True Words, Good Works

Matthew 4: First Steps (5)

Pray Psalm 24.3, 4.
Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD?
Or who may stand in His holy place?
He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol,
Nor sworn deceitfully.

Sing Psalm 24.3 4.
(Foundation: How Firm a Foundation)
Oh, who may ascend to the LORD’s holy place?
And who may appear to His glorious face?
All they who are clean in their hearts and their hands
And true in their souls with the Savior shall stand.

Read Matthew 4.12-23; meditate on verse 23.
How did Jesus demonstrate His teaching?

Prepare.
1. What activities characterized Jesus’ ministry? 

2. Where was He doing His work at this time?

Meditate.
Jesus provides the template in what it means to be a witness to the living God and His Kingdom (Acts 1.8). Being a witness for Jesus involves true words and good works; and this is true for individual believers and for their churches, which are the Body of Christ in their community.

Preaching and teaching are different but complementary activities. Preaching is proclamatory, while teaching is more explanatory. Jesus did each of these, and as His witnesses, we must learn to do them, too. 

Jesus’ Personal Mission Field for this time was Galilee. Each of us has a Personal Mission Field as well; we need to make sure we have identified and are working it daily with true words and good works. 

Jesus went to where the people were, in synagogues, mainly. But He also welcomed the people to come to Him with all their various sicknesses and diseases. He healed them all. He did good to people, because bringing the goodness of God into the land of the living is what the Good News of the Kingdom is all about. 

In general, we should lead the way, in our Personal Mission Field, by doing good to people. Not everyone who needs a touch of God’s goodness will be sick or diseased. They may be lacking a material need, or a helping hand, a thoughtful gesture—assistance or encouragement of some kind. Like Jesus, we bear witness to the Kingdom when we bring it near to such people by our good works. Then, by sharing the true words of God’s love for them in Jesus Christ, we round out our witness with proclamations, explanations, answers to questions, and ongoing conversations.

Paul commanded us to imitate him as he imitated Jesus (1 Cor. 11.1). We do well to consider the extent to which we who are appointed as Jesus’ witnesses in the world are actually imitating Him in our daily lives.

Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
“And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues…” (Matt. 4.23).
Whose synagogues? Theirs.
Shouldn’t it have been in God’s synagogues? Well, you’d like to think that.

And this was not just a one-off; this was the way it was. Everywhere.
Matthew 9.35 tells us that when “He went about all the cities and villages” He was still teaching in their synagogues.

This, of course, did not stop Jesus from speaking true words and doing good works; but it certainly was telling about the state of the religious at that time. Is there a similarity to our times?

His message was one of love, concern, and care for the physical and spiritual needs of the people.
He proclaimed the Gospel of the Kingdom. The whole Gospel—not just the part about gaining heaven; but about the life that must be lived before heaven is realized. 

But the more we immerse ourselves in Kingdom living now, the smaller the step from here to there—eternally—will be then.

As a very young child, I can remember hearing my parents comment on the death of a friend of theirs, stating that death must not have been a shock for that dear one because they were so close to Jesus here. The step would be a small one indeed. I have pondered that statement for many years now and still find it to be comforting and true. And a goal worth striving for—that small step from here to there.

Like Elijah taken up in a whirlwind (2 Kgs. 2.11) and Enoch “who was not found because God had taken him” (Heb. 11.5; Gen. 5.24). It was just a small step from here to there. And both those men lived in a way that supported the narrative—walking with God, day by day.

This is how Jesus wants us to live. We are to speak true Kingdom words and do the Kingdom works that have been prepared beforehand for us to do (Eph. 2.10). And, as Paul wrote specifically, to tell Archippus, “Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it” (Col. 4.17). Same words to us; but without the difficult name.

Our Kingdom calling is to reclaim the world for God, with true words and good works; 
but it is also to reclaim His churches as well.
We would never want Jesus to refer to our own church as their church. 
What a travesty that would be.

It must be His church, or it is no church at all.

Reflect.
1. How do you plan for good works and true words each day in your Personal Mission Field (Ps. 90.12)?

2. Why are both words and works necessary for an effective witness?

3. Whom will you encourage today in true words and good works?

By the word of divine power he cured the weaknesses of the body, but by the medicine of heavenly teaching he healed the wounds of the soul. Chromatius (fl. ca. 400), Tractate on Matthew 16.4

Pray Psalm 24.1, 2, 5-10.
All that you are and have belong to the Lord, and you are His as well. Open wide the gates of your soul and ask God to use you with true words and good works today.

Sing Psalm 24.1, 2, 5-10.
(Foundation: How Firm a Foundation)
The earth is the LORD’s, as is all it contains; 
all the world and its peoples He daily sustains.
He founded it fast on the seas long ago, 
and bid gentle rivers throughout it to flow.

A blessing all they from the LORD shall receive
who seek Him and on His salvation believe.
For these are His people, the children of grace, 
who earnestly, eagerly seek for His face.

O lift up your heads, all you gates of the soul,
for the Savior would enter and render you whole!
The LORD strong and mighty in battle draws nigh; 
He rules in His glory above us on high. 

O Who is this King, Who approaches our gate?
His might is before us, His glory is great!
This King is the LORD of all glory above,
Who comes to indwell us in mercy and love!

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).

Other columns of interest: This week: The Read Moore podcast continues readings from If Men Will Pray. Our Crosfigell teaching letter has begun a new series on the state of the Church in Europe at the time of the Celtic Revival. The ReVision column is studying the Church and why we need it. Check out our other excellent writers. 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.