“Profane” – relating or devoted to that which is not sacred or biblical; secular rather than religious. Oxford Languages
A – Our words will indicate the nature of our heart. They will reveal what we are committed to as well. We must spend time with God in his Word, prayer and worship to lay the foundation in the heart of growth and understanding. The more we spend time with him, our words illuminate our relationship with him.
R – Heavenly Father, you are God over all. You hold all things and you are present at all times. Our hearts need to transform from “me centered” to “God centered.” We invite your Holy Spirit to work in our hearts today so we can speak words that reflect that change.
S – When Jesus heard about it, he withdrew from there by boat to a remote place to be alone. When the crowds heard this, they followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When he went ashore, he saw a large crowd, had compassion on them, and healed their sick.
Matthew 14:13–14 CSB
O – The whole chapter hinges on this verse. Prior it talked about John the Baptist being beheaded. After it, Jesus did some of his most amazing miracles – Healing, feed 5,000, walk on water, Peter walks on water, wind and rain cease and healing by touching his robe. Something in that alone time moved Jesus.
A – In our darkest times, God speaks to us. Sometimes it is comfort, understanding or silence. All three are distinct and all three lead us to action in our faith in God. We need to spend time with him when we are challenged so we can know our next steps.
R – Heavenly Father, we worship and surrender to you God. We face some challenging moments and we want to do that in your presence. We ask that your Holy Spirit would lead and empower us during this journey.
S – Then the disciples came up and asked him, “Why are you speaking to them in parables?”
11 He answered, “Because the secrets of the kingdom of heaven have been given for you to know, but it has not been given to them.
Matthew 13:10–11 CSB
O – Commentary:
From this point on, Jesus rarely taught the general public. Instead, he focused on teaching those who had committed themselves to him (13:1–20:34), though he would once again confront Israel (21:1–23:39). • The people were the unbelieving opponents mentioned again in 13:11 (“others”) and 13:12 (“those who are not listening”).
13:11You are permitted to understand: God had enabled the disciples to comprehend Jesus’ significance and to respond to his message of the Kingdom in faith and obedience (see 13:19, 23). • the secrets (literally the mysteries) of the Kingdom of Heaven: Namely, that salvation is available to them in Jesus as the fulfillment of OT promises
A – In a healthy relationship, we want to know as much about the other person as possible. We want the same with God. We want to know his heart, character and plans. As believers, he wants to reveal more of his love and glory to us. As we mature in our relationship with Him, he will.
R – Heavenly Father, you are holy and God. We want to know you more. Please help us to grow and mature so we may know more of your heart, character and plans. There are mysteries we want to unlock that will give us a deeper love and faith in you.
S – Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the one to come.
Matthew 12:32–33 CSB
O – Commentaries:
The *Old Testament penalty for blaspheming God’s name—reproaching rather than honoring it—was death (Lev 24:10–23). According to later rabbinic law, blasphemy technically involved pronouncing the divine name or perhaps inviting people to follow other gods. According to the more common, less technical usage, it applied to any grievous insult to God’s honor (cf. Num 15:30)
One may stumble over Jesus’ mysterious revelation of himself as Son of Man and be forgiven, but one cannot be forgiven for attributing the work of the Spirit to Satan. The present-day analogy is the outright rejection of the conviction of the Holy Spirit concerning Christ—that is, the ultimate rejection of the Good News by an unbeliever
Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit has to do with accusing Jesus Christ of being demon-possessed instead of Spirit-filled. This particular type of blasphemy cannot be duplicated today in the same manner as in Jesus’ day. The Pharisees were in a unique moment in history: they had the Law and the Prophets, they had the Holy Spirit stirring their hearts, they had the Son of God Himself standing right in front of them, and they saw with their own eyes the miracles He did. Never before in the history of the world (and never since) had so much divine light been granted to men; if anyone should have recognized Jesus for who He was, it was the Pharisees. Yet they chose defiance. They purposely attributed the work of the Spirit to the devil, even though they knew the truth and had the proof. Jesus declared their willful blindness to be unpardonable. Their blasphemy against the Holy Spirit was their final rejection of God’s grace.
A – Many different facets to look at this. While some say it is “unrepeatable,” the rejection of God’s love for us is constant. Rejection of God’s presence and relationship, leads to eternity in separation for the Father.
R – Heavenly Father, we recognize that you are the one, true God. We stand in awe of your power, mercy and grace. We desire relationship with you. Thank you for your Holy Spirit that helps us in our journey with you.
S – All things have been entrusted to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son desires to reveal him.
Matthew 11:27 CSB
O – Commentary:
Jesus was revealing his intimate relationship to the Father. Everything he said and did was rooted in this Father-Son unity (see John 10:14–15; 14:6–7; 15:23–24; 16:15; 17:25–26).
A – Jesus reveals the relationship He has with God. It marked him and the intimacy they shared. We want that type of intimacy with God. One that is marked with closeness and shared relationship. This allows us to know him fully as he already knows us completely since God knows our hearts and thoughts.
R – Heavenly Father, you are Lord of all. We want to “know” you more. We desire an intimacy with you that marks us. We invite your Holy Spirit to do the work in us that allows for closeness and alignment with your character.
S – And whoever doesn’t take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Anyone who finds his life will lose it, and anyone who loses his life because of me will find it.
Matthew 10:38–39 CSB
O – Commentary:
A true disciple must take his cross and follow Jesus (cf. Matt. 16:24). He must be willing to face not only family hatred, but also death, like a criminal carrying his cross to his own execution. In addition, in those days a criminal carrying his cross was tacitly admitting that the Roman Empire was correct in executing its death sentence on him. Similarly Jesus’ followers were admitting His right over their lives. In so doing one would find his life in return for having given it up to Jesus Christ
“Matthew,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures
A – What a foreshadow of Jesus going to the cross! Crucifixion was not a new concept since it had been used to kill people already. To connect that to following Jesus was challenging and graphic. Where we don’t see the physical side of it today, we can easily “gloss over” the commitment Jesus is asking of us. He is asking us to identify and align ourselves with Him even when it costs us our own lives physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually…basically every part of us. The big question is, “Will we commit all to him?”
R – Heavenly Father, we surrender all of ourselves to you. Jesus paid the ultimate price for us in giving his own life for our sin and allowing us to have relationship with you. We gladly give our lives back to you and align with your purpose for our lives.
S – When he saw the crowds, he felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. 38 Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.”
Matthew 9:36–38 CSB
O – “compassion” – Greek –
splagchnizŏmai, to have the bowels yearn, i.e. (fig.) feel sympathy, to pity:— have (be moved with) compassion.
A – Jesus feels so deeply for the crowds that it is visceral. Such a sense of compassion conveys the heart of God for us. When we sin or pull back on our relationship with him, he longs for us to draw closer. Jesus is seeing the scope of reaching people is beyond his one person and is preparing his followers to go out in twos in the next chapter.
R – Heavenly Father, we are in awe and wonder in who you are. Please give us that same love for others when they need you. We want others to be close to you and we can share the gospel and your love.
S – Right away a man with leprosy came up and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”
3 Reaching out his hand, Jesus touched him, saying, “I am willing; be made clean.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
Matthew 8:2–3 CSB
O – Commentary:
Leprosy was an unattractive skin disease for which the Bible had prescribed quarantine from the rest of society (Lev 13:45–46). Lepers were thus largely outcasts from society (2 Kings 7:3). In personal address, “Lord” could also mean “Sir”; the degree of respect connoted depended on the person addressed. Prostrating oneself before another signified extreme respect for another’s dignity or power to meet a difficult need.
8:3. Touching a leper was forbidden (cf. Lev 5:3), and most people would have been revolted by the thought of it. Indeed, the *law enjoined the leper’s isolation from society (Lev 13:45–46).
A – The fact that Jesus came close and touched the leper is remarkable. The value he put on that person who knew no sense of “closeness” or even what it meant to have someone put their hand on him. Jesus models a love that looks beyond the outside and sees the person for who he is. We want to align with this type of love.
R – Heavenly Father, you are our God. Thank you for the model Jesus gave us while on this earth. Please help our hearts and actions align with demonstrating that love in tangible ways. We want others to know you.
S – “Do not judge, so that you won’t be judged. 2 For you will be judged by the same standard with which you judge others, and you will be measured by the same measure you use
Matthew 7:1–2 CSB
O – Commentary:
This passage does not teach that judgments should never be made; Matthew 7:5 does speak of removing the speck from your brother’s eye. The Lord’s point was that a person should not be habitually critical or condemnatory of a speck of sawdust in someone else’s eye when he has a plank—a strong hyperbole for effect—in his own eye. Such action is hypocritical (You hypocrite, v. 5; cf. “hypocrites” in 6:2, 5, 16). Though judgment is sometimes needed, those making the distinctions (krinō, judge, means “to distinguish” and thus “to decide”) must first be certain of their own lives.
Furthermore when seeking to help another, one must exercise care to do what would be appreciated and beneficial
“Matthew,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures
A – As a leader, it is important that you always start with yourself. Before leading someone else, you must get before God and allow him to do the work on you. This will enable you to lead from a solid foundation and personal relationship with God. We demonstrate our love for others with honest conversation and challenge but we cannot see their heart. That is for the Lord to judge.
R – Heavenly Father, we surrender and worship you today. Start with us. Reveal our sins and inadequacies so we can be forgiven and made whole. Give us mercy and compassion to know we are growing in our relationship with you. Allow us to share that same mercy and compassion with others as we are honest with them.
S – “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. Otherwise, you have no reward with your Father in heaven.”
Matthew 6:1 CSB
O – Commentary:
This verse introduces the theme of 6:2–18, that righteousness should not be done for public recognition but as a service to God. • Good deeds are acts that conform to God’s pattern for proper behavior: e.g., gift giving (6:2–4), prayer (6:5–15), and fasting (6:16–18). Jesus urges secrecy to counteract the human propensity to seek praise for oneself rather than for God
A – The Bible is clear that our faith is evident in our works – so our actions are necessary. We cannot do the things honoring God in a “silo.” However, the attitude of our hearts should be to honor God and not for the recognition of others. We can usually tell if we seek affirmation if we are disappointed we didn’t receive it. It is part of the maturation process in our relationship with God.
R – Heavenly Father, we honor you as God. There is no rival or peer of yours. Please help us to align with your will and purposes. Also, help our hearts and attitudes desire to honor you and not for the sake of others. We desire your affirmation, not theirs.
Just Add Water . Chris Bonham 