Matthew 9:9 says, And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.  Jesus was still calling His disciples, and when He saw Matthew, a tax collector, Jesus told him to come and follow Him.  Jesus first called fishermen and now He called a tax collector, who was despised by most.  Matthew had to have had faith in Jesus, because he arose and followed Him.  Verse ten states, And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.  We can assume that this was Matthew's house, but whatever house it was, publicans and sinners joined Jesus and His disciples for the meal.  Jesus will always invite even the vilest of sinners to join Him by faith in His sacrifice for salvation.  People must come to Jesus just as they are, and He will willingly accept them.  Verse eleven says, And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?  Some of the religious leaders, Pharisees, questioned the disciples about Jesus eating with publicans and sinners.  The Pharisees took pride in believing that they were morally superior to other people because of their strict adherence to God's law.  They did no go to Jesus to get an answer to their question.  Those who would attempt to discredit Jesus today will often attempt to do so by getting His followers or disciples to question what Jesus teaches.   Verse twelve declares, But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.  Though the Pharisees did not ask their question to Jesus, He heard what they were asking.  We can never question God, whether directly or indirectly, without Him knowing about it.  That is why, if we have a question about God's teachings, we should go to God for the answer.  Jesus said that those who were whole didn't need a physician.  Verse thirteen states, But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.  The Pharisees thought themselves to be the ultimate authority on God's word, but Jesus told them to go and learn what He meant by saying the whole didn't need a physician, but the sick did.  Jesus said that He would have mercy instead of sacrifice and call sinners and not the self-righteous to repentance.  We should never attempt to limit who can come to Jesus for salvation, but instead should reach out to the lost of the world.  We should never become so self righteous that we feel that anyone is unworthy of salvation, no matter how sinful they may be.

Matthew 9:1 says, And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city.  Jesus once again took a ship across the sea and came back to His own country.  I don't believe that we can say that Jesus was run out of the country, but that He chose to leave where He wasn't wanted and continue with His ministry.  A lost person cannot drive Jesus away from a position of being more powerful than Him, but if that person continually say no to Him, He may depart from that person.  Verse two states, And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.  People were still bringing the sick to Jesus to be healed.  They saw Jesus as One Who could restore physical health, but had not yet come to see Him as One Who could restore spiritual health.  They brought a man who had palsy, and lying in his bed.  He had to rely on others to get him to Jesus.  There are those today who need help in coming to Jesus, which is why we as followers of Christ must go out into the world with the gospel.  Jesus told the man to be of good cheer, because his sins were forgiven.  The man had been brought for a physical healing, but he received much more.  When Jesus forgives us of our sins, it is so much more than just a physical healing.  It is a spiritual restoration.  Verse three says, And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth.  Jesus again encountered some scribes, or religious leaders, and they accused Him of blasphemy.  Sometimes those who should be the first to acknowledge the saving power of Christ are the hardest to reach, because He threatens their position in the world.  Verse four declares, And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?  Jesus knew their thoughts, just as we are told that we will be held accountable for our thoughts as well as our actions.  Jesus asked them why they thought evil in their hearts, or their innermost thoughts.  If we question the power of Jesus today, then we are guilty of evil in our innermost thoughts.  We should never question the power of God.  Verse five asks, For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?  Jesus was asking why He would have said that the man's sins were forgiven if He was not able to forgive them.  Jesus could have simply told the man to rise up and walk, and he would have been able to do so.  The man wanted to walk, but Jesus saw a greater, more lasting need.  The man needed to be forgiven for his sins.  I believe that when we come to Jesus today, even if it is for the wrong reason, that He stands ready to forgive our sins, if we only allow Him to by putting our faith in His ability.  Verse six states, But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.  Jesus tells us that He not only told the man that his sins were forgiven for his benefit, but for the benefit of all those around him.  They needed to understand that Jesus has the power to forgive sins.  He is actually the only One Who can.  Verse seven declares, And he arose, and departed to his house.  The man got up and walked to his house.  When we come to Jesus in faith, He will always exceed our expectations.  This man came simply for physical healing, but he departed spiritually healed as well. Verse eight states, But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.  When God performs a miracle in the world, we should marvel and glorify Him, and there is no greater miracle than the salvation that Christ offers us through our faith in Him.

Matthew 8:28 says, And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way.  After Jesus had crossed to the other side to get away from the multitudes for awhile and had calmed the stormy sea, He encountered another obstacle.  There were two possessed with devils, who were evidently living in the grave yard, who would have blocked the way Jesus was going.  I believe that what we need to understand is that just because we have been successful in overcoming problems by our faith in Christ, that does not mean that we will never face another problem.  The opposite may be true.  If we are being successful in witnessing for Christ, Satan will notice and attempt to stop us.  Verse twenty-nine says, And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?  These two, possessed by devils, recognized Jesus for Who He is.  That was more than the religious leaders of God's people did.  They asked what Jesus, the Son of God, had to do with them.  They may have felt that they were just too evil for Jesus to redeem them, so they wondered if He had come to torment them.  We need to understand that no one is ever to evil to be redeemed by Christ, and that He never comes to torment people, but to save them.  Verse thirty states, And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding.  Swine were really considered as unclean to the people of Israel, so they would likely have been of no real significance to Jesus.  Verse thirty-one states, So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.  We should first recognize that these devils that possessed these two men acknowledged the power of Jesus over them.  They did not say cast us out if you are able to do so.  They simply said to Jesus that if He cast them out that they be allowed to enter the swine.  Like these demons, Satan knows that he is powerless against God.  Though Satan may rule a person completely, if that person calls on Jesus for salvation, then Satan's rule over that person will be over.  Verse thirty-two states, And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters.  Jesus allowed the demons to enter the swine, but their escape was brief.  The whole herd of swine ran violently into the sea and drowned.  I am not sure why the demons were not able to escape the swine, but I think it was because they had submitted to the authority of Jesus.  Satan and his disciples really do have limited power in the world.  Verse thirty-three says, And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils.  Those who had kept the swine went into the city and told what had happened to the swine and to the two who had been possessed of the devils.  Verse thirty-four declares, And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts.  Evidently the people were not happy about the two who were restored to sanity.  They were evidently more concerned about the loss of the swine.  For whatever reason, the whole city came out to Jesus to ask Him to leave their coasts.  There are whole countries today where Jesus is not welcome.  In some places, it is because they worship another god, and some places it is because they claim there is no God.  Even if miracles occur, they will never welcome Jesus.

Matthew 8:23 says, And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.  When Jesus was leaving the multitudes, He got into a ship.  We are not told who the ship belonged to, but possibly one of the disciples.  We can be certain that Jesus did not just take someone's ship without having the right to do so.  We likewise cannot just take what belongs to someone else and claim that as a follower of Christ we have a right to do so, even if we are doing something for God.  The disciples followed Jesus onto the ship.  They did not know where He was going, but they were following Him wherever He was going.  We need to always follow where Jesus leads us.  Verse twenty-four states, And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.  We might think that where Jesus is that all would be calm, but a great storm arose.  I believe that we should be ready for storms to come to our lives today if we are following Christ.  As the storm was raging, Jesus was sleeping, which implies that He was at peace in the storm.  I believe we can have that same peace in the storms today, if we put our faith in God.  Verse twenty-five states, And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.  The disciples, though physically with Jesus, were afraid that they were going to die.  They at least went to the right source for deliverance: Jesus.  When we are in the storms of life today, we must look to Jesus for deliverance.  Verse twenty-six declares, And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.  The disciples thought they had to wake Jesus up to be delivered from the storm.  Jesus declared them to have little faith.  We need to have faith that the Holy Spirit is always with us and knows our needs, even in the storms when it may not seem to be true.  Jesus rebuked the winds, and there was a great calm.  Jesus can bring that great calm to our lives today, if we live by faith in Him.  We should never focus on the storms, but on the One Who can calm the storms.  Verse twenty-seven declares, But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!  We should marvel at Jesus, because He is able to calm all the storms of life if someone only puts their faith in Him.  Even when the storms rage around us, we are secure for the rest of eternity if we keep our faith in Jesus.  Jesus is the One Who secures us for all eternity, no matter what storms we face in life.  Had the faith of the disciples been strong enough, they would not have feared the storm, since Jesus was with them.  Neither should we fear the storms as long as we are following Christ by faith.

Matthew 8:14 says, And when Jesus was come into Peter’s house, he saw his wife’s mother laid, and sick of a fever.  First, we see that Peter was married.  Yet, when Jesus called Peter, he followed Jesus.  Second, we see that Jesus came to Peter's house.  I am not sure how the dynamics of Peter's marriage and his relationship to Jesus worked, but I can be certain that Jesus never called on Peter to do anything that was against the law of God.  We will never be called to do anything that goes against God's law either, but we will always be called to put following Christ first.  Finally, we see that Peter's mother-in-law was very sick.  Verse fifteen states, And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.  The touch of Jesus healed her completely and immediately.  Though this was a physical healing, we can be certain that Jesus will heal us completely and immediately spiritually when we accept Him by faith when He comes to us to give us salvation.  Peter's mother-in-law then ministered to them.  When Jesus heals us, we must minister to those around us who are in need.  Verse sixteen says, When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:  The word that Jesus was healing those who were physically sick spread, and many sick people were brought to Him.  Sometimes today, people will come to Jesus simply seeking physical healing.  This is not why Jesus came.  He came to bring spiritual reconciliation between people and God.  Verse seventeen states, That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.  Though physical healing was not the primary role of Jesus His healing sickness does fulfill a prophecy.  Again, not that Jesus healed people just to fulfill the prophecy.  He healed people out of compassion for them, but this was but a temporary healing, that could only last in this lifetime.  Jesus came to bring an everlasting spiritual healing.  Verse eighteen says, Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side.  Jesus gave the command to depart from the great multitudes.  He could not afford to be distracted from His task for too long.  Verse nineteen states, And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.  This scribe may have been caught up in the power that Jesus had to heal and the number of people that were coming to Him.  Verse twenty declares, And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.  I believe that Jesus was telling this scribe, and anyone else, not to follow Him expecting material blessings.  Jesus could have profitted from healing people if He chose to do so, but that was not His purpose.  We should never attempt to profit materially from our relationship with Christ.  Verse twenty-one says, And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.  Then in verse twenty-two Jesus replies, But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.  I don't believe that Jesus was being cold-hearted in this statement.  I believe that He was simply saying to not put conditions on following Him.  Jesus came for the living, and once a person is dead, no matter how elaborate a funeral they may have, their everlasting destination is already determined.  We must put following Jesus above everything else.

Matthew 8:1 says, When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.  Jesus at times removed Himself from the multitudes, but then He would go into the midst of them again.  We may need time to remove ourselves from the pressures of the world, but ultimately we have to get back into the midst of the world.  We cannot simply withdraw and hope to reach the lost.  Verse two says, And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.  This leper, one who could not even be touched by normal people, came to Jesus in faith.  No matter how unclean a person may be, they can always come to Jesus for cleansing and healing.  Verse three states, And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.  Touching a leper made a person spiritually unclean under the law, but Jesus not only touched the leper, but He healed him as well.  The leper had to have faith in the healing power of Jesus to be healed, just as we must have faith in the healing power of Jesus to be spiritually healed.  There was no delay in the healing of the leper.  I believe that when God heals a person, physically or spiritually, that it begins with faith in His ability to do so.  The leper did not come to Jesus asking what he had to do or even if it were possible for him to be saved.  He came by faith stating that he knew Jesus could heal him.  Verse four says, And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.  Jesus gave the man, who was no longer a leper, instructions to follow.  In this case, it was to not tell anyone what had happened.  I believe this was for two reasons.  One was that Jesus did not want people to follow Him simply for material reasons, and a physical healing would be one such reason.  Jesus still does not want people to follow Him simply for material reasons.  Second, Jesus did not come for the purpose of blessing people materially.  This has to do with the purpose of Jesus coming and not with the perception of those around Him.  Jesus came to bring everlasting spiritual restoration to anyone who will put their faith in Him, and not for a temporary physical healing.

Matthew 7:24 says, Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:  Here, Jesus distinguishes between just hearing His word and doing His word.  We might say that this means that if we are going to talk the talk, then we must walk the walk.  It is not enough to simply claim to follow Christ without living by faith in what He teaches us.  Jesus says that those who keep His sayings are like wise men who build their houses on the rock, or a firm foundation.  There is no other foundation that we can build our lives on but the foundation of Christ, if we want our house to stand.  Jesus is our Rock.  Verse twenty-five declares, And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.  Jesus did not say if the rain and winds come but when they did come.  If we are going to withstand the storms of life today, then our lives must be founded on our faith in Christ.  When we build our lives on our faith in Christ, nothing can ever tear us away from Him.  Verse twenty-six declares, And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:  This is the only other possibility.  Either we hear and do the will of Christ through faith in the salvation He offers, or we hear and do not believe.  Then, when we do not believe, or follow the teachings of Christ we are like foolish men who build their houses on the sand.  Just like them, we have no foundation if we are not building on our faith in the rock of Christ.  Verse twenty-seven states, And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.  When a person builds on a foundation that is not solid, then when the storms come there is a very good likelihood that the building will not stand, no matter how impressive it might be.  When we attempt to build our religious lives on any foundation other than faith in Jesus as our Savior and Lord, then they will ultimately crash.  Jesus also said that the fall was great.  There can be no greater fall in life than the one that comes from rejecting Christ as the Rock that we build our lives on.  Verse twenty-eight says, And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:  We are told that people were astonished as the teachings of Jesus, and I believe they still are today.  Some write His teachings off all together, some say that He was another prophet, but those who put their faith in Him know the truth.  This is stated in verse twenty-nine which says, For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.  Jesus is indeed the One Who can teach with authority, and is the only Rock upon which we can build anything of lasting importance.

Matthew 7:15 says, Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.  There are many false prophets, or preachers and teachers, in the world today.  They proclaim another way to God other than by faith in Christ alone.  Some proclaim other gods, and some proclaim a modified gospel, adding to what is necessary to be saved, which is to be restored to a right relationship with God.  Anytime someone adds anything to the way to salvation other than Jesus Christ, crucified, resurrected, and Lord, then they are false prophets.  They may look like sheep, but they are really ravenous wolves.  We may be accused of being close minded by proclaiming that Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation, but this is one principal that cannot be compromised.  Verse sixteen says, Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?  The only way that we as followers of Christ can bear fruit is by leading others to faith in Him as their Savior and Lord.  If we try to bear fruit by any other method, it will not be the fruit of the Holy Spirit.  Verse seventeen declares, Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.  Jesus tells us that the good tree brings forth good fruit.  Jesus did not say that the good tree might possibly bring forth good fruit, but that it will bring forth good fruit.  Jesus expects us to be fruitful in reaching the lost world with His gospel.  By proclaiming the gospel of Christ alone can we bear fruit for Him.  Those who are rooted in any other religion or who add to salvation through Christ cannot bear good fruit.  Verse eighteen states, A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.  Jesus tells us that if we are rooted in our faith in Him, if we are a good tree, then we cannot bring forth evil fruit.  If we are truly saved by faith in Christ, then we should be led by the Holy Spirit and will always proclaim Jesus Christ as the only way to salvation, which is the good fruit.  If someone bases their belief on anything other than salvation through Christ alone, then the can only bring forth evil fruit.  Verse nineteen declares, Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.  This may not happen in this lifetime, but anyone who looks for salvation by any means other than by faith in Christ will ultimately be hewn down and cast into the fire.  Verse twenty states, Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.  Jesus tells us that we will be known by our fruits, so we have to ask what fruit are we bearing for Him.  I believe that as long as we are living by the leadership of the Holy Spirit and proclaiming Christ to the world that we are bearing fruit for Him, even if we don't always know it.  Verse twenty-one declares, Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  This does not mean that someone who truly accepts Jesus and Savior and Lord will not go to heaven, but means that some who profess to follow Jesus do not truly put their faith in Him alone.  When we truly follow Jesus, we will do the will of the heavenly Father.  Verse twenty-two says, Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?  This implies that some people are going to be surprised when they are not admitted to heaven.  They will speak of the works they have done in Jesus' name, but salvation does not come from works, but from a relationship with Jesus Christ.  No matter how many good works we may do, if they are not done under the leadership of the Holy Spirit through our relationship with Jesus Christ, they are of no benefit to us spiritually.  Verse twenty-three says, And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.  Just because a person proclaims to know Christ and does good things does not mean that person has a real relationship with Him.  We will be judged by our relationship with Christ, and nothing else.  Being a good person is not enough.

Matthew 8:5 says, And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,  Jesus was traveling about.  He was going to the people around Him.  While doing so, a centurion, or soldier came to Him.  As we follow Christ today, we must be ready to meet people around us who may have a need.  Though our priority is to share the gospel, we must be willing to help meet their pressing physical needs if possible.  This does not mean that we can meet all the needs of all people at all times, but if someone comes to us in distress, then we must care enough to listen to them and do whatever God enables us to do to help them.  Jesus did not judge the cenrturion, but took the time to really listen to him.  Verse six says, And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.  The centurion had a great need and he came to Jesus to share that need.  When we as followers of Christ have a great need in our lives today, the first thing we need to do is bring that need to Jesus.  Fortunately, unlike the centurion, we do not have to physically go to Jesus, because He is already with us through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, if we are His followers by faith.  The centurion was not there for spiritual healing for himself, but for a physical healing for his servant.  He was concerned for his servant's health.  The centurion had more faith in the ability of Jesus than most of those who called themselves God's people did.  We must not allow that to be the case with us today as followers of Christ.  Verse seven states, And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.  Jesus offered to go and heal the servant.  I believe that God already stands willing to meet our needs when we come to Him in faith.   Verse eight states, The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.  The centurion recognized his own unworthiness.  Even as followers of Christ today, we are unworthy of His presence in our lives, but fortunately His presence is not dictated by our worthiness, but by our faith.  Verse nine says, For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.  The centurion, as a man in position of power, did not have to physically go somewhere to have his orders, or will, to be done, and he recognized that Jesus had that same authority.  We should never limit the power and ability of Christ.  Verse ten declares, When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.  Jesus marvelled at the faith of the centurion, which He said was greater than He had found in anyone in Israel, God's chosen people.  We need to have a faith that Jesus marvels at today, especially as followers of Christ.  Verse eleven declares, And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.  Jesus said that people from all over the world would come to Him, and that is what we need to understand today.  God values all people, and Christ died for all people everywhere.  All anyone has to do is come to Him in faith.  This is why we who are not of the Jewish faith have salvation made available through Christ.  Verse twelve says, But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.  This does not mean that everyone born into the Jewish faith is doomed, but that those who refuse to accept Jesus as the Messiah will be.  Anyone relying on who they are by fact of their birth, and not on faith in Christ, will be cast out of the kingdom of God.  Verse thirteen states, And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.  The centurion had faith in the power of Jesus, and that faith was rewarded.  We need to have that same type faith.

Matthew 7:7 says, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:  We often hear this verse used to claim that Jesus tells us that we can have whatever we want if we only ask for and seek it.  When we do, then the door will be open for us to get anything we really desire.  I believe that this really has to do with seeking and finding God's will for our lives, and not with seeking and finding material things.  If we first seek and find God's will, then we will not be concerned with the material things of life.  Following Christ has never been about gaining material things, but has only promised us a cross to take up daily.  Verse eight states, For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.  Once more, I do not believe that Jesus was speaking about material things, but was instead speaking about knowing and being empowered to follow God's will for our lives.  Verse nine asks, Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?  Jesus is still referring to asking, knocking and receiving.  He asks us if our son asks us for bread would we instead give him a stone.  This would indeed be a cruel action on our part.  Verse ten then asks, Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?  Once more, Jesus is asking if our son came to us in need, asking for a fish or food, if we would not only fail to help him but would seek to further harm him as well, giving him a serpent.  Then verse eight asks, If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?  Jesus asks if we who are evil know how to give good gifts to our children, then how much more will the heavenly Father give to those who are His children.  Again, this has to do with meeting needs, bread and fish, and not with making the son rich in material things.  Verse twelve states, Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.  We often hear this stated as do unto others as they do unto you, but it goes beyond that.  We are to do unto others not just as they do unto us, but as we would want them to do unto us.  This I believe implies our thoughts about how we want others to act, and not just their actions toward us.  Verse thirteen declares, Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:  I believe that Jesus was calling on people to put their faith in Him, because He is not only the straight gate, but He is the only gate to the heavenly Father.  We cannot come to a right relationship with God any other way.  There are many paths to destruction, some even called religions, and many people find them, but there is but one gate to God.  That gate is faith in  Jesus Christ, crucified, resurrected, and Lord.  Verse fourteen adds, Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.  It is our responsibility as followers of Christ to point lost people to this straight gate, which as already stated is faith in Christ.

Matthew 7:1 say, Judge not, that ye be not judged.  I believe that this means that we are not to be judgmental.  It is easy to stand back and point out the faults of others and to feel justified in condemning them.  I don't believe that this means that we can never distinguish between right and wrong actions, but instead that we are not to judge the person who does wrong as deserving God's punishment and not God's grace and mercy.  If we judge the actions of others, it should be out of love for them, and never from an attitude of moral superiority, where we deserve God's forgiveness and someone else doesn't.  Verse two declares, For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.  If we judge others as only being worthy of punishment and not forgiveness, then Jesus tells us that we will be judged the same.  I believe that this is because if we are truly following Christ that we know that God is the judge of all people, and that we ourselves are but sinners saved by grace.  As such, we are not qualified to act as the judge of someone else's sin.  We are to point out sin in the world and stand against it, but we are never to judge any sinner, no matter how great his or her sin, as being undeserving of forgiveness.  Verse three asks, And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?   Jesus asks us why we can so easily see the smallest sin in others and not acknowledge the much larger sin in our own lives.  By the very fact that we are attempting to judge the worthiness of others, we are placing ourselves in a position of moral superiority, and only God can claim this position.  Verse four asks, Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?  Jesus is asking why we would notice and offer to help correct the faults of others and ignore correcting our own faults.  Sometimes it is easier to sit in judgment and condemnation of others than it is to acknowledge our own faults.  If this occurs, then we begin to feel morally superior to the other person.  Verse five declares, Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.  Jesus tells us when we do judge the actions of others without first examining and correcting the faults in our own lives that we are hypocrites.  As long as we are unwilling to confess and ask God's forgiveness for the sins in our lives, we are certainly not to point out the sins in another person's life as though we are better than them.  Jesus also says that once we have removed the sin from our own lives that we can then help the other person.  Verse six says, Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.  I believe that Jesus is warning us against misusing the things belonging to God.  This would even include our own bodies, since as followers of Christ we belong to God.  If we do give the things that God blesses us with, our pearls, to those who are not God's people, the swine, then we should not be surprised if they ultimately attack us.  We should never attempt to buy peace with the lost world, but should always put following God's will for our lives first.

Matthew 6:26 says, Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?  Jesus tells us to look at the birds of the air.  Birds don't sow, or reap or gather crops into barns, or storage.  Jesus tells us that the heavenly Father feeds them.  Some people would say the is just mother nature that does this, but it we are followers of Christ, then we now that it is much more than just a random act.  We have to acknowledge that God sustains the universe that He created.  Then, Jesus asks if we are not better than the birds.  If God provides food for the birds, then we should know that He will do the same for us.  I don't believe that this means that we are to just sit back and do nothing, but that we are to have faith that if we are doing God's will, then we don't have to worry about food or any other material thing.  God will provide for our needs if we put Him first.  Verse twenty-seven asks, Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?  I believe that the emphasis here is that God creates our bodies to be a certain size, and we cannot make ourselves grow any taller than we are created to be.  We may be able to make ourselves larger, or even to stunt our growth from what it would be, but we cannot make ourselves taller.  Just like spending time or thought to make ourselves taller is a waste, so is worrying about what we will eat or wear.  Verse twenty-eight asks, And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:  As I just stated, we are not to worry about our raiment, or clothing.  Jesus tells us to consider the lilies of the field.  Like the birds, they do not labor and toil, nor do they spin cloth to array themselves in.  Verse twenty-nine declares, And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  Jesus tells us that Solomon in all his glory, dressed in his finest, was not arrayed as beautifully as the lilies.  Verse thirty says, Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?  Jesus asks if God can provide even for the grass of the field, which is here one day and gone the next, then why do we as God's people lack the faith to rely on God to meet our needs.  Verse thirty-one says, Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?  I believe that this means that we are not to be worried about these things, but are to live in the faith that God will provide them.  Verse thirty-two states, (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.  Jesus tells us that the Gentiles, those who were not God's people, sought after these things, or we might say put there emphasis on material things.  Though we may have been Gentiles in the days of Jesus, through faith in Christ as Savior and Lord we are now a part of God's family.  As such, Jesus tells us that the heavenly Father knows our needs, even before we ask.  Verse thirty-three states, But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.  Jesus tells us to seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness first.  This means we are to put God above everything else.  When we do, God will meet all our physical or material needs.  Verse thirty-four states, Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.  We might say that this is a fiscally irresponsible way to live, but Jesus tells us to not worry about these material things but to rely on God to provide for our needs.  We never know what day will be our last, so we are not to worry about the evils of tomorrow, but are to simply live by faith each day.

Matthew 6:22 says, The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.   We have heard it said that the eye is the light of the soul, but Jesus tells us that at least it is the light of the body.  Coming just after the discussion of treasures, I believe that we can say that as Christians that our focus, our single vision, must be on the things of God.  If we begin to focus on material things instead of spiritual things our whole body is affected.  Verse twenty-three warns, But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!  Though physically, if we are blind we stumble around in darkness and miss the beauty of the world, it is even worse when we stumble in spiritual blindness.  We must keep our eyes set on Jesus and not on the things of the world.  Verse twenty-four declares, No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.  I don't believe that this can be stated much more clearly.  We cannot serve two masters, which I believe would be material things and spiritual things.  We must never allow material things, whether possessions or people, to come between God and us.  Either God is the Lord of our whole life, or we are serving another master.  We can put no ifs, ands, or buts on following God.  Verse twenty-five says, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?  This once again is a very clear statement.  We might say that it is irresponsible to live this way, but Jesus tells us also that when we follow Him that the heavenly Father will meet our needs.  Jesus tells us that we are more than simply what we eat or drink if we are His followers.

Matthew 6:16 says, Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.  Having taught us how to give and how to pray, Jesus now teaches us the correct way to fast.  Since the statement is when we fast, then we can assume that this means we are to fast for spiritual reasons.  I must confess that I never have done this.  My fasting is generally from the time I go to bed until shortly after I get up.  When Jesus speaks of fasting it is fasting done for spiritual purposes, and not for physical ones.  Jesus tells us that we are not to fast to call attention to ourselves as the hypocrites do.  Verse seventeen says, But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;  Jesus tells us that when we fast that we are to go about life normally, in the way that we look and act.  I believe that what Jesus tells us continually is that the way we live and worship should bring glory to God, and never call attention to our own righteousness.  We are never made righteous by our actions, but can only be made righteous through our faith in Christ as our Savior and Lord.  Verse eighteen states,  That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.  We are not to fast for people to notice us, but so they won't.  It may be that they will see us not eating, but even then we are not to call attention to it.  I believe that this is true of any real worship.  We worship so that God will be glorified and we will be edified, and not that we will be praised by people.  When we do, then God will reward us openly.  Even when we proclaim God openly, we are to do it for His glory and not so that we will be praised.  Verse nineteen says, Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:  I am not sure that God ever expects us to keep all that He blesses us with materially for our own purposes.  Treasures laid up on earth can be destroyed or stolen, and even if they aren't, they will be left behind when Jesus comes again.  Verse twenty advises, But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:  We lay up treasures in heaven by being obedient to God's will.  Whatever treasures we receive in heaven will be given to us by God and will not be something that we attained by our own ability.  They will still be to be used for God's glory and they will be everlasting. Verse twenty-one declares, For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.  If we value the things of this world more than following the will of God, then that is what we will devote our time and energy to.  The opposite is also true.  As followers of Christ, we must devote our time and energy into serving God first and foremost.

Matthew 6:5 says, And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.  Jesus teaches us that just as there is a correct way to give, so there is a correct way to pray.  This verse tells us that when we pray we are not to pray in such a way as to bring attention to ourselves instead of to God.  I don't believe that Jesus is saying that we should never pray in public, but when we do this we should never have people focused on us instead of God.  If we pray simply to call attention to ourselves, we have our reward already.  Verse six states, But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.  Jesus tells us that when we pray we are to go into our closet and do so in secret.  Then, God will see us and openly reward us.  Prayer is first and foremost a communication between a person and God.  Verse seven declares, But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.  I don't believe that this is as much about whether we say the same words in prayer as it is about the words having no meaning when we say them.  Jesus also tells us that we do not have to go on and on in prayer.  We may hear someone pray and tell them that it was a beautiful prayer, but if the prayer had no real meaning to the person praying, then it means nothing to God.  Verse eight says, Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.  We do not need to pray to call attention to ourselves, nor do we need to get God's attention.  God already knows our needs and simply expects us to acknowledge to Him that He is the One Who can meet our needs.  Verse nine says, After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.  This is the beginning of what is normally called the Lord's prayer, but I believe should more accurately be called the Lord's model prayer.  I believe that Jesus' prayer in the garden and on the cross, for example, are more His prayers.  Still, the first thing that Jesus tells us is that our prayers should be directed to the heavenly Father.  We must be sincere in our acknowledgement of Who God is.  As followers of Christ, He is our heavenly Father.  Verse ten says, Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.  Jesus tells us that after we acknowledge God as our heavenly Father, then we are to pray, not for what we may want, but that God's will is done here on earth.  God is always at work in the world through His followers, if His followers are doing His will.  Verse eleven states, Give us this day our daily bread.  Jesus teaches us to pray for our daily needs to be met, for our daily bread.  We are not told to pray for all our wants, but for our own daily bread.  Verse twelve says, And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.  We have been forgiven our debt to God through our faith in Christ, and we are to forgive those who are in debt to us because we have been forgiven.  Verse thirteen states, And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.  Since God never leads us into temptation, I believe that this means keep us from being led into temptation.  If we remember that it is God's kingdom, sustained by God's power, and that we are to do everything for God's glory, then we will never be led into temptation.  Verse fourteen declares, For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:  Jesus expands on the nature of forgiveness.  If we don't forgive those who have somehow harmed us, then why should we expect God to forgive us?  We have been forever forgiven for our trespasses against God.  Verse fifteen further declares, But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.  If we will not forgive others for their trespasses against us, then God will not forgive our trespasses against Him.  I do not believe that this means that we cannot be saved without forgiving others, but that once we are saved that we are to be as forgiving in our relationship to God as He is in His relationship to us.

Matthew 6:1 says, Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.   We are not to give to God simply so others might make note of or brag about our giving.  If we do give simply so others might notice us, then we have our reward already, and that is the praise of men.  Whatever we do for God should be for His glory and not our own.  Verse two states, Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.  As always, I believe this goes to our attitude and intention.  It is not always possible to keep our giving to God from going unnoticed, but we are not to be the ones to call attention to it.  As a matter of fact, we should attempt to ensure that it goes unnoticed by other people.  Whatever we do for God should be done to bring honor to Him and not attention to ourselves.  Verse three states, But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:  I believe that this means that we are to not even acknowledge to ourselves what we give to God so that we can secretly praise ourselves.  I know that it is impossible to not know what we give to God, but we should give with the attitude that even we ourselves do not acknowledge what we have given.  We need to remember that whatever we give is already God's to begin with.  Verse four says, That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.  We may want the church to keep a record of what we give, and the church really needs to keep a record of what is given for the sake of accountability, but this should never be done so that one person can be praised and another looked down on.  The person giving should never draw attention to how much he or she has given or is giving.  We are to give, as we are to live, so that God receives the glory.

Matthew 5:38 says, Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:  These were really limits on what a person could demand if they had been harmed.  If someone lost an eye or a tooth, that person could not claim a right to kill the other person, or even harm that person more than someone had been harmed himself.  We often view it as a command to claim our right to be demand that the someone who has harmed us pay, but this really isn't the case.  Verse thirty-nine declares, But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.  Jesus said that we are to turn the other cheek if we are slapped, which means that we are not to demand that the one who struck us suffers even more than we did.  This is not to say that people are not to be held accountable for their actions, but that we as followers of Christ are to show mercy even to those who may have harmed us.  Verse forty continues, And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.  I know in the world today, if someone takes us to court that we want to give them nothing, and if we take them to court we often demand the maximum that we can get.  I believe that what was being said was that we are to realize that all this deals with material possessions and our physical well being, but Jesus is referring to our spiritual well being.  We are to be guided by the Holy Spirit, and when we are, we will put even those who may have harmed us above ourselves.  Verse forty-one says, And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.  I believe that this is simply saying to go beyond what is demanded of us, so that we will never bring dishonor to God.  Verse forty-two states, Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.  We, as followers of Christ, are to help those who ask us for help.  We cannot allow the fear that we are being taken advantage of stop us from helping others.  I cannot say for sure where we should draw the line, but if we rely on the leadership of the Holy Spirit, I am sure we will do what brings glory to God.  Verse forty-three says,  Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.  This might even seem like a reasonable idea in the terms of the world.  Still, as we shall see, this is not God's standard.  Verse forty-four states, But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;  Jesus said that those who follow Him are to love their enemies and do good for those who hate them and pray for those who despitefully us them.  We all at one time were enemies of God, but He still loved us.  Jesus set the example for us on the cross when out of love He prayed for those who were crucifying Him.  Verse forty-five states, That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.you;  If we want to be the children of God, then we must follow His instructions, which just said that we shall love our enemies.  Verse forty-six asks, For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?  Jesus tells us that it is easy to love those who love us.  Even those who do not claim to be God's people do this, so why should we feel that doing this makes us any better than them.  Verse forty-seven asks, And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?  I believe that this is asking if we greet only those who we view as friends in a friendly matter, how are we any better than anyone else.  We are to approach even our enemies with an attitude to love.  Verse forty-eight says, Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.  I do not believe that we will reach the state of perfection in this world, but if we are true followers of Christ and follow His teachings under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, then we will always strive for perfection.

Matthew 5:31 says, It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:  Divorce was allowed in the Old Testament, and it was very much at the discretion of the husband.  The letter of the law required that he give his wife a writing of divorcement.  This was a legal situation and not a spiritual one.  Under God's law, marriage is intended to be a spiritual union between a man and a woman that would last a lifetime.  We have made it a legal institution that lasts as long as it is convenient.  Verse thirty-two declares, But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.  Unless the divorce was based on adultery, then the spirit of God's law says that if a woman, in this case, is divorced and remarries, both she and her new husbands are guilty of adultery.  The same applies to the wife.  Often today people get divorced simply because they want to get remarried.  I believe that the real problem with marriage today is that it has become simply a legal institution instead of a spiritual one.  Verse thirty-three states, Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:  Matthew Henry says this refers to taking oaths to tell the truth.  We are not to swear by our own merit, but by our faith in and relationship to God.  This is the letter of the law.  Verse thirty-four states, But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne:  In this verse we begin to get into the spirit of the law.  This does not mean that we are never to swear an oath, but that the oath is not to be based on material things, but on our relationship with God.  Everything already belongs to God.  Heaven is God's thorn.  Verse thirty-five says, Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.  The earth is God's footstool and Jerusalem is His city, so how can we swear by, or take an oath, based on any of these things.  For our oaths to have any real meaning, they must be based on our relationship with God.  Verse thirty-six states, Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.  Now we might say that we can make our hair white or black or even purple, but we really can't.  We can make it appear that way, but at the root it is still the same color.  That being said, I believe that we are being advised to not swear by our own merit or values.  As followers of Christ, God should be in control of every aspect of our lives.  Verse thirty-seven says, But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.  I believe this means that we should be truthful in what we say.  If we say yes to someone, it should not mean maybe, and the same is true if we say no.

Matthew 5:21 says, Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:  These next several verses begin to contrast the letter of the law with the spirit of the law.  The letter of the law is concerned with physical acts, whereas the spirit of the law is concerned with the attitude behind the action.  Verse twenty-two states, But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.  The action, stated in the last verse is killing and its punishment.  I personally believe that this refers to murder, but that may be too narrow of a definition.  In this verse, the spirit of the law says that if we have been angry with our brother without cause, we are just as guilty in the eyes of God as one who has murdered someone.   We are even told that if we call our brother a fool we are in danger of hell fire.  We need to remember also that our brothers or sisters are any fellow believer.  Getting angry at other Christians without a spiritual cause is never acceptable to God.  Verse twenty-three states, Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;  Bringing gifts to the altar of God is a good thing, but gifts must be offered with the right attitude.  Verse twenty-four states, Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.  If we have brought our gift to God and remember that we have a problem with our brother or sister, then we are to leave our gift at the altar and find our brother or sister and make things right.  We are not told to take the offering with us, but to leave it there.  The attitude that I am not giving another penny to that church as long as someone I disagree with is there is not acceptable.  Verse twenty-five says, Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.   If we really did quickly settle disputes with others, even our adversaries, then we might put a lot of lawyers out of work.  This verse seems to indicate that the follower of Christ is at fault and could be thrown into prison if brought to trial.  We should certainly quickly settle disputes where we are at fault, especially since our actions reflect upon God.  Verse twenty-six states, Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.  This simply tells us that if we have wronged another and haven't sought a resolution to the problem with that person, we might find ourselves in imprisoned until the debt is paid.  Verse twenty-seven says, Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:  This is once again the letter of the law, looking at the actual physical act of adultery.  Verse twenty-eight says, But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.  This is the spirit of the law, where our very thoughts and not just our actions are judged.  Former president Carter took a lot of heat for saying he was guilty of looking on another woman with lust, but this is the way God judges us.  Verse twenty-nine says, And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.  Since I do not see a bunch of one eyed Christians, then either nothing we see offends us, or leads us away from our relationship with God, or we don't take this verse literally.  Verse thirty states, And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.  Again, we don't see many one handed Christians who are one handed because they cut their hand off because it led them to sin.  The point is that we should not allow sin to enter our thoughts, then our eyes and our hands will not offend us.  Still, we would be better off spiritually to lose a hand or an eye and remain spiritually pure than to remain physically whole and become spiritually defiled.  God judges not only our actions, but He judges our thoughts as well.

Matthew 5:13 says, Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.  We, as followers of Christ, are called the salt of the earth.  We are to enhance life for those we meet, just as salt enhances the flavor of food.  I also believe that just as salt can help preserve food, we as followers of Christ can spread His word to help others come to a preserving knowledge of God.  Salt is of no use if it is not used, and we are of no use to God if we are unwilling to spread His word.  Just as a little salt can flavor a lot of food, so can a little faith reach a lot of people if we only reach out in the love of God.  Verse fourteen states, Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.  The lost of the world stumble around in spiritual darkness today, and if they are ever to see the light of salvation, we as followers of Christ must shed His light into the world.  We are to be like the light of a city set on a hill.  We should never cower in fear of the world, but should continually shed God's light into the world.   Verse fifteen states, Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.   I believe that this is telling us to never attempt to hide the light of Christ from the world.  People should know by the way that we live that there is something different about us if we are indeed followers of Christ.  We are not called on to hide our faith, but to be a shining light in the world.  Verse sixteen states, Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.  When we shine the light of Christ on the world, we should do so that the lost might see the light and God might be glorified.  The light that we shine should never point to us, but must always point to God.  Verse seventeen declares, Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.  Jesus came to live up to the law of God that it might be fulfilled.  The things taught by the law of God were not destroyed, but Jesus once more put the emphasis on the relationship one has with God and not on the ritualistic following of the law.  Verse eighteen says, For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.  We are told as long as heaven and earth stand that not even the least point of God's law will pass away.  When the new heaven and earth come, we will not need the law, because we will all be children of God by faith, and sin and death will have been defeated for all time.  Verse nineteen states, Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.  If we break the least of God's commandments and teach others to do so, we will be called the least in the kingdom of heaven.  We will still be a part of that kingdom, because we are saved by faith in Christ and not by the law.  Still, we will be the least in the kingdom of God.  The opposite is also true.  If we follow God's law and teach others to do so, we will be called great in God's kingdom, though we can never do this simply hoping to be greater.  We must do so because it is what God expects of His people.  Verse twenty declares, For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.  If we are looking to find salvation through the law of God, then our righteousness must exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, who saw themselves as superior to all others in keeping the letter of the law, and yet they did not know the spirit of the law.  Being super religious without a relationship with Christ as Savior and Lord will never bring anyone salvation.

Matthew 5:1 says, And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:  Jesus went up the mountain.  He may have gone to get away from the multitudes who were bringing the sick to Him, or He may have done so to make it easier for people to see and hear Him.  We are told that the disciples came to Him.  We must always seek to be where Jesus is spiritually and listen to His teachings if we are to be obedient followers of Christ.  Verse two states, And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,  Though multitudes were following Jesus because He was healing people, they now would need to be content to simply listen to His teachings.  We cannot follow Jesus simply to see what miracle He will perform, but we must follow Him to learn what He teaches us.  Verse three says, Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Jesus begins to list the people who are blessed.  We too often equate blessings from God with material possessions, but Jesus first said that the poor in spirit were blessed.  Matthew Henry says this refers to those who have emptied themselves of all self pride and are humble before Christ, and I would have to agree.  We cannot be blessed by God if we are full of self pride.  We must come to Christ humbly, recognizing our own inability to save ourselves.  Verse four states, Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.  We don't often equate mourning with being blessed, but Jesus tells us if we are mourning, through our faith in Him we will be comforted.  Verse five declares, Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.  When we begin to be proud of our earthly status and feel superior to others, we may think that God has blessed us more than someone who is a meek or mild person.  Jesus said the the meek will inherit the earth.  We need to remember that all these blessings are based on having a personal relationship with Christ.  Verse six states, Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.  If we want to be blessed, we need to hunger and thirst after righteousness.  When we do, we will be filled with God's blessings, which again does not mean material things.  We will be filled with the contentment of knowing that we are in a right relationship with God.  Verse seven declares, Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.  We cannot expect God to have mercy on us if we do not have mercy on others.  God expects His people to be merciful to those around them, even those that may hate them.  Verse eight states, Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.  I believe that the pure in heart are those people who truly are governed by a real relationship with Christ.  If we really follow Christ, then there is no room in our heart for anything that is not pure.  When our hearts are pure, then we can see God.  Verse nine declares, Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.  Peacemakers have a hard time in the world today.  If two countries, or two people, are at war with each other, the one stepping between them may be in danger.  Still, if we are to be called the children of God, then we must always try to bring peace to the world.  Taken with the last verse, this means we cannot allow hatred into our hearts.  Verse ten states, Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  I believe that it is safe to say that we are more likely to be persecuted for our faith in Christ than to be made rich.  If we are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, which would come from our relationship with Christ as His followers, then the kingdom of heaven is ours.  Verse eleven states, Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.  Again, this is not what we normally think of when we think of being blessed.  To be reviled, or hated, persecuted, and falsely accused of evil things is far from what we think of as being blessed.  Verse twelve declares, Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.  This is the promise that comes with verse eleven.  We are to rejoice and be exceedingly glad when we are reviled, persecuted and spoken evil of, because the same thing happened to God's prophets.  More importantly, it happened to Jesus Christ Himself.  When we proclaim Christianity to be the way to being blessed materially, we ignore what Jesus said about being blessed.

Matthew 4:18 says,  And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. When Jesus began His ministry, the first thing He did was begin to call disciples.  We might have thought that He would have gone to the priests and religious leaders to call His disciples.  Instead, Jesus called two brothers, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew, who were fishermen.  They were not the elite of the world, but were simply fishermen, and likely looked down on by those who were rich and powerful.  Jesus, for whatever reason, saw not what they were, but  what they would become.  However a person is viewed by the world, when that person encounters Christ, He sees not what they are, but what they can become if they answer His call to follow Him.   Verse nineteen says, And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.  Jesus called them to follow Him and He gave them a new occupation.  They were to become fishers of men.  Since they made their living as fishermen, they were basically asked to give up everything they depended on to meet their needs and to simply put their faith in Jesus.  We are called to do the same, and to put following Jesus above all else in this world.  Verse twenty states, And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.  There was no hesitancy on the part of Simon Peter and Andrew.  They straightway, or immediately, left their nets, there source of livelihood and followed Jesus.  If we are to be effective followers of Christ, that means that following Him must come above all else.  This does not mean that when we accept Christ as our Savior and Lord that we are to immediately quit our job, but it does mean that if we feel God calling us to do something that requires quitting our job we must be willing to do so.  As followers of Christ, we must be willing to immediately follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit.  As Christians, we are all called to be fishers of men.  Verse twenty-one says, And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.  James and John, two more brothers who were fishermen, were the next two disciples to follow Jesus.  This does not make them to be under Simon Peter and Andrew in their relationship to Jesus.  No matter when we accept Christ as our Savior and Lord, we are no higher in our standing with God than any other Christian, no matter if they have just accepted His gift of salvation.  Verse twenty-two states, And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.  We are not told that Jesus called them verbally to follow Him, but they had to have felt His call.  We are not all called to Christ the same way, but we must answer His call whenever and however it comes.  James and John not only left their job, but they left their father as well.  We cannot allow anything, whether job or family, to come between Christ and us.  Verse twenty-three says, And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.  Jesus began His ministry in Galilee, teaching in synagogues, Jewish places to worship, and preaching the gospel.  Jesus also healed people of physical sickness and disease.  God will always meet our needs if we put our faith in Him.  This does not mean that all physical sickness and disease will be cured, but God does often heal people when even doctors cannot explain the person's recovery.  Whether in this life or not, God will ultimately heal all sickness.  Verse twenty-four states, And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them. As Jesus healed people, His fame grew.  Multitudes brought people to Jesus with all kinds of illnesses, from physical to mental.  Still, Jesus did not come simply to heal physical illnesses, and we must not put the emphasis on physical healing.  Jesus came first and foremost to heal people spiritually, and that should be the focus when anyone comes to Christ.  Physical healing is temporary, whereas spiritual healing, or salvation, is everlasting.  Verse twenty-five declares, And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan.  Great multitudes followed Jesus, but I believe most followed Him for the wrong reason.  They were following Jesus to see what He would do next to meet physical needs, and not to accept Him as the Messiah, or Savior.  We must accept Jesus as our Savior and Lord, Who will meet all our spiritual needs, and not as Someone that we only want material things from.

Matthew 4:12 says, Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee;  John the Baptist had been cast into prison.  Once again, I believe that this should lead us to the understanding that following God's will does not always bring us happiness in terms of material things.  If anyone deserved to be blessed materially because of their relationship to God, then John the Baptist would have certainly qualified.  He was guilty only of calling people to repentance and preparing them for the coming of Christ.  As a result, he was thrown into prison.  This really counteracts the concept that God wants us to be happy so He will bless us materially.  We are to be happy, or content, simply because God has given us salvation through Christ.  As Jesus had just demonstrated through the temptations that Satan tempted Him with, nothing material really matters, but doing the will of God, no matter what, must be our priority.  Verse thirteen states, And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim:  I believe that we can safely say that Jesus was once again being led by the Holy Spirit.  There may be times when we find ourselves in a dangerous situation that we will be led by the Holy Spirit to leave.  Still, like John the Baptist, we may end up imprisoned for our following of God's will.  In either case, God will keep us safe spiritually, if we only continue to follow Him through faith and the strengthening of the Holy Spirit.  Verse fourteen says, That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,  Then verse fifteen continues, The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles;  Then verse sixteen concludes, The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.  These three verses refer to the fulfillment of a prophecy by Isaiah.  Not only the region mentioned, but really the whole world sat in darkness until Christ came.  The great light that they saw, Jesus Christ, is still the great light of the world today.  Until a person accepts Christ into their life as Savior and Lord, they will still be in a spiritual darkness.  Verse seventeen declares, From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.  Jesus did not let the fact that John the Baptist was in prison stop Him from beginning to preach Himself.  We today cannot allow the fact that someone else may suffer for their faith keep us from proclaiming Christ as the Savior of the world.  The kingdom of God has been at hand since the coming of Christ.

Matthew 4:1 says, Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.  After His baptism, the next we thing we hear about Jesus is His temptation in the wilderness.  We are told that Jesus was led by the Spirit, the same Holy Spirit that had just declared Himself well pleased with Jesus.  We can be sure that if we are followers of Christ that the Holy Spirit is always with us.  We have the Holy Spirit indwelling, or living within, us.  We simply must follow where He leads.  This does not say that the Holy Spirit tempted Jesus, but that Jesus was led to the wilderness where He would be tempted.  I believe that whenever we follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit that we can expect Satan to be there to tempt us to act in our own interest instead of following the will of God.  Verse two states, And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.  To prepare for following the will of the Father, Jesus fasted for forty days and nights.  Jesus was in the wilderness, so He was alone most likely, and now He was physically weak.  We can be certain that Satan will tempt us even more when we are at our weakest.  Verse three states, And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.  The first temptation was for Jesus to use His miraculous power to satisfy His physical hunger.  If we find ourselves in need physically or materially, we may be tempted to use the things of God to meet our own needs.  Turning stones to bread would have really hurt no one, except Jesus would not have been following the leadership of the Holy Spirit, but of Satan.  Even if no one else is harmed, if we attempt to use God for our own purposes, then we will be harmed, because we are not following God's will.  Verse four declares, But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.  Jesus was prepared for this temptation because He knew what God's word said.  We are to live, not just to satisfy our physical needs, but by the word of God.  We can never justify putting our physical or material needs first, even if no one else knows that we did so.  God's word applies wherever we are, and we must know what it says.  Verse five says, Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,  Jesus was led out of the wilderness, not by the Holy Spirit, but by Satan.  Verse six states, And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.  I believe that this was Satan's way of saying show the people a miracle, and prove that you are the Son of God.  We cannot display miracles by presuming on the will of God.  God is not with us to show our power, but to show His glory.  Satan attempted to use God's word to get Jesus to fail in His purpose.  Verse seven declares, Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.  Jesus knew God's word better than Satan did, and so must we.  We cannot just pick out verses that justify our actions, but must make sure that our actions are consistent with the teachings of all of God's word.  When we rely on the Holy Spirit, we will always know God's truth.  Verse eight states,
Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;  Once more, Jesus was being led by Satan, and not by the Holy Spirit.  Still, Satan could only lead Jesus so far.  Satan could tempt Jesus, but he could not force Him to sin.  The devil can never make anyone do anything.  Verse nine declares, And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.  Satan promised Jesus the whole world if He would only worship Him.  We might say that the world was not Satan's to give, which is ultimately true, but God has allowed him certain power over the world.  Often, people do worship Satan, by actions if not by words, simply to gain the things of this world.  Verse ten declares, Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.  Jesus first ordered Satan to leave, and then once again referred to scripture.  Jesus told us how we should live today as followers of Christ, and that is that we should worship and serve only God.  I don't believe that this means that we are to worship God one or two days a week and then follow after our own desires the remainder of the time.  We are to continually worship and serve God, otherwise temptation can lead us to sin.  Verse eleven states, Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.  There was no great struggle.  As soon as Jesus, under the power of God, told Satan to leave, Satan had no choice but to go.  Then, the angels came and ministered to Jesus.  I believe that Jesus allowed Satan to lead Him as long as He did simply to show that there was nothing Satan had to offer that God hadn't already provided.  This remains true today, so we never have to allow Satan to have any control in our lives to prove anything.  Jesus has already defeated Satan, and all we have to do is live by faith in Christ under the leadership of the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 3:13 says, Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.  Jesus came to be baptized by John the Baptist.  We might ask why, but I think that it was to give credibility to John the Baptist and to the act of baptism itself.  John the Baptist had just declared that he was unworthy to unbuckle the shoes of the One Who was coming after Him, and he recognized Jesus to be that One.  Jesus had yet to begin His ministry, and John the Baptist had been preaching for awhile.  Still, he was not jealous of Jesus, nor did he attempt to be superior to Him.  Verse fourteen asks, But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?  John the Baptist questioned why Jesus would come to him to be baptized.  He recognized that he really needed to be baptized by Jesus. Though we might not always recognize the reason behind God's direction to us, we must always follow in faith.  Though Jesus had no sins to repent of, He was leading those who would follow Him by example.  We are to be baptized to declare to the world our faith in Christ.  We are not saved by baptism, but we do symbolize the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ and identify ourselves as His people by the act of baptism.  Verse fifteen states, And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.  Jesus answered the concern of John the Baptist.  Jesus said it becometh Him to fulfill all righteousness.  If baptism was to become a symbol of faith in God, then Jesus would follow that symbolic act.  Jesus had no sin of His own that He needed to repent and be baptized for, but He did bear the sins of the whole world on His shoulders.  Verse sixteen says, And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:  I have to wonder how those gathered there that day felt when this happened.  We may not have something this miraculous happen when we are baptized, but I believe that we should follow the example that Christ set and be baptized whenever possible.  This does not save us, but it does show to the world our identification with Jesus as our Savior and Lord.  Verse seventeen declares, And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.  Again, what must those there that day have thought.  John the Baptist had pronounced himself as unworthy to baptize Jesus, but God now called Jesus His beloved Son and said that He was well pleased with Jesus.  I believe that God says the same thing, that He is well pleased, when anyone who is His child through faith in Christ, is baptized today.

Matthew 3:7 says, But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?  The Pharisees and Sadducees were some of the most religious people of their day.  Though they didn't agree with each other on all things, they agreed that they were better than the average Israelite, and felt they were especially better than those of other nations.  They were full of self righteousness.  We see some who profess to be followers of Christ today who are just as full of this same kind of religious pride.  John the Baptist was not someone that they would have come to hear so that they might repent and have a better relationship with God, because they felt they already had the best relationship possible.  John the Baptist called them a generation of vipers and asked who had warned them to flee from the wrath to come.  I believe that God gave John the Baptist the ability to see their inner nature and not just their outward appearance, and I believe that He gives His followers the same ability today.  Just as there was wrath coming to those false religious leaders in that day, so there is today, even if it isn't in this lifetime.  Those who falsely proclaim to be superior to others in their relationship to God based on their own goodness and not God's forgiveness should stand warned of God's coming wrath on them.  Verse eight states, Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:  John the Baptist called on them to bring forth fruits meet for repentance.  I am sure this did not go over too well with the Pharisees and Sadducees.  I believe that they really thought that they were too good to need to repent of anything.  Verse nine advises, And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.  John the Baptist told them not to take pride in their physical circumstances, beginning with the fact that they were children of Abraham.  The children of Abraham were not special because of who they were in the world, but were special because of who they were to God.  God could have just as easily chosen another group of people to use to accomplish His will.  John the Baptist said God could even  raise the stones to be children of Abraham.  I believe that the warning to us is that the only way we can become children of God, as the nation of Israel was supposed to be, is through a personal relationship with God.  Verses ten states, And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.  God expects His people to bring forth good fruit, or in other words to be productive in advancing His kingdom.  This is not to earn or keep our salvation, but is simply a result of following the will of God.  I don't believe that we will ever be cast into the fire if we are true followers of Christ, but our works, if they are not according to God's guidance, may be burned up.  Verse eleven states, I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:  John the Baptist recognized his limitations.  He could not baptize to salvation, but only to symbolize the repentance of sin.  One was coming after John the Baptist Who was mightier than he was, and that One was Jesus.  Of course, we know that baptism does not bring salvation, but is only symbolic of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.  Still, only Jesus can bring that salvation.  Like John the Baptist, we must recognize our limitations.  We cannot save any one, but can only point them to the One Who can, Jesus Christ.  Verse twelve warns, Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.  Just as John the Baptist had pronounced woe to the Pharisees and Sadducees, this is a warning to all who claim to be God's people but who have no real relationship with Him.  God will separate the truth believers from the hypocrites.

Matthew 3:1, In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,  John the Baptist was Jesus's cousin, but he was also the fore runner of Jesus.  He was preaching God's word to prepare the people for the ministry of Jesus.  Verse two states, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.  John the Baptist's was a very simple message, and was a call to repentance because the kingdom of God was at hand.  This should be our message today, which can only be achieved through faith in Christ as Savior and Lord.  Verse three states, For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.  The preaching of John the Baptist had also been foretold in the book of Isaiah.  He called on them to make straight their paths.  This does not mean that they could save themselves, but that as much as was possible they were to prepare to meet Jesus.  I believe this was a call for people to repent of their sins and turn to God's guidance, which would now lead them to Jesus.  We must call people today to that same repentance and lead them to Jesus.  John the Baptist could not save the people he preached to, and neither can we.  Like John the Baptist though, we can point them to Jesus, the only one Who can save them.  Verse four says, And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.  John the Baptist was far from being a part of the religious establishment.  We might call him somewhat of a wild man by his looks and diet.  In other words, he was a simple man in dress and diet, and not one that people would expect to be the harbinger of a King.  We, as followers of Christ, must never judge people, especially God's spokesmen, by their looks, but need to judge them by their message.  Verse five declares, Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,  John the Baptist had people coming from the entire region to hear him.  Many thought he might be the Messiah, but he never accepted their praise.  We must go into the world with God's message of salvation, but we must never claim God's glory for ourselves.  It seems that we too often want to isolate ourselves from the world, but we are commanded to go out into the world with the message of Christ.  Verse six says, And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.  This baptism was not the same as a believers baptism, because Jesus had yet to begin His ministry and had not defeated sin and death on the cross.  Still, it was a sign of their willingness to repent.