What Jesus Did

Key Passage
While John's followers were leaving, Jesus began talking to the people about John. Jesus said, "What did you people go out to the desert to see? A weed blown by the wind? No! Really, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No! Those people that wear fine clothes live in king's palaces."

— Matthew 11:7-8 ERV (Read Full Text)

Key Thought
Jesus' response to John's disciples did not imply that Jesus thought poorly of John, his ministry, or his faith. What...

 

Key Passage
"The person that can accept me is blessed."

— Matthew 11:6 ERV (Read Full Text)

Key Thought
John's question to Jesus about his Messiahship helps prepare us for the road that lies ahead in Matthew's story of Jesus. Jesus will be repeatedly rejected and criticized for healing activities that follow. Hostility intensifies between Jesus and the religious powerbrokers of his day. They reject him. But underneath this repeated pattern is another pattern of even greater...

 

Key Passage
Jesus answered, "Go back to John and tell him about the things that you hear and see: Blind people are able to see again; crippled people are able to walk again; people that have leprosy are healed; deaf people can hear again; dead people are raised from death; and the Good News is told to the poor people."

— Matthew 11:4-5 ERV (Read Full Text)

Key Thought
John the Baptist had preached about a fiery judgment on the enemies of God's people and a mighty Messiah who would...

 

Key Passage
John the Baptizer was in prison. He heard about the things Christ was doing. So John sent some of his followers to Jesus. John's followers asked Jesus, "Are you the man that {John said} was coming, or should we wait for another man?"

— Matthew 11:2-3 ERV (Read Full Text)

Key Thought
As John faced the struggle of his life, he maintained his integrity and faithfulness. His motivation was to simply know for sure that Jesus was who John believed him to be. He was not afraid...

 

Key Passage
Jesus finished telling these things to his twelve followers. Then Jesus left there and went to the towns in Galilee to teach the people and tell them {about God}.

— Matthew 11:1 ERV (Read Full Text)

Key Thought
For someone who is easily distracted, the phrase "stay on task" is not only frustrating, but extremely needed. Everything in our modern lifestyles tends to push us into busy distractions. But Jesus remains on task. He is going to do the work the Father sent him to...

 

Key Passage
"If any person helps one of these little ones because they are my followers, then that person will truly get his reward. That person will get his reward even if he only gave my follower a cup of cold water."

— Matthew 10:42 ERV (Read Full Text)

Key Thought
Little things, small things, insignificant things are used by Jesus to make huge differences. A cup of cold water is such a wonderful thing when you are thirsty, away from home, and need some time to think and reflect...

 

Key Passage
"The person that accepts you also accepts me. And the person that accepts me also accepts the One (God) that sent me. Any person that meets a prophet and accepts him will get the same reward a prophet gets. And any person that accepts a good man because that man is good will get the same reward a good man gets."

— Matthew 10:40-41 ERV (Read Full Text)

Key Thought
While the previous verses have been about the disciples' willingness to stand with Jesus for Jesus and to...

 

Key Passage
"If a person will not accept the cross (suffering) that will be given to him when he follows me, then that person is not good enough for me. Any person that loves his life {more than he loves me} will lose true life. Any person that gives up his life for me will find true life."

— Matthew 10:38-39 ERV (Read Full Text)

Key Thought
Far from being a decorative piece of jewelry, the cross in Jesus' day was something hideous and shameful. Roman citizens weren't crucified...

 

Key Passage
"Don't think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace. I came to bring a sword. I have come to make this happen: 'The people in a person's own family will be his enemies. A son will be against his father. A daughter will be against her mother. A daughter-in-law will be against her mother-in-law.' Any person that loves his father or mother more than he loves me is not good enough to follow me. Any person who loves his son or daughter more than he...

 

Key Passage
"When a person stands before other people and says he believes in me, then I will say that person belongs to me. I will say this before my Father in heaven. But when a person stands before people and says he does not believe in me, then I will say that person does not belong to me. I will say this before my Father in heaven."

— Matthew 10:32-33 ERV (Read Full Text)

Key Thought
Life is really all about who we are trying to please. When it's all said and done, who do we...