Back to the Bible Canada with Dr. John Neufeld

You only know if you are obedient to Christ when He asks you something you don’t want to do or when His commands become hard when everything within you screams out “I don’t want to do this, this costs too much.” It is then and only then when we discover whether or not we are his servants.

Jesus says, in verse 23 –“when they persecute you in one town, flee to the next.” Notice how important this verse is. Jesus is not saying that you must prove your faithfulness by going to prison or undergoing hostile treatment. He however is saying that we must acknowledge him before men that we must endure in the day of evil.

Like any good teacher Jesus is not hiding from the disciples what is coming. This short term experience is getting them ready for their life long ministry in which they will establish a church for the whole world. And the mild opposition they now face will be ratcheted up.

Too many of us dream about what we might do for the kingdom without ever learning to be faithful in everyday small things. Like learning to share your faith with family and friends. Like serving others in some way at church. Like volunteering when there is a need.

Jesus is talking about not a harvest of judgment but a harvest of the mercy and kindness and salvation of God

The sheep are simply following the leaders of the herd and they are being ravaged. The harvest He said is plentiful but the laborers are few. And unless the laborers go what shall become of the sheep?

Christ's miracles are also a test of human faith. They showcase the state of the human heart and whether or not people are willing to put their trust in Jesus

In this message, Matthew presents us with a man who requests to have Jesus come and heal his daughter and as Jesus is going He performs another miracle on the way.

Matthew has been telling us in the account of the calming of the storm that Jesus is Lord of nature. Now he uses this true account to tell us that Jesus is also Lord of the unseen realm of angels and demons. His authority of all things is complete and absolute.

Matthew has been telling us in the account of the calming of the storm that Jesus is Lord of nature. Now he uses this true account to tell us that Jesus is also Lord of the unseen realm of angels and demons. His authority of all things is complete and absolute.