Matthew

Matthew 9: Jesus' Authority and Power Collin Leong. March 29. 2025 v1-7: Jesus Can Forgive Sins  (Mark 2:1-12; Luke 5:17-26) (v1-3) Jesus arrived at his own town after leaving the region of the Gadarenes. (Note: Capernaum became a central hub for His ministry during Jesus' adult life. It was a bustling fishing town on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee and served as His home base while He traveled and preached throughout the region.) A paralyzed man was brought to him on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man: “ Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.”   However, the teachers of the law said that Jesus is blaspheming, as only God can forgive people.  (v4) Jesus knew what they thinking, and asked them why do they entertain evil thoughts in their hearts?   There are two types of thinking: if you think with your mind, it can be easily changes once you understand the truth. However, if you think with your heart, then even when you know t...

Matthew 8: Faith versus Rejection of Jesus Collin Leong. March 25, 2025 v1-4: Jesus healed Leprosy (Mark 1:40-45; Luke 5:12-16) After Jesus thought the beatitudes, He came down the mountain and a large crowd followed Him. A man with leprosy knelt down before him and asked Jesus to heal him if He is willing.  Jesus said "I am willing" and touched him and commanded him to "be clean!" Immediately he was healed. Jesus told him not to tell anyone, but to show the priests and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.  Jesus told him not to tell anyone; however, I imagine that the crowd who were following Him saw the healing. They were probably standing far away from Jesus and the man, afraid of getting infected.  Jesus told him to tell the priest and offer the gift of Moses. Jesus' first instruction to for him to go to the temple and obey the sacrifice Moses wrote in the law in Lev 14:1-32.  Lev 14:1 said that the diseased person should go to the priest...

Matthew 7 - Sermon on the Mount (Part 3) Collin Leong. March 6, 2025 This is a continuation of Jesus' sermon in chapter 6. v1-6: Judging Others  (Luke 6:37-42; Romans 14:1-12) Jesus thought them not to judge others, because you yourself will be judged. And the measure you use to judge others, the same measure will be used against you. (v1-2) Jesus emphasizes that the way we judge others impacts how God will judge us. The word measure" refers to the metaphorical "yardstick" or criteria you apply in evaluating others. If someone judges harshly or unfairly, they can expect to be judged (by both God and others) using a similar strict standard. Conversely, showing mercy, kindness, and understanding in judgment, then they will be treated with the same qualities in return. Jesus asked us to examine ourselves first, before we examine others. He use metaphor that we need to remove the "plank" in our eye, before we can see clearly to remove the "speck" (eg:...

Matthew 6: Sermon on the Mount (Part 2) Collin Leong. March 2, 2025 This is the continuation of the sermon from Chapter 5.  Here Jesus thought us about giving, prayer, fasting. treasures in heaven, and not to worry.  v1-4: Giving to the Needy Jesus warns against performing righteous acts (like giving to the needy) just to be noticed by others. The motivation should be genuine, not for public recognition. If you do it for the purpose to boast or to get people to think your are righteous, then you have received your reward, and God will not reward you in heaven. (v1-2) Jesus teach us to give to the needy in secret. The phrase "do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing" is a metaphor for being discreet and humble about one's charitable acts. Then when God sees you doing this in the right intentions, He will reward you in heaven. (v3-4) The people would have known God will reward them for giving to the poor from Proverbs 19:17 -  "Whoever is kind to ...