Temptation

Jesus was led by the Spirit
To the dry wilderness limit
By the devil He was tempted
Forty days food was rejected

Afterwards he was quite hungry
The tempter came to that country
If you’re really the Son of God
Tell these stones to become your bread.

Jesus answered, It is written
Just bread alone is not living,
Live on every word spread abroad
Coming forth from the mouth of God.

The devil said on the temple,
If you’re God’s Son take a tumble.
For, His angels have this command
They will lift you up in their hands

You won’t strike your foot on a stone.
Jesus said He wouldn’t condone
To put the Lord God to the test
So the devil tried his last quest

He took him up to the mountains
To show Him all the world’s kingdoms
All this I will give you, he said
If you’ll worship me as your god-head

But Jesus said, Leave me, Satan!
Worship the Lord God, it’s written
Serve only him. The devil fled
And angels made sure He was fed

Matthew 4:1-11

A Taste of Eternity

Jesus took Peter, James and John
And led them up a mountain yon
There he was transformed before them
And His face shone just like the sun

And his clothes became as white as light
Moses and Elijah in sight
Peter said I’ll build some shelters
For you and each of the elders

As he spoke, a cloud covered them
And a voice said, “This is my Son
I’m well pleased with Him my loved One
So keep on listening to Him!”

Then they fell face down, terrified
But Jesus touched them and replied
“Get up,” He said. “Don’t be afraid.”
And Jesus stood alone unswayed

While coming down the mountain
Jesus gave them this instruction
“The news of these things, do not spread
Until the Son’s raised from the dead.”

Matthew 17:1-9

Murder, Adultery, Lying Oaths

You’ve heard it said, You shall not kill
But I tell you don’t bear ill will
Angry, shouting verbal abuse
Using insults there’s no excuse

If while giving your offering
Mindful your brother has something
Against you, leave your gift and go
First be reconciled with your foe
Best settled quickly out of court
Than thrown in jail for a fake tort

So, Don’t commit adultery
And I say don’t look lustfully
If your right eye looks, gouge it out
If your right hand rubs do without
Better a body part expel
Than your whole body go to hell

Give the wife a divorce decree
Except for immorality
She’s victim of adultery
And don’t marry a divorcee

You’ve heard it said, Don’t break your oath
But to the Lord fulfill your troth
But I tell you, don’t swear at all
By heaven, or earth, His footstool

Or by Jerusalem city
Or by your head black or snowy
All you need is say, ‘Yes’ or ‘No’
All else is evil don’t you know

Matthew 5:21-37

Jesus and the Law

You all are the salt of the earth
But if the salt has lost its worth
Can you make it salty again?
No, it will just be ditched by men

You all are light the world to fill
You can’t hide a town on a hill
Nor hide lamps under basket domes
Lamps are meant to light up our homes

Let good deeds shine for all to see
They’ll praise your Father heavenly
The law or prophets, I’ll not kill
No, I came the law to fulfill

Till heaven and earth pass away
The law’s smallest details will stay
So don’t annul the least command
Teaching the same to those at hand

You’ll be the least in the Kingdom
So obey God’s laws and teach them
You’ll be great in the Kingdom

Unless your righteousness exceeds
That of the scribes and Pharisees
You’ll never be there guaranteed!

Matthew 5:13-20

Secrets of Happiness

When Jesus saw the crowds around
He climbed a mountain and sat down
Then His disciples came to Him
He opened His mouth and taught them

The poor in spirit they are blest
For heaven’s kingdom they’ve possessed
Blest and happy are those who mourn
For comfort will to them return

The meek and gentle they are blest
For the earth will be their bequest
Blessed are those who want to do right
For they’ll be satisfied forthright

Blest are those who are merciful
For they’ll be shown mercy [in full]
God blesses those whose hearts are pure
Because they will see God [for sure]

Blest and happy are peacemakers
They’ll be sons of God [our Maker’s]
Blest those harassed for doing right
Heaven’s kingdom is theirs outright

Blest are you when you’re insulted
For My sake smeared, persecuted
Joy! Your reward in heaven’s great
For the prophets you emulate

Matthew 5:1-12

Do We Really Follow Jesus?

Hearing John was in custody
Jesus returned to Galilee
First Nazareth, then Capernaum
By Naphtali and Zebulun

Just like Isaiah’s prophecy
In Zebulun and Naphtali
Beyond the Jordan by the sea
Where Gentiles live in Galilee

Those in the dark have seen a great light
In death’s shadow a light shone bright
And Jesus preached, Repent of sins
Turn to God; the Kingdom begins.

One day along Galilee’s shore
Peter and Andrew, Jesus saw
Casting a net into the lake
For they fished, a living to make

Jesus called out, Come, follow me
And fishers of men you will be!
They followed Him immediately
As did the sons of Zebedee

Jesus went throughout Galilee
And taught in their assembly
Preached the Good News of the Kingdom
Healed disease and sickness victim

Matthew 4:12-23

The Lamb of God

John said as Jesus came to him
“The Lamb of God who removes sin
He’s the next one successively
Who existed long before me

With water I’ve been baptizing
For in Israel His revealing”
The Holy Spirit like a dove
Resting on Him from up above

Just like God said, and I was awed
As I looked at the Son of God
And John said Jesus was the Lamb
And two disciples followed Him

He invited them to come and stay
So they stayed with Him all that day
And Andrew, he was one of them
And he told His brother Simon

When Simon went to say hello
The Lord said, your name’s Peter though

John 1:29-42

The Mystery of Baptism

Then Jesus came from Galilee
To John to be baptized you see
And John tried to stop Him, saying,
You, should baptize me, I’m stating

But Jesus said and answered him,
All righteousness I’m fulfilling.
He baptized Him. Then the Master
Came up away from the water

The heavens opened up above
The Spirit came down like a dove
On Him. Then a voice from above,
I’m pleased with My Son dearly loved.

Matthew 3:13-17

Receive the Word

In the beginning was the Word
The Word with God, God was the Word
Always with God from origin
Everything was made through Him

Without Him nothing came to be
Not one thing that has come to be
In Him life was
And the life was
The light of all humanity

And the light shines in the darkness
Which the darkness could not possess
God sent a man whose name was John
To bear witness concerning one

To testify about the Light
That all through him believe alright
He was sent and was not that Light
Sent to bear witness of that Light

The true Light, every man lighting
Into the world He was coming
He was in the world, made through Him
The world He made did not know Him

Even His own rejected Him
But as many as received Him
Their right as God’s children became
To those who believe in His name

Not born of blood, nor fleshly thrill
But of God, not of human will

The Word became flesh and with us dwelled
And so His glory we beheld
Of the Father’s one and only
Full of grace and truth in glory

John bore witness and cried and said
“This was He of whom I had said
‘He who follows me is preferred
For long before me, He was heard.’”

Of His fullness we’ve all received
And even more gifts, grace for grace
The law was given through Moses
Grace and truth came through Christ Jesus

No one has seen God ever yet
The only one God did beget
In the Father’s intimate zone
He has come and made Him known

John 1:1-18

Jesus as Refugee

To Joseph an angel appeared,
In Egypt, safety is assured
Stay there until I bring you word
Herod wanted no children spared

So by night they left for Egypt
And stayed ‘til the death of Herod
Fulfilling prophecy begun,
“Out of Egypt I called My Son.”

When Herod saw the wise men flee
He went on a child murder spree
Fulfilling what the prophet said,
Lamentation through Ramah spread

When Herod died, an angel said
You can go back home, Herod’s dead
Fulfilling prophecy foreseen
“He shall be called a Nazarene.”

Matthew 2:13-23