Matthew 13:18-23 (New International Version)
20. Parable of the sower:
Quote:
18"Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. 22The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. 23But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown."
When we are half hearted believers we will not produce any fruit but wholehearted ones produce abundantly.
Last edited by joyful on Mon May 07, 2012 2:37 am; edited 1 time in total
Matthew 13:44-46 (New International Version)
21.The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl
Quote:
44"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
45"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
That's how people feel when they discover the joy and peace of Jesus' teachings.
Matthew 13:47-50 (New International Version)
21 (b). The Parable of the Net
Quote:
47"Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. 48When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. 49This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous 50and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
We will be thrown away if we are halfhearted or phoney believers by Jesus at the judgment day, because we are not producing fruit if we are not wholehearted followers.
Last edited by joyful on Tue May 08, 2012 8:17 pm; edited 1 time in total
Matthew 15:13-14 (New International Version)
22. Blind leading blind.
Quote:
13He replied, "Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. 14Leave them; they are blind guides.[a] If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit."
If we are not truthful servants we don't know who we are fellowshipping with and we may be following blind guides.
Last edited by joyful on Wed May 09, 2012 11:27 pm; edited 1 time in total
Matthew 16:5-6 (New International Version)
23. The Yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees
Quote:
5When they went across the lake, the disciples forgot to take bread. 6"Be careful," Jesus said to them. "Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees."
Jesus is talking about Pharisees and Sadducees' hypocrisy. We recognize hypocrisy by wholeheartedly serving and following Jesus. Pharisees and Sadducees are symbol of false leaders. We have to watch out about our leaders.
Last edited by joyful on Wed May 09, 2012 11:44 pm; edited 2 times in total
Matthew 16:24-27 (New International Version)
24. Cost of following Jesus
Quote:
24Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
Obviously, Jesus is saying His followers ought to serve with all they got.
Quote:
25For whoever wants to save his life[a] will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. 26What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?
Jesus' servants ought to live for Him and not for anyone else, not even for ourselves.
Quote:
27For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.
Jesus' followers ought to watch everything what they are doing because Jesus is watching everything.
Matthew 18:7-9 (New International Version)
25. Sin
Quote:
7"Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come! 8If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. 9And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.
Jesus takes sin very seriously. When we find ourselves committing sin, we should repent as soon as possible.
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15"If your brother sins against you,[a] go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. 16But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.'[b] 17If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
Are we practicing this??? We should.
hitomi
Last edited by joyful on Mon Dec 22, 2008 4:08 am; edited 1 time in total
Matthew 19:16-30 (New International Version)
26. The Rich Young Man
Quote:
16Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"
17"Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments."
Jesus is clearly saying that we have to obey the commandments to have eternal life.
Quote:
18"Which ones?" the man inquired.
Jesus replied, " 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, 19honor your father and mother,'[a] and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'[b]"
20"All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?"
21Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
Jesus is saying that we should follow Him with all we got. Are we doing it? It is not just rich people have to give up everything we have. We as Jesus' followers should give up everything we have. This verse will come up later.
Quote:
22When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
23Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
Most of us who are living in a wealthy countries have the same problem as this young man. It is hard for us to give up everything we have for God. We invest our wealth for ourselves and not for God.
Quote:
25When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?"
26Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
Do we believe this with our action???
Quote:
27Peter answered him, "We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?"
28Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother[c] or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. 30But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.
Jesus is talking about the elect, 144,000, who will reign on paradise earth with Jesus.
Last edited by joyful on Tue May 15, 2012 1:35 pm; edited 3 times in total
Matthew 25:14-30 (New International Version)
28. The Parable of the Talents
Quote:
14"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15To one he gave five talents[a] of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.
19"After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.'
21"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
22"The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.'
23"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
24"Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.'
26"His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
28" 'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. 29For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 30And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
God is giving us gift of servanthood. He is expecting us to use it for God's glory and not for our woldly success and desires.
hitomi
Last edited by joyful on Mon Dec 22, 2008 4:41 am; edited 1 time in total
Luke 12:32-34 (New International Version)
29. Sell your possissions
Quote:
32"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Jesus is very compassionate for the oppressed and poor. There are tons of poor all over the world. Jesus is telling us to sell our possessions. We are living luxuriously in this country. Is Jesus happy about this country's christianity? I hear many Christians say nothing is wrong being rich but Jesus tells us otherwise.
If we are running for elect, we should not be living luxuriously.
Last edited by joyful on Mon Dec 22, 2008 10:04 pm; edited 1 time in total
Luke 14:33 (New International Version)
31. the Cost of being disciple
Quote:
33In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.
Here it is again. According to Jesus, we cannot be rich if we want to be His disciples. He is talking to called ones. Jesus is talking like this because He is expecting everyone to aim for the elect.
Last edited by joyful on Mon Dec 22, 2008 10:13 pm; edited 2 times in total
John 8:4-11 (New International Version)
33. Gang attacking
Quote:
4and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" 6They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." 8Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
Why did Jesus ask that? I believe because the way they humiliated her is despicable. They also did not bring the other who committed sin with her.
Quote:
9At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"
11"No one, sir," she said.
"Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."
Jesus rescued her from despicable gang attacking but still told her not to sin anymore.
Last edited by joyful on Mon Dec 22, 2008 10:23 pm; edited 1 time in total
John 8:42-47 (New International Version)
34. The Children of the Devil
Quote:
42Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me. 43Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! 46Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don't you believe me? 47He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God."
Some denominations believe that all Jews will be saved in the end no matter what they do. According to Jesus they are wrong. Only people who follow Jesus will be saved. He does not discriminate.
hitomi
Last edited by joyful on Mon Dec 22, 2008 10:26 pm; edited 1 time in total
Luke 7:31-35 (New International Version)
35. Attacks, attacks.
Quote:
31"To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? 32They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to each other:
" 'We played the flute for you,
and you did not dance;
we sang a dirge,
and you did not cry.' 33For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, 'He has a demon.' 34The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners." ' 35But wisdom is proved right by all her children."
There always seems to be tons of ways to attack the truth. The more half-hearted the more skilled in attacks. You will see this especially in Christian forums. They don't seem to be happy with agreeing to disagreeing.
hitomi
Last edited by joyful on Mon Dec 22, 2008 10:31 pm; edited 1 time in total
Revelation 2:2 (New International Version)
36. the church in Ephesus
Quote:
2I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.
Jesus is expecting them to aim for heavenly class which is elect. That's why it is such harsh criticism.
Last edited by joyful on Mon Dec 22, 2008 10:36 pm; edited 1 time in total
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