I was impressed in chapter 16 with the necessity of Divine illumination. The Pharisees didn't have it. The disciples showed time and time again that they needed it, and needed more of it again. Peter demonstrated that he had it, but only for a brief time. I am so thankful that we live in an era where we have the continual indwelling of the illuminating Spirit of God! Even so, how many times are we like Peter and move so quickly from what God has shown us to our own earthly, fleshly wisdom? Constant dependence on the Spirit is what our thinking needs!
The end of chapter 16 (vs.24-26) was a good reminder to me of the demands that discipleship brings. There are crosses to bear, but the rewards that await those that do take up those crosses and give their lives for Christ far outweigh the sacrifice. With that in mind, can you really call these "sacrifices" sacrifices?
The account of Jesus' healing the boy with a demon takes a bit of a twist from earlier accounts of healing. By this point in Matthew we are getting used to seeing the connection between the great works of Christ and the faith of the one coming to be healed. Here the necessity of faith is seen again, but this time it is what is needed for someone to do great things in the Name of God. The disciples could not cast out the demon because they did not have faith (17:17).
Just a few comments about chapter 18. Vs7-9 give us the serious call to radical amputation that is necessary for lasting victory in the Christian life. Vs15-20 details the church restoration process that unfortunately is not practiced by many so-called churches today. Interesting to note that vs20, that so many quote with regard to small church gatherings, comes up in this context where God's presence in the midst of two or three gathered believers is for the purpose of confirming the condemnation of the unrepentant so-called Christian. Hmmmm...makes you wonder why so many people use this verse as a means of comfort.
The final parable in chapter 18 is probably my all-time favorite. Not because of the tragic ending, but because of the picture of myself that I see there. I am the one who owed 10,000 talents (an unimaginable sum!), and yet I am forgiven! How much more, then, should I be a forgiving person seeing how much I have been forgiven! What a good God we have!
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