Matthew 18:21-35 ~ The Kingdom of God

 

Matthew 18:21-35

21 Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 

22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.

23 “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 

27 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. 

28 But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ 29 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30 He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. 

31 When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. 32 Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. 

35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

The Color of Lent is Sometimes Purple.

Did you ever wonder why, and mostly, until this year,

I thought it was the Royalty of Jesus

and the Palm Sunday, the acknowledgement

of God's Son.

We have had so many tress opening buds and remaining buds this year

our forest trees are Purple, purple purple like this:

Violets emerge in early spring

Redbuds are purple before they even bloom!

Redbuds and Maples are Purple!

Oak buds put out a white leave fuzz encased in Purple

Poplar Buds are Purple and remaining in Bud stage,

waiting for more warmth

Put all the White Oaks together and you have purple and purple.

1 Thessalonians 2 ~ the Word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe

The Talmud explains the Word of God is Not punctuated. Men use paragraphs pauses and capitalization. The Word of God is the Holy Spirit breathing out truth and transcribed by men. One complete thought of God - the entire Scripture is One Thought of God.

Papyrus 46 does not have punctuation.
One of the debates in dating the 104 pages of this collection of Scripture is the debate over Nomina Sacra - special abbreviations which appear in New Testament texts. There is Nomina Sacra in these documents. And yet. Nomina Sacra occurs in the coveted 1st century papyrus. At the present time, most scholars think this is the second or third generation after Christ died and places these Scriptures in the second century. There is a debate, some of the scholars think this is first century. 

104 pages of early Scripture!!!

1 Thessalonians 2

You know, brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not without results. 2 We had previously suffered and been treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in the face of strong opposition.

3 For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. 4 On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. 

We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts. 5 You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness. 6 We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority. 7 Instead, we were like young children among you.

Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, 8 so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well. 

9 Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. 10 You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. 11 For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, 12 encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.

13 And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe.

14 For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators of God’s churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own people the same things those churches suffered from the Jews 15 who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to everyone 16 in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last.

17 But, brothers and sisters, when we were orphaned by being separated from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you. 18 For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did, again and again—but Satan blocked our way.

19 For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes?

Is it not you? 20 Indeed, you are our glory and joy.

Let's do another visual. 

And we will consider the faces of the Disciples 

and of the Prodigal Father and Son.

The Prodigal Father has learned that after all of his hard work, his son wants to move on and go.

What do you see at the Grocery Store since Pandemic years.

Since masks are off.

New Treatments in 2020, began to give

Hospitals time to appreciate new hope.

Jesus heals the blind and lame.

The Disciples learn that Jesus met a party of Nazareth people

at the edge of Nazareth.

Jesus has healed them all.

Incredible things have been seen.

Deaf hear, blind see, lame walk. 

The multitudes have seen Jesus heal for a year.

People who have had loved ones healed

are called to the Sanhedrin

to explain the miracle.

Jesus heals the widow of Nain's son and they rejoice.

The Prodigal Father's family finds out the Son has

returned.

Jesus had the Temple Police show up.

And then the Temple Police left to tell 

the Temple officials that 

Jesus has the whole world going after Him.

The crowds seek Jesus

and find unbelievable Strength

Love

and Help.

Jesus goes to Lunch and takes comments.

Jesus reads the Scriptures and people are offended.

Jesus heals the sick and counsels are called up to comment.

Days of the week are studied and there is hostility.

3 years have gone by.

Phairisees have a daily comment on Jesus eating,

where He eats, how He eats, Healing, Days of the week.

Samaritans try to keep Jesus, smarties.

Disciples are fearful.

Children are asked to move aside.

Jesus heals Lazarus after 3 days.

Jesus waits to see Lazarus.

Jesus is I am What I am.

Thomas tells the Disciples

Jesus is now in big trouble for

letting people know He 

heals the dead, dead, dead.

Thursday Late Evening and Good Friday

Multitudes of women attend to mourn Jesus

What people look like when

not knowing they are observed:

Dear Child of Jesus,

You know, brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not without results. 

We had previously suffered and been treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel

 in the face of strong opposition.

For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, 

nor are we trying to trick you. On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. 

We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts. 

You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness. We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority. 

Instead, we were like young children among you.

Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, so we cared for you. 

Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well. 

Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. 

You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.

Jesus open Hands, Heart

And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, 

you accepted it not as a human word, 

but as it actually is, the word of God, 

which is indeed at work in you who believe.

For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators of God’s churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own people the same things those churches suffered from the Jews who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to everyone 16 in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last.

But, brothers and sisters, when we were orphaned by being separated from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you. For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did, again and again—but Satan blocked our way.

For what is our hope, our joy, 

or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus 

when He comes?

Is it not you? 

 Indeed, you are our glory and joy.

forgive your brother from your heart

often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him

Abba, Father,

The Days have concerns.

The times have emotions.

The news isn't entertaining.

And You are our Strength to Press On

and our Joy.

You make all things New.

And we will ask You

to dwell in us.

Yes we will.

We will ask You to dwell in those we Love.

Yes we will.

We will ask You to help us Seek You First.

Yes we will.

We will finish well in Jesus Christ,

in His Love and Mercy.

Yes we will.

We do not know how

to cover all we should cover in prayer.

Yes true

We cannot hold up the Universe.

We trust in Jesus, Your Son,

to keep the Universe

and Your Good Creation by Your Word.

You have the whole world in Your plan.

We will raise up tired knees

and drooping cares

and Hope again

in Jesus Christ.

Yes we will

Because Your Word is True.

Your Plan and Promises are Good.

And You alone are God.

Yes thank God

Your Kingdom come

Your Good Will be done

on earth,

and the fullness thereof

as in

Your Perfect Kingdom,

Jesus Christ.

Bless those we know and pray for.

Bless those far away we remember and pray for.

Bless what is Tender and Good.

Thank You for what is Strong and Enduring.

And care for what is beyond us and we hope for.

And the Body of Christ

Rebuilds 

again

in

Your Love.

Amen Amen Amen

in Jesus Christ

Amen.

Yes Amen.

 

♔ LORD JESUS SAVES †

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Matthew 18:21-35 ~ Have Patience †

Capernaum, No Wonder Jesus chose Capernaum!!!

Matthew 18:21-35

21 Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 

22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.

23 “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 

27 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. 

28 But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ 29 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30 He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. 

31 When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. 32 Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. 

35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

Let's look at the biggest hobby of the world. Entertainment.

Generally, I like food, music and movies. But a lot of the movies in the last decade, have ambiguous heroes and heroines. Ok, sure they are being shot at as spies, or they had a tough life. But they don't call home or love Mom. And they don't have a best friend. They don't have a dog. They don't hang on to that spouse or even a child.  It's a movie TREND. Adventure, but not that, 'hey, let's go see them again' appeal. So cool, it was totally chill.  More movies like James Bond heroes. 

You could get in the car to go home and say, "Yes, all the stage, music, drama and effects were good, but if you never see the hero again - meh." Audiences wanted to like their heroes, suddenly for the first time in film history people craved to see Continuing Series in Films. And to relive, new repeat films of old favorites. Dig for the heart-felt admiration.

So much so. "Avengers Endgame" was published on Christmas. Awwww honey, everyone got killed on Christmas.....

Now this movie trend of blah, beige emotional depth is tampered down with Binge watching availability. The families historically, or shown, as families, actually have something  warm. Hey Why?  Good question.

Suddenly, the movies, now, are different. More warm. And it's for some Heart. I like to look at old movies and old statistics, they aren't as filtered by opinion or agenda.

In my opinion, one of the most interesting aspects of the 1990 film, "Ghost" was the opinions the polltakers gathered up in copious amounts.  The Polls about, "Ghost" were ongoing. And found that audiences had the interest and appeal of the movie because, audiences said the depictions of Heaven for the godly and hell for the villains was appropriate and relevant. Some opinions said this movie took them back to, "It's a Wonderful Life" with Jimmy Stewart. 

And then, the next step, was a couple of weeks in the news. Outrage! With the audacity of a fever pitch that polltakers would take the time to question people about right and wrong and Heaven and Hell. The nay sayers said, "There is no hell." But the Polls said something vastly different.  This is when a lot of the movies began to have heroes and heroines you could only pull for in a limited capacity. 

The Pandemic, actual peaceful demonstrations, were asking to make life better and more fair. People do have a voice.  We have taken Looooong time blue-chip stocks and said, Customer Service is needed. Actual timely repairs.  And contracts should be just and valid.  And if our great-grandparents and parents could see what the stock is worth, today, they would be shocked.  The people have a voice.

Do you ever remember World War I or II having rallies like Putin just had?  No. Nope, no rah, rah murder. Putin is realizing he is in a bad path. I don't believe Putin has geared up his people for decades like Hitler did. Decades of grooming. In fact, the Pandemic has done reverse grooming. Just as the skies became blue and beautiful, people have had time to consider Meaningful Life.

Time to reverse course on the ways we have dealt with each other.  Encourage the good. Let go of the negative. Keep the good we have seen and let go of what is without compassion. Forgive and build upward. Keep the Prayer Life going. Never forget the Blessings this difficulty has brought to us.

The Seed Parable explains we let the weeds cover up our Blessings. The work of faith is to remember our Blessings and to Believe. Daily. Look to see Your Blessings.

The Bible tells us the Truth. 

Matthew 18 tells us to have Health in our relationships. Let go of abuse. 

  1 Corinthians 7 

15 But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you to peace. 16 For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

We will stay for what we can bring.  And The Bible says we see what fruit is brought. God adds in the word peace in verse 15 to allow an exit for abuse. God never wants His Children abused.

We can't bring a blessing, when the abuse won't let Blessings flow. We should want warmth. To keep the generations in warmth. We should want warmth in what we watch. This isn't isolated Scripture. Hagar decided to flee Sarai and the Lord sent her back. Eventually, the Lord found them about to die in the wilderness, the Lord intervened to save her. Even Abraham and Sarah have flaws. Jacob had to flee his cousin Laban. 

You don't have to sit and watch less than warmth come into your house as entertainment. Maybe we are a ruder society for allowing this to seep in. But efforts are being made to reach higher, all over.

Mark 13:14

But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where he ought not to be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.

Are we being educated upward by what we watch? Be careful not to bait click on articles you don't really want to know about or see more of.

  

John 10:12

He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.

How do we teach or kids to flee what could be the wolf? When I worked with Pro-life, I had a young woman ask me how she is supposed to date because James Bond taught her you have sex and later hope that somehow you are loved. Literal conversation. Movies don't teach?! And if their friends teach them to put out and just hope? How many broken-hearted young people we see.  Wondering how to live.

You wouldn't think that 1 Corinthians 13, known for Love, would explain giving up what shouldn't be given to the unloving. Why we don't just give it up???

3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, 

I gain nothing.

1 Corinthians 6:18

Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.

John 2:25

He did not need man's testimony about man, for He knew what was in a man.

( Cinematography as a study. This portion of the Blog Post is optional.

When I was in High School in Dallas, we had an English teacher who had majored in Cinematography and Film Video Production Major. And he offered a Film Class as a study of advancing and falling cultural influences. 

This program is communicating dramatic information, within cultural and shifting fashions, 

cultures themselves, ideas, moods, and feelings through the making and producing of films and videos. Includes instruction in theory of film, film technology and equipment operation, film production, film directing, film editing, cinematographic art, film audio, techniques for making specific types of films and/or videos, media technologies, computer image making, multimedia production, and the planning of film/video operations.

When we view the most watched and popular non-talking movies, 

you find humor was the most apparent way to engage. The humor is clean and avoids repellant humor. Progressing to the talking films, you find Hollywood was offering lavish hope to an economic America in 36% unemployment. People who study film history say, the movies gave pictorial optimism to a languishing and afraid nation. It was a determined effort to bring Hope. In this time, was the most interest in methods to leave the scene and begin a new one. It was a first, in the beginning of, film making decisions.

I was discussing this one day, in my Pro-life volunteering days. It turned out we had a new employee who was learning film, he found this astonishing people studied this as even a college major. He said he had made the decision, when creating a Pro-Life short for competition, to draw from 1970s hit Television Programs. He felt the donations would be more plentiful if he attracted this crowd. He was completely and utterly astonished to find that in the middle of the 1970s considered to be the over-bite disco crowd, that "Love Boat", "Dating Game", "Fantasy Island" and even some of 1980s "Cheers" and "Kate and Allie" - an overwhelming theme - - - - People expected love. They encouraged marriage, children and the overwhelming implication we all want God and we all want Goodness. We understand our unity in our goodness. "Magnum PI." (This young man, who had put so much planning into his National Pro-life Short, won the 50 State Competition. He worked for a year.)

Yes, really, there is a wholesomeness to "Mary Tyler Moore." And to our younger generation, he in his 20 age group finds a distinct difference in Television. He said he has to search to see the old programs. And wasn't as inspired by the late 1950s.

Ok, what can we see Today? 

An interesting and valid question. With the chill in movies of the last decades, So cool, man. We see more adult children are not interested in the elderly, fewer people interested in marriage, some uninterested in raising children with CRT discussions and threats. Mafia movies, safely, as Mafia is moved on, by the Police, to be removed from society. How is society advancing prior to Covid? Zombies.  Zombies. Zombies.  The enjoyment of the comment to diminish someone else in the elbows out generation. 

How about the diminishing of gift shops and smaller and fewer weddings? Neiman Marcus has some cities with vast populations without wedding and gift areas. Wow. And this is the crowd with disposable income. I think we could link this to Mortgages and Rents. 

And right before Covid? Vikings, Vikings, Vikings. What factor is redeeming us???????

We have done lockdown and now have incredible pressures of our funds in inflation? 

Redemption: Vikings meet the Villagers who learn how to deal with invaders. This becomes, not the famous Ragnar Lodbrok invading Paris on the island of Notre Dam, instead this is the victory of grit, aggression, planning, overcoming hostilities to become United in the Amazing Years of the Church. With all the hositility of gods meeting Jesus, you'd think you would see Church History vanishing. Instead -  Advancing to give us methods not to starve to death, the end of being serfs, education to overcome the pervasive illiteracy, hospitals where those determined and brave people gave up their own safety to invent hospitals. The Church building the walls to overcome the lockdown of the fall of society as the barbarians took over the Roman Empire we were forced to call the Byzantine Empire.

Film could include more Renaissance after Vikings, we hope.

Gothic is important, Baby. 

Gothic brings into the Church, Color, Glass, Music, New Instruments, Animals in Literature and Scripture, Pointing up up up to Jesus Christ.  Safety of building outside the city walls. Trade increasing with trust in one another. Gothic brings in carvings of History. Of Flora and Fauna. Gothis is Renaissance. Defeating 40% prostitution. Defining the Holiness of the Clergy overcoming the 12th Century decree of anti-marriage. Gothic art includes women in the Church. Women are seen for the first time. Jesus Christ is moving and shaping in extraordinary ways.

If you want to see how culture is faring, watch where the hips move. Just like Basketball.)

 

Add in Jesus and His Joy.

Does it seem overwhelming?

 One of the gifts is Self Control. We aren't asked to move mountains ever, we just find more Self Control asking the Lord.  I heard that on PBS, "All Creatures Great and Small," the dinner prayer was, "We don't ask to move mountains, we simply pray to control ourselves."

Plant Judiciously

Add Joy to Life

1 Corinthians 16

 Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. 

Let all that you do be done in love.

Abba, Father,

Blessing, Staying, Holding

Growing

in Health

May the words of my mouth

and

the thoughts of my heart

be always appealing to 

You

My Rock

and

My Redeemer.

Abba, Your Mission

and Heart

is to save the world

in Jesus Christ.

Jesus calls Life Joy.

Help us to work

in Your Love

and 

Your Strength.

Thank you in our area

the storms of destruction passed by.

We pray Your help and goodness to cover

and help those who were not 

as fortunate.

Help us

to do what

needs to be done

to 

Fight the Good Fight

with Love.

Joy.

Peace.

Self Control.

The Joy of the Lord

is our Strength.

Jesus is like Jacob,

He believes and Lives

His Blessings are for

All His Children,

Alleluia. Jesus. Amen.

 Jacob Blesses his Sons, painted by Dr. Harry Anderson

To heal us,

the Healing in our Loved Ones,

to Heal the Nation,

To Bless Ukraine and Russians

with Peace.

Love.

Joy.

Jesus.

Amen in Your Son,

the Highest Name of Jesus,

Amen.

 

♔ LORD JESUS SAVES †

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