Matthew 16-28 and Exodus 1-9

Again, so much material here! We could really just spend an entire study on this first section of Matthew….I mean I guess that’s why Bible studies do JUST THAT and spend 4,6,8 ish weeks looking into 1 book or one theme. Still I’m loving really getting my brain wrapped around The Bible as one cohesive book- even though that’s forcing us to stay more at the 10,000 foot level, for now.

So here- the main thing I’m really struck by is the way Jesus uses the little children as his examples. I have 2 tinies (4 years old & 1.5 years old). They are my world. I don’t know about y’all but anytime we are out in public as a whole family, I am always on guard and in borderline panic mode- constantly worried about the kids acting up, being too loud, having a melt down, making a mess, disturbing others, I am certainly not using them as examples of how to act!! But these 2 passages make me reflect on the whole become like them, the whole child like faith thing-

The 1.5 year old doesn’t really get it just yet but my 4 year old- I LOVE his childlike faith. Yes he does the normal little kid, “why, why, BUT WHY???!!!” thing for pretty much everything BUT he has never questioned God. We read the kid versions of Bible stories, he learns about Jesus at church, and he prays before eating and before going to bed- but as complex and abstract as adults sometimes make Jesus and God, my son just doesn’t. He accepts it all, as an unwavering fact. Before kids, I’m not sure I understood what “childlike faith” meant but it is so neat to me to see this in real life. He prays because he was told to, period. He believes the Bible stories, because he was told, period. He doesn’t knit-pick, question, or try to find fault and holes. Which leaves me wondering, (a) when does that change? When do we become “adults” and start questioning our faith? and (b) how different would life be for us if we just believed or just did as we were told, period- no push back, no tiny corner of doubt in the back of our minds, no concern for what our friends think, no demand for a sign (cough, Pharisees & Sadducees, cough)

Just a few other things here-

1. The transfiguration- anyone else immediately think back to Genesis where Moses met with God and how it made his face shine?

2. Forgiving others- WOW!! How many times have I messed up and how many times do I get forgiven? Regardless of what I do, Jesus loves me! So why am I so quick to give up on others or say “enough’s enough”? What would happen if I start forgiving rather than giving up?

3. The rich man- ouch! We are not monetarily rich by any stretch BUT it’s “funny” to me how by the world’s standard our goal is to build wealth, achieve “rich” status. But how “funny” is it that by achieving the world’s goal, we are making our ACTUAL heavenly goal harder to achieve?

4. The mother’s request- ok, really this one is funny to me! As mothers, we would literally do anything for our children, right?! And this lady, I mean wow, this lady!! She asked our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ for not just one but both his left and right hand seats for her two sons. As a mom, it makes me smile to think of the lengths we, as mothers, are willing to go for our children. As a child of God, it makes me smile because He is basically saying- I have to obey my Father and He gets to decide who sits where but we all have to serve. None of us just get born into or assigned a position of authority.

5. Palm Sunday- ok whoa! How are we already at Palm Sunday! We just “met” Jesus a few chapters back!!

6. The fig tree withers- I don’t know about y’all but I often feel like a withered fig tree. Tired, dehydrated, shriveled, useless, borderline dead. BUT thankfully- in actuality, I’M NOT and neither are you!! We are here- which means God’s not finished with us yet (cue a little Mandisa? 😉) We are still very much alive and (hopefully) fulfilling God’s purpose for our lives. So instead of feeling fruitless; I need to make a conscientious decision to live a more fruitful life!

7. The plot against Jesus- as a child I never really took the time to think through that it is the church & government leaders that are plotting against Jesus! Not the criminals, not the “bad” guys. It’s the “good” guys that are conspiring to take down JESUS 😳🤦‍♀️ not a criminal, not a con artist, not a “bad” person- not a person really at all but JESUS!

Then we flip back to the Old Testament to spend a little more time in Exodus and see-

What about you? What takeaways did you have this week? Maybe this passage said something totally different to you or had a different application on something you’re currently going through- and isn’t that the amazing thing about God’s word, it speaks to us, WHERE we are today?!