Q: How many wise men, or Magi, came to see Jesus?
BONUS: Where did they come from and how did they know about the star?
Did you hear about the preacher who asked his congregation, “Do you ever have trouble with giving in to temptation?” A voice from the choir answered, “Never. I can give in to temptation any time!” No doubt. But can you be tempted without giving in? Yes, if you follow Jesus’ example. When Satan tempted him, Jesus looked to Scripture for guidance. Jesus knew that God’s Word would show him what was right in each situation, and he put it into practice right then and there. If you trust God’s Word as your guide to right and wrong, and if you choose to act on God’s Word when you’re tempted, you’ll overcome your temptations too.
A good friend betrayed me in the worst way. I don’t want anything to do with her now. I don’t want to be mean to her, but she has got to understand this. What’s the best thing to do here?
Faith
Dear Faith,
It’s hard to trust someone who has betrayed you. But since you asked what’s the best thing to do, pray for her. Jesus said that even the pagans are kind to the people they love. So “love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:43–48).
This is not an easy thing, but it is a godly thing. It’s amazing what happens when you pray for someone and even more amazing what happens to you. I hope you’ll try it. Your friendship may or may not come back partially or all the way. But one great thing about praying for yourself and the person you’re having a problem with is you won’t be eaten up by negative feelings and thoughts. You may find you can even forgive your friend one day.
Love and forgiveness help us feel positive. Hatred and holding onto grudges can fill us with negative and bitter thoughts. Do something nice for yourself. Pray for your enemy and see what God does.
Jordan
No one likes the word hypocrite. Do you wonder sometimes if it applies to you? Does wanting to fit in with the other kids at school or wanting to be popular make you a hypocrite? No. It’s natural to want to be accepted. Besides, how could you share your faith with others if everyone looked at you as an outsider? In the Bible a hypocrite is someone who is pretending, who is playing a role to impress others rather than being real. As long as you live by your convictions and don’t pretend in order to fit in, you’re no hypocrite. Not at all.
When my prayers aren’t answered, I feel like it’s my fault for not having enough faith. How should I pray?
Gabe
Dear Gabe,
Sometimes when Jesus addressed God he called him Abba, which is like us calling our fathers “daddy.” Instead of the formal word, Jesus used an affectionate and familiar word used by little kids who rely on their parents for everything. Using this term might help you feel closer to God emotionally.
When Christ’s disciples asked him how they should pray, he told them not to babble on and on as if the more words they used would help God hear their prayers better (Matthew 6:6–7). Verse 8 tells us that God knows what we need before we even ask. Jesus taught his disciples a short prayer which we now call the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9–13). You can use it as a model for your own prayers.
When you pray, remember to thank God for what he has already done for you. Remember to praise his greatness each time you look at the beauty of the universe he’s created. Take your needs and your pain to him. Ask for what you want but don’t forget, we are to pray as Jesus did when he said, “Your will be done.”
You said, “When my prayers aren’t answered.” Did you mean in the way you hoped? God answers our prayers. But like earthly parents, he sometimes answers with no or not yet. Sometimes his answer takes a long time. There are even times we can’t see how God answered our prayers. But how God answers our prayers is up to him, so you don’t have to feel like it’s your fault when you don’t see how the answer he’s given will work out.
Jordan
In the New Testament evil beings are called demons, or evil spirits (Matthew 8:28–34). Most believe that demons are angels who followed Satan in his rebellion against God. Those who practice witchcraft worship demons, not God or his angels (1 Corinthians 10:20).
It is important to remember that demons are the enemies of God and of human beings.
• Demons are violent and malicious (Matthew 8:28).
• Demons cause sickness (Matthew 4:24; 12:22; 17:15–18).
• Demons corrupt morals (1 Timothy 4:1–3).
• Demons aim their arsenal at believers (Ephesians 6:12).
Don’t be tempted to toy with the occult. Remember to rely on Jesus. After all, Jesus easily overpowered every demon he met.
This is one of the hardest sayings in the New Testament. And it describes a hard experience. For some teens becoming a Christian creates real conflict in the family. Some parents will forbid a teen to go to a youth group or church of his or her choice. So what do you do? You’re supposed to obey your parents. But you want to be with your Christian friends too. Usually it’s best to honor your parents’ wishes, read your Bible and try to meet with one or two friends to talk and pray. That way you can be faithful to the Lord and to your parents too. Only in the most unusual case will loving Christ mean a serious break with those at home.
Why is it that it’s okay for girls to cry in public, but not boys or men?
Nate
Dear Nate,
The “boys don’t cry” mentality is a strange twist in American culture. The truth is boys (and men) do cry. It is also true that guys get the message it’s not okay to cry. The Bible has stories about many emotional men. King David was one. He danced for joy and mourned deeply in grief, yet he was never known as a wimp. In fact he was a brave warrior and courageous leader.
Christ was another man who was in touch with his feelings. When he heard of his cousin John’s death, he wanted to be by himself (Matthew 14:1–13). However, when the crowds followed him, he saw they were suffering and began to heal those who were sick (Matthew 14:14). When the temple was used as a marketplace, Jesus reacted with righteous anger (John 2:14–16). And after the death of his good friend Lazarus, Jesus wept (John 11:33–35).
There is a time for laughter and a time for tears (Ecclesiastes 3:4). It is normal to have feelings and it’s okay to express them. If you feel uncomfortable in front of others, get some privacy and let it out. God made us so that when we cry, our brain chemicals change which helps us feel better. How awesome is that?
Jordan
It’s scary to feel uncertain about your faith. But everybody wonders at times. Can I really believe the Bible? Am I truly saved? Is salvation for real? Am I fooling myself when I say I believe? Doubt is scary. But this Bible story helps. Peter believed in Jesus enough to get out of the boat and walk on water. But once out there, even Peter began to doubt. And to sink! What’s important is that Jesus immediately caught him. Peter doubted, but Jesus was there anyway. Doubts don’t drive Jesus away. He’s there even when the doubts come. And you are much too important for Jesus to let you sink.
Some Christians feel believers can never get a divorce. Others feel it’s OK for certain reasons. One thing is for sure. You want to take your time and pray about the person you choose as a life partner! Divorce hurts. It’s painful for everyone involved.
In Matthew 19:1–12 Jesus said a few things about divorce:
• God’s ideal is a lifetime union (Matthew 19:4–6).
• God never permits divorce just because a person wants to marry someone else. That’s definitely wrong (Matthew 19:9).
If your parents are divorced, you know how much it can hurt. Do your best not to get involved in who’s to blame. And don’t think the divorce is your fault. Instead read the story that follows Jesus’ teaching on divorce (Matthew 19:13–15), and remember Jesus places his hands on you and prays for you right now.
Suppose a king invited you to a banquet. Would you be excited? You bet! You’d have to get a new dress or suit. And fix your hair. You’d want to look your absolute best! But the people in Jesus’ parable acted bored. “Sorry, King.” (Yawns.) Some of them were even angry. “Get out of here. Don’t bug me!” It’s an interesting parable because no one would act this way if invited to a king’s banquet. Yet people do act this way when God invites them to the biggest party the world will ever know. A party that will last forever. How about you? Too busy? Or upset that God keeps bugging you to accept his invitation and believe? Well, why?
Q: What questions about the future did the disciples ask Jesus?
BONUS: Which question didn’t he answer?
Jesus told his listeners in no uncertain terms that hell is for real. He talked about “the fire of hell” (Matthew 5:22), and he described someone’s “whole body [going] into hell” (Matthew 5:30). He also told a story about a man who was “in agony in this fire” (Luke 16:19–31).
The Bible mentions three things about hell:
• It is permanent (Matthew 25:46).
• It is a punishment for sin and disbelief (2 Thessalonians 1:8).
• It is separation from God (2 Thessalonians 1:9).
The Bible also says that God doesn’t want anyone to perish in hell (2 Peter 3:9). God was willing to send his Son to die in order to save everyone who believes from punishment in hell.
I try so hard to do things right, but it seems like I never do. My mom told me to pray for strength to keep trying. But it’s hard to keep trying when I always feel like such a loser. Are there people in the Bible who failed? If so, what did they do?
Thomas
Dear Thomas,
It’s painful to try so hard and then feel like you’ve failed. You might be surprised, however, to discover that you’re in great company.
Look at Peter’s track record. He walked on water with Jesus but began to sink because of his lack of faith (Matthew 14:28–31). Yet later, Jesus praised Peter for his faith (Matthew 16:13–20). When Jesus predicted that Peter would disown him, Peter denied it fiercely. Peter loved Jesus so much he firmly believed he could never deny knowing him. But later that very night, his determination left him. Three times he swore he didn’t know Jesus. When he heard the rooster crow, he remembered Jesus’ words and “wept bitterly” (Matthew 26:69–75).
Quite a roller coaster, wouldn’t you say? Up one moment, down the next. Did Christ ever tell Peter he was a failure? No. He knew what was in Peter’s heart. Christ knows your heart too. He doesn’t expect you to be perfect. He just wants your love and obedience and for you to do your best. Don’t give up!
Jordan
It’s an awful, empty feeling. Suddenly you feel totally alone. Your mom says she and your dad are going to divorce. Or your grandma dies. Or your closest friend ignores you. It’s surprising how many things can make you feel completely alone. When Jesus hung on the cross, carrying our sins, God the Father himself looked away. Jesus knows what it feels like to be forsaken. To be left alone. But Jesus volunteered to be forsaken. He went to the cross knowing what it would mean. Why? So that even when you feel most alone, you won’t be. No matter what happens, Christ will never forsake you or let you down.
No one said Jesus didn’t die. The chief priests paid the men who guarded Jesus’ tomb to say the disciples stole his body (Matthew 28:11–15). But they never suggested Jesus hadn’t been dead. There were too many people who knew better.
The Roman soldier who thrust a spear into Jesus’ side knew he was dead (John 19:34).
The Roman officer who reported to Pilate knew that Jesus was dead (Mark 15:44–45).
Joseph and Nicodemus, who were members of the ruling council, wrapped Jesus’ dead body in strips of linen (John 19:38–42; Luke 23:50–53). They knew he was dead.
There were just too many witnesses who knew that Jesus was dead and buried for enemies to suggest that maybe he hadn’t died.
He was dead. He was buried in a tomb guarded by hired soldiers. And at first all Jesus’ followers were heartbroken. Only later did they realize what Jesus’ death meant—something the Apostle Paul tells us. Paul wrote, “You see, just at the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:6–8).
Jesus died . . . because he had to die to save us from the consequences of our sin. And now he lives to give us power to overcome the temptations we face every day (Romans 6:1–14). The phrase “descended into hell” found in some creeds does not mean that Jesus went to what we call hell today (the place of eternal punishment). In New Testament time hades simply meant the realm of the dead, the grave. Jesus truly died; his burial confirmed his death. And then he rose again.
Matthew
Looks.
God’s people expected Jesus to be a conqueror. Instead, he was a teacher. Jesus fulfilled all the Old Testament prophecies and is the promised Savior.