January 18, 2026
“Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven” (Matthew 12:31 ESV). Matthew recorded Jesus’ warning to the crowds and especially to the Pharisees after they witnessed a clear work of God. They had witnessed the deliverance and healing of a demon-oppressed
January 15, 2026
“And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.” (Matthew 11:6 ESV). Matthew recorded that Jesus spoke these words to the disciples of John the Baptist, who had come from prison with John’s honest question about whether Jesus truly was the One who was to come. John, who had boldly announced the Messiah
January 14, 2026
“‘Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves’” (Matthew 10:16 ESV). Matthew recorded that Jesus, speaking to His twelve disciples as He commissioned them for their first mission, warned them that they would be sent into a world often opposed to
January 10, 2026
SCRIPTURE: “He touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she rose and began to serve him” (Matthew 8:15 ESV). OBSERVATION: In Matthew’s gospel, he recorded this quiet but powerful miracle in Peter’s home. After healing a leper and a centurion’s servant, Jesus entered Peter’s house and found his mother-in-law bedridden with a fever.
January 8, 2026
SCRIPTURE: “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33 ESV). OBSERVATION: In Christ’s Sermon on the Mount, He addressed people weighed down by anxiety over everyday needs, like food, drink, and clothing. He taught that worry revealed misplaced priorities and a lack
January 3, 2026
SCRIPTURE “But he answered, ‘It is written, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”’” (Matthew 4:4 ESV). OBSERVATIONMatthew recorded that after forty days of fasting in the wilderness, Jesus was tempted by the devil to turn stones into bread. Jesus deliberately answered the temptation
January 2, 2026
SCRIPTURE “Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins” (Matthew 3:5–6 ESV). OBSERVATIONMatthew recorded that as John the Baptist preached a message of repentance, a remarkable movement took place among the people of
July 13, 2025 | Matthew 7:21-29
Throughout this series, Jesus has described what life in His Kingdom looks like—what it means to live under His rule and reign. He has called us to a righteousness that surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees. And now, He closes His sermon with a sobering warning and a gracious invitation, a call to examine whether we truly belong to His Kingdom.
There are many today who assume they are right with God simply because they try to live a good life, say the right religious words, got baptized, and joined the church. But not everyone who claims to follow Jesus truly knows Him and are known by Him. The question is this: Do I have real assurance that I belong to the Kingdom of God? Can we have real assurance of our salvation?
As Jesus brings His sermon to a close, He contrasts those with a superficial faith with those who have a sincere and saving faith. He warns of self-deception and shows us how to be certain of our place in His Kingdom.
In Matthew 7:21-29, Jesus closed His Sermon on the Mount by both warning and inviting people to pursue a sincere faith that brings real assurance in God’s Kingdom.
July 6, 2025 | Matthew 7:15-20
Last week, we saw how He speaks of two different gates or paths and how one leads to life, but the other leads to destruction (7:13-14). Now today, Jesus moves the discussion from warning about the path of destruction to warning against the prophets of destruction. He calls them wolves in sheep’s clothing.
Why do we need this warning? Because not everyone who claims to speak for God is from God. Some are deceivers in disguise. And not only are they deceptive, they are dangerous. For claiming to be guides to the narrow gate, they actually lead people to the wide gate and destruction.
What we need is spiritual discernment. If we don’t exercise spiritual discernment, we risk being led astray. Without discernment, we could follow someone who ultimately leads us away from Christ and into destruction. In Matthew 7:15-20, Jesus warned His Kingdom citizens to beware false prophets by being spiritually discerning of their fruit. As kingdom citizens, we can exercise spiritual discernment to recognize false prophets.
June 29, 2025 | Matthew 7:13-14
As we’ve studied His sermon, we’ve seen how Jesus has laid out what it looks like to live as citizens of the Kingdom of God. Now, as He closes, He calls us to a decision, to a choice. Whose kingdom will you choose? And it’s this choice that we’re discussing today. It’s a simple choice. For Jesus only offers two options: the wide gate or the narrow gate.
That confronts our desire for spiritual autonomy. It challenges the mindset that we can take a little bit of Christianity, a little bit of self-help, and maybe sprinkle in some Eastern philosophy and end up just fine. But Jesus doesn’t leave room for a middle path! And that’s why we need this message today. Because the narrow way isn’t just hard to find—it’s easy to reject. Not because it’s unclear, but because it’s unpopular. And yet, it’s the only way that leads to real and lasting life.
In Matthew 7:13-14, Jesus began to conclude His sermon by warning His first-century Jewish audience that there were only two spiritual paths, the broad way that leads to destruction and the narrow way that leads to life, and He instructed them to enter through the narrow gate.