Matthew 19:25 says, When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?  After what Jesus told the rich young man and made His statement about a rich man entering heaven, the disciples were were amazed.  They wondered who could be saved.  As many people do, they may have equated having riches with being obedient to God.  That would leave them amazed, that those they thought blessed by God would find it nearly impossible to get into heaven.  In verse twenty-six, Jesus answers, But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.  The disciples wondered how anyone could be saved, and Jesus gave them the answer.  Jesus tells us that salvation by our own abilities is impossible, but that salvation by faith in God is possible.  What we cannot do for ourselves, no matter how rich or poor we may be, God has done for us.  God has made salvation free to those who accept His Son, Jesus Christ, as Savior and Lord.  I don't believe that we can claim Jesus as Savior and not make Him the Lord of our lives.  When we do, material things will no longer be the motivation in our lives.  Verse twenty-seven states, Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?  Peter, always the out spoken one, tells Jesus that the disciples had forsaken everything to follow Him.  Peter then basically asks Jesus what was in it for them.  Peter and the other disciples were still looking for Jesus to establish an earthly kingdom, and having given up everything to follow Jesus, Peter wanted to know where they stood.  We cannot follow God just looking for earthly blessings.  Verse twenty-eight says, And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.  I believe that the main point here is that if we accept Christ as our Savior and Lord, then we must patiently serve Him in this world, knowing that at His return we will be rewarded by being in heaven with Him forever.  The disciples were not called to be glorified, but to serve.  In reaching out with the gospel, they in effect were judging the twelve tribes of Israel, or the Jewish nation.  In verse nineteen, Jesus declares, And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.  Jesus tells us that anyone who puts following Him above everything else in the world, from material possessions to family, will be richly rewarded with everlasting life.  We can never out give God.  Verse thirty then warns, But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.  The disciples had recently asked Jesus which of them would be first in His kingdom.  We cannot serve Christ simply wanting to be more honored in His coming kingdom than other Christians and thinking that we should be.  Jesus tells us that many who think they should be first in His kingdom will be last.  The good news is, that even if we do think more highly of ourselves than we should, if we are truly followers of Christ, we will be a part of His everlasting kingdom.

Matthew 19:13 says, Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them.  Once more, we have an account of little children being brought to Jesus and the disciples rebuking the children, or more likely those who brought them.  The disciples may have felt that the children would distract Jesus from His purpose.  We need to remember that the disciples were still looking for Jesus to set up an earthly kingdom.  We must never be guilty of not allowing everyone to come to Jesus if they want to.  In verse fourteen Jesus declares, But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.  Jesus told the disciples to allow the children to come to Him.  Jesus also tells us that the kingdom of heaven is made up of those who come to Him with a childlike faith.  We simply have to accept that Jesus is Who He says He is without any doubt.  Verse fifteen says, And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence.  Jesus laid His hands on, or blessed, the children and then He departed.  Jesus had not been kept from His mission.  If God blesses us today, we can be certain that He is also at work in the rest of the world.  Verse sixteen says, And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?  This was not a child with a childlike faith, but a young man looking for a way to justify himself before God.  No matter how hard we try, we can never be justified before God by our actions.  In verse seventeen, Jesus replies, And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.  Jesus asked why the young man called Him good, then said that God was the only One Who is good.  I believe that Jesus may have been asking the young man if he recognized Who Jesus was.  Jesus told the young man to keep the commandments.  The only way we could be justified before God by our own merit is if we were to keep all the commandments at all times, even in our thoughts.  In other words, it is impossible.  Verse eighteen states, He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,  Then continuing in verse nineteen, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  The young man, still seeking to justify himself, asked Jesus which commandments he had to obey.  If we are seeking a right relationship with God, we have to acknowledge that God expects us to keep all His commandments.  They are not just words chiseled in stone, but words written in our hearts.  Notice that Jesus did not list the commandments that related to a person and God, but to those that related to a person's relationship to other people.  If our relationship to God is right, then these commandments will be easy to keep, and if it is not, then keeping the commandments does us no good spiritually.  Verse twenty states, The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?  The young man was proud of his keeping of the commandments.  He said he had kept them all since his youth.  None of the commandments Jesus cited had to do with a person's relationship to God, though.  If we do not keep the commandments related to God, then keeping the ones related to people do us no good in the eyes of God.  Being a good person is not enough.  The young man asked what more he needed to do.  I believe that he thought the answer would be nothing.  In verse twenty-one, Jesus replied, Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.  What Jesus told the young man now had to do with his relationship to God.  He was asked to put God ahead of his money.  If we are to be saved, we must give up everything that comes between God and us.  Verse twenty-two states, But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.  The young man went away sad, because his possessions were more important to him than his relationship to God.  If a person allows what they own to keep them from following God, then that person should indeed be sad.  If temporal things keep us from everlasting life, then that is a poor trade.  Verse twenty-three declares, Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.  This does not mean that being rich keeps a person out of heaven, but that the attitude that riches come before God does.  It is hard to not allow riches to come first.  Verse twenty-four states, And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.  Once more, I believe that this is true because people allow possessions to come between God and them.  God never enriches us just for our own benefit, but expects us to use all that He blesses us with to help others.

Matthew 19:1 says, And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these sayings, he departed from Galilee, and came into the coasts of Judaea beyond Jordan;  After teaching in Galilee, Jesus went to the coasts of Judea.  Jesus was often on the move, and the Holy Spirit is on the move and active in the world today.  We need to learn from what God teaches us and be going into the world with His message.  Verse two states, And great multitudes followed him; and he healed them there.  The disciples were not the only ones following Jesus.  We are told that great multitudes followed Jesus as well.  It would be nice if great multitudes were coming to Jesus today, but I believe that for the most part the multitudes were following Him for the wrong reasons.  They were coming for physical reasons and not spiritual ones.  Verse three declares, The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?  The Pharisees were following Jesus as well.  They were not following out of belief, though as some of the most devout of religious leaders they should have been.  There are those today who come to Jesus only for material reasons, and some who come simply to try to discredit Him.  Once more, they thought they could trick Jesus into saying something that they could use against Him.  This time, they raised the question of divorce.  They asked if a man could put away his wife for every cause.  Verse four states, And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,  Jesus once again asked the Pharisees if they had not read the scriptures.  God made people male and female, and that has not changed, no matter what we might like to think.  Verse five continues, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?  Jesus tells us that in marriage that two people, male and female, become one flesh.  God's law for marriage will never change.  Verse six declares,
Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.  Jesus tells us that what God has joined together that man should never attempt to take apart.  The two become as one, both necessary for the completion of the other.  We have reduced marriage to a legal act and not spiritual one.  Verse seven states, They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?  The Pharisees attempted to justify divorce based on the teaching of Moses, or the scripture.  What Moses taught was more to protect the wife than to justify divorce.  The husband could not just put her out of the house without written documentation that he had divorced her.  In verse eight Jesus replies, He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.  Jesus told the Pharisees that Moses suffered, or allowed, men to put away their wives out of the hardness of their hearts, but this was not what God had intended.  God always intended for marriage to be until death.  In verse nine, Jesus continues, And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.  Jesus tells us what God intends.  Divorce is not acceptable except in the case of infidelity, and even then it is not ordered, but only allowed.  Verse ten states, His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry.  The disciples then asked Jesus if it was best not to marry.  Maybe they had no faith in people remaining faithful, but Jesus had not said that marriage was wrong.  When we make marriage a legal institution instead of a moral, or spiritual one, we might ask the same question.  Verse eleven declares, But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given. Jesus said that not all men were destined to not marry.  Marriage, the spiritual joining of a man and woman to become one flesh, was God's plan from the beginning.  Verse twelve states, For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother’s womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.  Jesus said that some were born to be eunuchs, or unmarried, and some were forced to be that way by the world, and yet others remained that way for spiritual reasons.  This was never God's plan for all men, though.

Matthew 18:21 says, Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?  I believe that when Peter asked Jesus this question that he was still looking at fulfilling the law and what he would have to do to be justified by the law.  We may at times look to justify ourselves based on how well we keep God's commandments, but we can never do enough to do so.  Verse twenty-two states, Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.  If Peter was looking to justify himself, Jesus made it impossible.  The law may have required forgiving someone seven times, but Jesus said that we are to forgive them seventy times seven, which would basically mean that there is no limit on forgiving others.  Verse twenty-three says, Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.  Jesus was once more using a simple parable to teach Peter and the other disciples a lesson about what God expects of His people.  The king would be representative of God.  Verse twenty-four states, And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.  One of the king's servants who owed him a great debt was brought before the king.  Anytime we go before God we go as a great debtor at His mercy.  There was no doubt that the debt was owed, just as there can be no doubt that we are indebted to God.  Verse twenty-five states, But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.  The king demanded that the debt be paid, and that everything the servant owned, including his family, be sold.  God could make such a demand on us, and we still would not have paid the debt.  Verse twenty-six says, The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.  The servant asked for patience, or mercy.  That is all we can ask from God.  The servant promised to repay the king, and we know that we never can repay God, even if we promise to.  Verse twenty-seven says, Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.  Like this king, when we come to God, through faith in Christ, He will be moved with compassion for us.  Verse twenty-eight then states, But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.  This servant who was forgiven by the king encountered a person who owed him money, and instead of having compassion on Him, he violently demanded payment. This would refer to followers of Christ, who had been totally freed from our debt to God not being willing to forgive others who are indebted to us.  Verse twenty-nine states, And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.  This was the same reaction that the servant demanding payment had with the king.  We are like the one that the debt was owed to.  Having been forgiven of our debt to God, how do we react to those who owe us a debt?  Verse thirty declares, And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.  The forgiven servant did not forgive.  He had the one who owed him cast into prison until he could repay him.  We can assume that this was his legal right, but we as followers of Christ are called on to act with compassion instead of demanding satisfaction under the law.  Verse thirty-one says, So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.  The other servants saw what was done, were sorry and told the Lord what had happened.  We can be certain that God knows what we do, even without someone telling Him.  Verse thirty-two states, Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:  The lord was not at all happy with the unforgiving servant, and reminded him what the lord had done for Him.  He was called a wicked servant.  When we as followers of Christ refuse to forgive others when they in some way harm us, we are just as evil from God's perspective.  Verse thirty-three asks, Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?  The lord wanted to know why his servant didn't have compassion for his fellow servant.  God expects His followers to be compassionate and forgiving to those around them, even those who may have harmed them.  Verse thirty-four declares, And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.  The servant, who had been forgiven but would not forgive was delivered to his tormentors until the debt was repaid.  I believe that God takes forgiveness very seriously, and He expects us to forgive others.  We can never repay what we owe God, so our only hope is His forgiveness, and we are told that He will forgive us as we forgive others. In verse thirty-five Jesus says, So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.  Jesus makes very clear the importance of forgiving others.  This parable was in answer to Peter's question about how many times we should forgive another person, and I believe that the answer is as often as necessary.

Matthew 18:12 says, How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?  Jesus had just said that He came to save the lost, and now He uses the analogy of a shepherd who had lost one out of a hundred sheep.  Jesus asked if the shepherd would leave the ninety-nine who were safe and go search for the one that was lost.  The shepherd would not endanger those sheep that were safe, but would make the lost sheep his priority.  Jesus does not leave us defenseless when He is searching for the lost of the world, but leaves us safe in the arms of God.  Verse thirteen states,  And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.  This rejoicing over the one lost sheep that was found more than that ninety-nine who were safe does not mean that they are not important, but Jesus had stated that His purpose was to save the lost, and when one is saved, who comes safely into His fold, then He rejoices and so should we.  Verse fourteen declares, Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.  Jesus tells us that just like the shepherd looking for the lost sheep, so is the heavenly Father.  God does not want anyone, even the least in the eyes of the world to perish, so He sent Jesus to save all who will believe in Him.  We need to acknowledge that God does not send anyone to hell, but that He simply allows them to go there if they reject the salvation of Christ.  Verse fifteen states, Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.  Jesus now begins to speak about the relationship between people, and I believe that it applies to those who follow Him in particular.   If we feel that someone has somehow harmed us, we are to go to that person and tell them what we think they have done, and that we are to keep it between the two of us.  We are not told to go to someone else and ask if they can believe what this person has done to us.  Verse sixteen says, But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.  Jesus tells us if they will not reconcile, then to take one or two more that by the mouth of two or more witnesses the truth can be established.  Still, we often refuse to believe that something wrong has occurred, even if several people say it has happened.  Verse seventeen declares, And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.  Jesus said if the person refused to hear when two or three others went to that person, the take them before the whole church.  The church represents Christ in the world, and we are charged with following in obedience to Him.  If we profess to follow Jesus, then we must listen to our fellow believers if they attempt to correct us when we are doing something to harm the witness of the church.  Jesus then said that if a person would not listen to the church, then that person is to be treated as a heathen or a publican.  There really is no room within the church body for personal disputes, nor is there really room for such disputes between individual Christians.  If they occur, we must do all that we can to resolve them.  In verse eighteen Jesus says, Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.  Again, I believe that this means anyone we reach with the gospel will be freed from the power of sin and death, and those who will not listen will still be bound.  Verse nineteen states, Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.  Again, this would have to be done for God's glory and not for our own personal desires.  Verse twenty states, For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.  When we gather together as followers of Christ, then God is in the midst of us.  We do not gather to be entertained, but we gather to glorify God and learn how to better represent Him in the world.

Matthew 18:1 says, At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?  The disciples still did not understand the true nature of the kingdom of Christ.  They were basically asking which of them would have the highest position of power in the kingdom of Christ.  Matthew Henry says that they had missed the fact of the suffering that Christ would endure, and instead had focused on His glory to come.  We cannot go to Christ demanding to be great in His kingdom, but can only go to Him by declaring our own unwothiness, and humbling ourselves before the cross.  In verse two and three, Jesus answers them saying, And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,  Then continuing in verse three, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.  The disciples were concerned with positions of power, and Jesus called a little child to Himself.  Then, He said that unless the disciples be converted and become as little children, they would not enter God's kingdom, much less rule in it.  We can only come to Jesus with a childlike faith, then rely on Him to teach us and help us grow in faith.  We can never come to Jesus simply for some position of power, either in this world or the one to come.  Salvation is not about material riches or power, but is simply about restoration to a right relationship with God, through the sacrifice of Christ.  Verse four states, Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  Jesus told the disciples that instead of worrying about positions of power that they must humble themselves as a little child if they wanted to be great in the kingdom of God.  A little child had no power or wisdom to offer to God, but could only come to Jesus by faith.  That is the same way we must.  Verse five declares, And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.  We are to receive those who come to Jesus by faith, especially the children.  I cannot say at what age a child comes to understand the need to come to Jesus for salvation, but I can say that no matter how young or old we may be, we must come to Jesus as a child.  We place our lives in His hands as simple servants of God, not as someone demanding a position of power.  Verse six states, But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.  This is a very strict warning against offending those who come to Jesus as little children.  I believe that sometimes we accept that someone, especially a child, comes to a saving understanding of salvation and put their faith in Him, but we do not expect them to have any real ability to serve God.  Since we all come to Jesus in childlike faith, then no matter our earthly age, we are all expected to grow in our relationship to Christ, and we should never hinder anyone from doing so.  Jesus said the penalty for doing so would be severe.  Verse seven states, Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!  Jesus says that offences to the gospel must come in the world, but pronounces woe on those who are responsible for the offences.  Though nothing may happen to those who work against or simply fail to accept the gospel, they will know the woe that Jesus spoke of when He returns.  Verse eight says, wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.  Jesus once more tells us that if our hands of feet offend us, or come between God and us, it is better to cut them off if necessary to remain faithful to God.  In verse eight Jesus continues, And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.  Jesus again tells us the same thing applies to the eyes.  If what we see continually leads us to sin, then we are better off blind and faithful.  Verse ten says, Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.  We cannot simply dismiss those who come to Jesus as being saved without also leading them to grow in their faith.  Verse eleven declares, For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.  Jesus came to save those who are lost, and that means anyone who puts their faith in Him as Savior and Lord, no matter what their earthly circumstances may be.  Once saved, we are all equal in the sight of God.

Matthew 17:22 says, And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men:  Jesus warned the disciples that He would be betrayed into the hands of men.  I believe that anytime we act out of fear of the world or greed for the things of the world instead of faith in God that we betray Jesus.  We know that Judas betrayed Jesus for material gain and that Peter even denied knowing Him after Jesus was arrested.  This is what will happen when we do not truly accept Jesus as our Savior and Lord, or when we allow our faith in Him to waver.  I wonder how many times we may have had an opportunity to speak out for Jesus, but have allowed greed or fear to prevent us from doing so.  If we have done this, in that moment we betrayed Jesus.  Verse twenty-three states, And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry.  Jesus told the disciples that He would be killed and rise again the third day.  This was His purpose in coming to earth, to pay the penalty of sin for all people for all time.  Of course, we have to accept Jesus' gift of salvation, but He died even for the sins of those who refuse to believe and accept His gift of salvation.  Verse twenty-four says, And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute?  When Jesus and the disciples came to Capernaum, Peter was asked about if his Master, Jesus, paid tribute.  This was not a civil tribute, or tax, but a religious one.  Those asking the question did not go to Jesus, but to Peter.  If they had questions about Jesus, they should have gone to Jesus for the answer, and so should we.  Verse twenty-five states, He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers?  Peter answered yes, without asking Jesus.  If we are going to profess to speak for Jesus, we need to first make sure that we have gone to Him for the answer.  Jesus asked Peter what he was doing.  Hopefully, Jesus never has to ask us the same thing.  Jesus asked Peter who earthly rulers asked tribute of, their own children, or citizens, or strangers.  Verse twenty-six says, Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free.  Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.  Jesus provided the money for the tribute.  He said He did so to not offend those asking about tribute.  I don't believe that this means that we are to give in to the demands of the world, but that Jesus did not want those who were against Him to have a reason for being so.  This was simply a material matter and not a spiritual one.  Jesus never gave in on spiritual matters, and neither should we.