Matthew 15:13

Monday, 22 December 2025

But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Matthew 15:13

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“And having answered, He said, ‘Every planting that not He planted, My heavenly Father, it will be uprooted” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus’ disciples came to Him, exclaiming that Jesus knew the Pharisees were offended when they heard His saying. In response to that, Matthew records, “And having answered, He said, ‘Every planting that not He planted, My heavenly Father.”

A new word in Scripture is seen, phuteia, a plant, but literally a transplanting. It is found only here in the Bible. Jesus is referring to the religious leaders, equating them with plants. It is probable, He is connecting this to the parables He gave in Chapter 13 –

“Another parable He near-set them, saying, ‘It is likened, the kingdom of the heavens, to a man having sown good seed in his field. 25 And in the ‘sleeps the men,’ he came, his enemy, and he sowed darnel in between the wheat, and he went away.’” Matthew 13:24, 25

The explanation of that parable is found in Matthew 13:37-43. Along with that, there are other such references to be found in the Old Testament, such as in Deuteronomy 29 –

“…so that there may not be among you man or woman or family or tribe, whose heart turns away today from the Lord our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations, and that there may not be among you a root bearing bitterness or wormwood; 19 and so it may not happen, when he hears the words of this curse, that he blesses himself in his heart, saying, ‘I shall have peace, even though I follow the dictates of my heart’—as though the drunkard could be included with the sober.” Deuteronomy 29:18, 19

“And the Lord uprooted them from their land in anger, in wrath, and in great indignation, and cast them into another land, as it is this day.” Deuteronomy 29:28

As was recorded at times in the Hebrew Scriptures, something the scribes and Pharisees would have known and understood, and as Jesus relayed to the disciples in Matthew 13, Jesus notes of these apostate leaders, like darnel or a root of bitterness and wormwood, “it will be uprooted.”

Just as a plant can be transplanted by one person, it can be uprooted by another. If the devil has sown into God’s field worthless plants, it is certain that the Lord will have them uprooted and disposed of through judgment and fire.

Life application: The Bible uses simple metaphors to convey deep spiritual truths. The things it mentions are things that were understood by the people in the land. And despite Israel being a land that many people may not be able to fully identify with, such as a desert if someone is raised in a forest, the surrounding explanations are usually sufficient to enlighten people to whatever is being conveyed.

And yet, the spiritual truths that are tucked away in Scripture are so deep and so profound that to this day, people are still discovering new information from this word. Because of this, you will get out of the Bible whatever effort you put into it.

At the same time, some things are only meant to be properly understood or interpreted at specific times. God slowly releases the information, inspiring His people to understand His word according to His wisdom.

This is why new things continue to be found. So don’t be frustrated if something comes out and you think, “Why didn’t I get that!” There is enough in the word of God to satisfy the minds of His people until the consummation of all things comes to pass.

Keep reading, meditating, and studying His word. It is a treasure trove of God’s wisdom in relation to the process of redemption that is going on in the world around us.

Glorious God, what a wonderful word You have given us. Thank You for its insights into so many areas of life. When we pick it up and read it, it always seems relevant to what we need to hear right at that moment. What an amazing and relevant word You have given us! Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

John 10:30 (I and the Father, We Are One) – 2025 Christmas Sermon

Artwork by Douglas Kallerson

John 10:30
(I and the Father, We Are One)

Who, He is, ‘image the God, the invisible,’ Firstborn – all creation. 16 Because in Him, it was created, these all, the ‘in the heavens’ and the ‘upon the earth,’ the visible, and the invisible, whether thrones, whether lordships, whether rulers, whether authorities. These all, through Him and unto Him, it has been created. 17 And He, He is before all, and the ‘all,’ in Him, it has been co-established. 18 And He, He is the Head, ‘the body, the out-calling,’ whom He is the beginning – Firstborn from dead, so that He might be, in all, He preeminencing.” Colossians 1:15-18 (CG).

(Typed 24 November 2025) At Christmas, people get excited for various reasons. In Japan, at least when I lived there forty years ago, people would get excited about the holiday. A week before Christmas, lights would go up everywhere. The stores were filled with special presents for the holiday while Christmas music filled the aisles of the stores. And you would be remiss if you didn’t buy a kurisimasu kaiki to celebrate.

At midnight, while everyone was digesting their kurisimasu kaiki as they slept, the lights were being taken down. By morning, you would never have known it was Christmas. In the US, it is no less vulgar. It just goes on a bit longer. Landfills overflow with shredded wrapping paper and less-than-ideal toys.

Some people get excited, even angry, about the day. Atheists sue, Muslims target, and legalistic, better-than-everyone-else Christians condemn those who would dare to celebrate a “pagan” holiday.

The timing of Christ’s birth wasn’t December! They quibble over the dating, hate their neighbor as they do, and miss the whole point of what the day signifies. If they checked the Feasts of the Lord recorded in the books of Moses, they would find that several of them coincide with pagan holidays. Add in the Feast of Dedication recorded in John 10:22, and they would see that it does too.

So there must be a reason why there is a closeness between the dating of God’s redemptive calendar and the general dating of other calendars.

Text Verse: “I and the Father, We are One.” John 10:30 (CG)

For clarity, Jesus was born on the Feast of Acclamation, recorded in Leviticus 23:23-25. That would have been the September-October timeframe. This means He was conceived right around the time of the Feast of Dedication, which corresponds to the Christmas timeframe on modern calendars.

So the day we are celebrating, though lost through time and because of a lack of understanding of what the Bible conveys, is not the birth of Jesus from the womb. Rather, it is the day Jesus was conceived in the womb, the very moment of the incarnation.

However, regardless of the day, and apart from how any saved Christian celebrates the day, meaning with understanding or ignorance about the details, we come together like those in Japan, to have a moment of celebration, a deviation from the routine, and to enjoy family and friends in a, hopefully, closer bond for a span.

The job of the preacher, my job, is to instruct you on how to more appropriately celebrate the day, or at least how to more fully understand what the day signifies. That way, even if you have traditions of various sorts that have nothing to do with the Bible, which is perfectly fine by the way, you will be directing your hearts and minds to the One who is ultimately the reason behind Christmas.

By carefully and contemplatively considering the words of Colossians 1 in relation to Jesus, it is incredible to ponder the magnificence of the moment of conception, followed by His life, as recorded in the Bible.

God had a plan. It was one set in His mind before a single thing beyond Himself existed. Before Creation, He was, just as He is today, and just as He will be forever and ever. In His state, there is perfect fellowship in Himself that was the impetus for going beyond Himself.

Knowing that He could share Himself with a creation of His design, while also knowing there would be a time of chaotic existence that would inevitably result from creating a cognitive, sentient being, He saw that the final result would be worth the intermediate stages of disorder, disharmony, and downright evil that would be realized in the process.

With this final goal in mind, and allowing for the interim chaos that had to be, He spoke the universe into existence. He then fashioned it to be filled with order and precision. From our perspective, there is harmony, grace, and a demonstration of love in how all creation works and in how the various parts interact with one another.

And yet, there are also chaotic events that constantly terrify us, swirling, erupting, and shaking our home planet. These tragedies, however, aren’t something unexpected to God, nor do they mean things are out of control, a common sentiment among those who deny God’s existence, leading them to their faulty conclusions concerning the matter.

What seems to be unmanageable and chaotic from one perspective may be perfectly proper from another. The old saying, “You have to break a few eggs to make an omelet,” means that the chaotic breaking of an egg can lead to a good (well, a yummy) end.

It is true that people die in accidents, wars, natural disasters, and from old age, but it is also true that if these things weren’t taking place, there would be no people from whom God could build a church.

It may seem cold and crass that a comparison between eggs and people has been put forth, but the Bible goes further, comparing people to clay jars, fashioned according to God’s will and to be used or disposed of according to that will.

We use things, be it eggs, clay jars, wood, hay, and straw, to provide examples of how things may be treated. These concepts give us understanding in other things. But more relevant to the matter is that we, as humans, tend to overvalue our importance in the grand scheme of things.

We are cognitive beings who understand things from our perspective. We are physical beings who have needs and desires. Therefore, when we interact with the world around us, things are perceived from our own limited perspectives and in relation to our hopes, needs, wants, desires, and so forth.

This naturally makes us self-centered. We look at the world and think, “I am me. I am important.” We also do this with those we are close to. “This is MY child, how dare God give him cancer!”, as if God owes us or our children health and ease.

We often also place high value on our pets, our houses, and our bank accounts, as if they have great importance. At the same time, however, we may hear of 250,000 people being swept away in an Indonesian tsunami and not think a thing of it.

When we see people dying in war, we will evaluate those deaths based on who we are rooting for. The soldiers who die on the other side “got what they deserved.” Can’t you see how limited we are in our thinking!

The soldier who was killed at 10:42 am had just left his family a few days earlier. He had hopes and dreams. He had a girlfriend and a good job with many friends. He had a special pet puppy, and he never hurt a thing. But he “got what he deserved,” according to the other “good” side of the conflict.

But he also had something else. He had Jesus. Unlike most of those around him, and most of those on the other side of the conflict, he had Jesus. The others, all with their own families and lives, had sin. Now, who is “getting what he deserves?”

According to the Bible, we all deserve death and eternal separation from God. Depending on how we live our lives, we deserve varying levels of punishment as well. We really overestimate our own value as human beings. To God, and apart from Jesus Christ, we have none.

But we also have the potential for great, even eternal value. The difference between the two is Jesus. Without Him in the mix, the creation of the universe, the formation of man, and the breath of life being breathed into his lungs is an exercise in futility, even vanity.

God could have remained in perfect fellowship with Himself and spared all the effort of setting things in motion. However, despite all of the things that from our perspective are bad, evil, wicked, painful, horrifying, and so forth, everything that is happening is intended to meet a good purpose –

“But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.” Genesis 50:20

While eggs are being broken, an omelet like we cannot even imagine is being made. And the entire process, from beginning to end, is centered on God Himself and His plan of making it come about. Colossians 1:15, speaking of Jesus Christ, says, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.”

Words have meaning, and those words cannot be disassociated from the context of what is being said in Colossians 1 without destroying the intent of the author.

Paul’s words there, and in the verses that follow, are precise. They are intended to cut through heresies that were already being introduced concerning Christ Jesus at that early date. In order for those at Colossae, and all believers in all ages since then, to understand proper Christological doctrine, he penned those words about Jesus Christ.

Paul says of Jesus, “Who, He is, ‘image the God, the invisible.’” The Greek word translated as image “assumes a prototype, of which it not merely resembles, but from which it is drawn.” It is then “More than a ‘shadow,’ rather it is a replication” (HELPS Word Studies).

This replication reflects what it is replicating for us to understand. There is a stress on the words, “image the God, the invisible,” to lead us to grasp that Jesus Christ is revealing that which would otherwise be unknown. This is the purpose of the incarnation.

God, who is love and who created with intent and purpose for fellowship beyond Himself, essentially replicated His being through the incarnation. It is more complicated and precise than that, but this is stated as a way of conveying the truth of God in Christ by Paul.

God’s perfections and His very Being are seen in Christ, being completely and accurately displayed in Him. This is explained in several different ways in the Bible. A few examples are –

“No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.” John 1:18

“He who has seen Me has seen the Father.” John 14:9

“I and the Father, We are One.” John 10:30 (CG)

What is being conveyed to us is that God is, but we cannot see Him. In order for us to understand Him in an intimate and personal way, He united with His creation in the womb of Mary, coming as Christ Jesus.

Therefore, He is the image, or replication, of what we could otherwise not see. He explains the Father to us because He is one with the Father, having come from the Father. The choice of wording Paul gives, and the many references elsewhere in Scripture, call out for us to believe that Jesus Christ is God, nothing less.

When referring to God, Hebrews 1:3 calls the Son “the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person.” Paul repeats that sentiment in 2 Corinthians 4:4. God is, and Jesus is God.

Jesus is also described as “Firstborn – all creation.” It is an interesting Greek word, prototokos, being derived from prótos, “first” or “preeminent,” and tiktó, “bring forth.” The German scholar Bengel says of this word, “Time is an accident of the creature. Therefore, the origin of the Son of God precedes all time.”

In other words, Paul is not saying that Jesus is the Firstborn of all that is created, but He is the Firstborn prior to all that is created. He is eternal, having issued from the Father and having preceded time itself.

Vincent’s Word Studies says of this word, “As image points to revelation, so first-born points to eternal preexistence.” This is logically supported by the words to come. If this were not true, then Paul could not continue with his presentation the way he does, and yet he will.

Moreover, the pattern used here in Colossians 1 is repeated in Hebrews 1 and John 1, showing that it is not a mistake by Paul, but it is rather logical and proper.

There is Christ, and then there is creation, which follows. Logically, Christ then is God, issuing from the Father prior to the creation of time itself, and having been in eternal fellowship with Him.

Understanding this inescapable truth, Paul next writes in verse 16, “Because in Him, it was created, these all, the ‘in the heavens’ and the ‘upon the earth,’ the visible, and the invisible, whether thrones, whether lordships, whether rulers, whether authorities. These all through Him and unto Him, it has been created.”

Saying “because” is given as an explanation of the previous verse, which refers to Jesus as “image the God, the invisible.” Verse 16 is given to explain and expand upon that. It is not that Jesus Christ is merely a knock-off copy of God. Rather, He is God, wholly and completely. Paul substantiates that by saying, “Because in Him, it was created, these all.”

We have read about God creating elsewhere, haven’t we? In Genesis 1:1, it says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” The term “the heavens and the earth” is meant to be taken as an all-encompassing statement. Elohim created all things.

Elohim is the Creator; Jesus is the Creator. It is not hard to figure out what Paul is telling us. And more! The words “these all” (ta panta), being plural, provide a collective sense. This then signifies the entire universe, which includes all things.

From the atoms to the galaxies, all things were created by Him. Without the article in Greek, it would mean all things individually, but the article shows that it is all things collectively. He created, and all things came to be.

It is the same message written by John at the very beginning of his gospel, “In beginning, He exists, the Word. And the Word exists with God. And God, He exists – the Word” John 1:1 (CG).

It is the same message that is repeated in various ways and by various writers in both Testaments of the Bible. Logically, there can be only one Creator. Anything created by Him is then a contingent being, a created and dependent being that cannot create anything.

And yet, man has done everything possible to deny the deity of Jesus Christ in order to separate Him from what is said about Him. They have even added words into this verse in order to change the meaning of it, hoping to obscure what God has done in and through Jesus Christ.

As for Paul’s words of Colossians 1:16, in the words “was created,” the aorist tense denotes a specific, definite event which occurred in history. It wasn’t that there was a creation, and then a re-creation. Nor were there some things created, and then other things created later. Instead, all things were created, and they remain as the creation to this day.

As Paul continues, and as if his words were as yet insufficient to describe Jesus, he says, “the ‘in the heavens’ and the ‘upon the earth.’” Again, this is an all-encompassing statement concerning the totality of creation.

His words again return to Genesis 1:1, showing that everything created by Elohim was created by Jesus. Elohim is God, and yet, Jesus is God. It is not hard to figure out what Paul is conveying to us. But to ensure that even the dull of mind can figure it out, he continues, “the visible, and the invisible.”

We understand that “these all, the ‘in the heavens’ and the ‘upon the earth,’” includes things which cannot be seen, such as spirits. Everything in the material world, and everything in the spiritual world, is included in Jesus’ creative efforts. No angel exists apart from His work of creation.

And more, Paul continues with, “whether thrones, whether lordships, whether rulers, whether authorities.” Within both the spiritual and the earthly realms, there are levels of authority that govern the affairs of sentient beings. These were created by Christ Jesus. None exists apart from His authority in creation.

All things, and all levels of authority, are subordinate to Christ Jesus. As a qualifier to this, however, Paul elsewhere says –

“For ‘He has put all things under His feet.’ But when He says, ‘all things are put under Him,it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. 28 Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.” 1 Corinthians 15:27, 28

Jesus Christ is not above the Godhead. Rather, He is a member of it.

Paul finishes verse 16, saying, “These all, through Him and unto Him, it has been created.” He repeats the words ta panta, these all, in order to recapitulate what he had just said. The words, again being collective, speak of everything.

Nothing is left undone, and His creative efforts are all-inclusive. The scholar Lightfoot says, “The latter describes the definite, historical act of creation; the former the continuous and present relations of creation to the Creator.”

Paul’s words of this verse are so clear, so meticulously presented, and so obvious as to what they are relaying that even a dolt, nay – a sub-dolt – should be able to figure out what he is saying.

Paul is not merely implying that Jesus is God. Rather, his words make the claim explicit. But this doesn’t fit with the theology of heretics, and so they will actually change the word of God in order to deny what Paul is saying.

Think about that in relation to what was said earlier. Man, apart from Jesus Christ, has no value because man has sin. God understood that even what He has provided to instruct us on who He is and what He has done, meaning His word, would be manipulated by man to deny who He is.

And yet, we think we are the center of everything while denying the Creator of all things. Could a more poignant example of man’s true worth apart from Christ be seen?

As for Paul’s words, they continue in verse 1:17, saying, “And He, He is before all, and the ‘all,’ in Him, it has been co-established.” The words, again, are intended to highlight the deity of Christ.

The first clause is stated emphatically, And He, He is before all.” It is an unequivocal declaration that His existence precedes any and all creation. He, in the absolute sense, is the Creator because nothing precedes Him. Nothing. This includes space, time, and matter. It includes anything that may be apart from those things that we are wholly unaware of.

As only God existed before all things, then Jesus Christ is God. He is the One who spoke to Moses, saying, ehyeh asher ehyeh, “I will be that I will be” (CG). In other words, He is because He is. He is uncreated and exists necessarily, because there is existence. But it is not because there is existence, meaning the universe, that He exists.

Jesus Christ, Yehovah incarnate, is self-existent and dependent on no other thing. His claim in John 8:58 is more fully understood because of this –

“Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham was, I, I Am.” (CG)

Colossians 1:17 confirms the words of the previous verse, “These all, through Him and unto Him, it has been created.” If He alone is before all things, then He must be the Creator of all things. Only He is a necessary Being. All other things are contingent, dependent on Him for their existence and continuation.

But because only God is a Necessary Being, then Jesus must be God. This is further realized in the words, “in Him, it has been co-established.” In other words, everything was placed together, and everything continues to be held together by Jesus Christ.

The sentiment is restated by the author of Hebrews using the words, “and bearing these all, the utterance, the power through Himself” Hebrews 1:3 (CG). The universe (these all) was created by Him. Being contingent, it is also dependent on Him at all times for its continued existence.

This shows us that He is God, who alone is absolutely necessary. He cannot not exist. All other things could simply not be. But God alone must exist. This is the Being who Paul says Jesus Christ is.

As the Bible teaches that God is also Father and Holy Spirit, we are being instructed in the doctrine of the Trinity. It helps explain why God created. He is capable of fellowship. He created in order to extend that fellowship beyond that which exists in Himself. It is an inescapable result of accepting the words of Scripture when taken at face value.

As for Paul’s words, they continue, breaking from the creation model and stating something beyond the wildest imaginations of man. And yet, the words are fully in line with the preplanned purposes of God, which existed before He spoke a single thing into existence. Paul writes, “And He, He is the Head, ‘the body, the out-calling,’ whom He is the beginning – Firstborn from dead, so that He might be, in all, He preeminencing.” Colossians 1:18

Jesus was presented in relation to the creation. He existed before it and above it. He created it, and He has sustained it since its creation. The words refer to Him being preeminent in all ways in relation to creation.

In verse 1:18, He is presented in relation to the church, a body which came forth out of the creation, and which is formulated from what He has done in creation. Paul emphatically says that “And He, He is the Head, ‘the body, the out-calling.’” (CG).

The emphatic “He” is given as a parallel to His being the image of God. The One who is the image of God is He who is the Head of this newly derived body. There is parallelism running between the two thoughts, which will be built on by Paul.

The people of the world are all a part of the creation, but because of the fall and because of free will within man, not all of those in creation have acknowledged God. However, within the stream of humanity, God has called out a group who acknowledge Him. Those in this group have become members of His body.

Paul deals with this in the book of Ephesians, where a stress is placed upon the unity of the body. Now he places the stress on the preeminent position of Christ within the body. Jesus Christ is the Head of this group, the out-calling, meaning the church.

While speaking of Him, Paul says, “whom He is the beginning.” As He is the One who created all things, so He is the beginning of the new thing which God has done within the creation. In this body, which is called out of the world, Christ is the beginning of it, being “Firstborn from dead.”

This is where the parallelism finds its true anchor. It is between Christ’s position in relation to creation and His position in relation to the church. He is “Firstborn – all creation” as was seen in verse 15, and He is “Firstborn from dead.” The two thoughts place Christ Jesus in the preeminent position in all things.

However, there is a point that must be considered. Though Christ is the firstborn of both, His status in relation to the church differs from His status in relation to creation. He is the Firstborn from the dead, having been One who was… dead, just as those who come after Him also die. However, though He is the Firstborn over all creation, He is not a part of the creation.

In other words, it shows the magnitude of what Christ, the Creator, was willing to do in order to identify with those He has called. He was willing to participate in the most humiliating aspect of all in order to fellowship with us.

Death is the result of sin. He was willing to take our sin upon Himself and die. Having no sin of His own, He had to resurrect. It is impossible that it could be otherwise. Peter exclaimed in Acts 2:24 that it was not possible that Jesus should be held by death.

In His resurrection, He carried our sin away through His death, leaving it in death so that we might follow Him in life. He is the Firstfruits from the dead. He is the Pattern for all who will afterwards arise from the dead.

But this refers to the resurrection, not merely a reanimation. Others have been reanimated to life. It happened to Lazarus. It has happened in hospitals throughout the world as well. Those people died or will die again.

On the other hand, what happened to Jesus is of another order entirely. His was a resurrection. It is a permanent restoration of life because of a spiritual connection with God. The power is that of an indestructible life. When Lazarus was raised, this wasn’t the case. His life was and remained destructible because his sin debt had not been dealt with. As such, there was no spiritual connection with God.

Jesus died. His death was a destructible death, but it was not destructible for Him. He had and always retained the spiritual connection to God. Jesus’ death was a substitutionary death. He vicariously died for our sins.

In His dying for our sins, sin no longer has mastery over us. Therefore, anyone who comes to Jesus by faith has the spiritual connection with God restored. Because of this, our death is not a destructible death, except for the physical body that our souls bear.

Jesus is the First of the resurrection, coming forth to eternal life. For those who come to Him, death, meaning spiritual death, is conquered in Him. Therefore, all who are in Him are spiritually alive in God.

Whether in relation to creation, or in relation to the church, Christ is first so “that He might be, in all, He preeminencing.” As Vincent’s Word Studies states, “He became head of the Church through His incarnation and passion, as He is head of the universe in virtue of His absolute and eternal being.”

In all things and in all ways, Jesus Christ is the first. He holds the position of absolute preeminence. But this also teaches us a truth about ourselves. Jesus is the Head of the body, the out-calling of God. A body is something united. It is a whole that has many parts, but it is a whole.

This is why Paul uses the term “in Christ” again and again in his writings. He is making a point concerning us. Paul repeatedly says, “God in Christ.” However, he also says, we are “in Christ.” In other words, Christ, the Messiah, is the tie that binds between the two.

God has united Himself with His creation, not only in the incarnation of Jesus, but He has also done so with us through Jesus. Jesus is the One who stood in our place in death. As such, He is the One who has restored us to life. In this, God has sealed us, in Christ, with the sealing of the Holy Spirit.

What does this have to do with Christmas? It means that the fellowship of family, something we celebrate at Christmas, is brought to an entirely different level because of what Christmas signifies.

God united with His creation on this celebratory day. It was with the intent of forming a family to fellowship with. He considered what the act of creation meant, including trials, sadnesses, disasters, and death, and He knew that it would be worth all of what we consider “evil” to proceed.

Joseph said to his brothers, “…you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.” God knew what the devil would do. He intended evil against God, but God meant it for good.

A purpose for all the bad in the world is being served. Every time someone responds to the good news of God in Christ by responding to the gospel, God’s ultimate plan of a forever family is being realized.

God is not unconcerned about the trials and sadnesses of humanity. But they are a reality that must exist in order for His plan to come about. For those not in Christ, there are almost an infinite number of reasons why it is so.

The time, location, conditions, and attitudes of our existence all bear on whether we will be in Christ or not. A person who was born at an inopportune time will never have the chance of hearing or responding to the gospel.

A person born in an area that is not evangelized because money, access, and resources made it impossible for it to take place will never have the opportunity as well.

It may be that the conditions in a country, such as North Korea, make it impossible for the gospel to be shared. This isn’t God’s fault. Rather, it is how things happen. Why would we blame God if we got in a car and had an accident?

We choose to own cars. We voluntarily get into them knowing the conveniences and the risks. Would we be happy if God said, “You cannot have cars?” Likewise, we appoint leaders. It is the way the world is set up. North Korea has its leader because that is the way it is. God is not to blame.

Likewise, people have their own attitudes and dispositions. There are 8.5 million people in New York City. The vast majority of them have heard of Jesus. Many of them have in-depth knowledge of Him. And yet, only a small portion of them have accepted His offer of peace with God.

Is God to be blamed for that? None of these things shows either an incompetent or an uncaring aspect of God. The fact that He sent Jesus, with the specific purpose of dying for sin, indicates that He cares about sinful human beings.

Don’t overestimate your value in God’s eyes. But don’t dismiss it either. The potential in you, because of Christ, is what matters. You have a choice this Christmas. Accept the offer of God’s Son, given for You in the Person of Jesus Christ.

If you do, you will be the pearl of great price that Jesus was willing to sell all for. It is your faith in Jesus that will make it so. The world is filled with flawed, useless pearls that God will not deal with. But there is one, the people who have faith in Jesus, for whom He was willing to sell everything.

This is the kingdom of the heavens that Jesus speaks of, and you can be a part of it because of the Christmas Child that God gave for the sins of the world. Be sure to receive what He has done today.

Closing Verse: “Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.’
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
14 ‘Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!’” Luke 2:8-14

Next Week: 1 Samuel 14:15-30 Pretty yearny, like skies so sunny… (A Journey – the Honey) (27th 1 Samuel Sermon)

The Zeal of the Lord of Hosts

Unto us a Child is born
A time to rejoice and not to mourn

Unto us a Son is given
The One to lead us from death to a’livin’

And the government will be upon His shoulder
Every eye will see Him; every soul will be His beholder

Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom’s realm
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever – He at the helm
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this

And His name will be called Wonderful
The Counselor and Mighty God is He
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, pure and white as wool
Of the increase of His government and peace, no end shall we see

Do not be afraid, for behold
I bring you good tidings of great joy
Which will be to all people, forever told
The wondrous story, the birth of a Boy

For there is born to you this day
In the city of David, a Savior, it is He
Christ the Lord, whom heaven’s hosts obey
The Messiah has come, and now you may go and see

And this will be the sign to you:
You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes
Lying in a manger, a glorious view
The Christmas Child whom our Heavenly Father bestows

A Child like no other has come to dwell among us
He shall lead us in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake
And His name is called out, His name is JESUS
Come, and of the Heavenly Child partake

He is God’s gift and heaven’s treasure
He is Immanuel – God with us
And He bestows upon us grace without measure
The Christmas Child, our glorious Lord – JESUS!

Hallelujah and Amen…

 

Matthew 15:12

Sunday, 21 December 2025

Then His disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” Matthew 15:12

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“Then His disciples, having come near, they said to Him, ‘You have known that the Pharisees, having heard the saying, they stumbled!’” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus noted that it isn’t what goes into the mouth that defiles a man. Rather, what comes out of his mouth is what does. Having said that, it next says, “Then His disciples, having come near.”

Jesus spoke to the scribes and Pharisees, probably without the others grouped around them. Room was allowed for Jesus to engage in the conversation without interruption, but still close enough that the disciples could hear and learn.

Once the conversation with them was finished, Jesus called to the crowd, and with an implicit rebuke to these leaders, told the people His words about what defiles a man and what doesn’t. After He said this, the disciples, probably seeing the leaders go off in a huff, came to Jesus to personally address Him. Once with Him, “they said to Him, ‘You have known.’”

This is not a question, as translations imply. The verb is a perfect participle without any form of negation to indicate a question is being proposed. The participle signifies a completed action with a state that continues into the present. More likely, it is an exclamation, “You have known!”

They were completely surprised that Jesus said what He said, knowing it would elicit a negative response. He was aware of what would happen, and He continued in that state, knowing they were miffed. That is explained in their next words, “that the Pharisees, having heard the saying, they stumbled!”

The word translated as stumbled is rightly paraphrased as “offended.” They took offense at Jesus’ rebuke concerning transgressing God’s commandment. They were offended at His continued rebuke of them for being hypocrites by placing tradition above that commandment. They were offended at His citation of Isaiah, which pointed directly at their hypocrisy, even suggesting that Isaiah was referring specifically to them.

And if they heard His words to the crowd, they would have been offended at what He said to them as well. He had taken their tradition and spoken against it to the general public, taunting them with His wisdom that was superior to their poor, self-centered customs.

Life application: Jesus came on a mission. It was to fulfill the Mosaic Covenant and introduce a New Covenant in its place. However, as long as the Old Covenant was in effect, He defended it while still implying that something better was to be found in Him.

There is nothing contradictory in this. The words of the covenant, along with their associated penalties for disobedience, were written down. Obedience was not optional. However, within the Mosaic code, which included the later writings, Jeremiah prophesied a day when God would cut a New Covenant with Israel.

Jeremiah never said, “This is great! Now we are no longer under this covenant, and we are free from the curses and the punishment.” Instead, he acknowledged Israel’s transgressions and accepted that their punishment was just and deserved.

Jesus, likewise, conveyed this same truth to Israel. They would remain bound to the Mosaic code until they came to Him. Knowing they wouldn’t, He prophesied of all the disasters that would come upon them.

If those disasters came upon them, which were according to the Mosaic Covenant, then that means, by default, that they are still, even to this day, bound to that law. Unfortunately, because the Mosaic law is fulfilled by Jesus, it is no longer what God accepts in order to be right with Him.

They will build a temple. The rites and sacrifices associated with it will take place. And not one iota of what they do will be accepted by God. Rather, this will only continue to keep them from any possible right relationship with Him. Until they realize this, forsaking the law by coming to Christ, they will continue to suffer terrible times.

Jesus is the key to understanding all of Scripture and the entire history of the Jewish people. Pray for them as they continue to rebel against Him through their rejection of Jesus. It is right that we do so.

Lord God, we lift up the nation of Israel to You. Along with all the other lost souls in the world, they need Jesus. We pray that many will come to know Him before the rapture. After that day, hard choices will need to be made by them. Open their eyes to the glory of Jesus our Lord, O God. Amen.

 

Matthew 15:11

Saturday, 20 December 2025

Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.” Matthew 15:11

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“Not the ‘entering into the mouth’ it profanes the man, but the ‘proceeding from the mouth,’ this, it profanes the man” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus called for the attention of the crowd to “Hear and understand.” He now explains to them, “Not the ‘entering into the mouth’ it profanes the man.”

This is based on the shocked attitude of the scribes and Pharisees as the chapter opened –

“Then they came to Jesus from Jerusalem, scribes and Pharisees, saying, 2 ‘Through what – Your disciples, they sidestep the tradition of the elders? For they wash not their hands when they may eat bread.’” Matthew 15:1, 2

Jesus then went through an explanation of how these same people who had set up traditions were actually violating God’s law. Because of this, their hearts were far from God. What the people ate, regardless of any external washings of hands, pitchers, bowls, etc., was clean.

It was something God had given to man for food to sustain him, and that was its purpose. A man is not rendered unclean by such things. However, He continues, saying, “but the ‘proceeding from the mouth,’ this, it profanes the man.”

He has already explained the meaning of this in His citing of Isaiah. What God finds deplorable are those who disobey Him, or even those who obey Him, but do it with an evil heart. Because the disciples missed the point of Jesus’ words, He will have to explain the intent more fully in verses 18-20 of this chapter.

Life application: Missing the point of what is going on, Charles Ellicott, citing the general tenor of innumerable scholars, pastors, preachers, and teachers, says –

“Now a great broad principle is asserted, which not only cut at the root of Pharisaism, but, in its ultimate tendency. swept away the whole Levitical system of ceremonial purity—the distinction between clean and unclean meats and the like. It went, as the amazement of the disciples showed, far beyond their grasp as yet. Even after the day of Pentecost, Peter still prided himself on the observance of the Law which was thus annulled, and boasted that he had never ‘eaten anything common or unclean (Acts 10:14).’” Charles Ellicott, et. al.

The last thing on this planet that Jesus would have done is to hint that the Levitical law (the Levitical system of ceremonial purity) was done or that it could be ignored or sidestepped. He was born under the law, and He abided by it, fully and completely. To not have done so, or to have taught others to not do so, would have been to fail fulfilling… Anyone? – Yes, the law!

“Cursed is the one who does not confirm all the words of this law by observing them.” Deuteronomy 27:26

More to the point, however, is that Jesus would have been taken out and stoned as a lawbreaker if He were to have promoted ignoring God’s law. What Jesus is telling these people is something they would have understood from the context of their lives under the law. There were certain foods they were allowed to eat and certain foods they were not permitted to eat.

There were also times when foods were rendered impure as well. Jesus is not speaking of these things, nor would the people have thought He was. Jesus was questioned about ceremonial washing. As noted, Mark gives more details, saying –

“Now when they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, with unwashed hands, they found fault. For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders. When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other things which they have received and hold, like the washing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels, and couches.” Mark 7:2-4

This is what these religious leaders were referring to and what Jesus was likewise referring to. The law deemed eating a camel as unclean. Not a person there would have thought or taught differently. The same is true with pigs, bats, bunny rabbits, and lobsters.

Mixing Peter’s misunderstanding of the fulfillment and ending of the law in Acts 10 (and elsewhere) with what was occurring under the law is a doctrinal error known as “mixing dispensations.” Jesus is speaking to the people of Israel, to whom the law was given. The law had not yet been fulfilled, and it was in full effect upon every person of Israel.

Only after Christ Jesus fulfilled the law did it lose its force, power, and effect over those with faith in Christ Jesus’ fulfillment of it. This is why Israel, to this day, still stands condemned through failure to uphold the law. They bound themselves to it by covenant agreement. They rejected Jesus’ fulfillment of it, and thus, in God’s eyes, they remain under its full penalty for failing to adhere to it.

The main theme of this life application is DO NOT MIX DISPENSATIONS. What belongs to the law remains under the dispensation of the law. What belongs to the grace of God in Christ belongs to the dispensation of grace. Keep the boxes separate, and your doctrine will be simple, sound, and sensationally super.

Lord God Almighty, give us wisdom to rightly apply dispensational understanding to our study of Your word. Without it, we will be contradicting, misunderstanding, and unsatisfying in our understanding of what it is instructing us. May our understanding be sensationally super through a right application of this important doctrine. Amen.

 

Matthew 15:10

Friday, 19 December 2025

When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear and understand: Matthew 15:10

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“And having summoned the crowd, He said to them, ‘You hear and comprehend!’” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus finished citing the words of Isaiah, which He had said rightly referred to the scribes and Pharisees. Next, He will begin a new thought, but one which is still connected to His ongoing words against these leaders of Israel. The words begin with, “And having summoned the crowd.”

This would be the crowd gathered in the land of Gennesaret, as noted in verse 14:34. They would have seen the ongoing dispute the scribes and Pharisees had with Jesus. With His words to them complete, He turns to the crowd to instruct them on the matter.

This is particularly important because the scribes and Pharisees would have been considered the cream of the crop in religious circles. The people would have heard them and accepted their word concerning such matters. And yet, Jesus had strongly refuted them, directly quoting Scripture to make His point.

With that complete, He turns to the crowd. One can see the scribes and Pharisees still there while Jesus ignores any further discourse with them. Instead, He addresses the people in what will turn out to be a stinging rebuke of these religious leaders. It will conclude His thoughts about what they presented to Him in verse 15:2. Understanding this, Matthew records, “He said to them, ‘You hear and comprehend!’”

The crowds have been filing away the thoughts of the scribes and Pharisees all their lives. Anytime they needed to know a matter, it would be these men who would be consulted for a definitive answer to their question.

In this case, however, Jesus will address the crowds directly. Saying, “You hear and comprehend,” is like saying, “Pay careful heed. I have an important matter for you to hear and then file away for future reference when these people come to you with their faulty conclusions concerning this matter.”

Life application: In any argument, be it religious, political, mechanical, structural, nuclear, etc., the only thing that matters is what is true. Truth can be defined as “that which corresponds to reality.” If two nuclear scientists disagree on the effects of adding tritium into the fission process when developing a nuclear bomb, there are certain parameters that can be determined by mathematical calculations.

The calculations will determine the truth of the matter. But if one scientist continues to disagree, building a bomb with the disputed amount of tritium and igniting it will resolve the matter. Likewise, if someone says that he wants to build a skyscraper in a certain way, there are calculations to determine if his plans will succeed or fail.

If a point of stress is misidentified or ignored, the entire structure could fail and come tumbling down. When debating religion, it doesn’t matter how someone “feels” about a matter. If what he says contradicts Scripture, it doesn’t matter if he claims the Spirit told him, God spoke to him, he had a dream or a vision, etc. If Scripture is God’s standard in understanding Him, then such claims are irrelevant.

People all over the world, and also for the past two thousand years, have made claims about matters of faith, doctrine, inspiration, etc. And yet, none of them has added a single word to God’s word. It is true that some have claimed such additions, like Ellen G. White of the Seventh Day Adventists and Joseph Smith of the Mormons.

However, their writings, which are supposedly inspired by God, have only caused division, confusion, and apostasy from the truth of Scripture.

Therefore, when talking to someone about matters of doctrine or theology, there must be a basis for any disagreement, meaning a standard by which the matter can be resolved. If someone claims he has had a dream that tells him something and it contradicts Scripture, then either Scripture is wrong, or his dream is false.

If the standard that is set is Scripture, then the dream, by default, must be false. However, if the claim is made that the dream is valid, there is no longer a standard by which the two can dispute the matter. You are now arguing apples and oranges. There is absolutely no point in continuing the discussion.

This is what Jesus faced. He was given a supposed standard. That standard was not in accord with Scripture. As such, He cited Scripture and ended the discussion, instead turning to the crowds to present information based on His conclusion.

Don’t be duped into arguments with people who have no set standard that you can agree upon. You are wasting your time and will inevitably bolster their nutty ideas in their own minds and possibly in the minds of others.

Lord God, Your word instructs us concerning when to engage a dispute and when to step away from one. Give us wisdom to apply this to our own lives as we encounter those who have made claims on matters related to Scripture. Help us to know when to engage and when to disengage from such matters. Amen.