a 365 day trip through Matthew with a key thought, prayer, focus verse and contextual verses for each day
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Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (NIV)
Matt. 28:18-20
Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins....” Then he said to the paralytic, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” And the man got up and went home. When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to men. (NIV)
Matt. 9:5-8
For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time. (NIV)
1 Tim. 2:5-6 |
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April 3
For those on Earth! - Matthew 8:5-9
When Jesus entered the city of Capernaum, an army officer came to him, begging for help. The officer said, “Lord, my servant is at home in bed. He can’t move his body and is in much pain.” Jesus said to the officer, “I will go and heal him.” The officer answered, “Lord, I am not worthy for you to come into my house. You only need to command it, and my servant will be healed. I, too, am a man under the authority of others, and I have soldiers under my command. I tell one soldier, ‘Go,’ and he goes. I tell another soldier, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and my servant does it.
Full Text
Key Thought
Authority comes in all shapes and sizes. It can be earned, it can be given by title or position, it can be coveted, it can be seized, but only One truly has, will have, and has had ultimate authority.
Like so often today, it takes someone who has handled authority with character to truly recognize someone else with authority. The Centurion recognizes authority when he sees it. He is under the authority of superiors. He commands authority over those under his rule. In Jesus, he recognizes authority in way that none other possesses. He comes to Jesus, to have what no other can do, be done for a beloved servant.
This powerful man, reminds us that it is not just the weak who see Jesus as Savior, but the strong and powerful as well. It is not just the Jew who searches for Messiah, but the God-fearing Gentile, too!
Today's Prayer
Almighty, incomparable, and authoritative God, I trust in your truth, your will, and your power for everything. Open my heart to your guidance so that I might live as one under your authority and exercise the authority that I am given with integrity, care, and honor. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Today's Verses with Jesus
(key verses in bold)
When Jesus came down from the hill, great crowds followed
him. 2 Then a man with a skin disease came to Jesus. The man
bowed down before him and said, “Lord, you can heal me if
you will.”
3 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man and said, “I
will. Be healed!” And immediately the man was healed from
his disease. 4 Then Jesus said to him, “Don’t tell
anyone about this. But go and show yourself to the priest and
offer the gift Moses commanded for people who are made well.
This will show the people what I have done.”
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5 When Jesus entered the city of
Capernaum, an army officer came to him, begging for help. 6 The
officer said, “Lord, my servant is at home in bed. He can’t
move his body and is in much pain.” 7 Jesus said to the
officer, “I will go and heal him.” 8 The officer
answered, “Lord, I am not worthy for you to come into my
house. You only need to command it, and my servant will be healed.
9 I, too, am a man under the authority of others, and I have
soldiers under my command. I tell one soldier, ‘Go,’ and
he goes. I tell another soldier, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I
say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and my servant does it.
10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. He said to those who
were following him, “I tell you the truth, this is the
greatest faith I have found, even in Israel. 11 Many people will
come from the east and from the west and will sit and eat with
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But those
people who should be in the kingdom will be thrown outside into
the darkness, where people will cry and grind their teeth with
pain.” 13 Then Jesus said to the officer, “Go home.
Your servant will be healed just as you believed he would.”
And his servant was healed that same hour.
14 When Jesus went to Peter’s house, he saw that Peter’s
mother-in-law was sick in bed with a fever. 15 Jesus touched her
hand, and the fever left her. Then she stood up and began to
serve Jesus.
16 That evening people brought to Jesus many who had demons.
Jesus spoke and the demons left them, and he healed all the
sick. 17 He did these things to bring about what Isaiah the
prophet had said: “He took our suffering on him and carried
our diseases.”
(NCV) The New Century Version, (Dallas, Texas:
Word Publishing) 1987, 1988, 1991.
Used by permission.
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