for Jesus to be killed. The religious elite were bit players in God’s ultimate plan to redeem His people once and for all time.
Only the outcome was different in the mind of God and His Son than in the mind of the ruling religious at the time but the process was the same. They agreed.
Matthew 26, NLT
The Plot to Kill Jesus
When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, 2 “As you know, Passover begins in two days, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”
3 At that same time the leading priests and elders were meeting at the residence of Caiaphas, the high priest, 4 plotting how to capture Jesus secretly and kill him. 5 “But not during the Passover celebration,” they agreed, “or the people may riot.”
Dear Heavenly Father,Thank you for your plan to save us and restore us to a right relationship with You though Jesus Christ, Your Son. Thank you, dear Jesus, for taking on my sin and the sin of all the world you love. Thank you for loving me that much that you chose to die for me so that I can be redeemed eternally. Forever with You. I agree with You.
In Jesus Name.
In our fast paced world it is pretty easy to fill your vehicle’s tank with gas, get groceries, eat a bite at a fast food place, pick up wanted items at stores, and run other errands without really looking at the people who serve you, walk by you or sit at the intersection. You can also work at a job all day long, focused only on the work given to you, without looking at the people who work around you or the people you serve.
31 “But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.
40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’
Years ago, while a teacher in Oklahoma with limited funds given for supplies, we knew that what little was given to us, we must spend. Everyone knew it. Some teachers were frivolous, spending on consumables that would only last for that year. Others of us would think about it, pour over the catalogs we were given to make our purchases, so we could get the biggest bang for our few bucks. Wise teachers invested in items they could use for future classrooms. But we ALL knew that with a “zero budget” system, you must use what was given…or we would lose future funding.
Parable of the Three Servants
The talents represent opportunities to use our abilities. If five talents were given to a person with minimal ability, he would be destroyed by the heavy responsibility. But if only one talent were given to a man of great ability, he would be disgraced and degraded. God assigns work and opportunity according to ability. 
Are we anticipating God’s words of, “Well done, good and faithful servant” or “You could have at least….”
13 “So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return.
Read with anticipation. Read slowly. Read with the Holy Spirit helping with understanding and clarity…
23 “Then if anyone tells you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah,’ or ‘There he is,’ don’t believe it. 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones. 25 See, I have warned you about this ahead of time.
NOW THINK ABOUT IT…
I am sure that those who believe will immediately recognize the One and Only that have spent a lifetime getting know Him intimately with unswerving faith. I believe this with all my heart.
After the game show of questioning Jesus by the Pharisees and other religious leaders and teachers, another “show” is revealed and lamented by Jesus. It is the show of hypocrisy. As I read this passage, I feel more grief and disgust from Jesus’ words and heart than anger. There is nothing worse than disappointing our Lord and Savior, Messiah, the One and Only who came to save us and restore us to a right relationship with God.
16 “Blind guides! What sorrow awaits you! For you say that it means nothing to swear ‘by God’s Temple,’ but that it is binding to swear ‘by the gold in the Temple.’ 17 Blind fools! Which is more important—the gold or the Temple that makes the gold sacred? 18 And you say that to swear ‘by the altar’ is not binding, but to swear ‘by the gifts on the altar’ is binding. 19 How blind! For which is more important—the gift on the altar or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 When you swear ‘by the altar,’ you are swearing by it and by everything on it. 21 And when you swear ‘by the Temple,’ you are swearing by it and by God, who lives in it. 22 And when you swear ‘by heaven,’ you are swearing by the throne of God and by God, who sits on the throne.
When we fall short some days and slip up in our walk, that is not hypocrisy, that is humanity. God forgives us. But when we memorize God’s Word, preach God’s Word and speak as if our hearts are pure but “act” or live our lives with no intention of following God’s Word for ourselves, then that is hypocrisy.
Have you ever watched the game show, Jeopardy? People gamble what they have on hand to gain more by getting the right answer by giving the right question that fits the answer on the board. 
Taxes for Caesar
NO MORE QUESTIONS – GAME OVER…FOR NOW
There is nothing more irritating than your family’s lack of response when called to the dinner you have waiting on the table! You have done all the work necessary to serve a piping hot meal only to be ignored when you tell them it is ready. 
22 Jesus also told them other parables. He said, 2 “The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a king who prepared a great wedding feast for his son. 3 When the banquet was ready, he sent his servants to notify those who were invited. But they all refused to come!
Isn’t it annoying to work for a leader who gives you solutions to your question off the top of their heads without really knowing the answer or thinking about what is true and right? You question it but you obey the boss hoping it will be okay. Do we do this to our kids at times? Wouldn’t it be better (and safer) to just say, “I don’t know”? Even better, is to follow “I don’t know” with “I will find out the Truth and get back to you”. There would be a lot less confusion in the world if we would think first then respond.
The Pharisees, however, consistently trying to trap Jesus, expressed concern of His authority at the Temple in front of everyone gathered there. Jesus, knowing their hearts, answered their question with a question. After a leadership committee meeting, they respond, “We don’t know”. Best response they could have given. They DIDN’T know. They didn’t know Jesus, Son of God. They didn’t know God’s Word was meant to help not burden people. The didn’t know the intent of God’s Word and commands. Worst of all, they didn’t know God anymore. 
Wow. They were right about ONE thing…They didn’t know.
The Authority of Jesus Challenged
28 “But what do you think about this? A man with two sons told the older boy, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ 29 The son answered, ‘No, I won’t go,’ but later he changed his mind and went anyway. 30 Then the father told the other son, ‘You go,’ and he said, ‘Yes, sir, I will.’ But he didn’t go.
Dear Heavenly Father,
I love to grow plants of all kinds. I win some and lose some in this hobby, but I still like to watch God’s creation grow to bloom. You get a little dirty in this work but it is worth all the effort. I love watching fruits and vegetables form from the blooms. It is all amazing to watch. As a family, we love eating the fruits of our labor. 
18 In the morning, as Jesus was returning to Jerusalem, he was hungry, 19 and he noticed a fig tree beside the road. He went over to see if there were any figs, but there were only leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” And immediately the fig tree withered up.
Ah, so now we get it, right? Allow God’s Holy Spirit to reign supremely in us and through us. The fruit will come through obedience to His Spirit as we yield to Him every day of our lives.
