The Caldwell Commentaries Podcast

Mark 5:1-20.  The fifth chapter of Mark is often referred to as the Bible chapter for "incurables" because it contains the written record of Christ's confrontations with three humanly incurable cases.

First, He had "a divine appointment" with two men who were mentally deranged because of demonic possession.  That will be the subject of this first of a three-part study on "The Great Physician". 

The Lord's second encounter was with a physically disabled woman who had gone to every doctor she could find, and none could cure her of the issue of blood that plagued her for 12 years.  The third situation was the most "incurable" of all, from the human perspective,  It was death, in this case it was the death of a 12-year old girl, the daughter of a man named Jairus.  Both of these situations will be discussed in the second part of this study (see Lesson #61a and b).

The three humanly incurable situations of Mark 5 picture man's incurable situation regarding sin.  Apart from the healing/saving power of the Great Physician (Jesus Christ), men are the hopeless, helpless victims of Satan (first case of this chapter), of disease (second case), and of death (third case).  

America, and, in fact, the world, is in the midst of a "storm" this very hour.  These are unsettling times as we face the potential for World War III or some kind of nuclear or cyber attack, terrible inflation, open borders, anti-Semitism on the rise, inflated grocery prices, the continual possibility of another pandemic, government corruption on every level, the dangers of AI technology in the hands of evil people, the expansion of extreme Islam and Communism into the Western world, the push for globalism, the apostacy of much of Christendom ... and on and on.  How are Christians to respond?  Well, actually, the same way we should respond to all the rest of life's storms!  It is often said if you are not in a storm, it is either because you have just come through one or one is waiting ahead!  Storms are a natural part of living in a sin-cursed world.  There is no way to avoid them, but there is a very calm way to "ride them out" free of fear and full of faith - not faith in ourselves (or we will surely sink); not faith in all the resources of government and science (we will still sink, for there are storms greater than mankind's combined intelligence and strength), but faith in the one Person Who is able to guide us safely through any and all storms. 

There is no reason to fear the furies and floods of life if you have invited Jesus Christ "on board" to be the Captain of your ship!  He will see you safely to your final destination, no matter what is happening in your personal life or in the world today.

This lesson comes in our "Caldwell Commentary" series "Life of Christ Vol. 3" (available through www.scripturetruth.com   and Amazon.com

From Matthew 13:44-52, the Lord continued to teach what theologians call "The Mystery Parables Discourse".  In the next two parables: "The Parable of the Hidden Treasure" and "The Parable of the Pearl of Great Price," He spoke of what God Himself would gain during the intermediate stage of His Kingdom.  He would gain a precious treasure and a valuable pearl.  

In the seventh parable, "The Parable of the Dragnet" (13:47-50), the Lord spoke of the judgment that would come at the consummation of the mystery form of the Kingdom, when He would return to establish the Messianic form of the Kingdom offered at His First Coming - but postponed because of Israel's rejection of Him, the King.  The judgment will be a time of separation (wheat from tares; good fish from bad fish).

Matthew 13 ends with "The Parable of the Householder," by which Christ charged His disciples with personal responsibility to generously distribute both the old and new truths they were so very privileged to have!

In this lesson from Matthew 13:24-43, the Lord Jesus fulfilled another Messianic prophecy, which is that the coming Messiah would speak in parables (Psalm 78:2), for in teaching His men on the inter-advent Kingdom of God on earth (roughly equivalent to the Church Age), He gave seven parables.  It was followed with an eighth parable, not directly related to the others, but one that taught a Biblical principle: with understanding comes responsibility (see "The Parable of the Householder" in Lesson #59).

 

We discuss the reason the Lord often taught by way of parables before we then get into an indepth look at three important parables which shed a lot of light on the current age of Christendom.  They are (1) "The Parable of the Wheat and Tares," (2) "The Parable of the Mustard Seed," and (3) "The Parable of the Leaven Hidden in Meal".  We spend valuable time explaining the varied interpretations of these parables, always settling on the one that best fits the context, the original meaning of the Greek, and the rest of Scripture.

This is the second half of our study of "The Parable of the Sower" and the four types of human heart types upon which the Seed (God's Word) is sown!

Witnessing the rejection of Jesus by both Israel's religious rulers and even His own step-brothers would cause the Lord's disciples and other followers to wonder what would happened to the promise of the Messianic Kingdom if Israel rejected the King?  The answer is the primary focus of Jesus' teaching in Matthew 13 (with parallel accounts in Mark 4 and Luke 8).  Through a series of parables, He told His men that the literal Kingdom on earth would be postponed until a time when Israel would accept Him (His Second Coming).  

 

However, though the literal Kingdom was postponed, the Lord taught about a "mystery" form of the Kingdom that would be established in the interval between His rejection and His return.  This "interregnum" would be an internal, spiritual Kingdom on earth - not visible because it would exist in the hearts of believers.  This truth was unknown to the Old Testament prophets and writers, which is why it is called a "mystery".  Through the parables presented in Matthew 13, the Lord revealed the "mysteries" or "secrets of the Kingdom" to those with ears to hear and understand.  

The first parable of "The Mystery Kingdom" is the very famous "Parable of the Sower".  The Sower is Christ (and His followers); the Seed is His Word; the four types of soil represent the four types of heart conditions (human responses) upon which the sown Word falls: (1) roadway soil, (2) rocky soil, (3) reprobate soil, and (4) ready soil.

A deeply tragic truth about the Lord Jesus is how greatly misunderstood He was - not only by His foes (jealous of His power and popularity), but also by those closest to Him, His family.

In this lesson (Matthew 12:22-50), Israel's religious rulers gave their "official" decision that Jesus performed His works with satanic power.  At this same time, we also find that His own brothers thought He was not quite right in His mind.   

Included in this study: Christ's healing of a blind and mute demoniac; "The Parable of the Divided Kingdom," "The Parable of Subduing the Strong Man," "The Parable of the Empty House," and another prophecy given by Christ about His up-coming death and resurrection.

From Matthew 11:20-30, we discuss what the Lord had to say about greater spiritual privilege bringing greater judgment.  The citizens of the Galilean cities of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum had greater spiritual privileges and opportunities for repentance and salvation than any other people, for Jesus Christ, God's Son, spent more time in their vicinity than anywhere else on earth.  However, although the people were amazed by His miracles and authoritative teaching, few were spiritually and eternally affected by putting their faith in Him as Saviour and Lord.  Thus, Jesus pronounced three "woe judgments" on them.  Discussed also in this lesson is the sin of indifference. 

From Luke 7:36-50, the Lord taught a second important Biblical principle: greater pardon brings greater love.  This is the account of the sinful woman who came uninvited to Simon the Pharisee's house to anoint Jesus' feet with her tears of joy and wiped them dry with her hair.  Simon and his other self-righteous guests were horrified that Jesus would allow the woman to even touch Him.  He used the occasion to make the contrast between a humble "babe" in Christ and a narcissistic "wise and prudent" man (see Matthew 11:25).  He then taught "The Parable of the Two Debtors".

From Matthew 11:2-19 and Luke 7:18-35, we see more of the Lord's great heart (see Lesson 53 regarding His compassionate response to faith and to despair) as He responds compassionately to the doubts of those who belong to Him.  In this case, He had just received word from John the Baptist, who had been in prison for about one year after publicly denouncing the adulterous marriage of Herod Antipas with his brother's wife.  While in his confinement, the Baptist allowed certain doubts to captivate his thoughts, which is a danger every believer can fall into at times.  Fortunately, John rightly took his doubts, confusions, and perplexities to the right Source.  He dealt with his doubts by going to (via letter) Jesus, Who confirmed His identity to John in no uncertain terms!  

 

There are two fantastic demonstrations of the Compassion Saviour in this lesson. We discuss His compassionate/gracious/merciful/miraculous response to the great faith of a Roman centurion (Jesus healed his dying servant boy) from Matthew 8:5-13 and to a grieving widow of Nain (He raised her dead son on the way to the cemetery) from Luke 7:1-17!

A terrific study about the magnificent love in the heart of the world's only Saviour!

This lesson is on Matthew 7:24-29, the final words of the Lord's great "Sermon on the Mount" in which He talks about "Two Builders".  After having given an invitation to salvation in Him with His discussion of "Two Gates" (Lesson 50) and "Two Trees" (Lesson 51), He went on to say that the person who responds to His invitation is like a wise man who builds his life on a solid foundation of rock.  The Rock is Himself and His Holy Word.  Conversely, the one who does not respond positively by receiving the truth of His teaching and His invitation is like a foolish man who builds his life on the shifting, insecure, sinking sand of this world.

If you really want to know how to survive all the storms of life, the Lord's words we discuss in this lesson give you the answer.  Be wise!  Heed His advice.  Build your life on HIM.

In Matthew 7:15-23, the second part of Christ's "Sermon the Mount" extended invitation to salvation  (first part is found in Lesson 50 on Matthew 7:14), He gave a solemn warning about two prevalent dangers that deceive many to think they are going to Heaven, when they are actually on the broad road to destruction.  In this important, but difficult lesson to hear, entitled "The Two Trees," He warned to beware of false prophets and to beware of false professions!  "Not everyone that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven . . ." (7:21)!!  SERIOUS.

In the Lord's seventh and final section of His "Sermon on the Mount," He invites His immediate audience - and all of us - to choose between God's Way to Heaven (by God's grace through faith in Christ) or man's way to TRY to get to Heaven (by some form of a merit based works' system).  Divine accomplishment or human achievement. Grace or works.  Only God and only by His grace in sending His Son to die in our place, for our sins, is  salvation made possible (and Heaven attained). 

There are only "Two Gates," one is narrow (John 14:6); the other is very wide.  The only problem with the wide gate is that it leads to destruction, not to eternal life with the Triune God in Heaven.

THIS IS A MOST SERIOUS LESSON FOR PEOPLE EVERYWHERE TO HEAR!  The Gospel is presented and the way to be saved is laid out clearly!  SHARE with your non-Christian family and friends!

Of all the "Rules for the Redeemed" discussed by the Lord Jesus in "The Sermon on the Mount" (the treasure, worry, criticism, and prayer rules), the last is the most well known: "The Golden Rule" (Matthew 7:12).  In this study, we take great care to connect this important truth for godly living with the context; thus, we see how it relates to the subjects of judgment (see Lesson 47) and prayer (Lesson 48).

 

Find out what the difference is between "The Brass Rule of Humanity" and "The Golden Rule of Heaven"!  Find out the great difference between what Israel's religious rulers, the ancient philosophers, and the Greek stoics taught about proper treatment of others compared with what Christ Jesus taught!  Did you know that "The Golden Rule" is actually a consolidation of all Old Testament teaching (the Law and the Prophets) about human relationships?  If ONLY mankind could OBEY this ONE rule!!

Are you frustrated with the quality of your Christian life?  Do you seriously desire to be a Beatitude-type believer?  Do you long to have the righteous motive in your service for the Lord?  Have you longed to rid yourself of some harboring bitterness, vengefulness, or maybe a critical spirit?  Have you wondered about ways you could and should be investing in heavenly treasure?  Have you longed to have greater spiritual discernment?  Do you truly want to fully trust God about your needs and your future - and cease worrying?  If your answer to any or all of these questions is "Yes," then listen to Jesus' command-prayer-promise, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you" (Matthew 7:7).  

God will not do for us, apart from prayer, that which He has promised to do for us only through prayer!  Though He is Sovereign, that does not mean we receive all the blessings He has for us and desires to give us if we fail to ask for them - "ye have not, because ye ask not" (James 4:2b)!  Did you realize that a lot of the frustrations of our Christian lives are the result of not having turned our frustration-energy into prayer-energy!

From Matthew 7:1-6 (part of "The Sermon on the Mount"), the Lord Jesus "switched gears" from having taught about having a right perspective toward material things ("The Treasure Rule" - Lesson 45 and "The Worry Rule" - Lesson 46) to having a right perspective toward people!

 

In this lesson, we discuss both the positive and negative sides of what we call "Teeter-Totter Theology".  We also discuss that verse so often taken out of context, "Judge not, that ye be not judged" (7:1).  There is a righteous form of judging!  There is also an unrighteous form of judging - and we need to know the difference!  There is also a right way and time to criticize and a wrong way and time to criticize!  Again, we need to know the difference.  We also need to know how to do honest self-judgment to make sure we are not pointing out someone's "eye-mote," while there is a major "beam" in our own! 

 

Another important lesson from the Greatest Teacher ever, Jesus!

This lesson on Matthew 6:25-34 (from the Lord's "Sermon on the Mount") is on the subject of WORRY!  Oh dear.  With the current Coronavirus Pandemic upon us, this is an extremely important message from the Lord Jesus for all of us to hear and adhere!!  

In His words of wisdom, the Lord tells His followers that to worry about earthly matters demonstrates three things:  1. distrust of our Father's Providence, 2. distrust of our Father's Promises, and 3. doubt in our Father's Protection.

What do we do when circumstances arise that appear to be potential situations for worry (anxiety)?   We discuss 6 reasons why Christians should NOT worry in the midst of storms (or any time).  Listen and sleep well tonight.

 

From Matthew 6:19-24 (part of "The Sermon on the Mount"), the Lord taught how Kingdom citizens are to have the right perspective on earthly "treasures," which are merely temporary, as compared to heavenly "treasures," which last forever.  The Christian is to set his affection on things above, "For where your heart is, there shall your heart be also".

In this lesson, we discuss how the Christian is to have a single focus and a solitary Master, "For no man can serve two masters . . . ye cannot serve God and mammon [money/material things".  This is a serious message for our day of vast materialism!

To be effective in our prayer lives so God is honored and pleased by our prayers, we need to fulfill certain Christian "responsibilities".  In this second lesson on the Lord's "Perfect Prayer Pattern" from His "Sermon on the Mount".  Whereas the first three petitions of the Lord's prayer pattern deal with exalting God, His name, His Kingdom, and His will, the last three petitions (6:11-13) have to do with us (the believers).  We discuss these petitions under the headings of (1) or present provision, (2) for past pardon, and (3) for future protection (from temptation and evil).

We also discuss the closing doxology of the prayer ("For Thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.  Amen"), as well as the postscript on the subject of forgiveness found in verses 14 and 15.  That postscript has upset a lot of Christians over the centuries, for they think Jesus was saying a person's salvational forgiveness is conditional upon his own forgiveness of others.  That is not what He was teaching, and we explain the meaning of those verses in this lesson. 

Prayer is perhaps the single greatest activity in which the human soul can engage, for in prayer we come face-to-face with God.  Prayer is our golden opportunity to give God the opportunity to manifest His power, majesty, love, and providence to His beloved children.  Although prayer is one of the most vital aspects of the Christian life, most of us feel it is the area in which we are the weakest.  The disciples of Christ obviously felt this way, too, which is why they asked Him to teach them to pray.  Thus, He gave them instruction and guidance for proper, effective prayer in Matthew 6:7-15 (part of "The Sermon on the Mount").

First, Jesus spoke about the errors of ineffective prayer (vanity prayers, valueless prayers, and verbose prayers), before He then taught about the essentials for effect prayer (having right relationships, with God and others; having right responsibilities, and making right requests - which is discussed in Part II of this study).

In Matthew 6:1-18, the Lord Jesus (in His "Sermon on the Mount) continued to emphasize true, heart righteousness by contrasting it with false, hypocritical "righteousness" in the realm of three practical, religious activities: (1) giving, (2) praying, and (3) fasting.  His words about giving deal with a person's righteousness as it acts toward others; His words about prayer deal with righteousness as it acts toward God, and His words regarding fasting discuss heart righteousness in relation to oneself.

In this study, we discuss the sins of silent cowardice, selfish complacency, and showy conduct.  We learn where the term "blowing your own trumpet" (or "sounding your own horn") originated.  We discuss "silent hands" and "secret closets" and the four ways people approach religious responsibilities (only two of which earn God's praise, not the praise of others or the praise of self).

This lesson is on Matthew 5:43-48.  Nowhere is there a greater contrast between the false, hypocritical "righteousness" of the Jewish religious rulers of Christ's day and true, godly heart-righteousness than in the Lord's sixth and final illustration on the section of "The Sermon on the Mount" entitled "Reinterpretations of the Law".  This greatest contrast deals with LOVE.  In no more important area had the scribes and Pharisees so critically departed from God's standards of holiness.  Unfortunately, they were far too "in-love" with themselves and their social status to have time to be concerned for anyone outside their inner circle.

We divide this study into three sections.  First, we look at the Mosaic principles about love (Leviticus 19:18), then we discuss the Pharisaic perversion on the subject of love.  Finally, finally we look at Christ's perspective, which is to possess a supernatural love that enables us to love and pray for our enemies,  and be equal in our treatment of everyone.  

This lesson is on Matthew 5:38-42.  In this section of "The Sermon on the Mount" (5:21-48), Christ was contrasting Pharisaic, external "righteousness" (see 5:20) with God's true, inner righteousness, using examples like murder (Lesson 35), adultery (Lesson 36), divorce (Lessons 37 and 38), and oath taking(Lesson 39).  His next topic to use in comparing the teachings propagated by Israel's religious rulers (gross misinterpretations of the Law) and His own teaching dealt with the matter of personal vengeance and retaliation.

We will first look at the Old Testament teaching on the subject of retaliation (the Mosaic principles found in Exodus 21:22-25; Leviticus 24:19, 20; Deuteronomy 19:20, 21), and then see how the Pharisees had perverted that teaching.  Finally, we will look at the Lord Jesus' perspective on the subject!  He teaches the following: do NOT retaliate even though your dignity is smitten, your security is sued, your freedoms are sacrificed, and your possessions are surrendered.  Wow.  Turning the other cheek, surrendering your cloak also, going the second mile, and giving to him that asks!  Being a Christian is not easy!

This lesson is on Matthew 5:33-37, part of "The Sermon on the Mount".  Throughout this famous sermon, the Lord Jesus was attempting to convey to His listeners the fact that everything a citizen of His eternal Kingdom says or does is important to God.  If a Christian is to be an effective witness to this world where fake news, half-truths (which are lies), vain philosophies, false religious, evil cults, and massive deceptions reign, he or she must be a person who guards both his or her heart and tongue to speak only the truth and to keep every vow made to God or man!  God looks with great seriousness on every aspect of our lives!

We consider three sections on the matter of "Taking Oaths and Speaking Truth".  First, we look at what the Old Testament says on oath-taking (Exodus 20:7; Leviticus 19:12; Numbers 30:2; Deuteronomy 23:21).  Then we consider what the Pharisees taught on the matter and, finally, compare the Pharisaic teaching with what the Lord Jesus had to say about it.

It would be good to precede hearing this message with Lesson 37 from our Life of Christ study, "Old Testament Teaching on Divorce". 

This study stems from the Lord's teaching in "The Sermon on the Mount," but we also look at Paul's inspired words in First Corinthians 7:10-16 for further information about the subject of divorce.  What are the only two Biblical grounds for divorce?  Listen and find out. 

What about remarriage after a divorce?  Again, listen and find out.

 

In the Lord's famous "Sermon on the Mount," He went from discussing the matter of adultery to the subject of divorce and remarriage (Matthew 5:31, 32).  Coming to a subject like this demonstrates the importance of an expositional, systematic study of Scripture, for it forces us to discuss subjects we may be otherwise tempted to avoid.  This topic is difficult and sensitive for many people; it is not one that is taught with joy, but we are commanded to study the whole counsel of the Word of God and not to ignore those things some find offensive, painful, or convicting.  It is critical in our day of high divorce rate even among Christians to see the matter of divorce and remarriage through the eyes of God, so, beginning with this lesson and ending with Lesson 38, we will look at what He has to say about this subject in both the Old and New Testaments.

This lesson (and Lesson #38 on "New Testament Teaching on Divorce") is found in our "Caldwell Commentary" series "Life of Christ Vol 2" and "The Sermon on the Mount" (available through amaon.com and www.scripturetruth.com

In Matthew 5:27-30, the Lord Jesus gave the second contrasting, corrective illustration between the rabbinic teaching the people heard wrongly presented to them and His interpretation of the Law.  In this section, He spoke about adultery, making it clear that the sin is a lot more than just a physical act.  He taught (as He did with murder) that the sin of adultery begins in the heart.  The religious rulers, as with most people today, needed a divinely given course on the doctrine of sin.  They had lowered the level of God's holy standards to an externalism they felt they could achieve, and then they self-righteously convinced themselves God was pleased with their great efforts to master their own standards of "righteousness".  They were pious-acting hypocrites!

In Matthew 5:21-26 of His "Sermon on the Mount," Christ drew a strong contrast between His teaching on certain key matters of life and the teaching that had been presented to the Jewish people by their leaders for centuries - teaching from the Old Testament that they had both altered and expanded upon so that it was not anything similar to God's original meaning.  In each of the six subjects of this section, "Reinterpretations of the Law" (murder, adultery, divorce, oath-making, retaliation, and love), He stressed HEART-righteousness.  

Learn what the Lord had to say about the sin of murder!  It goes a whole lot further than the actual killing of another person.  In fact, every one of us is guilty of "murder" the way the Lord defines it!  

The Lord also laid down some very specific steps for reconciliation with a Christian brother or sister in this section of His Sermon.  

Since the remainder of the Lord's teaching in "The Sermon on the Mount" was based on the Old Testament, He prefaced the remainder of the sermon with a "prologue" (Matthew 5:17-20).  In just four very significant verses, Christ affirmed to His listeners the absolute "Reliability of Scripture"!  

The Lord's words in this critical passage confirm for us He did not come to destroy the Law and the prophets (the Old Testament), but to fulfill them!  He confirmed His belief in the preeminence (the superiority) of Scripture; in the permanence of Scripture; in the pertinence of Scripture, and He understood the purpose of Scripture (obviously, for He is the Author and Finisher of Scripture)!

In Lessons #29 and #30, we looked at the characteristics of Kingdom citizens as presented in the Beatitude virtues.  This lesson is about the function of Kingdom citizens!  After we have entered onto "The Highway to Happiness," we have a responsibility to the insipid, dark world around us.  What is that responsibility as followers of Christ?  We are to "Shake and Shine"!  We are called by Him to be the salt and light of the world!  We are to be salt for a corrupt world and light for a confused world.  To put our Christian responsibility in two words, we are to INFLUENCE and ILLUMINATE. Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA certainly was "the salt and light" of this world! A remarkable young man, now with his Lord.

Lord, shake on me Thy savory salt, 'til I am ready to burst!

Fill me so full with righteousness that others for Thee will thirst.

Shine on me Thy radiant light so I almost seem to glow;

Help me, Lord, guide others to Thee, so Thy Truth they also might know.

O Lord, make me salty!  O Lord, make me shine!

Use me, dear Saviour, for Thy glory divine.

O Lord, make me salty!  O Lord, make me bright!

May I create thirst, and guide men to Thy Light! 

                                                                                        Katherine Caldwell

 

The Beatitudes of the opening verses of the Sermon on the Mount are referred to as "The Sacred Paradoxes" (Thomas Watson), for they tell us that opposites often can and do co-exist.  The Lord Jesus is "The Master of the Paradox"!  Think about some of the seeming contradictions He taught - the first shall be last; giving is receiving; losing is finding; dying is living; serving is ruling, weakness is strength, being His bondslave is being set free; and the least is the greatest.  The Beatitudes contain some equally paradoxical statements:  the poor are rich; the sad are happy; the meek are winners; the hungry are satisfied - and, strangest of all, the persecuted rejoice!  This lesson continues the discussion from Lesson #31 on the final Beatitude, "Blessed are they which are persecuted for My sake".

Why did the Lord spend three times the space on the last Beatitude?  Why did He mention the word "blessed" twice in this last Beatitude?  What are the three primary types of persecution of Christians?  What does it mean if a Christian is experiencing not one of those three types of persecution in his life?  How is the believer in Christ to respond to both persecution and the persecutor?  And how in the world can a Christian rejoice because he is persecuted (which includes not only physical harm, but verbal abuse, and false witness - including slander)?  One more question: is it wrong to be motivated by heavenly rewards to live righteously?  

Would you like to hear answers to the above questions?  Okay.  Push the play button on this message!  Enjoy. 

 

On both a national and a personal level, mankind has a natural inclination toward fighting, quarreling, and warring.  Peace has been the most elusive of all goals in the world.  According to James (Christ's half-brother) conflicts come from our inner lusts (selfish desires) waging war in the heart (James 4:1, 2).  This is not only true for non-believers; it is true for Christians.  James was writing to the "brethren".  Just think about how divided "the Church" has become since the early days of the Apostolic Church in Jerusalem.  This is why it is important for us to understand the Lord's seventh Beatific virtue: peacemaking!  

What is a peacemaker?  What did the Lord mean by that K?  What does a peacemaker do, exactly?  How did Jesus set the example of being a Peacemaker?  Does it mean always agreeing with everyone, even when they are dangerously wrong or wickedly evil?  Why is a true "peacemaker" a soul-winner?  What is "the ministry of reconciliation" Paul talked about in Second Corinthians?  What are the five basic necessities that comprise a godly peacemaker?  Why is it sometimes necessary for the true peacemaker to stir-up trouble in order to make peace?  (What?)  Did you realize that the Christian peacemaker actually engages in real warfare, for he wrestles not against flesh and blood, but against the evil forces of the kingdom of darkness?  All this is discussed in this lesson.  

We also begin to discuss the final Beatitude, "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake . . . Blessed are ye when men shall revile you . . . and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake.  Rejoice, and exceedingly glad . . . " (Matthew 5:10-12a).  How can a believer happily rejoice to the point of exceeding gladness when he is persecuted, reviled, and slandered falsely?  That sounds like one of the greatest paradoxes of all, does it not - Happy are the Hated and the Harassed?  Yes, but think of this truth, the reward for those who are willing to be a living sacrifice for Christ, is that they will gain everything - ". . . for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven" (5:10b)!  Compared to what is gained, even a martyr's price is small.  We begin our discussion of the final Beatitude in this lesson and continue it in Lesson #32 (so be sure to "follow up").   

In this continuing study of the Lord's Beatitudes, we come to the next three beatific virtues: hungering and thirsting after righteousness, being merciful, and being pure in heart. 

There is really no better "self-examination" a person can give himself (herself) with regard to his (her) Christian profession than to ask the Matthew 5:6 test question, "Do I genuinely hunger for the things of God?  Do I deeply thirst to know Christ?  Am I hungering and thirsting to be like Him in my life?"  

What exactly is the Biblical meaning of mercy?  What does "they shall obtain mercy" mean?  Have you ever heard of "God's Mercy Cycle"?  You will in this lesson.

The Purity of Heart Beatitude is the apex of all the others; the reason is the first 5 lead up to it and the last 2 flow out of it.  The world asserts that "happy" people are the physically beautiful, rich, powerful, famous, successful, highly educated, and elite.  Jesus says the truly happy people are those who are spiritually beautiful, rich,  wise, and successful (fruitful) because their hearts have been purified by Him. 

Come join us in our continued walk down "The Highway to Happiness"!  Who doesn't want to know the key to inner JOY despite all the chaos, confusion, and corruption around us?  [Yah, I know, there are some people who seem to enjoy being miserable.  Do you know why?  They've never been down the Beatific Highway.]

This lesson in written form (with Homework Questions) is found in our "Caldwell Commentary" entitled "Life of Christ Vol. 2" or "The Sermon on the Mount" -available through Amazon.com

There must have been an expectant atmosphere among the assembly gathered on the green hillside northwest of Capernaum to hear Jesus speak.  Hearts were high with hope for future glory; Rome might soon be chased from their land by an Israeli army under the leadership of this God-sent miracle-worker (another Moses was among them)!  No longer would they be poor and hungry as they filled Rome's coffers with their hard-earned money.  No longer would they mourn over their oppression, hardships, and constant fears.  No longer would Israel appear meek before the mighty Roman "Goliath" who persecuted them (another "David" was among them)!

 

But when Jesus "opened His mouth, and taught them," the people heard nothing about warfare with Rome.  Instead, they heard teaching so full of wisdom, spoken with an authority never before known - yet with a tone of genuine love and compassion that the crowd was mesmerized.  Their dry, thirsty souls and starvingly hunger spirits felt the raindrops of Heaven softening the hard, crusty ground of their hearts.

 

The people that day  were hearing the words of the greatest sermon ever preached from the lips of the greatest Preacher Who ever walked the earth!  They were the privileged, initial recipients of the Lord's famous, "Sermon on the Mount," which He began with what is called "The Beatitudes".   In Lessons #29 to #32 of our Life of Christ study, we refer to the 8 Beatitudes as "The Highway to Happiness". 

 

The greatest sermon ever preached by the greatest Preacher Who ever lived - the famous "Sermon on the Mount" (Matthew 4:23-7:29; Luke 6:19-49)!  The words of this sermon have been compared to X-rays of our souls; they expose us to ourselves.  They convict us to an uncomfortably GOOD place, where we make some serious self-examination regarding the reality of our salvation, the authenticity of our Christian walk, and the level of our Christian commitment.

 

This lesson is an overview of the entire sermon.  In it, we discuss the setting for the sermon, the purpose of the sermon, the reasons for studying it today, and the basic principles in the sermon for believers.

With this lesson, we come to the time in Christ's early public ministry when He commissioned twelve men to be intensely trained by Him so they could carry on His work after His departure.  In our two-part outline, we first discuss "God's Beloved Servant" as we see how Jesus fulfilled the Messianic prophecy of Isaiah 42:1, 2.  Then we discuss "Christ's Beloved Servants" and briefly talk a bit about each of the Twelve.

In this second lesson on "The Lord of the Sabbath," we look at the fourth and final division of our outline for both Lessons #25 and #26.  It is called "Three Truths about Sabbath Reverence and Practice".  The Lord Jesus gave three reasons, each illustrated, to explain why neither He nor His men had broken the Mosaic Law regarding the Sabbath.  

 

The three reasons given were: (1) God's Law Allowed for Acts of Necessity, (2) God's Law Allowed for Acts of Worship, and (3) God's Law Allowed for Acts of Mercy.

In this lesson, the Lord gave the second recorded sermon of His earthly ministry.  Interestingly, most people do not know this sermon by its name; nor do they realize how powerful it is, for it is Christ's defense of His claim to equality with God!  It is called "The Sermon on the Judgment and Resurrection Power of the Son" (John 5:19-30, 40-47).   In the sermon, Jesus gave Israel five significant truths about Himself, about His relationship with God, Who He "dared" to call His "Father" (because it is true), and about His real power.  Did you know that the Father has given all judgment over to His Son (5:21-23)?  Who will sit on "The Bema Seat" to judge the works of believers?  Who will be the Judge of "The Sheep and the Goats" at the end of the Tribulation?  Who will sit on the Great White Throne at the judgment of all unbelievers following the Millennial Kingdom?  Answer: God the Son, Jesus Christ.

 

Also included in this lesson are five witnesses the Lord Jesus presented to prove that His own witness of His Identity is true (5:31-39).  THEN, we get into a discussion of some of the ludicrous traditions the Pharisees had devised over the years regarding the Sabbath.  They had added 1,512 man-made restrictions to God's original commandment about the Sabbath!  In the Jewish Talmud, there are 24 chapters containing Sabbath regulations!  Talk about a heavy yoke!

In this second half of our lesson on Jesus "Tackling Tradition," He performed the well-known miracle of healing a man who had spent 38 years of his life sitting at the Pool of Bethesda near the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem waiting and hoping he would be healed.  He was an invalid; he could not walk.  It was a Sabbath when the Lord Jesus came near the pool, looked over the multitude of impotent people who were all around it, and rested His focus on the one man, who He then proceeded to question ("Wilt thou be made whole?") and heal ("Rise, take up thy bed, and walk").

 

Because the man was "caught" walking and carrying his bed pallet on the Sabbath, the Jews accused him of breaking the Law (John 5:10).  They showed no joy for the man who could finally walk after 38 years!  Instead, they were hypocritically "concerned" about their Sabbath traditions.  Jesus, Who is "the Lord of the Sabbath," was then persecuted by the Jews for healing on the Sabbath.  His response to their foolish accusation of "breaking" the Sabbath, was to make Himself equal with God (which He is) by saying to them, "My Father worketh hitherto, and I work" (John 5:17)!  It sent them into orbit, and they wanted all the more to kill Him (5:18)!  In case you wonder, there was absolutely nothing wrong with doing "an act of mercy" or "an act of healing" on the Sabbath!  The One Who created the Sabbath was trying to teach that truth to His people, who loved their traditions more than they loved God, as proven by the way they treated His Son.  

The Lord Jesus was going about Israel authenticating His Messianic credentials through His works, which demonstrated His supreme authority over nature, over Satan's realm, and over diseases of all types (including leprosy).  He also demonstrated His divine authority to preach, to purify, and to forgive sin.  Now, in this next two-part study entitled "Tackling Tradition, we see Him demonstrate His power and authority over both men's traditions and the Sabbath.

 

In the first part of this lesson, we discuss a question the disciples of John the Baptist asked Jesus.  They wanted to know why they spent much time fasting, while He and His disciples were feasting (Luke 5:33).  The Baptist, at this time, was in prison.  The Lord's answer: "Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the Bridegroom is with them" (Matthew 9:15) is explained, as His predication of the day the Bridegroom would be taken away.

 

In the latter half of this lesson, we discuss two more parables given by the Lord: the Parables of the New Cloth Patch and the New Wine Pouch.  He teaches, by them, that His way of salvation has nothing to do with traditions, ceremonies, and man-made rules.  He did not come to improve the old system, but to renounce it, for the "old" pharisaic way of attempting to attain righteousness was not connected in any way to His way (which is completely by grace through faith and not of works).  

This is the intriguing account of the call of salvation presented by the Lord Jesus to a publican (tax collector) named Levi!  He was a forsaken sinner, but a command from Jesus, "Follow Me" (Mark 2:14), changed his life forever!  It also influenced our lives in many wonderful ways, for that former, despised and forsaken by his own people tax collector wrote the first book of the New Testament.  His name Levi was changed to "Matthew," which means "gift of Jehovah-God"

In the next two recorded events of Christ's life, He demonstrated His absolute authority and power to forgive sins (a paralytic) and to save (a publican).  In this lesson, we look at His forgiveness and healing of a paralytic.

 

After His first Galilean tour, Jesus returned to His headquarter city of Capernaum.  He was likely back in Peter's house, which soon filled with people wanting to see and hear Him.  There was a paralytic who was beloved so well by four of his friends that they carried him to see Jesus, hoping he would be healed.  When they got to the house, it was so crowded, the determined friends made a whole in the roof to lower their friend down to Jesus.  The innovation and persistence and love of the friends paid off, for Jesus did heal their friend, but first and foremost, He forgave the man of his sins!  Some scribes and Pharisees, who heard and witnessed the whole episode - and saw the paralytic get up and walk, asked the right question (although with the wrong motive).  They asked, "Who can forgive sins but God only?" (Mark 2:7)!  THAT was the point!  Jesus is God!

After exorcising a demon from a man in the Capernaum synagogue and healing Peter's mother-in-law, Jesus and His men left Capernaum to begin His first major Galilean ministry.  He authenticated both His Person and His preaching by many miracles during that tour.  However, interestingly, there is only one of those many miracles recorded, and it is the cleansing of a leper (Matthew 8:3).  Since it is the only miracle recorded, it must be significant.  It is.  We discuss the significance in this lesson.  We also talk about leprosy, back then and now (aka "Hansen's Disease").

 

In this lesson, the Lord Jesus demonstrated His absolute authority over spiritual sickness (demons) and over physical sickness (disease).  His miracles were always performed to convince the people of Israel of His Death, to authenticate His claims to Messiahship, and to verify His qualification as the Saviour of man.  Isaiah 53:4 clearly predicted that the Messiah would heal many!

 

The fourth recorded miracle of Christ's earthly life was His deliverance of the Capernaum demoniac (Mark 1:21-28).  This is not only the first recorded miracle found in Mark's gospel account, it is the Lord's first occasion to exercise His authority over Satan's realm.  He expelled a demon from a man in the Capernaum synagogue.

 

The fifth recorded miracle of Christ's earthly life was the first of five recorded miracles He performed for women.  It was done for Peter's mother-in-law, who was running a fever so high it was life threatening.  By the way, for Peter to have a mother-in-law means that Peter also had a wife!!

In this lesson, we discuss the second phase of the Lord's calling to His disciples.  They had been called to salvation; now they were called to service.  On the shore of the Sea of Galilee, Christ called on Peter, Andrew, James, and John to leave behind their careers as fishers of fish and become, instead, fishers of men!

We discuss some very interesting "Basic Principles of Fishing" in this study - applying the principles for being an effective fish-fisherman to being an effective person-fisherman.  Also included is the Lord's first miracle of a great catch of fish.  He told the men to return to the sea and cast out their nets even though they had fished all night and caught nothing.  When they obeyed, their nets were so full of fish, they began to break!  The Lord was teaching them many good principles they would use later when they went forth in obedience to the Great Commission!  In fact, Peter's first sermon "brought in" 3,000 "fish" (Acts 2:41)!

With this lesson, the Lord moved from His "Year of Obscurity" into His "Year of Open Popularity"!  He began this next year of His 3-year ministry by returning in the power of the Spirit into Galilee.  He was ready to establish Himself in the province where He spent most of His Childhood and early Manhood.  

This study includes the Lord's healing of the Capernaum nobleman's son from a distance.  The man was a Gentile - one of three Gentile-related miracles in which those healed were healed from a distance!  There is a reason for that, so "tune-in" and find out what it is.

Also included in this lesson is the first of two incidents when Christ was rejected in His hometown of Nazareth.  The citizens, in great rage, wanted to cast Him headlong off the city's cliff after He made it abundantly clear He claimed to be the Messiah.

This is the continuation of our study of John chapter 4 and the Lord's fantastic conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well.  When she comes to realize Who Jesus is, she forgets her waterpot as she races back to her village of Sychar to tell her fellow citizens (even though they held her in great scorn) about the One she had just met; the One Who knew all about her; the One Who very well might be "the Christ" (John 4:29)!

As the Samaritans came out to the well, dressed in their long white robes, Jesus told His disciples to lift up their eyes and look on the fields, for they were white to harvest!  He saw the ready hearts of the coming people as a ripe "harvest" - and they were!  Many of those people believed on Him when they heard His Words!  In fact, they were the first people in history to call Jesus "the Christ, the Saviour of the world" (John 4:42b)!

This is one of the most marvelous episodes in the record of Christ's ministry!  Oh, how it shows us His amazing ability to witness and draw people to Himself with His gentle manner, but His blunt exposure of one's sin.  He shows us that God truly is no respecter of persons, for He completely disregarded the sex barrier, the social barrier, and the Samaritan barrier (all of which were sinful barriers created by people, not God) in order to overcome the sin barrier!  

See how our wonderful Lord was never self-centered.  Though He was (in His Humanity) weary, hungry, and thirsty, His primary concern was always to seek and to save a poor, sin-sick soul!

In this lesson, we consider John the Baptist's last testimony to Christ's Deity.  His ministry is completed after this final scene.  He decreased, while the Lord would keep increasing - just as the Old Covenant decreased (ended), while the New Covenant increased (Hebrews 8:13).  This study of John 3:22-36 serves as a "bridge" between the Baptist and Christ.  As the Baptist's ministry was to point Israel (and the world) to Jesus as the long-awaited Saviour, the entire purpose of the Old Testament and the sacrificial system of Judaism was to point to Christ and the Gospel message of the New Testament.

It was during a nighttime interview with a prestigious Pharisee of the Sanhedrin Council of Israel that the Son of God delivered the salvation message concerning the spiritual New Birth and how it works!

The words of Christ in John chapter 3 are the most important He spoke because they tell us how to enter the ultimate, supreme Kingdom of the spiritual and eternal - the Kingdom of God.

This lesson contains some of the finest, richest "gold" in all the great "gold mines" of God's Holy Word.  Besides the "must be born again" message, the Lord predicted His death by crucifixion and used the brazen serpent lifted up in the wilderness (back in the days of Moses) to do so.  Thus, we have proof that "The Good Serpent" (which saved ALL who looked upon it in faith from physical death) was a prophetic type of the Saviour of all who, in faith, look upon Him for eternal salvation (because He was lifted up to die in our place)!  See "Christ in Exodus" Lesson #   for a great study of "The Good Serpents" of Scripture!