February 7, 2025
“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’” (Matthew 25:23 ESV). This Scripture quote is from the Parable of the Talents. Matthew’s gospel has this parable arranged in alignment with Jesus’ discussion
January 31, 2025
‘And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” And the fig tree withered at once’ (Matthew 21:19 ESV). The morning after Jesus had overturned the tables of the money changers
January 25, 2025
“And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18 ESV). After Simon confessed Jesus as the “Christ, the Son of the living God,” Jesus blessed him and gave him a new name, calling him, “Peter,” or
January 23, 2025
“But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person” (Matthew 15:18 ESV). The Pharisees asked Jesus why His disciples didn’t follow the tradition of the elders by washing their hands before eating. He replied that it isn’t what goes into the mouth that defiles a man, but what
January 22, 2025
“When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick” (Matthew 14:14 ESV). After Jesus heard about the beheading of His relative, John the Baptist, He withdrew by boat to a remote place to be alone. However, as soon as He stepped ashore, He saw a
January 21, 2025
“Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old” (Matthew 13:52 ESV). After Jesus had finished using many parables describing the kingdom of heaven, he asked his disciples whether they understood. They
January 16, 2025
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28 ESV). The greatest invitation in human history was offered by Jesus. Not an invitation to come to a party, but to a Person. Not an invitation to a religion, but to a relationship. Yet, this invitation is
January 14, 2025
“Do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you” (Matthew 10:19-20 ESV). When Jesus sent His disciples out as
January 10, 2025
‘And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.”’ (Matthew 8:2-3 ESV). Notice the approach of the leper. First, he came to Jesus, second, he knelt before Him, third,
January 6, 2025
“Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you” (Matthew 5:42 ESV). In Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, He taught that citizens of His Kingdom will respond generously to those who ask for help. Of course we might think of many reasons why the one