Matthew 18 serves as a good chapter for modeling our behavior within the Kingdom of God and more particularly or pockets of community within the kingdom.

On the fifteenth day of this seventh month and for seven days is the Feast of Booths to the LORD. On the first day shall be a holy convocation; you shall not do any ordinary work. For seven days you shall present food offerings to the LORD. On the eighth day you shall hold a holy convocation and present a food offering to the LORD. It is a solemn assembly; you shall not do any ordinary work.

[…]On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the produce of the land, you shall celebrate the feast of the LORD seven days. On the first day shall be a solemn rest, and on the eighth day shall be a solemn rest. And you shall take on the first day the fruit of splendid trees, branches of palm trees and boughs of leafy trees and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days. . . . You shall dwell in booths for seven days. All native Israelites shall dwell in booths, that your generations may know that I made the people of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God. - Leviticus 23:39–43

6 On that day there shall be no light, cold, or frost. 7 And there shall be a unique day, which is known to the Lord, neither day nor night, but at evening time there shall be light.

8 On that day living waters shall flow out from Jerusalem, half of them to the eastern sea and half of them to the western sea. It shall continue in summer as in winter.

9 And the Lord will be king over all the earth. On that day the Lord will be one and this name one.

…

16 Then everyone who survives of all the nations that have come against Jerusalem shall go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Booths.

- Zechariah 14:1-21

And all the assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and lived in the booths, for from the days of Jeshua the son of Nun to that day the people of Israel had not done so. And there was very great rejoicing. And day by day, from the first day to the last day, he read from the Book of the Law of God. They kept the feast seven days, and on the eighth day there was a solemn assembly, according to the rule. - Nehemiah 8:17–18

On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. - John 7:37–39

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. - John 8:12

Jesus' actions and words in Matthew 15 when he encounters a Canaanite Woman are VERY CONFUSING...He appears to ignore and dismiss her and eventually calls her a DOG after she begs him to heal her daughter. In one of the most miraculous scenes in the entire Bible, SHE CORRECTS JESUS, telling him to heal her daughter. Jesus' Response? He declares her to have greater faith than any Israelite of the day...including his OWN DISCIPLES!

This scene shows us that Jesus is looking for THIS TYPE OF FAITH and RESPONSE from us:

• Faith that ASKS FOR MERCY

• Faith that ASKS IN HUMILITY

• Faith that ASKS WITHOUT EXCUSE

• Faith that ASKS FOR SOMEONE ELSE

WARNING: Spoiler Alert for Avengers Endgame (and 24 Season 1:)

In all my prayers for all of you, I always

pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day

until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will

carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. - Philippians 1:4-6

FAITH IS WHAT YOU BELIEVE ABOUT REALITY

REFUSING TO FACE REALITY

TEACHING "TRUTH" IS UNCOMFORTABLE

GOD'S PLAN IS ALWAYS A LONGSHOT

THE ONLY WAY TO ENSURE THE SURVIVAL OF YHWH'S CONTINUED REDEMPTION NARRATIVE: ISRAEL, THE ONLY APPLICANT

THE ONLY WAY TO ENSURE THE LIFE AND MERCY OF JESUS WILL CONTINUE TO SPREAD DESPITE PERSECUTION AND RELIGIOUS CORRUPTION: A COMMUNITY CALLED GRACE

GOD'S PLAN IS ALWAYS A LONGPLAY

They say to the seers, "See no more visions!" and to the prophets, "Give us no more visions of what is right! Tell us pleasant things, PROPHESY ILLUSIONS." - Isaiah 30:10

THE FOOL ON THE HILL

Day after day

Alone on a hill

The man with the foolish grin

Is keeping perfectly still

But nobody wants to know him

They can see that he's just a fool

And he never gives an answer

But the fool on the hill

Sees the sun going down

And the eyes in his head

See the world spinning 'round

Well on the way

Head in a cloud

The man of a thousand voices

Talking perfectly loud

But nobody ever hears him

Or the sound he appears to make

And he never seems to notice

But the fool on the hill

Sees the sun going down

And the eyes in his head

See the world spinning 'round

And nobody seems to like him

They can tell what he wants to do

And he never shows his feelings

But the fool on the hill

Sees the sun going down

And the eyes in his head

See the world spinning 'round'

He never listens to them

He knows that they're the fools

They don't like him

The fool on the hill

Sees the sun going down

And the eyes in his head

See the world spinning 'round

Oh, 'round 'round 'round 'round, oh

In Matthew 15:1-11, the Pharisees accuse Jesus and his disciples of breaking the tradition of the elders by not washing their hands before eating. Jesus contradicts them both by showing how they treat vain tradition as though it were religion, demonstrates his heart for all people, and shows them and us how he seeks after our hearts, not an empty show of fake worship.

22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake.

26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

29 “Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down.

33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

34 When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret. 

35 And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him 36 and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.

- Matthew 14:22-36

A TALE OF TWO FEASTS

John and Jesus are both executed for:

Challenging the CORRUPTION and DEBAUCHERY of their POLITICAL LEADERS

Questioning the AUTHENTICITY and SINCERITY of their RELIGIOUS LEADERS

Peter is HEADSTRONG in his BELIEFS - He alone steps out on faith IN HIS OWN UNDERSTANDING of who God is.

Jesus MEETS our WEAKEST FAITH

Peter is COURAGEOUS in his FEAR - He alone takes CRITIQUE and CORRECTION.

God DISCIPLINES the ones he LOVES.

Peter is SAFE in his VULNERABILITY - He alone recognized Jesus’ VOICE, allowing him to PARTICIPATE with UNIQUE EXPERIENCES

Jesus RESCUES anyone who is desperate enough to CALL ON HIM

Peter is FAITHFUL in his DOUBT - He alone confesses Jesus as KING by embracing a new VISION OF WHAT THE KINGDOM IS.

Jesus SAVES us from OUR FAITHLESSNESS

IS JESUS GOD?

If Jesus is LORD of the LORD OF THE MOLECULES in our BODIES, then he is also LORD of those same MOLECULES in NATURE!

In this sermon, we will look at what Jesus teaches us about the Kingdom of Heaven through the parables of the hidden treasure, the pearl of great price, and the dragnet.

Almost EVERYONE...including the religiously pious and devout, the learned and powerful...misunderstands who Jesus is, because of our PRECONCEPTIONS of WHO he is...usually fashioned in OUR OWN IMAGE....leaving us WITHOUT EARS TO HEAR.

The scientific term for this is the Dunning-Kruger Effect: A FEELING of CONVICTION (not necessarily based on all the facts) leads to a REJECTION of NEW information and ways of THINKING...Sadly, this process not only cuts off critical thinking but INNOCULATES the very people who NEED NEW IDEAS THE MOST!

The theological term for this is BLASPHEMY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT! Assuming we KNOW GOD'S THOUGHTS...REFUSING to see the "SIN" in our OWN. Jesus NEVER meets our first expectations, but he ALWAYS surpasses what we can understand. We can get to KNOW HIM, or we can try to MASTER KNOWLEDGE ABOUT HIM...One leads to a dynamic life of purpose and grace, freedom and growth...the other leads to an existence of rules, judgementalism, measuring ourselves against others, as well as by their opinions.

The UNFORGIVEVABLE SIN is simply the inability to HEAR GOD SPEAKING TRUTH...and the truth can be painful if we are not used to hearing it...or telling it. LET US HAVE EARS TO HEAR!

When Eliab, David's oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, "Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I KNOW HOW CONCEITED YOU AND HOW WICKED YOUR HEART IS; you came down only to watch the battle." - 1 Samuel 17:28

The prophets PROPHESY LIES, the priests rule by their OWN AUTHORITY, and my people love it this way. But what will you do in the end? - Jeremiah 5:31

To whom shall I speak and give warning That they may hear? Behold, their ears are closed And they cannot listen Behold, the word of the LORD HAS BECOME A REPROACH TO THEM; They have no delight in it. - Jeremiah 6:10

Then the LORD said to me, "The prophets are PROPHESYING LIES IN MY NAME. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you FALSE VISIONS, divinations, idolatries and the delusions of their own minds. - Jeremiah 14:14

16 This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you; THEY FILL YOU WITH FALSE HOPE. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD. - Jeremiah 23:16

They see FALSE VISIONS and speak lying divinations. They claim, "Thus declares the LORD," when the LORD did not send them; yet they wait for the fulfillment of their message. - Ezekiel 13:6

They say to the seers, "See no more visions!" and to the prophets, "Give us no more visions of what is right! Tell us pleasant things, PROPHESY ILLUSIONS." - Isaiah 30:10

51 “Have you understood all these things?” Jesus asked.

“Yes,” they replied.

52 He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law (SCRIBE) who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom NEW treasures as well as OLD.”

53 When Jesus had finished these parables, HE MOVED ON FROM THERE.

54 Coming to his HOMETOWN, he began teaching the people in their (HIS) synagogue, and they were amazed. “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked. 55 “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? 56 Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” 57 AND THEY TOOK OFFENSE AT HIM.

But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town and in his own home.”

And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith. - Matthew 13:53-58

Jesus begins speaking more cryptically once we come to the middle of the Gospel of Matthew.

25 At that time Jesus said, “I praise (CONFESS) you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have HIDDEN THESE THINGS from the WISE and LEARNED, and REVEALED THEM TO LITTLE CHILDREN.

26 Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.

27 “ALL THINGS have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my YOKE upon you and LEARN from me, for I am GENTLE and (KIND) humble in heart, and you will find REST for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” - Matthew 11:25-30

Draw near to me, you who are uneducated,

and lodge in the house of instruction.

24 Why do you say you are lacking in these things,

and why do you endure such great thirst?

25 I opened my mouth and said,

Acquire wisdom[h] for yourselves without money.

26 Put your neck under her yoke,

and let your souls receive instruction;

it is to be found close by.

27 See with your own eyes that I have laboured but little

and found for myself much serenity.

- SIRACH 51:23-27