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Intervention and Prayer: Matthew 18:18-20
“18) Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven. 19) “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. 20) For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”” Matthew‬ ‭18‬:‭18‬-‭20‬ ‭
Jesus now brings prayer into the mix of reconciling a brother or sister caught in a trespass. We often make the mistake of separating these three verses on prayer from the context.
In the two paragraphs before and the one following these three verses, Jesus was talking about reconciling someone who has been caught up in sin or who is straying from God.
Let’s be honest, these verses are often quoted when attendance is small at prayer meetings or a Bible Study. Though it is true that small gatherings do not hinder God from doing big things, this context is talking about when two or three go to a straying brother or sister in an attempt to turn them back to God.
I believe it includes the concept of confidentiality. God wants these encounters to be small, private and confidential. It is there that Jesus promises to work and pull down sinful strongholds.
All such attempts at reconciliation need to be bathed in prayer. Be biblical, it is the Holy Spirit and not a judgmental critic Who convicts of sin. (Please read John 16:7-10) If you approach someone as judge and jury, bent on accusations and condemnation, you will cause more damage than good.
The situation may be anchored in a misunderstanding, or worse, you might be acting on hearsay. Invite the Holy Spirit to reveal hidden things and invite truth to reign.
Approaching these encounters in the flesh with presuppositions of guilt and accusation is wrong and sinful. The end result will most likely be disastrous and explosive.
Either way, the enemy needs to be bound in prayer and the encounter needs to be covered with the blood of Jesus. The praying should be limited to the team of two or three involved in the intervention. This praying is not for the church prayer-gossip chain as happens so often in dysfunctional churches.
When approached with a humble attitude and earnest prayer, Jesus promises to show up and amazing things can happen during times of intervention. Misunderstandings can be cleared up, grievances can be set aside, confession and repentance of sin can take place, the enemy can be bound, physical infirmities can be healed (James 5:13-17), strongholds can be pulled down, forgiveness can be extended, reconciliation can happen and fellowship can be restored. These can be powerful encounters that shake both heaven and earth.
Many times during these encounters, the Holy Spirit convicts all present of sin and humility will be needed by all. These small and confidential encounters contain the seeds for revival and awakening. They can inspire deeper prayer meetings, Bible studies and growing movements of God in the weeks and months following. These have the potential to ignite a deep and genuine moving of the Holy Spirit.
For those of you who have attended one of my Freedom Quest Workshops or studied the workbook, you will see the application to the Ten Steps to Freedom in this context of Scripture. Identify and pulling down “the seven basic strongholds” removes the hinderances to spiritual growth and can fuel the fires of a deep walk with God. The stories of what God is doing are multiplying fast. Jesus wants to set His people free from sinful bondage and fill them with the power of the Holy Spirit.
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global

Restoring Straying People: Matthew 18:15-20 15) And if your brother sins , go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. 16) But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed. 17) If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 18)Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” Matthew‬ ‭18‬:‭15‬-‭18‬ In the previous section, Jesus talked about a shepherd going after a sheep that had gone astray. In this text He talks about a Christian that has gone astray. He opens this text by saying; “If your brother sins.” Nothing is more blinding than personal sin. It can launch a man or woman on a path away from God and away from fellowship with other believers. It is often accompanied by self deception, rebellion and bitterness. As soon as possible, intervention is needed. The first step is to go to the person in private. Reach out in love and open a door of communications. The goal is to address sinful behavior. If the person responds, restoration and positive mentoring can proceed. If the person does not respond, you need to assemble a small and confidential intervention team. Jesus said; “take two or three others.” This should be bathed in prayer. It intrigues me that verses 18-20 talk about prayer, and again the word “two” is stressed. This is not a separate context. It is directly related to Matthew 18:15-17. Jesus is telling us that breaking down walls caused by sin is serious intervention. As mentioned above, it often involves confronting a spirit of deception, rebellion and bitterness at this point. The Holy Spirit must be involved at this level. No human is gifted enough to “fix” the problem at this level. This is now a spiritual battle. If these efforts do not result in a “break through”; it is time to get the church involved. Keep in mind, the goal is restoration and not accusation. It is at this level that truth is shared openly to prevent the spread of deception, rebellion and bitterness. Jesus said in John 8:32; “That you shall know the truth and the truth will set you free.” The two or three witness discretely but honestly share the facts they have uncovered. They must do this lovingly and humbly and call the person to repentance and restoration. This also prevents the spread of misinformation and a spirit of deception, rebellion and bitterness within the church. (Notice that I keep coming back to those three schemes of the enemy) Again, this must be bathed in prayer. Hebrews 12:15 says that a root of bitterness can spring up and cause trouble and defile many people. Satan is in the business of destroying marriages, families and churches. Make no mistake, all intervention involving sin is spiritual warfare. Be alert and seek intervention early. Be like the good shepherd, and seek the staying at the first sign of a cold heart or distant spirit. If the person does not respond at this level, it is important to distance them from the church? Why? It is at this point that you turn them over to God for correction and discipline. Let me share the biblical backdrop. The storm did not become calm for those on the ship until they threw Jonah overboard. Up until that point, they were partakes in Jonah’s discipline. When they cast Jonah overboard they were not abandoning him. They were merely turning him over to God. Paul instructed the church at Corinth to take these drastic measures with the man living openly with his fathers wife. (See 1 Corinthians 5 for the full story) Keep in mind; love, forgiveness and restoration are always the goal. Paul drove that point home in 2 Corinthians 2:6-11. When the sinful man repented and turned back to the Lord, Paul instructed the church to quickly forgive and restore him. His reasoning is recorded in 2 Corinthians 2:11; “in order that no advantage be taken of us by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his schemes.” Paul included himself in the list of those who could be taken in by the schemes of Satan. Though intervention can be messy, it is also the front lines where God wants to show up with His grace, power and mercy. We must never forget that God has given us the ministry of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:18-21) When done right, this can be the field and seeds for revival and awakening.
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global

Restoring Straying People: Matthew 18:15-20 15) And if your brother sins , go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. 16) But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed. 17) If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 18)Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” Matthew‬ ‭18‬:‭15‬-‭18‬ In the previous section, Jesus talked about a shepherd going after a sheep that had gone astray. In this text He talks about a Christian that has gone astray. He opens this text by saying; “If your brother sins.” Nothing is more blinding than personal sin. It can launch a man or woman on a path away from God and away from fellowship with other believers. It is often accompanied by self deception, rebellion and bitterness. As soon as possible, intervention is needed. The first step is to go to the person in private. Reach out in love and open a door of communications. The goal is to address sinful behavior. If the person responds, restoration and positive mentoring can proceed. If the person does not respond, you need to assemble a small and confidential intervention team. Jesus said; “take two or three others.” This should be bathed in prayer. It intrigues me that verses 18-20 talk about prayer, and again the word “two” is stressed. This is not a separate context. It is directly related to Matthew 18:15-17. Jesus is telling us that breaking down walls caused by sin is serious intervention. As mentioned above, it often involves confronting a spirit of deception, rebellion and bitterness at this point. The Holy Spirit must be involved at this level. No human is gifted enough to “fix” the problem at this level. This is now a spiritual battle. If these efforts do not result in a “break through”; it is time to get the church involved. Keep in mind, the goal is restoration and not accusation. It is at this level that truth is shared openly to prevent the spread of deception, rebellion and bitterness. Jesus said in John 8:32; “That you shall know the truth and the truth will set you free.” The two or three witness discretely but honestly share the facts they have uncovered. They must do this lovingly and humbly and call the person to repentance and restoration. This also prevents the spread of misinformation and a spirit of deception, rebellion and bitterness within the church. (Notice that I keep coming back to those three schemes of the enemy) Again, this must be bathed in prayer. Hebrews 12:15 says that a root of bitterness can spring up and cause trouble and defile many people. Satan is in the business of destroying marriages, families and churches. Make no mistake, all intervention involving sin is spiritual warfare. Be alert and seek intervention early. Be like the good shepherd, and seek the staying at the first sign of a cold heart or distant spirit. If the person does not respond at this level, it is important to distance them from the church? Why? It is at this point that you turn them over to God for correction and discipline. Let me share the biblical backdrop. The storm did not become calm for those on the ship until they threw Jonah overboard. Up until that point, they were partakes in Jonah’s discipline. When they cast Jonah overboard they were not abandoning him. They were merely turning him over to God. Paul instructed the church at Corinth to take these drastic measures with the man living openly with his fathers wife. (See 1 Corinthians 5 for the full story) Keep in mind; love, forgiveness and restoration are always the goal. Paul drove that point home in 2 Corinthians 2:6-11. When the sinful man repented and turned back to the Lord, Paul instructed the church to quickly forgive and restore him. His reasoning is recorded in 2 Corinthians 2:11; “in order that no advantage be taken of us by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his schemes.” Paul included himself in the list of those who could be taken in by the schemes of Satan. Though intervention can be messy, it is also the front lines where God wants to show up with His grace, power and mercy. We must never forget that God has given us the ministry of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:18-21) When done right, this can be the field and seeds for revival and awakening.
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global

The Responsible Shepherd: Matthew 18:12-14
““12) What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying? 13) If it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray. 14) So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish.” Matthew‬ ‭18‬:‭12‬-‭14‬ ‭
This parable seems to be connected to the little children from the previous two paragraphs. It is the story of a Shepherd who has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray. He leaves the ninety-nine and goes in search of the one that is straying.
Look carefully, this story is about the Responsible Shepherd and not the irresponsible sheep that strayed off. I cannot verify this, but it was most likely not a good thing for a shepherd to report on his resume that he had a tendency toward loosing sheep entrusted to his care.
The resume of Jesus as a Shepherd is recorded in John 10:27-29 and John 17:12. Of those that belonged to His Father, Jesus guarded them and lost none… except the Son of Perdition. Judas was never of the Fathers fold. Jesus has a perfect resume!
Let’s face it, sheep have a tendency toward straying. That’s why they either need pens or must be under the constant watch of an alert shepherd. Sheep can be trained to hear the shepherds voice, but even then some wander off.
Sheep are basically defenseless. They are easy prey for nearly any predator. Were it not for the care of a skillful shepherd, sheep would be a buffet meal for a bear, pack of wolves, lions or coyotes. Unlike the gazelle, they cannot flea fast or far in the face of danger. Worse yet, they are likely oblivious to pending danger. Even eagles have feasted on their share of young lambs.
Jesus made it clear in this text, that the responsible shepherd goes after straying sheep. He watches over His own. Matthew 18:14 says, “Thus it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish.”
This verse is meant for the comfort of His sheep, but also as a warning to predators. Those who prey on His sheep will discover the wrath side of the nature of God. According to Matthew 18:5-6, those who receive and care for children are blessed, but any who cause even one child to stumble will encounter the wrath of God.
God has a way of providing for orphans and widows. (See Psalm 146:9 & James 1:27) He blesses those who help provide for them! I would strongly encourage you to consider sponsoring a child through GoServ Global. For less than the cost of a cup of coffee a day you can help change the life of a child. (Seriously, I’m not exaggerating!) Call our office for details or look us up on the Web. We are in need of more sponsors.
On a personal note; I am so thankful that Jesus has been watching over me all of these years. I listen for His voice and sincerely try to follow Him, but He has reeled me in numerous times when I have strayed. I am confident there have been many more times that His guardians angels have protected me from evil or dangers that I was totally oblivious about. (See Matthew 18:10 & Hebrews 1:14)
I praise and honor and credit Jesus for His active care, provision and protection in my life. Even on my best days, I am still a needy sheep that is totally dependent on my Good and Responsible Shepherd. I resonate with David in Psalm 23:1; “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want!”
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global

Personal Stumbling Blocks: Matthew 18:7-11
““7) Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks! For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to that man through whom the stumbling block comes! 8) “If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than to have two hands or two feet and be cast into the eternal fire. 9) If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than to have two eyes and be cast into the fiery hell. 10) “See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven. 11) [For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.]” Matthew‬ ‭18‬:‭7‬-‭11‬
Jesus now talks about a subject that many Christian’s never consider. He zero’s in on personal stumbling blocks. He encourages every believer to identify the tripping stones in their life and walk with God.
I use to think this referred to those things that cause other people to stumble, but the text clearly points to self. Verse 8 says; “If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble.” The verse 9 says, “If your eye causes you to stumble. In other words, “What things have you allowed in your life that are tripping you up, hindering you, holding you back or causing your heart to lust and fall into sin?” Be courageous enough to identify them and remove them!
In these two verses, Jesus talks about your hand, your foot and your eye. I believe He is using them as an illustration of how serious we are to take stumbling blocks. He is saying; “No matter how important or valued a source of personal temptation may be, if it trips you up… get rid of it!”
This might include friends, entertainment, social habits like alcohol or even a cherished hobby. The list might change from person to person, but be courageous and thorough in setting your standards. Value your relationship with God more than your pleasures in life.
Early in my Christian life, I had to end some friendships because they caused me to stumble. A few of them meant as much to me as my own hand, foot or eyes. Ending them was painful but retaining them was going to be disastrous for my walk with God.
I also decided early on in my Christian life to remove all alcohol, because it was a family iniquity. I could not afford to leave that door open. It has destroyed countless lives and left some ugly marks on our family tree.
By far the hardest personal stumbling blocks for me to remove related to the television, movies and entertainment. I loved them! But they sucked away my time and fed inner lusts, worldly values and a bent toward anger, revenge and violence. I could not manage them, because they controlled me. They empowered my flesh and weakened my spirit. Occasionally, I would lose track of time and watch movie after movie both day and night for hours. Finally, I had to remove them completely.
Several times I thought I had them mastered and brought them back into my life in moderation. It wasn’t long before they took control of my time, thoughts and emotions all over again. Through every episode of introducing them back into my life, the Holy Spirit was grieved and my walk with God suffered. The spiritual fruit in my life dried up. I had no choice, I had to “cut them off from my life.”
The problem with a stumbling block is that in and of itself, it is not sin. In most cases they have innate value. My friends were all valuable to God. Jesus turned water into wine. There are some great Christian movies. “Value” is not the issue with a stumbling block. The issue is “what harm is it causing in your life and your walk with God?” “Is it causing you to stumble?” “Is it taking control of your life?” If so… then it is a stumbling block to you! Be bold and courageous and remove all stumbling blocks from your life.
A number of years ago, I made a shocking discovery. It related to a common denominator among the most godly and fruitful Christian leaders that I studied. Surprisingly, they were not “super saints”, rather they had courageously identified and removed personal stumbling blocks from their lives. They made their walk with God easier by removing tripping stones from their own pathway.
I recently discovered an amazing illustration of this principle. As I am working on improving my aviation knowledge for my biannual flight review, I read the FAA booklet on risk management and setting personal minimums. It is designed to make flying safer by eliminating emotional or random decisions about flying in questionable situations. It essentially minimizes risk by removing emotional “gray area’s” in decision making that contribute to both negative incidence and tragic accidents. It is based on the same logic Jesus used in this context.
The secondary consideration in this text is found in verse 10. It deals with placing stumbling blocks in the life of children. Adults have the power to set the course of a child’s entire life! The book of Proverbs was written as curriculum to lay a solid foundation under the life of children. Embrace this amazing book for yourself and the children under your influence. Children learn morals, values, ethics and attitudes toward God from key adults in their life.
It goes without saying that every parent needs to beware of the teachers they put in charge of the education of their children. The selection of a tutor by orthodox Jewish families for their children was taken very seriously in Bible times. This was so vital that Paul used it as a biblical illustration of the role of the Law in Galatians 3:23-29.
Not to deviate from the the text, but the whole contemporary discussion about “school choice” comes down to this conversation about stumbling blocks. At some point, the department of education in the United States shifted its focus away from quality education to social engineering. According to verse 10, God takes this very seriously.
Do yourself a favor and ask God to reveal your personal stumbling blocks. If you are honest with yourself, you know exactly what they are in your life. Then pick them out of your path and throw them in the ditch. Get rid of them. It will make your life easier and will be much safer for the little ones walking in your shadow.
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global

Kingdom Values: Matthew 18:1-6
“1) At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2) And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, 3) and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. 4) Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5) And whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me; 6) but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.” Matthew‬ ‭18‬:‭1‬-‭6‬ ‭
Tragically, the disciples were competing for favored status. They each wanted the top seat in the kingdom of heaven. They wanted to be “number one.” They wanted to sit at the right hand of Jesus.
They had totally missed the concept of servanthood. They missed the idea of putting others first. They bought into the worldly notion of “self promotion.” They were embracing the boastful pride of life.
To appreciate what Jesus did next, you need to understand the status of children in Jewish culture. Girls were lowest in cultural status. They were seldom even named in the Old Testament. Boys were not even considered as legal heirs until around age twelve. The first born was most valued, and like David, those toward the end of the birth order were treated as servants and not even invited to family events.
From this text, Jesus called a child to Himself most likely from the street children. Though not stated in the context, the child may have been an orphan. That would fit the object lesson best.
Then He said, “Whoever humbles himself as this child, he is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” These children were servants of all. Anyone could enslave them or force them to work. They had no rights and no defenders. They often labored all day for a mere piece of bread or a place to sleep in the stable.
The illustration was powerful. Those most despised by society have great value with God! Those the world puts last, God puts first. To despise the most unwanted child or exploit them is an eternal offense. But like the boy David out in the pasture, these boys and girls often developed a simple faith in God. To make one of these stumble defines a tyrant.
By this illustration, Jesus was striking a blow to pride, self promotion and rivalry of any kind. The servants of heaven are often despised by the world. They labor to glorify and honor God and not to promote self.
Of the twelve disciples, Judas became the example of greed and self promotion. He was in ministry for the money. Most of the others became martyrs for the gospel. Only John lived to die of natural causes associated with aging, and that after years of imprisonment for the cause of the gospel.
Paul said it best in Acts 20:24; “But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God.” Any attitude more self focused than this demotes Jesus and the gospel. It puts self and not God on the throne.
This story cuts me to the core. To embrace Jesus, I must be willing to forsake the world and it’s value system. I must humble myself. It is so hard to do because self promotion and pride are natural. We are programmed to subconsciously look out for #1. We live with an eye to self comfort.
Peter and James both state that “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6-7; 1 Peter 5:6-10) In both contexts Satan is prowling about seeking to exploit unsuspecting prey. Beware lest your pride and self promotion devours you.
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global

Lessons From Taxes: Matthew 17:24-27
“24) When they came to Capernaum, those who collected the two-drachma tax came to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the two-drachma tax?” 25) He *said, “Yes.” And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth collect customs or poll-tax, from their sons or from strangers?” 26) When Peter said, “From strangers,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are exempt. 27) However, so that we do not offend them, go to the sea and throw in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for you and Me.” Matthew‬ ‭17‬:‭24‬-‭27‬
As Jesus and His disciples returned to Caperaum from Caesarea Philippi, Peter was approached by a tax collector about paying the two-drachma tax. Most scholars consider this as the annual Jewish tax valuation Moses prescribed for the temple service and not a tax imposed by the Romans. (Exodus 30:13, 38:26) It was collected from men ages twenty to fifty.
This tax was considered voluntary. In outlining areas, it was collected primarily from strangers to prove they valued the religious services provided by the local Jewish religious leaders. Over time it became like a “customs tax” imposed on travelers through the area.
By paying the tax, Jesus was acknowledging that He was like a pilgrim passing through, yet He honored Moses, the Law and the temple. He was not going to enter into an argument over residency. After all, He was from Nazareth about twenty-five miles to the south east.
What becomes intriguing about the story is how Jesus displayed the attributes of Deity. Notice that He spoke to Peter first about the ordeal. This was a display of Omniscience. Only God knows all things. This quality was again displayed by foretelling about the fish and the piece of money in its mouth.
I cannot imagine the sequence of events that transpired for the stater to be in the mouth of the fish, but Jesus knew it! Peter did exactly as Jesus instructed him and so it happened.
It now become intriguing to follow the exchange between Peter, Jesus and fish. Two times when Peter came up empty with his fishing, Jesus provided nets full of fish. Here, He provided one fish with one coin in its mouth to pay the poll tax. Peter didn’t even have to sell the fish. It was a small but magnificent miracle. Finally, in John 21, Jesus provided a breakfast of fresh broiled fish to feed His hungry disciples. This was in the morning, before the daily fish market was open.
We could spend significant time on these stories. Each one is fascinating and full of insights. But when taken together, they point to the Deity of Christ. He is the Provider. He not only knows your needs, He is able to provide them in extraordinary ways.
On the humorous side, this story might draw a comparison between tax gathers and fish! They are both slimy, bottom dwelling… (LOL … I will let you finish the sentence.) Ok, I confess, I value the humorous side of life. Laughter is good medicine… it is the only medicine I take daily and often enjoy it in excess. It helps me keep a healthy perspective on life. I believe it is a biblical key to happiness in life. (See Proverbs 17:22)
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global

Don’t Mess With My Painting: Matthew 17:22-23
“22) And while they were gathering together in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men; 23) and they will kill Him, and He will be raised on the third day.” And they were deeply grieved.” Matthew‬ ‭17‬:‭22‬-‭23‬
It would be a fascinating study to read the four gospels and count how many separate occasions Jesus foretold His disciples about His coming death, burial and resurrection. This is the forth time in the past two chapters alone.
In Matthew 17:22-23, Jesus makes this the main subject of His conversation with His disciples. Matthew said, “They were deeply grieved.” Mark 9:32 adds; “But they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask Him.” Luke 9:45 adds even more commentary; “45) But they did not understand this statement, and it was concealed from them so that they might not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this statement.”
Foretelling His coming death, burial and resurrection now becomes a major theme in His conversations with the disciples. He was trying to prepare them, but His warnings were falling on deaf ears.
In a previous conversation recorded in Matthew 16:21-23, Peter took Him aside and rebuked Him for mentioning the subject. One must wonder what was happening? Let me pose a few natural possibilities.
First, they were so attached to Jesus they were experiencing emotional denial. This seems to be the motivation of Peter rebuking Jesus in Matthew 16:22. His words are telling; “God forbid it Lord! This shall never happen to you.” His emotions were blinding him.
Second, they were experiencing willful denial. They were so focused on His identity as Messiah and the promise of His coming Kingdom, they willfully ignored His warnings. This may help explain the next conversation between the disciples as they walked on with Jesus. It’s hard to imagine, but they were arguing about which of them would be greatest in the coming kingdom. (See Matthew 18:1, Mark 9:33-37, and Luke 9:46-48)
Third, they were experiencing subconscious denial. Their minds simply could not reconcile this kind of cruel treatment of Jesus with His continual acts of compassion, mercy and kindness toward people. If it is true that we reap what we sow in life, there was no way anything bad could happen to Jesus. He was the nicest, most loving, honest and kind guy that ever walked on earth. After all, life is supposed to be fair! Right?
This leads to the final possibility; their minds could not reconcile paradoxical truths. Concepts like love and hate, light and darkness, good and evil, mercy and justice, blessings and suffering, faith and works, sovereignty and free will, and even heaven and hell are so opposite that our minds naturally cling to one and dismiss the opposite. Wait a minute; if Jesus was indeed God, how then could He die? God is immortal; isn’t He?
The above four things happen to people all the time. It is nearly impossible to have a balanced view of reality. We naturally want to tip the scale in the direction of our experience and bias. Everyone sees the world through colored lenses.
A huge example of this is seen in the contrast between the western church and the persecuted church today. Because life is so good in the Laodicean church, it is hard to imagine that the church at Smyrna even exists. Our western minds subconsciously erase things like poverty, suffering, exploitation, persecution and the doctrine of martyrdom. They don’t line up with our daily experience.
Jesus spent significant time preparing His disciples for His coming suffering, death, burial and resurrection, but it did not register in their thinking until after the fact. Why? It did not fit the puzzle of His identity they had been assembling up to that point in His public ministry.
They couldn’t imagine an old rugged cross suddenly superimposed as the new main feature on the beautiful paintings of the life and works of Jesus Christ they were painting. It didn’t fit the picture! But it happened… just as Jesus said!
So what does your painting of Jesus and the Christian life look like? Are you saying to God, “Don’t mess with my painting!”
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global

Faith Journey: Matthew 17: 14-21
“14) When they came to the crowd, a man came up to Jesus, falling on his knees before Him and saying, 15) “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is a lunatic and is very ill; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. 16) I brought him to Your disciples, and they could not cure him.” 17) And Jesus answered and said, “You unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him here to Me.” 18) And Jesus rebuked him, and the demon came out of him, and the boy was cured at once.” Matthew‬ ‭17‬:‭14‬-‭18‬
When Jesus and His three disciples returned from the Mount of Transfiguration, they were met by a desperate father whose son was demon possessed. It is reminiscent of Moses coming down from the mountain with the Law only to discover the golden calf in the camp of Israel. A mountain top encounter with God is often countered by an attack from the evil one.
The father began begging Jesus to heal His son. The demon was mercilessly trying to destroy him. Demon possession is real and tragically happens to people today. John 10:10 paints an amazing contrast between Satan’s intent for people and what Jesus wants to do for people; “10) The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”
Notice the father had asked the disciples to cast out the unclean spirit and they could not. Jesus responded in verse 17 by lamenting their lack of faith. The same holds true for many pastors and religious leaders today. Many even deny the existence of demons and hand tormented people over to medical doctors or secular psychiatrists for care. Pastors who embrace naturalism are tragically unprepared to confront the kingdom of darkness and seldom see miracles in their ministries.
Fortunately, Jesus rebuked the spirit and it came out of him. The boy was cured at once. According to the Bible, some physical health problems can have demonic origins. The root cause may be spiritual and not physical.
In the next three verses the disciples came to Jesus privately and asked; “Why could we not cast it out?” In verse 20 He pointed to their small faith. He then said that faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains.
The Bible has three cures for small faith. First, Romans 10:17 says that “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Embrace the Word of God and make it your standard for truth as you build a biblical world view under your life.
It does not say that faith comes from studying the theologians. Many of them wrongfully conclude that God does not do miracles today. They destroy faith. It has taken me years in the Word of God to sort out truth versus theological deception. If you want to become mighty in faith, devote yourself to spend hours in God’s Word listening to the Holy Spirit.
Second, in Matthew 17:21, Jesus said, “… this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” If you want your faith to grow, deepen your relationship with God through prayer and fasting. Prayer is not about prayer, it’s about intimacy and communion with God! Set aside time daily to seek God in prayer and carve out seasons for extended fasting and communion with God.
Finally, 1 Peter 1:6-9 teaches that faith is refined through times of trials and testing. If you want your faith to grow, forsake living in your comfort zone and step up and step out to the front lines where things are really tough. Go on a mission trip to a third world country. Visit a slum or ghetto. Serve in a homeless shelter. Become the hands and feet of Jesus in a war torn region delivering food and help. Volunteer for a disaster site to deliver hope where everything looks hopeless. Start praying for the sick on a cancer ward or in hospice care.
But you say, “What difference can I make in those situations?” The answer is “absolutely none!” These are situations where you quickly come to the end of yourself and have no choice but to cry out to God! That’s what makes the difference show up.
I am learning that faith starts when and where I come to the end of myself. Living a sheltered, comfortable and self-reliant life kills faith. It’s true, faith doesn’t thrive in a vacuum.
That’s why Jesus sent His disciples out to preach the gospel with limited provisions to heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers and cast out demons… and then to freely give what little they had. (Matthew 10:7-8) He wanted them to come face to face with personal inadequacy as quickly as possible to force them to cry out to God.
When you stand face to face with a tragically demon possessed person that is desperate for help, you plant your mustard seed of faith really fast. You quickly turn to the Word of God for answers and to prayer for Divine help. Soon faith begins to grow and mountains begin to move.
These disciples may have failed the test in Matthew 17, but the gates of hell could not prevail against them after the day of Pentecost. They discovered mountain shaking prayer in the face of opposition. Take time and read Acts 4:29-31. Faith grows on the front lines.
I graduated from Bible College smart in theology but weak in faith. Much of my faith was painfully developed on the front lines of ministry. Like the disciples in Matthew 17, I have failed many tests, but over time mountains began to shake as I came to the end of myself and desperately began crying out to God for help! (Acts 4:29-31) Courageous prayer doesn’t sound like poetry. It is much more like a plea of desperation.
So what can be learned from this text in Matthew 17:14-21? Let me fire off a few points. Don’t run and hide from the demons in life. Faith grows best on the front lines. When you come up short, turn to Gods Word for your answers. Jesus is more than a match for any trial. Prayer is not about prayer, it’s about developing intimacy with God. Faith starts the moment you come to the end of yourself. Failure is not fatal, rather it’s the necessary motivation to push you deeper with God! Mountains shake through prayer, but they move when you stand in faith and speak to them through your authority “in Christ.” (That one might take some biblical reflection.) Growing in faith is a journey that must be walked by every believer over time. Be patient with yourself, God is not finished with you yet!
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Co-Founder of GoServ Global

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The Debriefing: Matthew 17:9-13
“9) As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man has risen from the dead.” 10) And His disciples asked Him, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” 11) And He answered and said, “Elijah is coming and will restore all things; 12) but I say to you that Elijah already came, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they wished. So also the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” 13) Then the disciples understood that He had spoken to them about John the Baptist.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭17‬:‭9‬-‭13‬
The experience on the Mount of Transfiguration had a significant impact on the three disciples. Peter wrote of it many years later in 2 Peter 1:16-21. He used the occasion to speak of the accuracy of prophecy. It is a must read Scripture when studying the Transfiguration.
As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about the vision until He had risen from the dead. It is intriguing that Jesus referred to the transfiguration as a “vision.”
What happened on that mountain is shrouded in mystery. They all experienced the exact same event, but of the three, Peter was the only one to write about it. Matthew, Mark and Luke all record it in their Gospels, but none of them were actually present on the mountain. It is absent completely from the Gospel of John, and of the four Gospel writers he was the only one present on the mountain.
A curious question is posed to Jesus by the disciples on the way down from the mountain in Matthew 17:10; “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” The scribes were Old Testament scholars. They may have been referring to Malachi 4:4-6. It is intriguing that both Moses and Elijah are mentioned in that context. The disciples had just witnessed them together on the Mount of Transfiguration.
Some believe they are together again in Revelation 11:1-13 as the two witnesses during the tribulation period. Verse 6 says; “These have the power to shut up the sky, so that rain will not fall during the days of their prophesying; and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire.” As you can see, it is hard to refute this claim of the identity of the two witnesses in the end times being Elijah and Moses.
Why are the two so important? I believe God was saying that the whole Old Testament from the Law given through Moses to the prophets point to Jesus. I have said this before, but it is worthy of repetition; “History is His Story!” The New Testament is concealed in the Old Testament. The Old Testament is revealed in the New Testament. They are in harmony.
Note in Matthew 17:11-13, Jesus pointed to John the Baptist fulfilling the role of Elijah in preparing the way for the Messiah. He was the forerunner for the Messiah. John the Baptist was definitely in the spirit and power of Elijah.
The key however, is that Jesus uses the trip down the mountain to again highlight His coming suffering, death and resurrection. He spoke of it twice in these five verses. He was very intentional about preparing them for His coming crucifixion.
On the cross, the Lamb of God redeemed humanity from the curse of sin. He paid the sentence in full. The resurrection confirmed His claim to Deity. (See Romans 1:4) This is the Gospel message.
But it may be helpful to talk about Old Testament prophecy from the vantage point of the Scribes and religious leaders. The disciples had obviously picked up on the Scribes objection to Jesus being the Messiah. So, why did they reject Jesus? The simple answer is the timing was off by 2,000 years according to their theology.
They viewed the six days of Creation followed by the day of rest as God’s prophetic calendar. Psalm 90:4 states that a thousand years from Gods perspective is as one day. Accordingly, by the historic Jewish calendar, Jesus came at the end of the forth millennium after Creation and not at the end of the sixth millennium.
According to their interpretation of prophecy, the Messiah would usher in the Sabbath rest for Israel. (See Hebrews 4:9-11) He would set up His Kingdom and restore the nation of Israel. Even the disciples questioned Jesus about this very issue after His resurrection. (See Acts 1:6)
Are you starting to see the problem? The timing of Jesus being the Messiah didn’t fit their theology. The timing of the return of the Messiah to restore all things and set up His earthly kingdom was off by 2,000 years in their thinking. This is the primary reason the religious leaders rejected Jesus as the Messiah and treated Him with scorn. They were blinded by their own theology.
We now discover a unique characteristic of prophecy, it can have duel meaning and fulfillment. It can relate to both the first and the second return of Christ. Elijah is a great example. He was the forerunner for Jesus as John the Baptist and He is pictured as a forerunner for the return of Christ as one of the two witnesses in Revelation 11:6. Prophecy about Elijah had duel fulfillment.
So what is our takeaway from this debriefing in Matthew 17:9-13? Let me present a concept to you; God’s Word, especially related to prophecy is always accurate and true, but is cloaked with a degree of mystery. It must be handled with care.
Biblical prophecy is intended to help us walk by faith and not by sight. It always make sense when looked at in the rear view mirror, but looking ahead is like driving into fog. Scripture says to be alert and ready for the second return of Christ; but it leaves plenty of room for things to unfold in unexpected ways as the end times come upon us.
Here is my advice; don’t force or calcify your view of the end times to the point that your theology makes you blind! Leave room for things to unfold in unexpected ways. There are many theological theories of the end times and some people get very testy if you question their views.
I confess, I am amused by each view, but I leave room for things to unfold with plenty of surprises. Prophecy does not put God in a ridged box related to the end times, it merely presents the signs of the times. My goal is to be faithful, share the gospel and remain alert and ready for the second return of Christ.
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global