Matthew 21: The End of the Beginning (4)
Pray Psalm 63.1, 2
O God, You are my God;
Early will I seek You;
My soul thirsts for You;
My flesh longs for You
In a dry and thirsty land
Where there is no water.
So I have looked for You in the sanctuary,
To see Your power and Your glory.
Sing Psalm 63.1, 2.
Nun Danken: Now Thank We All Our God
O God, You are my God, and earnestly I seek You!
My soul thirsts and my flesh in weariness now greets You!
Thus I would see Your face, with glory and pow’r arrayed,
in this Your holy place, Your beauty here displayed.
Read Matthew 21.1-22; meditate on verses 20-22.
What’s the difference between faith and doubt?
Prepare.
1. On what were the disciples focusing?
2. What did Jesus want them to learn?
Meditate.
Remember, the tree withered immediately (v. 19). The disciples watched it wilt, shrivel and die. They wondered aloud how that could be, just as you and I would have. Jesus did not rebuke them for asking. But He answered a question they may not have been asking. They asked about the withering of a tree; Jesus responded about the exercise of faith and the power of prayer.
Jesus’ answer says, in brief, that faith and prayer can bypass the natural order of things. Think about that. Jesus used the example of the fig tree and of throwing a mountain into hyperbole for the power of faith and prayer. If we really believed that God wanted those things to happen, and prayed earnestly and faithfully for them to be so, they would.
But prayer tricks are not where God’s agenda runs, so don’t waste your time on requests that Jesus meant as symbols of where prayer really can have power. Lost people who aren’t just indifferent to the Lord, but hostile? Prayer can change their hearts (Saul of Tarsus). Insuperable obstacles standing in the way of ministry progress, chaining us to the status quo? God can free us from them and help us move through them (Peter, released from prison). Relationships broken? Prayer can heal (Paul and John Mark). Forced to move to a new area? God can use it to advance His Kingdom (the people scattered from Jerusalem in Acts 8-11).
The more we pray now and at all times, and the more we exercise our faith in obedience to God’s Word, the greater will be our readiness to do God’s will in our Personal Mission Field. If we only had faith (v. 21), we would pray for God to do in and through us things exceedingly and abundantly beyond what we’ve ever dared to ask or think (Eph. 3.20). He is at work in us, to will and do of His good pleasure (Phil. 2.13). Fig trees and mountains are not the point. Faith, prayer, and obedience are. How is God leading you today?
Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
The disciples saw, marveled, and asked:
“How did the fig tree wither away so soon?” (Matt. 21.20).
And we are asking Jesus the same question about His further teaching:
“How did this happen? What are we to learn from this?”
Need often boosts faith.
Years ago a college student we were working with arrived back on campus after a long trip to another State.
He showed up at our door early in the morning…hungry. As we were not expecting him, the only food we had on hand was one egg. One. I prayed over that one dear egg, and it became enough to feed three adults and one growing child. I saw, I marveled, and I thanked God. It was better than moving a mountain.
The same thing happened with a friend of Elijah’s. A widow was gathering sticks during a drought to cook a bit of flour so she and her son could enjoy a last meal before they starved. That is dire need. When Elijah saw her, he asked her for a cup of water and a morsel of bread. At that request she said to him, “As the LORD your God lives, I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a jar; and see, I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die” (1 Kgs. 17.12).
But Elijah’s faith kicked into overdrive, and he said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son. For thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the LORD sends rain on the earth.’ So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days. The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the LORD which He spoke by Elijah” (1 Kgs. 17.13-16).
So many things happened there. Elijah’s faith was infectious, so much so, that the woman fed him first, and believed him that they would all survive. Her faith became evident as she fed the prophet before she fed her son or herself. All actions were focused on the generosity of God; and He took care of all those looking to Him for salvation. All involved were affected by the drought and were hungry. All involved trusted God, then saw and marveled.
“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you,
you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you” (Jn. 15.7).
“And my God shall supply all your need
according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4.19).
“My times are in Your hand…” (Ps. 31.15).
“Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save;
nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear” (Is. 59.1).
“For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him…
Give us this day our daily bread” (Matt. 6.8, 11).
Jesus wants us to understand His tender loving care—and to marvel at His gracious and merciful provision.
Asking in faith, without doubt, for our needs to be met—trusting Him every step of the way.
Reflect.
1. Jesus wants to stretch our faith, to grow us beyond where we are. How does He do that with you?
2. Each day we encourage you to pray and sing a psalm. How can doing so stretch your faith? Are you experiencing this?
3. What can we as believers do to help one another trust the Lord more consistently and submit to His stretching-out in us?
This passage shows also that the true test of faith lies in prayer. If it be objected, that those prayers are never heard, that mountains should be thrown into the sea, the answer is easy. Christ does not give a loose rein to the wishes of men, that they should desire any thing at their pleasure, when He places prayer after the rule of faith; for in this way the Spirit must of necessity hold all our affections by the bridle of the Word of God, and bring them into obedience. John Calvin (1509-1564), Commentary on Matthew 21.21
Pray Psalm 63.3-11.
What challenges are you facing today? Pray now and throughout the day for God to give you strength and wisdom to overcome those challenges for His glory.
Sing Psalm 63.3-11.
Nun Danken: Now Thank We All Our God
Your steadfast love, O LORD, than life is better to me;
so I will praise Your Name, and bless You, LORD, most truly.
My soul is richly blessed; to You my hands I raise,
and open now my mouth to offer joyful praise.
By night, LORD, fill my mind with pleasant meditation.
For You have been my help as ’neath Your wings I station.
My soul clings, LORD, to You; I rest in Your Right Hand.
May all who seek my life in Your displeasure stand.
Unto the sword’s strong pow’r let our foes be delivered!
Pursue them to devour their mortal lives forever!
In God will we rejoice and glory in His grace;
but all who live by lies shall perish from His face.
T. M. and Susie Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment to give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
Need some help praying for your church? Order a free copy of our book, Pray for Your Church, by clicking here.
Other columns of interest: This week: Our Read Moore podcast continues readings from the book, The Joy and Rejoicing of My Heart. Our Crosfigell teaching letter is pursuing a series on the spiritual poetry of the Celtic Revival. The ReVision column is working through a study of the role of reason in the life of faith. Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.
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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.
