What do I know with Isaac Carroll
What do I know with Isaac Carroll
Today's Bible Reading: Matthew 19-21 - Teachings on Divorce, Wealth and Discipleship, and the Parable of the Wicked Tenants
What does it truly mean to follow Jesus in a world filled with distractions and temptations? In this episode, we promise to take you through an insightful exploration of Matthew 19 and 20, shedding light on Jesus' profound teachings about divorce, the value of children, the challenges of wealth, and the essence of true discipleship. We'll unravel the poignant encounter with the young rich man and dive into the parable of the laborers in the vineyard, unveiling the depths of God's generosity and the call to prioritize eternal treasures over earthly possessions. Through our discussion, you'll gain a deeper understanding of the commitment and sacrifice Jesus demands from his followers.
Moving on to Matthew 21, we'll dissect the intense parable of the wicked tenants, where Jesus highlights the dire consequences of failing to honor God's kingdom. This episode will reveal the symbolic significance of the stone rejected by the builders, now becoming the cornerstone, and how this lesson resonated with the religious leaders of the time. Join us as we reflect on producing fruitful lives for God's kingdom and the vital messages embedded in Jesus' teachings. Don't miss out on this riveting conversation that connects ancient wisdom with contemporary relevance. Until tomorrow, may you be blessed and inspired by the truths we uncover.
May God bless you and lead you always.
Welcome to the podcast. I'm Isaac Carroll, and this is what Do I Know. Alright, in today's Bible reading we're going to be picking back up in Matthew 19. If you're ready, let us begin Now.
Speaker 1:When Jesus had finished these sayings, he went away from Galilee and he entered the region of Judea beyond the Jordan, and large crowds followed him and he healed them there. And Pharisees came up to him and they tested him by asking Is it lawful to divorce one's wife for any cause? And he said to them Because of the hardness of your heart, moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. And I say to you whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman, commits adultery. The disciples said to him If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry. But he said to them Not everyone can receive this saying, but only those to whom it is given. There are Enochs who have been so forth from birth and there are Enochs who have been made by men and there are Enochs who have made themselves Enochs. For the sake of the kingdom of heaven, let the one who is able to receive this message receive it. Then children were brought to him that he may lay his hands on them and pray. And the disciples rebuked the people. But Jesus said Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for such belongs to the kingdom of heaven. And he laid his hands on them and went away.
Speaker 1:And behold, a man came up to him saying Teacher, what good deed must I do to inherit eternal life? And he said to him why do you ask about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments. He said to him, which ones? And Jesus said you shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you should not steal, you should not bear false witnesses, honor your father and your mother and you shall love your neighbor as yourself. And the young man said to him All these I have kept. What do I still lack? And Jesus said to him If you would be perfect, go sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasures in heaven and come follow me.
Speaker 1:When the young man heard this, he went away, sorrowful, for he had great possessions. And Jesus said to his disciples Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. Again, I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through an eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God. When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying who then can be saved? But Jesus looked at them and said With man this is impossible, but with God, all things are possible. Then Peter said in reply See, we have left everything to follow you. What then will we have? Jesus said to them Truly. I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of man will sit on His glorious throne, you who have followed me will sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel, and everyone who has left house or brother or sister or father or mother or children or lands for my namesake will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last and the last first. Matthew 20 For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.
Speaker 1:After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard and going out about the third hour, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace. And he said to them you go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you. So they went going out. Again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour he did the same, and about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing and he said to them why do you stand here idle all day? They said to him, because no one has hired us. He said to them you go into the vineyard too. And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last up to the first. And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius.
Speaker 1:Now, when those hired first came, they thought that they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, saying these last worked only one hour and you have gave them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat. But he replied to one of them Friend, I am doing you no wrong, did you not agree with me? For Denarius, take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to the last worker, as I have given to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me, or do you begrudge me my generosity? So the last will be first and the first last.
Speaker 1:And Jesus was going up to Jerusalem and he took twelve disciples aside and on the way he said to them See, we are going to Jerusalem and the Son of man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day. Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons and kneeling before him. She asked him for something and he said to her what do you want? And she asked him for something and he said to her what do you want? And she said to him Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one on your left in your kingdom. Jesus answered you do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink? They said to him we are able. He said to them you will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and to sit at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.
Speaker 1:And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers. But Jesus called them to him and said you know that the rulers of the Gentiles lorded over them and their great ones exercised authority over them. It shall not be so among you, but whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of man has come not to be served but to serve and to give life as a ransom for many. And as they went out to Jericho, a great crowd followed him. And behold, there were two blind men sitting by the roadside. And when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out Lord, have mercy on us. The crowds rebuked him, telling them to be silent, but they cried all the more Lord, have mercy on us, son of David. And stopping, Jesus called to them and said what do you want me to do for you? They said to him Lord, let our eyes be opened. And Jesus, in pity, touched their eyes and immediately they recovered their sight and they followed him. Matthew 21.
Speaker 1:Now, when they drew near to Jerusalem and they came to Beth-Age, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two of his disciples saying to them Go into the village in front of you and immediately you will find a donkey, tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say the Lord needs them and he will send them at once. This took place to fulfill that was spoken by the prophet saying Say to the daughters of Zion Behold, your king is coming to you, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden. The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks and he sat on them. Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road and others cut branches from trees and they spread them on the road and the crowds that went before him and those that followed him were shouting Hosanna to the Son of David, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, hosanna in the highest.
Speaker 1:And when he had entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirring up, saying who is this. And the crowd said this is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth, the Galilee. And Jesus entered the temple and he drove out those who sold and bought in the temple and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who had sold pigeons and he said to them it is written my house shall be called the house of prayer, but you have made it a den of robbers. And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple and he healed them. But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things he did and the children crying out in the temple Hosanna to the son of David, they were indignant and they said to him Do you hear what these are saying? And Jesus said to them yes, have you not read Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies? You have prepared praise. And leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany and lodged there.
Speaker 1:In the morning. As he was returning to the city, he became hungry and seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but leaves and he said to it May no fruit ever come from you again. And the fig tree withered at once. When the disciples saw it. They marveled, saying how did this fig tree wither at once? And Jesus answered them Truly. I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what I have done to this fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain Be taken up and be thrown into the sea, it will happen. And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive if you have faith.
Speaker 1:And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching and they said by what authority are you doing these things and who gave you this authority? And jesus answered them. I also will ask you a question and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John from where did it come? From heaven or from man? They discussed it among themselves, saying If we say from heaven, he will say to us why then did you not believe in him? But if we say from man, we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was a prophet. So they answered Jesus we do not know. And he said to them Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things? What do you think?
Speaker 1:A man had two sons and he went to the first son and he said, son, go and work in the vineyard today. And he said I will not. But afterward he changed his mind and he went. And he went to the other son and he said the same and he answered I go, sir. But he did not go. Which of the two did the will of the father? They said the first. Jesus said to them Truly, I say to you the tax collectors and the prostitutes, go into the kingdom of God before you, for John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him. But the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed in him and even when you saw it, you did not afterwards change your mind and believe in him.
Speaker 1:Hear another parable. There was a master of a house who planted a vineyard and he put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and built a tower and he leased it to tenants and went into another country. When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servant to the tenants to get his fruit and the tenants took the servant and they beat one and they killed another and they stoned another Again. He sent other servants, more than the first, and they did the same to them. Finally, he sent his son to them, saying they will respect my son. But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves this is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance. They took him and threw him out of the vineyard and they killed him.
Speaker 1:When, therefore, the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants? They said to him, he will put those wretches to a miserable death and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruit in their seasons. And Jesus said to them have you never read in the scriptures? The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This was the Lord's doing and it was marvelous in our eyes. Therefore, I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruit, and the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him. When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard this parable, they perceived that he was speaking about them and although they were seeking to arrest him, they feared the crowds because they held him to be a prophet. All right, that's all the time we have for today. Tomorrow we'll pick back up in Matthew 22. Until then, god bless you and goodbye.