In Matthew 22 Jesus begins with the parable of the Marriage Feast.  A king was giving a wedding feast for his son.  He sent out his slaves to tell everyone who had been invited that it was now time for the feast.  The original people who were invited refused to come multiple times and in the end mistreated and killed his slaves who were sent out to call them.  The king then had them go out to the highways and invited all the people they found to the wedding feast.  Those people accepted the invitation and came. Obviously the original invitees represented the Jewish nation who rejected Jesus as the Messiah and refused to come to Him as Savior.  Those who finally came to the wedding feast were Gentiles who embrace Jesus as the Messiah and Savior.  Jesus says that those who were originally invited to the feast (Jews) were unworthy.  They were unworthy, not because of any moral excellence of lack of it, but because they refused to come to God on His terms, through faith in Jesus Christ.  Jesus then tells of a man who had been invited to come with all the others, but when he came into the feast he did not have the proper wedding clothes.  Obviously, because of the late notice of the feast, it could not be expected that all those invited would be able to get proper clothes or even had the means to do so.  Therefore, the king made provisions for those who were invited to also have the proper clothes.  The man without the wedding clothes would have had to be offered wedding clothes like the rest, but he arrogantly refused them and decided to wear his own.  The proper wedding attire that God requires for entrance into the kingdom is the righteousness of Jesus placed on them by faith in Jesus.  The man without wedding clothes represented all who try to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven by their own effort or status.  Lord, thank you for the righteousness of Jesus that you gave me through faith in HIM.  By Your grace, empower me to call everyone to enter the Kingdom of heaven through faith in Jesus.

– Bryan McKenzie

Matthew 20 begins with the parable of the Generous Landowner who hired multiple people throughout the day to work in his vineyard.  Each worker was promised a denarius for their work, regardless of when they were hired during the day.  When it came time to pay them, the workers who worked 1 hour were paid first and received a denarius as promised.  The workers who were hired at the beginning of the day thought they would receive more, but only received a denarius as promised.  They complained to the landowner that this was not fair.  The Landowner let them know that it was his right to be generous to all. The main point of the parable is about entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven. The Father is the Landowner, Jesus is the foreman, the laborers are believers and the denarius is eternal life.  The point is that the Father is Gracious to all who come to him through Jesus and all are given eternal life, regardless whether the person comes to Jesus as a child or on their deathbed.  Jesus also reminds the disciples that he will suffer and die and be raised on the third day.  Jesus then loving rebukes them for seeking prominent positions, and tells them that the way to greatness is through service.  He says, that HE did not come to be served, but to serve and give His life a ransom for many.  Therefore, those who have been ransomed by his service should be characterized by serving others.  Lord, thank you for you gracious gift of salvation for all who trust in Jesus.  By Your grace, may I (one who has been served) serve others so that you are glorified?

– Bryan McKenzie

Matthew 18 begins with Jesus using a child to illustrate 3 important truths.  First, in order to enter the kingdom a person most become like a child and humbly embrace the Gospel.  Second, Jesus warns of the danger of causing one of these believers (child) to stumble over sin.  Third, the Lord passionately loves and cares for His children. Jesus loves His children so much that He gives the church a way to lovingly discipline them, so that they will repent and be restored if they are walking in sin. The purpose of discipline in the body of Christ is always restoration.  Peter then posed the question about how often should he forgive a brother who sins against him.  Jesus says an innumerable amount of times.  Jesus then tells a parable about a King who mercifully forgave a slave an un-payable debt.  That slave then turned around and would not forgive the very small debt of a fellow slave.  The King found out about it and reprimanded the slave who did not forgive, because he had been forgiven so much.  He then handed that slave over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him.  The only release from the tortures was to have a change of heart and forgive his brother from his heart.  The natural and only right response of those who have been forgiven through faith in Jesus, is to forgive others.  When we do not forgive others, The Lord turns us over to torturers such as; hardships, stress and other difficulties until we do.  The Lord disciplines the ones he loves (Hebrews 12:6) and will not allow a believer to sin without discipline on their life, so that they will turn and be restored to proper fellowship with Him.  Lord, thank you for loving me so much that You discipline me when I sin.  Lord, help me be quick to forgive, because You have forgiven me an un-payable debt of sin.

– Bryan McKenzie

Matthew 15 records Jesus having a run in with the Pharisees and scribes, He teaches on the heart, heals a daughter of a Canaanite woman, heals many others and feeds 4,000.  His miracles once again show His power over everything and His compassion for people.  His healing of the daughter of the Canaanite shows His mission was no only the Jews, but every other nation as well.  The thing that stands out to me is Jesus teaching on the heart.  The Pharisees and scribes are accusing the disciples of breaking the tradition of the elders by not going through a ceremonial washing of their hands when they eat.  It was not the breaking of God’s law that bothered them, but the breaking of the “tradition of the elders” that upset them. They had elevated tradition over God’s law.  Jesus calls them out on this by pointing to the fact that they break God’s law by not caring for their parents who are in need, because they have “dedicated their resources to God.”  Jesus says by doing this they invalidate the word of God for the sake of tradition.  People do the same today when they elevate preferences or traditions over God’s Word.  Jesus then tells the crowds and his disciples that it is not what goes into a person that defiles them, but what proceeds out of them that defiles them.  He explains to the disciples that what goes into a man’ s mouth runs its course through the digestive tract and then is eliminated. What comes out of man’s mouth comes from the heart and this is what defiles him/her.  Our words and actions come from our hearts.  Without Jesus mankind’s heart is wicked and only lives for self.  Praise the Lord, that those who trust In Jesus as Lord and Savior – they are given a new heart that has the desire and power to say and do what honors the Lord and His Word.  Lord, may I always choose your principle/truth over preferences so that You are glorified.  Thank you for giving me a new heart in Christ so that I may honor you with my lips and my life.

– Bryan McKenzie

In Matthew 13 Jesus begins to teach in parables. The 2 major parables He uses emphasize the same main message.  The first parable is the parable of the soils.  Seed is sown on different types of soils and yet fruit is only realized in the good soil. Jesus explains that the seed that is sown is the word of God and the different soils represent the hearts of people.  They all hear the word, but only the good soil/the one who hears and understand produces fruit.  The second major parable He uses is the parable of the tares among wheat.  A man sowed good seed in his field and while he was sleeping an enemy sowed tares among his wheat.  Jesus explained that the good seed/sons of the Kingdom is sown by him. The devil sows the tares/sons of the evil one.  There will be a day when Jesus will send forth his angels and gather the sons of the devil and throw them in that place where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.  Then the sons of the Kingdom will be left and shine brightly.  They key to understanding these 2 parables is found in verses 10-17 where Jesus explains why he uses parables.  He uses parables so that people in their own wisdom and strength cannot understand the truth.  In fact the disciples did not understand these parables until Jesus gave them the explanation.  Therefore, the main message is: it is only those who are rightly related to Jesus that will understand the truth and believe.  Some may appear to understand (others soils) and even live among the sons of the kingdom (tares), but ultimately it will be brought to light those who are truly sons of the Kingdom/those rightly related to Jesus by faith.  Lord, help me be faithful to sow Your seed/Word among all people and trust you to open their hearts to understand and believe. Thank you for opening up my heart to understand and believe.

– Bryan McKenzie