Who is the Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?

Being great in the Kingdom is equated to your humility, not your accumulated status or goods. You have to depend on Jesus, the same way a child does on its parents and be teachable as a child is to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. You must be open, caring, obedient and loving as a child is.

The Lost Sheep and Restoration of Broken Relationships

If you leave the 99 sheep and to go after one, then what about the security of the remaining 99? Jesus thinks its worth it for all to be reclaimed. Often we get lost in the multitude than the one who is lost. If someone sins against you, don’t air their dirty laundry on social media or to the whole world. Go to them privately and restore them.

Unlimited Forgiveness

Forgiveness should be limitless and a ready response or course of reaction to an offense. God forgives us so many times. We should be like our Father in Heaven and do the same to others who offend us. Jesus is after our hearts and changing them, so don’t just forgive, but forgive from your heart. Stand up for the injustice of other people as the fellowservants did in verse 31.

Summary

Have childlike faith (1-5)

Believe in the authority you have in Christ (18-20)

Be childlike, not childish (1-5)

Forgive as Christ forgave (22)

The one is as important as the many (12-14)

Be God’s best, don’t worry about petty mess (18)

Do to others as you’d have them do to you (27-30)

Whether big or small, God cares for us all (5)

Through God’s eyes the truth lies (5)

God smiles when you receive His child (5)

One could imagine that with all the things that happened in chapter 17, the disciples would have considered all they experienced to be nothing short of glorious, other worldly mysteries. We get a glimpse into what it looks like when the Kingdom of Heaven invades Earth with the supernatural powers of that glorious, other worldly place manifesting in their midst in the form of miracles and Jesus’ dazzling transfiguration.

Jesus’ Glorious Transfiguration

The disciples were fearful at this supernatural event when Elijah & Moses, who represent the holiness and deliverance of Jesus, appeared before them as Jesus became a bright, shining light in their presence. Peter’s initial response to make them the three of them tabernacles revealed that he acted in a natural way of thinking. Its a reminder not to go back into your own way of thinking like Peter. This event also shows us not to be fearful when Jesus is near. The fact that 3 disciples Peter, James and John were the only of the 12 chosen is significant. What’s more is that they were all told on strict order from Jesus not to tell anyone of what they’d just experienced until Jesus’ resurrection from the dead.

Unbelief Stops Healing

A father seeks for help for his child, but do we as Jesus disciples have the means to help him? Do we even know we have unbelief in us that would prevent someone from experiencing God healing power? If you allow unbelief to be a part of you how much you prevent Him from working through you. You need to believe but be connected to the Lord to know if you need to pray and fast for certain healings.

The Miracle of the Coin in a Fish’s Mouth

Sometimes we think that we need to defend Jesus when people question His authority, as Peter did when He spoke in the spur of the moment. Yet Jesus, even in this situation, demonstrated humility when He miraculously proved the tribute money for both Himself and Peter.

Summary

Here are a list of things we learned from Matthew Chapter 17:

1. Unbelief gives you grief (20)
2. Reveal visions when its time (9)
3. Following in the footsteps of humility (25-27)
4. Don’t refuse the rebuke of Christ (7, 20)
5. Remember what God has done through His Son (2-5)
6. True prophets will suffer persecution (12)
7. Jesus’ death and resurrection bring you to perfection (9, 12, 22)
8. With faith anything is possible (20)

John the Baptizer is beheaded for speaking the truth about King Herod’s infidelity, Jesus heals the sick and miraculously feeds over 5000 people, and performs an even greater rarity of walking on water.

John the Baptizer Killed

Through this sad story, we learn that the one who heralded the coming of the promised Messiah, who preached a baptism of repentance, who fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy of one who would come and make a straight path for God; we learn that this John is tragically and brutally murdered for calling out the infidelity of the then King of Galilee.

Jesus Feeds a Multitude and Walks on Water

At hearing this sad news, Jesus retreats to a private place alone on boat. Arriving to his destination many crowds awaited him. He had compassion on them and healed their sick. This same crowd stayed with him well into the evening hours and his disciples would have sent them on their way, but Jesus still had compassion on them. Performing the miracle of multiplying five loaves of bread and two fish, he feed over 5000 people with more food left to spare!

After this miracle, we see Jesus telling his disciples to get into a boat to journey across the other side of the lake while he dismissed the crowd. Then here again, we see him taking another retreat alone to pray. While the disciples journey, they encountered a torrential storm and Jesus walking on the stormy waters toward them!

Summary

Here is what we learned from these amazing stories in chapter 14 of the Gospel of Matthew: