H.E.A.R. the Good News Matthew 11:22-23

I was discussing with my friend this afternoon that it is awesome to go back and see what I wrote only 8 months ago compared to now. The depth of each chapter has changed tremendously. I don’t know if it’s me or because of Paul’s writings. Either way, I am so delighted that each chapter of this study has helped me learn the Bible so much more. So let’s get to chapter 11 of Matthew.

H. Verse 22-23: 22 But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day.

E. Jesus was denouncing the towns that he performed miracles in, because they did not repent. The towns were Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum.

A. We need to be aware of the miracles that are performed on our behalf. Our God is faithful, he loves us and that is unconditional, however, we do need to be sorry when we sin, enough to repent of it. Sincere hearts will repent! People today say they don’t see miracles, well I say they aren’t looking! Just being alive today, right now while reading this is a miracle. Each day we make it is a God given miracle!

R. Father, I want to be more aware of each miracle you perform on my behalf. Open my eyes to the miracle of living day to day Father God and show my heart how to be grateful for it! Help me Father to see when I sin, those times when we say or do something that we don’t even realize is sinning. I want to be in tune with you Father with all things! Help me to have a repenting heart, a heart that knows I owe you everything! Thank you for your grace and mercy on my life, Lord! In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

H.E.A.R. the Good News Matthew 10: 28

H. Vs 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

E. Jesus is talking to his disciples about going out into the world to spread the Gospel. In verse 16 He tells them they’re going out like sheep among wolves. He is describing what they will encounter and why they don’t have to be afraid.

A. As a disciple today we should be spreading the Gospel and not be afraid. We should take heart and know that we are saved by the blood of Jesus and that fear is a liar! Not living a good life because of fear of others is a waste. When we have God with us at all times, why would we be afraid of mere man? They can only destroy our bodies here. You should be afraid of not having Jesus as your savior as he’s the one who holds the key to Heaven or Hell.

R. Father God, let me go out among the wolves and tell the good news of your son Jesus Christ, who died on a cross to save us all from our sins. Let me do it unafraid, because I know you are with me always! Father they can take away my body but they can never take my soul, you have that in the palm of your hand! In Jesus’ name, Amen.

H.E.A.R. the Good News Matthew 9:37-38

H. Verse 37-38 Then Jesus said to his disciples, ” The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

E. Jesus is teaching and performing miracles in Galilee. There were crowds gathered around and they were like sheep without a shephard. There were many lost souls there ready to be fed the Word of God. Jesus wanted his disciples to go out and harvest these lost souls for his kingdom!

A. There are also many lost souls in the world today waiting to be fed the Word of God! We as his disciples have a multitude of souls, a harvest just waiting to be sown! Let us all, as followers of Christ, go out and tell the good news of Jesus Christ!

R. Father God, I want to be a sower of the Good News of your son Jesus Christ! I want to reap a bountiful harvest for your kingdom! I pray that I would be courageous enough to tell the world about YOU Father and how much you love us! Let everything I do be for your glory! In Jesus’ name, Amen.

H.E.A.R. the Good News Matthew 8:22

H: 22: But Jesus told him “follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”

E: As Jesus was traveling one of the disciples had asked to go bury his father before he followed Jesus.

A: Jesus comes beore anyone or anything. Follow him before doing anything else. Those who are spiritually dead, those who don’t want to follow Jesus can take care of everything else. We should always seek him first with our whole heart, trust in him, obey him, seek him and pray to him before we do anything else! I would rather be alive in Jesus than spiritually dead. Jesus IS LIFE!

R: Gracious Father, you gave us your one and only son to die on the cross as a sacrifice for OUR sins! I don’t think we are anywhere near as grateful as we should be. I don’t even know if we KNOW HOW to be grateful enough. Father that sacrifice was an atonement for our sins, the LAST sacrifice and we abuse it. It was for US because you LOVE us and we don’t know how to give you the love back that you deserve. We take your grace for granted Lord! I am humbled that you loved me before I was born, that you had a purpose for me on this earth and after all I have done in my lifetime to disappoint you, you still love me. I want to love you like that Father! Give me a heart for Jesus that will open me up even more to your WORD! So I can show others how to follow him too. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

H.E.A.R. the Good News Matthew 7: 13-14

H: verses 13-14: 13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter thorough it. 14: But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

E: Jesus is explaining the path to destruction which is Hell and life which is eternal in Heaven.

A: I can choose the gate to hell that’s wide open, come on in, the ways are many, or I can choose the narrow road and small gate that is the ONLY way to Heaven which is a relationship with Jesus Christ. There is only one way to Heaven, but people would have you think differently if you listen to them. Oh, some of them say, you can get there if you’re just a good person. That is not what the Bible teaches. We must accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, we must speak it with our mouths and believe in our hearts that he is the Son of God who died on the cross for our sins and rose again on the third day. Yes the road is narrow, but the path is love, joy and peace.

R: Father may I work fervently every day to choose the narrow road to Heaven! Enrich my relationship with Jesus. Draw me closer and fill me with the Holy Spirit. I pray to always walk the path of love, joy and peace. In Jesus name, Amen.

H.E.A.R. the Good News Matthew 6:14-15

H: For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But, if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

E: Jesus is still teaching his disciples how to treat others as he would treat them.

A: If we expect to be forgiven of our sins, we must be able to forgive. Harboring grudges and hatred against others is a sin in itself. When we do that we are putting a mental strain on ourselves. God teaches us that loving him and loving others is the greatest thing we can do to honor him, we cannot love if we cannot forgive. Forgive easily and quickly, and love one another as Jesus loves us.

R: Heavenly Father, you are the great I am! You made us and you taught us how to live according to your ways. You Father know us and you know when our hearts are not forgiving. Forgive me when I am not willing to forgive others as quickly as you forgive me. I don’t hold grudges Lord and I am thankful that you put that in me, not myself. Help me to love you and love others like you love us. I pray to always have a forgiving heart! In Jesus name, Amen.

H.E.A.R. the Good News Matthew 5: 46-47

H:46 “If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?” 47 “And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?”

E: Jesus is teaching his disciples from the Sermon on the Mount. He’s saying we can easily love our own kind, but we should love everyone, the loveable and the ones we think are unloveable. He’s basically saying, “so what, anyone can do that!” when we only love those most like us.

A: There is so much strife and division among people in the world today. Maybe there always has been. We fight among ourselves and forget that we are all the same! We are all God’s children and we need to love each other. As the children’s song says, red and yellow, black and white, we are precious in his sight! We should all reach out to those who aren’t like us and show them love, this is the second greatest command after love God with all your heart and soul and mind. This world would be a much nicer place if we all knew Jesus and could love like he does!

R: Father God, I want to love everyone but I know I fall short. I say that I love everyone because they are your creation, but if I examine myself closer, I bet I could find that isn’t as true as I want it to be. Lord, help me to be a person who loves everyone like you do and let me show them mercy and grace like you do and let me love them like I want to be loved! Less of me and more of you will equal more love! I can’t do it without you! In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

H.E.A.R. the Good News Matthew 4:19

H. “Come follow me” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”

E. Jesus ran into Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew and he wanted them to follow him. He wanted them to be fishers of men to tell the good news that Jesus the Messiah had come!

A. We all can be fishers of people! As believers we are called to tell everyone the good news of Jesus Christ, it wasn’t just for the people that knew Jesus back then. We should always let people know that He came to save them from sin and death, with forgiveness and eternal life!

R. Gracious Father, I want to have the courage to go face to face with the world and be a fisher of people! I want to let everyone know that you are the son of God and you were sent as a sacrifice for all of us to have eternal life and not death! You have come to take away our shame and guilt and bring joy to our lives. I am believing that you will give me that courage and I will become a fisher of people for you! In Jesus’ name, Amen.

H.E.A.R. the Good News Matthew 3:8

H– verse 8: Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.

E- John the Baptist was talking to the Pharisees and Sadducees. He called them a brood of vipers when they came to where he was baptizing (vs 7). They thought since Abraham was their father they could just go and be baptized without having to repent for not listening to God. They did not produce fruit. They did not behave as if they were truly repentent.

A-In order to produce good fruit, we have to change our behavior! When you are truly sorry for your sins, you are repentent. When you’re sorry for something, you don’t do it again. When we come to Christ, we repent and a change should take place. We should not do the same things again that we asked forgiveness for. God does not want a luke warm Christian! Rev. 3:16 he tells us… “So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.” Examine your heart to make sure you’re not luke warm! When others see you, they should know you’re a Christian by your behavior.

R-Father God, I want a pure heart, and I don’t want to be a luke warm Christian. I want to be on fire for you, always praising your name! Father I ask for your conviction when I am not truly repentent and your grace when I fail, and your hands when I fall! Thank you Father for loving me enough to give me new mercies every day!

H.E.A.R. the Good News Matthew 2: 10-11

H: verse 10 When they saw the star they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house they saw the child with his mother Mary and they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrhh.

E: The Magi had been told by King Herod to go and find the child who was to be born. They followed the star in the east until they came upon the child.

A: We should search for Jesus at all times. He should be the first one we seek when we have good times and when we have bad times. If we seek Him in the good times we will find joy, if we seek Him in bad times, we will find peace and a joy knowing He is there for us! Seek and find JOY in knowing Jesus. Open His Word and read His Word and get to KNOW Him, not just know of Him. Worship Him and give Him our gift of faith. Tell others about Him and how to find Him!

R: Father God, I want to seek you at all times through all things! Help me to seek Him in good times and bad! I am thankful for your Son, Father, the gift you gave us for our salvation! Fill me with the Holy Spirit so I may know Him better each day! I pray for your divine teaching to reach me and give me discernment as I read a chapter each day. In Jesus name, Amen