Disciples from John the Baptist come to ask Jesus if he is the one. Jesus tells them to report back all the things they see and hear. Jesus denounces their cities noting that if the things they are seeing had been done in Tyre, Sidon and even Sodom they would have long since repented.
Matthew 11
When Jesus had finished giving instructions to his twelve disciples, he departed from there to teach and preach in their cities.
Continue readingMatthew lists the 12 disciples that Jesus called and also appointed as Apostles. They are given authority to heal the sick, cast out demons and even raise the dead. He then gives them lengthy instructions, some of which will apply right away and some they rely on after he ascends into heaven and the New Testament church age begins.
Matthew 10
When he had called his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.
Continue readingMore healing, more casting out demons, a girl is raised that was dead and Jesus calls Matthew. We have talked about the authority Jesus had on the earth. In this chapter he explains to the scribes he has the authority to forgive sins.
Matthew 9
He entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city.
Continue readingThis chapter will finish the Sermon on the Mount which began in chapter 6 and runs through chapters 6 and 7. “Judge not” is a well known passag of scripture that may actually be too well known. Remove the log from your own eye, the Golden Rule, the wide vs. narrow gate and building on the rock are all in this chapter.
Matthew 7
“Do not judge, so that you will not be judged.
Continue readingWe are on chapter 2 of the Sermon on the Mount. This is so much easier to read and discuss than the measurements of the tabernacle curtains or making the priestly garments. I’m not saying we shouldn’t read those chapters, obviously we did, but these words of Jesus have more direct application to the Christian life. Don’t just read over it and check a box on your checklist; read it, think about it, soak in it. Let it change you.
Matthew 6
“Be careful that you do not practice your righteousness before men, to be seen of them: otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
Continue readingIf you have been hoping for a longer podcast episode. then I have good news. If you were happy with the 8 and 9 minutes episodes we’ve been having, then you should say something when I ask for feedback. This is the first of three chapters that record Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount. It’s not just that the chapter is 48 verses long, it’s that Jesus says so much good stuff.
Matthew 5
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up into a mountain: and when he sat down his disciples came to him.
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Have you ever started a new year with the goal of reading the Bible straight through, Genesis to Revelation, and finish by December 31st? I know people that do, my dad was one of them. In addition to preaching and studying texts for teaching Sunday School, he made it a point to read straight through each year and did that like 30 times. We should read the Bible and that’s one way to do it. But many people have tried and failed and sometimes instead of trying something else they just quit.
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If you stare at an object for several seconds, particularly one that is brightly colored, when you look away you may see a residual image but in the opposite color. It doesn’t last long and the image fades away but for a moment whatever you see is affected by the thing you were looking at before. Sometimes perspectives change with age. Things that used to be punishments – staying at home, not going to a party, heading to bed early – are things you look forward to later in life. That happens to all (or most) of us as time goes by. Then there are dramatic life-changing events; a near death experience, a car accident or a long hospital stay that forces us to reconsider what is important. Ice cream may taste sweeter or the embrace of a loved one may be incredibly significant whereas before those things were just ordinary. Some events in life, for better or worse, profoundly change us.
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God created time. Whether you believe in a literal seven day creation week or take a more symbolic view of those “days” I would direct your attention to Genesis 1.
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. -Gen. 1:1-5
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This article is not new and I’m not exactly sure why I came across it this week. It’s a reminder that the world’s idea of success and failure, winning and losing, are often not the same as God’s. Jesus provided us with many examples of how things should look when done correctly. Read more here.
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The Master's Table 