King James Bible Study – [Mark 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.]
Date: Tuesday, November 02, 2021
Chapters: Matthew 20-21
Message: All In a Days Work
Hello My Friend,
I spent a good part of my prayers this morning going down the list of things that I really need to start doing, things that I have neglected since I moved into my new house. My mind has just been all over the place on what God has spoken to me about today, but what popped up the most was how I felt when I received a lovely message from one of my subscribers. Let me tell you, nothing warms the heart more or encourages you to continue in the work of the LORD than knowing that you are encouraging other people. I was told by my supervisor that I cannot save the world, well, maybe not, but I can lead as many as I can to my LORD, Jesus Christ, so that He can save them from the world. With my crazy work schedule, I feel like I have been failing God something fierce, but I also have to take into account that He knows exactly what is going on.
[Revelation 2:2-5 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: 3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. 4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.]
Jesus is actually referring to the churches that are great at serving Him in their ministries, but have stopped preaching the Gospel. Our greatest work for God is not in the time that we put into serving Him in His church, it is by our ministering the Gospel outside of it. As we continue in the reading of the Gospels, Matthew also gives account of Jesus speaking parables regarding the kingdom of God and who actually gets in. Matthew adds another one with this parable of a man who owned a vineyard and hired day laborers to tend it.
[Matthew 20:1-7 For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. 2 And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. 5 Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? 7 They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.]
[Why stand ye here all the day idle?] [Idle; Not employed; unoccupied with business; inactive; doing nothing. Slothful; given to rest and ease; averse to labor or employment; lazy;] Does that not sound like half of the people who are fully capable of working here in America right now? Being idle is not the same thing as resting, God gives us all days of rest, but being idle is doing absolutely nothing, and yet expecting compensation for doing absolutely nothing. Let me tell you, God does not compensate anyone for doing absolutely nothing, and will also give an account for even idle words, [Matthew 12:36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.]
Again, our greatest work for God is not in how much time we spend in serving Him, but in reaching the lost with the Gospel. As Jesus continue with the parable, He goes on to explain this, [Matthew 20:8-15 So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. 9 And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. 10 But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. 11 And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, 12 Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. 13 But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? 14 Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?]
[Is it not lawful for me to do what I will] So, here is the thing, there is only one way to be saved from the fire and brimstone of hell that comes as a result of sin. And that is believing in and accepting the Gospel of Jesus Christ alone. It does not matter if we commit one sin or one million, which will probably be more than that in our lifetime in the flesh, the punishment is hell. God made that rule, and He is rightfully just in doing so. Does He want anyone there? No. He literally created hell for Satan and his minions. However, if anyone goes the way of Satan, they too end up in hell. And yes, anyone who rejects the Gospel or trusts in a religion to save them, even if that religion does refer to Jesus as the Saviour, goes the way of Satan, [2 Peter 2:4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.]
Now, Matthew also gives an account to the conversation that Jesus had with James and John in regards to sitting at the right and left hand of God, this time their mother is mentioned as the one who asked, [Matthew 20:20-23 Then came to him the mother of Zebedee’s children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him. 21 And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom. 22 But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able. 23 And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.]
[for whom it is prepared of my Father.] What Jesus is saying here is that eternal life is only granted to those who are baptized with the same baptism as He is, and it is God who determines that through our faith in His Son. Yes, we who believe in and accept the Gospel of Christ are baptized not only with the Holy Spirit coming into our souls, but with eternal life as well. God only gives this solely to those whom receive Christ as their Saviour, [Ephesians 1:4-5 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,]
God’s faithful, who serve Him in His ministry actually do not do everything they do solely inside their church, they minister to people wherever God leads them, in the grocery store, at work, or even some event they attend. We are mere servants led by the Holy Spirit in ministering the Gospel to the lost, many times without even preaching the Gospel, that is until they ask us why we are so joyful when everything around them is falling apart. Now, we are getting into the Gospel where it all began, Christ death, burial, and resurrection, less than one week before Christ would be hung on the cross for us, He did not walk into Jerusalem, He rode into it riding on a donkey, of all things, which was actually an act of honor and humility of a king.
[Matthew 21:4-11 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, 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. 6 And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, 7 And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. 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. 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. 10 And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? 11 And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.]
[Who is this?] The word Hosanna means to praise God in the highest, while the multitudes praised Jesus as God, the leaders of the temple refused to acknowledge who He is, even though most of the people did fully understand that He is the Messiah they had been waiting for and would come into town just as it was written, [Zechariah 9:9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.]
Now, word had gotten around all over the country about the amazing and wonderful things that Jesus was doing for the Jews and even Gentiles, so, naturally when He came into Jerusalem he was cheered and praised upon entering, but sadly thew would not be a few days later. The first thing Jesus did when He came into Jerusalem was turn over the tables full of merchandise that was being sold outside of the temple, then He went into the temple and began teaching them. The congregation was very attentive and accepting, but not the chief priests and elders.
[Matthew 21:23-27 And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority? 24 And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things. 25 The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him? 26 But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet. 27 And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.]
[The baptism of John, whence was it?] When Jesus asked this question it was with legitimate reason, the people of the town knew John very well, and were baptized with the faith that Jesus would be coming to save them, by their getting baptized they acknowledged that they were no longer trusting in their own works, but by their faith in Him. In that mere question, Jesus asked them, “Who sent him to preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, a doctrine the world had never heard of before?” And who gave him a commission to discharge the several parts of his ministry, which he performed in such a wonderful and powerful manner?” And also did he receive his authority from God or man?” Well, they could not answer because they knew that no matter how they answered they would be exposed as either the deceivers that they were. Sometimes, it is best to say nothing at all when people ask us these questions that no doubt are just out to get us to say something we will regret, [2 Timothy 2:15-16 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.]
God does not force anyone to receive His Son, but He never stops trying to get them to see that they need Him. Some people will see the need and receive Him later in life, others never do and are depending on what they think is right to get them to heaven. Jesus explains this further with another parable about a vineyard.
[Matthew 21:28-32 But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. 29 He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. 30 And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. 31 Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.]
[but the publicans and the harlots believed him:] It is hard for those who base their salvation on their works to believe in the simplicity of the Gospel. First, they are too proud to even admit they are sinners, and second, they cannot trust that one man alone can save them from their sin. It is easier for the publicans and harlots because they are those who admit they are sinners, and need Jesus, which is doing the will of the Father. And by the way, God sends no one to hell, those who end up there are responsible for that on their own. Each individual must decide for themselves whether or not they want to believe in and receive Christ. Most of the Jews think of themselves as above everyone else, believing they are automatically are part of the Kingdom of God because they are Jews. Matthew also gives an account to the parable that Jesus spoke concerning the husbandman, this time God is referred to as a householder.
[Matthew 21:33-40 Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: 34 And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. 35 And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. 36 Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. 37 But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. 38 But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. 39 And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. 40 When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?]
[what will he do unto those husbandmen?] This time, it is Jesus who asks them what they think the householder would do to those who kill his son, [Matthew 21:41-46 They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. 42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? 43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. 44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. 45 And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them. 46 But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.]
[ they perceived that he spake of them.] You see, they knew the Scriptures, but they were just like the majority of Christian churches today, they did not follow it, and came up with their own books for the people who trusted them to “know how to worship God”. This is why they knew that He was talking about them, or at least some of them who had read the Scriptures as this passage is what Jesus was actually referring to.
[Isaiah 5:1-2,5-7 Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: 2 And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. 5 And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down: 6 And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. 7 For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.]
Did you ever trip on something, knowing that you were going to fall, you positioned yourself so that the fall would not be so hard? That is what accepting Christ as our Saviour does. Getting saved, while it cleanses us of our sin, does not exempt us from facing difficulties nor keep us from sinning again. What it does do is keep us from God’s wrath as when Jesus returns, He will judge the earth until its eventual destruction. And then, we who are a part of the Kingdom of God, will dwell with Him forever in the Kingdom of heaven, on a new earth, which Jesus is preparing for us right now, [Revelation 22:3-5 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: 4 And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. 5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.]
Today’s Prayer: Jesus, Thank You, again for paying the debt that I could not pay for my sin when I admitted that I am a sinner, understood that hell is the price for sin, then You died a sinless death to save me, and rose again to give victory over death and the same promise to me. Not for works of righteousness did You save me, but by my faith alone. Now, the work that I do for you, it is not to keep my salvation, or to better what I get in heaven, it is to give honor and glory for what You did for me. I know I mess up, nevertheless, You are faithful and just to forgive me when I come to You, confessing my sin. Lord, I am Your witness of what a blessing it is to be a minister of Your truths. Lead me and guide me, give me Your power, mercy, grace, and protection as I serve You until You bring me home. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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