When culture rushes down on your family and the professing church is trying to imitate the world itself, how will your family keep from being swept away in its path? Only through the Word of God! Family worship, on a daily basis, is your hope that they will stand like steel piers against the prevailing tide... In India there was a custom of throwing babies into the Ganges River as a sacrifice to the gods. If we are unwilling to do any more than merely take our children to church, we might as well be throwing them into the river of the culture. This is an explanation why many children of Christian parents are so often no different than the world’s. They have been given to the gods by their parents – thrown in with hands of neglect.
Jim Elliff

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Epistle for September 18, 2009

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#1 · September 18, 2009, 3:19 pm

Posted by: info <info@...>

E-pistle

                                                     Dr. Dan Hite, President          FreeWay Foundation         September 18, 2009

Jesus' "Rest" Is The Best

(Matthew 11:1-30)

Dr. Curt Scarborough

I.  Concentration:  on the contents of this chapter

        1.   John the Baptist sent his disciples to receive assurance from Jesus that

              He indeed was the Messiah, vv. 1-6.

2.      Jesus commended John as a great prophet . . . as Elijah who was to

        come, vv.7-19.

3.      Jesus pronounced woe upon several unrepentant cities, vv. 20-24.
4.      Jesus invited weary persons to come to Him for rest, vv. 25-30.

II.  Meditation:  on the truths seen in verses 28-30

1.      Jesus' invitation to "rest" immediately followed His prayer to thanksgiving

        that the Father had revealed Himself to "babes" . . . to the disciples,

        vv. 25-26; Jesus claimed that the Father had delivered all things into His

    hands . . . that He was in full control of everything, v. 27.

2.      Jesus taught that no one knows the Son except the Father, v. 27; He also

        stated here that no one can know the Father except the Son and those to

    whom the Son has revealed the Father, v. 27; see John 14:9.

3.      Jesus invited physically tired and spiritually weary (sin-burdened) people

        To Himself; to those who come, He GIVES rest, v. 28.

4.      Jesus next invites them to learn from (and about) Him; those who "take

        His yoke" and learn of him FIND rest for their souls, v. 29.

III.  Revelation:  on the spiritual implications seen in these truths

1.      The first "rest" represents our salvation . . . a free gift.
2.      This offer is saving grace resulting in spiritual peace with God.
3.      The second "rest" represents sanctification . . . a process of spiritual

        growth toward Christ-like maturity, II Peter 3:18.

4.      This second invitation is to make a discovery through studying with

        Jesus and about Jesus.

IV.  Applications:  as a Christian, I need to . . .

1.      "Rest" in the assurance of my salvation, which is a gift from almighty

        God, Ephesians 2:8-9.

2.      Know that Jesus' presence with me brings true peace, Mark 4:37-41.
3.      Learn more about Jesus, through the revelation ministry of the Holy

        Spirit, so that I may grow in spiritual stature . . . to be like Him,

        Ephesians 4:13.

4.      Perceive Jesus' "rest" as both a GIFT and a DISCOVERY; He is the

        "Author and Finisher of my faith," Hebrews 12:2; praise and thank Him!

Matthew Quotes Isaiah About The Messiah

(Matthew 12:1-50)

Dr. Curt Scarborough

I.  Concentration:  on the contents of this chapter

        1.   Jesus taught that He is Lord of the Sabbath; to prove it, He healed

              a man on the Sabbath, which angered the Pharisees, vv. 1-14.

        2.   Matthew quoted Isaiah to identify Jesus as the Messiah, vv. 15-21.

        3.   Jesus defended His healing ministry with his "house divided against

              itself" argument, and taught about the unpardonable sin, vv. 22-32.

        4.   Jesus taught about being judged by one's words, spoke of His coming

              coming death and resurrection (the sign of Jonah), and told the parable

              of the unclean spirit returning to its former house; His mother and

              brothers came asking for Him, but Jesus identified His followers as His

              true family, vv. 33-50.

II.  Meditation:  on Matthew's quotation (v. 18) of Isaiah 42:1-4

1.      Jesus is God's chosen Servant.
2.      Jesus is God's beloved (Son), in whom He is well pleased.
3.      God has put His Holy Spirit upon Jesus.
4.      Jesus' mission includes saving the whole world, both Jews and Gentiles.

III.  Revelation:  on how Jesus the Messiah ministers to people

1.      He does not quarrel nor cry out, v. 19; no public debates.
2.      No one hears His voice in the streets, v. 19; no protest marches,
3.      He will not "break a bruised reed," v. 20 . . . He will not do any harm to a

        weak, crushed human soul.

4.      He will not "quench smoking flax," v. 20 . . . He will not snuff out (as a

        candle) a person's small, flickering flame of faith, but rather He will

        kindle and preserve it.

IV.  Applications:  as a Christian, I need to . . .

1.      Worship Jesus Christ, who is the Father's chosen, beloved, Spirit-filled

        Savior of the whole world.

2.      Follow His example by not debating nor shouting nor demonstrating in

        public . . . avoid demanding my right to be heard.

3.      Be careful not to harm new or immature Christians who are suffering and

        whose faith is wavering or diminishing.

4.      Expect Jesus to bring justice and spiritual victory to all who trust in His

        holy name, vv. 20-21.

"The nice part of living in a small town is that when I don't

know what I am doing, someone else does."

 - Source Unknown

        

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