MT 22:28 Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her.

MT 22:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.

MT 22:30 For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.

The Sadducees did not believe in a resurrection.  They thought that this life is all there is.  They used the example of a woman who had many husbands.  They reasoned that if she had 7 husbands on earth, then would she not have 7 husbands in heaven.  Being married to more than one husband is a sin.  There can be no sin in heaven.  They thought this was a good argument and tried to trip Jesus up with it.  Of course their reasoning is flawed.  Jesus points this out by informing them that in heaven man does not marry.  Marriage between a man and a woman is only for this life.  It is not for the life to come.  The Mormon are dead wrong when they teach that you can be sealed in marriage for eternity.  Jesus says there is no marriage in heaven. 

You might think why not.  To have a proper marriage you must be devoted to each other.  Our devotion in heaven will be directed to Jesus.  Oh we will still fellowship in heaven.  We will have many friends.  But the kind of devotion that belongs in marriage will be all for Jesus.  We will have with Him the greatest relationship of all. 

MT 21:4 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,

MT 21:5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.

MT 21:6 And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them,

MT 21:7 And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon.

MT 21:8 And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.

MT 21:9 And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.

It was foretold hundreds of years before that the coming King would ride into Jerusalem on a ass.  By coming into Jerusalem this way Jesus was clearly declaring that He was the one that was prophesied about.  He was telling the world that He was the one that they had been waiting for.  The people were excited about it.  A multitude spread their garments in the way for a path for Him to ride into town on.  The multitudes went before Him and cried, "Hosanna to the son of David:  Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest."

They were thrilled to see Jesus.  But only as long as they thought that He would give them what they wanted.  They wanted Him to set up the kingdom right then.  They wanted Him to give them independence from Rome.  And when it became evident that Jesus was not going to do that, they went from shouting Hosanna, Hosanna to shouting Crucify Crucify.  What a display of the fickle wicked heart of man. 

You see this same sinful fickle nature of man all the time.  You see it in politics, you see it in the workplace.  You see it in family relations.  I have even seen people act this way towards preachers.  They will be all for the man when he preaches on the compassion of Jesus or on love or hope.  But as soon as he preaches on sin, watch out.  Especially if he preaches on the sin of adding to or taking away from God's Word.  Then instead of singing praises, they start throwing curses.  Men will switch from Hosanna to Crucify as fast as you can snap your fingers. 

How does this apply to us?  First determine in your heart that you will not be that way.  Pray and ask God to give you the strength, wisdom, and grace to not behave this way.  Second if you are in the ministry in some way, understand that people will be fickle.  Do not take it personally.  Keep your eyes on Jesus.  Stick to your guns and hold to the truth regardless of what people say or do to you.  Do not let the wicked sinful fickle nature of man stop you from doing what God would have you to do. 

MT 20:17 And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them,

MT 20:18 Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death,

MT 20:19 And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.

MT 20:28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Two times in this chapter Jesus tells His disciples of His coming death.  Jesus tells them that it will happen in Jerusalem.   Jesus tells them that He will be betrayed.  He tells them that this betrayal will put Him into the hands of the chief priests and the scribes.  Jesus tells them that the chief priests and the scribes will condemn Him to death.  This was something that they did not have the power to do at this time.  Only Rome had the power to enact the death penalty.  The disciples might have wondered how can they do that?  But Jesus knew exactly what was going to happen.  Jesus told them that the priests were going to deliver Him to the Gentiles, and that they were going to mock Him and scourge Him.  And after that, crucify Him.  Jesus also told them why.  He told them that He came to give His life as a ransom for many.  No one was going to take His life.  He gave it.  He did not give it for just a few but for many.  For all who would accept His atoning work on the cross. 

They kept talking about the kingdom and Jesus was telling them that this was not the time for the kingdom.  First He must die.  First he must give His life as a ransom for many.  He tells them that He did not come to be ministered to like a ruler of a kingdom.  That comes later.  He came this time to minister.  He came to pay for our sin. 

But He also tells them that His death will not be permanent.  He tells them that 3 days later He will rise again. 

After verse 19 they go back to talking about the kingdom.   Instead of bringing in the kingdom, Jesus went to the cross and died.  The disciples all forsook Him.  They wanted a kingdom without a cross.  But it does not work that way.  (Thankfully the disciples understood that after the resurrection).

First the sin question has to be dealt with.  Then later can come the kingdom.

It is the same with you.  You first have to go to the cross and have your sins forgiven.  You have to accept His atoning work.  You have to acknowledge that He died in your place; that He paid your sin debt.  You must believe in your heart and call upon Him to save you. 

Do not be a part of the multitude that want the kingdom without the cross of Christ.  

MT 19:13 Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them.

MT 19:14 But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

MT 19:15 And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence.

Trying to stop the children from coming to Jesus is a wicked thing.  The disciples did not want the children to come to Jesus.  But Jesus said, "forbid them not, to come unto me: for such is the kingdom of heaven."  The disciples did not hate children.  I think they thought that the children were too young to understand and that the teachings of Jesus was for the adults.  Or they might have thought that it was a waste of Jesus' time.  Or that His time would be better spent with them.  What ever their reason was, they were wrong.  Jesus tells them to let them come.  Jesus loves little children to. 

Jesus uses the word suffer in verse 14.  If you have ever been involved in a children's ministry, you understand that statement.  Not that it is a horrible experience, far from it.  Being involved in a children's ministry is a blessing.  It is a privilege.  But if you are going to be involved in a children's ministry, you are going to have to put up with some things.

Children get out of hand from time to time.  They don't always behave like you want them to.  Some kids are dirty and smell terrible.  They will try your patience.   But it does not matter, you are to bring them to Jesus anyway.  

There is one place in every church that can use more workers and that is the children's ministry.  Put up with some things, roll up your sleeves and get busy.  It is a sad thing to me when a church is not going out trying to bring in bus kids.  Something is wrong with a church like that. 

It is fitting that we have both humility and forgiveness taught in this chapter.

In God's eyes it is humility that is great and not pride.

MT 18:4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

From reading this chapter you should get a sense of how serious God takes the offences that we cause to another of His children, and how serious of a matter it is that we forgive our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Forgiving our brothers is not an option, it is a command.

The real reason that a Christian will not forgive his brother is simply pride.

God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.

Who do you need to forgive?

Who Wrote Hebrews?

You will often hear preachers mention that they think that Paul wrote Hebrews, but they very seldom take the time out of the message to explain why.  And I can understand why you would not want to interrupt the flow of the message or get on a side trail that distracts from the point at hand.  I also think that Paul wrote Hebrews and I think so for many reasons.

1)    It was written about 64 A.D. The book had to be written before 70 A.D. because it was written before the destruction of the temple in 70 A.D. Hebrews 10:11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:

Paul writes in the present tense about the priests making sacrifices. This shows that the temple was not yet destroyed.  So the timeframe of the book allows for Paul to be the writer.

2)    The early eastern church accepted Paul as the writer. It was not until the 4th century that the writer was in doubt.

3)    There is also internal evidence that Paul was the writer. Hebrews 13:23 Know ye that [our] brother Timothy is set at liberty; with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you.

Paul says our brother Timothy. The writer knew Timothy in a personal way.  That certainly fits with the writer being Paul.

4) The writer of Hebrews was in prison. Heb 10:34 For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.

That certainly fits Paul

5) The writer is writing from Rome.  Heb 13:24 Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints. They of Italy salute you.

The writer was not only in prison but he was in Rome.  Paul was in prison in Rome.  This fits. 

6)  The salutation at the end is like Paul's. 

7)    Peter says that Paul wrote it.  This takes some logic so follow closely.  In the book of 1st Peter he is writing to Hebrew Christians and reminds them that Paul had also written to them about the same subject. 

2Pe 3:15 And account [that] the longsuffering of our Lord [is] salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;

Peter says that Paul had already written to them.  And watch the first words of verse 16. 

2Pe 3:16 As also in all [his] epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as [they do] also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

The words "As also" connects what Paul wrote to them to Paul's other epistles.  This means that what Paul wrote before is also scripture.  You see this in the end of verse 16 where it says, as they do also the other scriptures.  The word "also" connects Paul's earlier writing as also being scripture. 

So far we have established that Paul wrote to these Hebrew Christians before.  And Peter established that what Paul wrote earlier to them was scripture.  None of the other letters of Paul were written to them.  This leaves you with only 2 possibilities.  Either we are missing a whole book of scripture, or Paul wrote Hebrews.  Since God promised to preserve His Word, then we must have it all because God cannot lie.  That only leaves one possibility and that is that Paul wrote Hebrews.

8)    There is a mathematical law that affects the occurrence of important words.  If you take certain words in Paul's Epistles alone then the law does not work.  If you include Hebrews to Paul's writings then the law is in harmony.  This most likely will be a foreign idea to you unless you have studied numbers and the Bible.  Important words will appear in squares, cubes, or multiples of 7 and 11.  A square is a number times itself.  A cube is a number times itself and then times itself again.  For example 3 cubed is 27.  Or the number will appear by a multiple of 7 or a multiple of 11.  It really is fascinating.  Here are some examples of how Paul's writings are only in harmony if you include Hebrews.

This is only a sampling to show the principal and how it gives evidence that Paul is the writer of Hebrews.  Add up all the above 8 reasons and it makes a strong case for Paul being the writer.

Some will still reject that Paul is the writer.  There are people who have a hard heart about it for some reason.     

Others will reject that Paul is the writer for the reason that the style of Greek is different.  I say so what.  It is not uncommon for a writer to use different styles for different reasons for different groups of people to accomplish different goals. 

Hebrews is written different than all of Paul’s other books because this one he wrote to his own people. The rest of his books were written to the Gentiles. It is Paul’s style when he is writing to his own people.

I believe that when you add up the circumstantial evidence, the Biblical evidence from Peter, and the mathematical evidence that Paul is the writer of Hebrews.

MT 17:1 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,

MT 17:2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.

MT 17:3 And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.

MT 17:4 Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.

A question that people sometimes have is, will we know each other in heaven.  We see the answer here in these verses.  Moses has been dead for a very long time and he is still recognizable as Moses.  And the same with Elijah.  They have retained their identity.  They are the same people as they were in this life, except without sin.  They both were talking with Jesus.  They can talk, reason, and think.  We are going to get to have great conversations in Heaven. We will fellowship once again with all of our loved ones that passed on before us (of course only if they were saved).  Not only will we fellowship with loved ones, but imagine getting to sit down and have a chat with Moses, Joseph, Elijah, David, Ruth, Peter, or Paul.  Fellowshipping with those that we read about in the Word of God.  And I look forward to getting to know all the saints of God that we never hear about.  The millions of people who just quietly served God in some little known out of the way place.  But by far the greatest, will be being with Jesus.

Please visit my website

http://www.thewordteaches.com

 Thanks Bryan

And check out this great link site.

 

  

 

 

MT 16:27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.

We are saved by faith and not works.  However, works do have a part in the life of the believer.  After we are saved we should do good works for Christ.  We do not work to get saved.  We work because we are saved.  Works comes after salvation. 

God sees and remembers every good work that we do for Him.  He says that He will reward every man and that this reward will be according to the man's works. 

Mat 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done [it] unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done [it] unto me.   Jesus said that doing good things to others is like doing it to Him.

Jesus does see every good work that we do or refuse to do, He will reward you for what you do for Him.  Sometimes reward will come now or the reward will be reserved to be given in eternity.  If you are like me, I would rather be rewarded in eternity. Any reward that we get now will only last a moment.  Rewards in eternity last forever. 

Mat 6:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

MT 15:3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?

MT 15:4 For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.

MT 15:5 But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;

MT 15:6 And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.

MT 15:7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,

MT 15:8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

MT 15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

God is not pleased with the traditions of men.  God says that man's traditions make the commandment of God of none effect.  Jesus calls people who teach tradition hypocrites.  He says that they honor him with their mouth and lips but their heart is far from Him.

Jesus also says that those that worship Him this way do it in VAIN.  The worship is worthless.  It does not have any value.  It is rejected by God.  Traditions have NO POWER TO SAVE.

And yet millions and millions of people put the traditions of men above the Word of God. 

We must be on our guard against the traditions of men in all its forms.  We need to reject teachings that are not in the Bible.  We need to reject, praying to Mary, the Rosary, praying for the dead, purgatory, just to name a few.

To please God we must get our teaching from the Word of God.  Our preaching must come from the Word of God.  Therefore it is very important that we leave the Word of God alone and quit messing with it and changing it.  We need to stand for, teach, preach, and follow the Word of God.   

MT 14:3 For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife.

MT 14:4 For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.

John the Baptist was a real man of God.  He fearlessly preached the truth no matter what.  He stayed true to the Word of God.  John was no respecter of persons.  He preached to everyone regardless of position.  He preached to the poor, he preached to the religious leaders, and here we see that he preached to kings.  Preaching to kings can be dangerous to your own life.  In Johns case it first brought prison and then death.  Preachers are to not fear the face of man no matter of how rich they are or mighty or wicked. 

John did not recant what he preached when it got him thrown into prison.  Truth is still truth regardless of circumstances.  The king was living in sin before John was thrown into prison and the king was still living in sin after John was thrown in prison.  You cannot be a pro-claimer of God's truth and worry about what will happen to you.  You cannot preach God's Word and worry about upsetting someone.   The truth is more important than popularity.  It is more important than family.  It is more important than friends. 

One of the problems that we have today is too many preachers are more worried about numbers and popularity than preaching the Word.  Preachers need to stand up and preach to please God and not man. 

In this section of scripture we learn an important lesson on the kingdom.

MT 13:24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:

MT 13:25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

MT 13:26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.

MT 13:27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?

MT 13:28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

MT 13:29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.

MT 13:30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

Simply put not everyone in the kingdom is put there by God.  Not everyone in the kingdom is His child.  There are tares with the wheat.  The tares are put there by the enemy, which is Satan.  The kingdom is not heaven.  The kingdom is made up of those who claim to be saved.  The kingdom is made up of those that are truly saved and those who profess to be saved but are not. 

And it will be this way until the end.  You will always have tares with the wheat until God says, "Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them:"

In the end the tares will be taken and thrown into hell, but until then we will have tares with the wheat.  In every church you will have some tares.  There will be some false professors mixed in.  Don't leave a church because you run into a tare.  There will just be another tare where ever you go. 

Instead understand that there will be tares.  Stay faithful anyway, and keep serving God in spite of the tares.  

MT 12:1 At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn and to eat.

MT 12:2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.

MT 12:3 But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;

MT 12:4 How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?

MT 12:5 Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?

MT 12:6 But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.

MT 12:7 But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.

MT 12:8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.

I have had people tell me that if you don't go to church on Saturday that you will go to hell.  That is against the Bible in many ways.  First a Saturday salvation is a works salvation, which is NO salvation at all. 

It is also against what Jesus taught in these verses.   In these verses Jesus shows that King David broke the Sabbath.  Jesus shows that the priests broke the Sabbath and were blameless.  You would think that would cause the Sabbath law keepers pause.  They either ignore it or have some lame excuse why it was ok for the priests to break it and not anybody else.  Jesus is showing that they had the wrong idea of the Sabbath.  Jesus is teaching here the same thing that He said in Mark 2:27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: 

In another place Jesus told a man to carry his bed on the Sabbath. 

John 5:8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

John 5:9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.

John 5:10 The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry [thy] bed.

John 5:11 He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk. 

Jesus broke the Sabbath and told another to break it.  And this was not a sin.  Jesus was without spot and blemish.  Jesus is the sinless Son of God.  Jesus never sinned in any way. 

2 Cor 5:21 For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

The Sabbath day is the only one of the 10 commandments that is not reinforced in the New Testament.  Instead you see Jesus teaching that we are not bound by the Sabbath.  The Sabbath has absolutely nothing to do with salvation in any way shape or form.  Never fall for the heresy that you have to keep the Sabbath to be saved.