Life in the Kingdom, Book 2

By Steve Husting

The gospel according to Jesus is laid out in His teachings on the Kingdom of God. In this last half of the Gospel of Matthew we see opposition to the kingdom in the form of dead religion. The skirmishes with the scribes and Pharisees expose the battle between religious laws versus the grace of God. In those skirmishes we see our own rebellion -- and what freedom looks like.

God is passionate with a purpose. He desires to shape His children into those who share His passion for His Son and His salvation. Viewing salvation through the lens of the kingdom, we find how the kingdom impacts all of life -- religion and spiritual truths, marriage and divorce, riches and poverty, life and death, faith and unbelief. The cross of Christ unites it all. Faith in Him accesses it all.

Learn to live the saved life in the Kingdom as Jesus pictured it.
Learn the difference between trusting in your deeds and resources, and trusting in God.
Learn to experience the Kingdom of Heaven now, for it is at hand.
Reevaluate your perspective of what it means to be saved.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Steve Husting
• Release date: Sep 2, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463771877

Steve Husting

Steve Husting is a mild webmaster by day and fearless writer by night. He is deaf, loves chocolate, hiking, terrific movies, and making the Bible's message clear to his readers. His devotionals are regularly published in Daily Devotionals for the Deaf.

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Preface

Matthew 15

Kingdom Liberty, 15:1--21

A Kingdom of Mercy, 15:22--39

Matthew 16

Kingdom Signs, 16:1--12

Kingdom Revelation, 16:13--20

Self Denial in the Kingdom, 16:21--28

Matthew 17

Kingdom Power and Glory, 17:1--13

Kingdom Lessons, 17:14--27

Great in the Kingdom, 17:24--27, 18:1--11

Matthew 18

Kingdom Restoration, 18:11--34

Matthew 19

Divorce and the Kingdom, 19:1--15

True Riches in the Kingdom, 19:16--30

Matthew 20

The Kingdom Chosen, 20:1--16

Matthew 21

A Kingdom Entrance, 21:1--11

Praying Kingdom Impossibilities, 21:12--22

The Kingdom Challenged, 21:23--46

Matthew 22

The Kingdom Call, 22:1--46

Matthew 23

Condemnation of Kingdom Pretenders, 23:1--39

Matthew 24

Signs of Kingdom Come, 24:1--14

The Enemy of the Kingdom, 24:15--31

Kingdom Readiness, 24:32--51

Matthew 25

Kingdom Wisdom, 25:1--13

Kingdom Business, 25:14--30

Kingdom Gentiles, 25:31--46

Matthew 26

Kingdom Preparation, 26:1--16

Kingdom Passover, 26:17--29

Kingdom Temptations, 26:30--46

Timidity Toward the Kingdom, 26:47--75

Matthew 27

A Kingdom in the Courtroom, 27:1--26

The Kingdom's Prophesied Hour, 27:27--50

Kingdom Preparations, 27:51--66

Matthew 28

Kingdom Resurrection, 28:1--20

The Gospel

Entering the Kingdom

About the Author

Steve Husting

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Kingdom Liberty

Matthew 15:1--21

In this section of scripture, Jesus gets very specific about the problems of man's religion, especially in the area of erroneously adding more rules on top of God's law. Do we not in our country have more laws now than at any other time in history? Yet we are not a more righteous nation now than at the beginning, are we? For all the laws the ancient Pharisees added to the canon of the scriptures, they had not become more righteous in God's eyes. Let's find out why that is.

The Trouble with the Law

15:1--2 Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem, saying, Why do your disciples disobey the tradition of the elders? For they don't wash their hands when they eat bread.

These are pretty important people talking to Jesus. The are Pharisees and scribes who had come from Jerusalem, so they were high in authority. Notice their focus: the tradition of the elders. Almost any church denomination could do the same thing these people did --- appeal to the traditions of the local church. No, we're not supposed to do that. That's not the way we do things. The appeal is to tradition, not to faith in God.

So, are we to be against a government of laws? Not at all. Civic laws help people identify and restrain their bad behavior, and establish norms in society by which everyone, theoretically, should live in harmony. The community's peer pressure and the force of law can restrain our passions for the most part. Of course, where bad laws are passed, sin will proliferate. In this passage of scripture, though, we are not talking about federal or local civil laws, but laws that have been added to the laws God gave. You can read of these laws from Exodus through Deuteronomy.

15:3--6 He answered them, "Why do you also disobey the commandment of God because of your tradition? For God commanded, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.'

But you say, 'Whoever may tell his father or his mother, Whatever help you might otherwise have gotten from me is a gift devoted to God, he shall not honor his father or mother.' You have made the commandment of God void because of your tradition."

Jesus puts the finger on the problem with the Pharisee's laws: You have made the commandment of God void. Any rules we set up that turn us away from what God has established is wrong, as well as laws that turn us from the simplicity of faith. In this case, God has commanded us to honor our parents. But the scribes and Pharisees established a tradition that circumvents this part of The Ten Commandments. A son may devote his possessions to God, an action called Corban, by verbally telling a priest so. If a parent needed material assistance from the son that the possessions could provide, the son may refuse the parent by telling them it was devoted to God. In this way he does not honor the parent in need.

We make the commandments of God void when we establish patterns of life that cause us to live contrary to the intent of God's purpose of the law. The end result of God's law is love to Him and our neighbor. The son made the law void when he did not help his parent out of love.

Here's another example we might be able to relate to better. The Bible tells us to pray. It doesn't tell us what time to do it or for how long. This gives us plenty of liberty in our prayer life. What takes away our personal liberty is when we insist that we pray for a certain time each day and for a particular amount of time. We've added to God's command to pray. What happens next? We may judge ourselves by those new rules, either in pride congratulating ourselves for keeping them, or condemning ourselves for not doing as well as we should. God is doing neither; He did not establish those arbitrary rules in the first place. We may use our regularity of praying time to think that all is well with our spiritual life, or even that we are more virtuous than others who don't have the same practice we do. Blinded by pride, we don't consider that the others may very well exceed our standards in other ways.

Personal rules or standards like these can discourage us. We may examine ourselves by our rule-keeping and feel guilty, anxious, or discouraged. When that happens, then we have identified ourselves by the rules and not identified with Christ and His love for us. In this case, the law has replaced grace. We may resent the religious practice because it has become burdensome. We might see the light, though, and finally conclude that God was not the author of the rules in the first place, and we may lighten the load, acknowledging that we bit off more than we could chew for the present stage of our spiritual journey.

Life in the Kingdom is known by the liberty of faith. Paul told the Corinthians that he feared they were missing the simplicity that is in Christ (2 Corinthians 11:3). Adding extra rules to God's written instructions introduces all sorts of complexities and obscures His plans for us. In the case of prayer, God just wants us to enjoy talking to Him and tell Him what's on our hearts.

15:7--11 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, 'These people draw near to me with their mouth, And honor me with their lips; But their heart is far from me. And in vain do they worship me, Teaching as doctrine rules made by men.'

He summoned the multitude, and said to them, Hear, and understand. That which enters into the mouth doesn't defile the man; but that which proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man.

Jesus called these people hypocrites. The meaning of the Greek word is of an actor playing a part of which he is not. They were playing the part of a people who were acting for God, when they weren't. They seemingly said the right words and did the right things, but their hearts were far from God. This is the basis of the constant collisions between Jesus and the religious rulers. This hypocrisy is the stream from which all their extra laws flowed. In contrast, Jesus had the real thing!

They could not see that they outwardly followed rules to honor God while their thoughts and intentions opposed Him. We often hold contradictory principles like this in our heads. James 3:11 asks us if a spring can send forth fresh and bitter water from the same opening. As that is physically unnatural, so it is for a spiritual believer: it is unnatural for blessing and cursing to come out of the same mouth (James 3:10). We might speak well to one person, then speak evil to another person. When we see this duality in us, we recognize that Jesus is not consistently on the throne of our hearts. Something else has taken His place when bitter water is issuing forth. We are then playing the hypocrite --- our spiritual life is not as healthy as we supposed.

15:12 Then the disciples came, and said to him, Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?

When someone points out a problem in your character or a fault in how you do things, do you respond defensively? If so, you are probably in the majority. Nobody likes to be told they're wrong. Jesus even said in John 3:20 that those who do evil do not read the Bible lest they be chided for their wrongdoing. If someone told us we were wrong, we should take it seriously and consider it.

I remember asking an editor why I don't seem to take it hard when someone points out the problems with my book manuscripts. She said, Because you want to improve! This changed the way I look at people's criticisms of me and my actions. If someone revealed real problems in me, then I'm grateful, for I want to grow and become more like Jesus.

Jesus told the Pharisees where they were wrong, and they were offended. How about you? Are you angered when someone points out your faults, or do you see it as an opportunity to grow? Proverbs 9:8 tells us, Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you; Rebuke a wise man, and he will love you. Which one are you --- someone who scoffs at godly instruction directed at you, or one who appreciates it?

15:13--14 But he answered, Every plant which my heavenly Father didn't plant will be uprooted. Leave them alone. They are blind guides of the blind. If the blind guide the blind, both will fall into a pit.

Should we get mad over unfair criticism? Take Jesus' advice: Leave them alone. We sometimes need to stop fretting about what they are saying. I bear the scars of caring too much about what others have thought of me.

15:15--21 Peter answered him, Explain the parable to us.

So Jesus said, Do you also still not understand? Don't you understand that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the belly, and then out of the body? But the things which proceed out of the mouth come out of the heart, and they defile the man. For out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual sins, thefts, false testimony, and blasphemies. These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands doesn't defile the man.

Jesus went out from there, and withdrew into the region of Tyre and Sidon.

Laws can govern our outward behavior, but they fall short when it comes to redeeming our sinful selves. As Jesus teaches here, they can't change the heart and what comes out of it. This is for the redeeming work of the Savior.

We cannot defeat the inward sinful tendencies of our flesh-life --- evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual sins, thefts, false testimony, and blasphemies --- by self-discipline. That is only flesh controlling flesh. Just like I could not save myself and become righteous before God by doing good, so I cannot overcome sin by repressing it with man-made laws or pasted-on good behavior. As we have been saved purely by the power of the Holy Spirit when we believed in Jesus, so we will act out the deliverance from what Paul called our body of death by true faith in Jesus. When we surrender to the sin within, we give it power over us. When we surrender to Jesus, He gives us sin-busting power to turn away from it.

When I see a negative trait in me, then I deal with it the same way as when I first accepted Jesus: not by trusting in my works but by faith in Him. I add the undesired trait to my prayer list. I am watchful for the triggers that set it off. I acknowledge the truth that I no longer need to continue in that behavior because the old me died and went into the grave with Jesus, and the new me rose with Him into the heavenly places. I am a new creation in Christ Jesus, and all things have become new. When the old behavior seeks to come back, I shut off the thoughts and redirect them to Christ. This is life in the Kingdom for the saved sinner (Romans 6:11--14).

Review

In summary, what did we learn?

1. Teaching as doctrine rules made by men. Do you have any church practices that you have elevated over the word of God?

2. Do you know that the Pharisees were offended? How do you respond when someone points out a fault in you?

3. Every plant which my heavenly Father didn't plant will be uprooted. Do you believe that if you follow good rules of conduct, that you'll destroy the sin problem within? We have a Savior who is already good at doing that. Trust Him with your sins and watch what He will do.

A Kingdom of Mercy

Matthew 15:22--39

Not According to Plan

15:22--23 Behold, a Canaanite woman came out from those borders, and cried, saying, Have mercy on me, Lord, you son of David! My daughter is severely demonized!

But he answered her not a word. His disciples came and begged him, saying, Send her away; for she cries after us.

Any normal person would feel demoralized or rejected and slink away when warned off. But this Canaanite woman would not. She was determined to be heard. She had a mother's heart --- she would do anything to help her child. She said exactly the right thing to reach the heart of God: Have mercy on me. If you feel insignificant, that your cause is really too small for God to deal with, or you think that God has overlooked you, then make an appeal for mercy.

15:24 But he answered, I wasn't sent to anyone but the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

The Lord's mission is to offer the kingdom to the Jews. This fact is noted a few times in the scriptures. Paul mentioned it in Romans 1:16, saying that the gospel is for the Jew first, and also for the Greek. You may remember that the Lord commissioned His disciples in Matthew 10 to go and preach the Kingdom of God, but only among the Jews. For this reason, He was ignored the Canaanite woman except to explain to her why. Reaching this woman was not according to the plan.

15:25--27 But she came and worshiped him, saying, Lord, help me.

But he answered, It is not appropriate to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.

But she said, Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.

The Lord had told her why she was refused. But she found a positive way to look at the reason the Lord gave: the dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. Anybody else might respond to Him with, What? Are you calling me a dog? But not this woman. She knew the difference between an insult and an illustration. Here is a second element the woman had in her favor that got her a hearing: hope. She found a little crumb of hope in the Lord's illustration; a little crack that allowed her to worm through and make a stronger appeal.

If you are a child of God, how much more would God work on your behalf? He would not work for someone outside of His plan, but she got in by appealing to His mercy. If you are saved, you are in Christ Jesus, and cannot be closer to the heavenly Father than now as His precious child. His plan is that you grow up to be like Christ. That you become a person who matures in spiritual character and conduct. If you desire to be like Jesus, to do the will of God for your life, you are in a better position than most people on planet earth for getting the ear of God and finding a fantastic well of resources at your disposal of God's strength and wisdom. Nothing stopped this woman from persisting to the end. What, if anything, stops you?

15:28 Then Jesus answered her, Woman, great is your faith! Be it done to you even as you desire. And her daughter was healed from that hour.

It wasn't God's purpose to go beyond the Jewish nation. But He responds to faith in Him. This faith grabs His attention because it is in such short supply, even among His own people. This is the work of God, that you believe on Him whom He sent. Find those promises that fit your circumstances and believe God. Find the will of God and run with it in faith. When we run in faith, God works in us to will and to do for His good pleasure. Faith is the lever that opens the doors of provision.

This woman came in through the back door, so to speak. She approached the Savior on the basis of mercy --- exactly what the Pharisee would not do. They approached God based on their personal merits and good deeds, which God rejected, since they were not of faith in God. Christians are prone to make the same mistake. We act like Pharisees when we point to our good acts as a basis for blessing, and we get the same silent treatment they got.

The invitation is simple: come to God through Jesus. That is all. Not good deeds, personal worthiness, or church affiliation. Just trusting in Jesus.

Feeding the Four Thousand

15:29--31 Jesus departed there, and came near to the sea of Galilee; and he went up into the mountain, and sat there. Great multitudes came to him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others, and they put them down at his feet. He healed them, so that the multitude wondered when they saw the mute speaking, injured whole, lame walking, and blind seeing, and they glorified the God of Israel.

Because Jesus' miracles were accompanied by the proclamation of the Kingdom of God, they glorified the God of Israel. His goal was to exalt the Father, not Himself. I still remember the day that I learned I was using the work of God to glorify myself. I was in charge of the rented church building and seeing that things ran smoothly. In my thoughts I was overly critical of the other volunteers. Then the Lord reminded me that He put me in that position --- and not because I was a nice guy. It profoundly humbled me. The work is to glorify the Lord, not the worker. By His generous favor He has allowed us to work in His fields, and not because we deserve it. Let your light so shine that they glorify the God who works in you.

15:32 Jesus summoned his disciples and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days and have nothing to eat. I don't want to send them away fasting, or they might faint on the way.

This is the second time Jesus is concerned about feeding people who have been listening to Him for a period of time. The first time was in the previous chapter, and they had been with Him only one day. In this chapter, they had been with Him three days. In both cases, there were only a few fish and a little bread, they were in a deserted place, and miracles produced the meals. Also, in both cases, they set out across the sea afterward to go to the other side.

Since we want to be more like Jesus, one lesson we can learn from this example: get our eyes off ourselves to see the needs of others. Let’s be hospitable with the guests we have. If we feel a need, perhaps others around us may feel it, such as needing a glass of water, or the heat turned down if it's too hot. Act on it and bless them as well. Compassion is shown in very simple ways.

15:33 The disciples said to him, Where should we get so many loaves in a deserted place as to satisfy so great a multitude?

Doesn't it seem odd for the disciples to ask a question like that --- when God who performed countless miracles is standing among them? Yet we do this all the time. We have frustration over a situation and don't take comfort in the Lord who is willing to walk through it with us. Instead of resting on the Savior who enables, we lean on our coping mechanisms, such as falling back on TV or overeating a bag of chips --- which are really signs of the alive-and-kicking flesh within that crucified the Lord.

15:34 Jesus said to them, How many loaves do you have?

They said, Seven, and a few small fish.

There are plenty of times when I did not do anything to help because I thought what I had was so little that it wasn't worth the bother. How much more would the Lord have accomplished if I had put into His service what little I had? Many of you would scratch your heads, saying, But I don't have a gift. I don't know what my ministry is. Forget about the idea of gift at this time, and don't worry about a ministry. Simply reach out and be a help. That is a start. It is a small thing that can have much impact if done for the Lord. You don't know what kind of lasting influence you'll have by a making kind word to someone who is secretly hurting because of a rejection. We won't know until the future that our helping this person or that one restored their faith and hope in God just because we took the chance to care. God is love, and we are His hands and feet when we act in compassion to others.

15:35--38 He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground; and he took the seven loaves and the fish. He gave thanks and broke them, and gave to the disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes. They all ate, and were filled. They took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces that were left over. Those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children.

Because He was training them, Jesus involved the disciples in His work. Everywhere Jesus went became their classroom. Everywhere we go, Jesus is training us for His kingdom. Every task set before us trains us in faithfulness. Every hurt we experience trains us to empathize with the sufferings of others and show mercy and compassion. Do we not train our children for maturity? Clean your room. Put the dishes away. Be on time. All these small things instill values and good habits. God is doing the same with every situation we find ourselves in. The word of God gives the guidance.

Everything we put into Jesus' hands has an unlimited capacity to grow, which includes food --- and souls. When Jesus blessed the food, He really blessed it --- and stretched the food to fill the bellies of over four thousand people. Who knows how the Lord is using your meager voluntary work to shape your life and work for the future? As Mordecai said to Esther in Esther 4:14, Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such as time as this? Whatever you do, make room for the Lord's blessing by surrendering to Him. It's all training.

15:39 Then he sent away the multitudes, got into the boat, and came into the borders of Magdala.

It seems like Jesus is always on the go. In contrast, I'm always ready to settle down! One British pastor remarked, Everywhere Jesus went, the world was turned upside down. Everywhere I go, they make tea! There is a time to rest, but I think most of us rest because of the cultural leisure lifestyle rather than actually needing recuperation. For many of us, the need to be entertained is an ingrained value, while serving the Lord isn't.

There are servants who work very hard and need time away to be refreshed. Our church hosts missionaries from around the world once a year in order to minister to them and refresh their hearts. Any time we find ourselves frazzled is a time to rededicate ourselves to the Lord, to discover again that life comes from Him, not from the work. We can take the example of Jesus, who frequently set aside time to pray, and was renewed in power.

Review

In summary, what did we learn?

1. Lord, help me. Are you persistent in your prayer