October 13, 2010 Matthew 14:13-17:13

Jesus fed 5,000 men, not counting the women and children, one evening. He took 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish and thanked God for them as he broke them. Then he gave them to the disciples who gave them to the people. Everyone ate and were satisfied. They even had leftovers!
Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side of the lake. (He needed to be alone to pray.) The boat was quite far away and winds had come up so the water was choppy. Jesus came out to them walking on the water. They thought He was a ghost, but Jesus told them not to be afraid. Peter wanted to walk on the water too, so Jesus told him to. He got scared and started to sink and cried out for Jesus to save him. Jesus told him he had little faith. The winds calmed down and they got to the other side of the lake. The people recognized Jesus and everyone wanted to be healed. They had such faith that they knew they could be healed if they just touched his coat. They were healed.

So the Pharisees were at it again trying to discredit Jesus. They questioned Him about washing hands before eating. He questioned them about not honoring their parents. Then He called them hypocrites and told them Isaiah had been right about them. (Isaiah 29:13) Jesus took this opportunity to explain to the people that what they eat doesn't make them unclean, but what they say does. (Words are powerful things, God created everything just with words!)
Later, a Canaanite woman wanted Jesus to heal her daughter. Jesus ignored her for a while, but finally told her He was there for the Israelites. On her knees she asked Him to help her. He told her it wouldn't be right to take from the children and give to the dogs. Then she told him that even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table. Jesus told the woman she had great faith and her daughter was healed.
Jesus went by the Sea of Galilee, climbed up a mountain and sat down. Huge crowds came bringing people for Jesus to heal. He healed them for 3 days and told the disciples that He wanted to feed them so they could return home and not faint. Jesus fed 4000 men plus women and children with 7 loaves of bread and some small fish in the same manner as before. Again there were leftovers.

The Pharisees and Sadducees tried to trick Jesus by asking Him for a sign. He told them the only sign they would get is the sign of Jonah. Later Jesus and the disciples went across the lake and the disciples forgot the bread. Jesus told them to be careful of the yeast of the Pahrisees and Sadducees. They thought He was talking about the bread they forgot. Jesus was talking about guarding against the teachings of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
People had different opinions of who they thought Jesus was. Simon Peter told Him that He was the Christ (Messiah) the Son of the living God. Jesus blessed him and told him he would build His church on Peter (which means rock) and He would give Him the keys of the kingdom. He warned them not to tell anyone that He was the Christ.
From then on, Jesus spent time explaining to the disciples the things that would happen to Him. Peter didn't like hearing about these things. Jesus rebuked him. Then He explained that to save your soul, you need to die to this world. Each person will receive their reward. He promised them that they would see the Son of Man coming into his kingdom before they died.

Jesus took Peter, James and John up to a high mountain. Jesus was changed and started glowing all over. Then Moses and Elijah were talking with Jesus. Peter wanted to make them shelters. Just then a cloud came over them and a voice spoke. It was God and He told them how pleased He was with His son and commanded that they listen to Him. The men fell down on their faces. Jesus touched them and told them to get up. Only Jesus was there. On the way down the mountain, Jesus told them not to talk about what they had seen until after the resurrection. The men asked Jesus about Elijah. Jesus told them Elijah had already come and he was treated badly and the Son of Man would be treated in the same way. Then they understoon that Jesus was talking about John the Baptist.

Tomorrow read Matthew 17:14-20:34