Warnings and Encouragements
The crowds have gathered again and Jesus teaches on several key concepts in these 12 verses: hypocrisy of the Pharisees fear him who has authority to throw you into hell good or bad news for those who publicly acknowledge or disown Jesus blasphemy against the Holy Spirit support from the Holy Spirit That’s a lot …
Woes on the Pharisees and the Experts in the Law
Woe to those who held positions of leadership, the ones who were directing God’s chosen ones down a path that would lead to destruction. The timing of Jesus ministry is wrapped up in the history of our Jewish ancestors: their system was broken. God provided laws to create order and discipline; the Pharisees added layer upon …
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Our Eyes — The Light of the Body
In these few verses we find some deep meaning. Matthew and Luke record these key points of an important sermon that Jesus preached by recalling words that challenge us in many ways: “if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness.” This isn’t about physical blindness! Take a moment and consider the …
The Sign of Jonah
Jesus accused of serving Beelzebul
“Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined…” Jesus provides strong teaching to those who accuse him of serving the “prince of demons” by explaining the impossibility of such an accusation. This passage includes some significant themes to unpack as Jesus preaches unity wrapped in the context of “those who hear the word of God …
Seek and Find, Ask with shameless audacity and it will be given
The God of the universe invites us to seek him, to ask–this is part of the nature of our Father. Jeremiah writes, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” and Solomon records in Proverbs (personifying wisdom), “I love those who love me, and those who seek me find …
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Jesus’ Teaching on Prayer
We refer to this as the Lord’s Prayer, but the NIV Study Bible notes suggest this is really the Disciple’s Prayer; the “real” Lord’s Prayer is . The details vary slightly, but the main point remains the same: Honor God first, ask for daily needs and forgiveness. Thoughts about serving othersThis link includes a list …
Jesus visits Mary and Martha
Martha is working way too hard! Excessive preparations can lead to misplace priorities. The tension in this short passage is something to consider as we evaluate why we work at whatever we do. Thoughts about serving othersThis link includes a list of posts about Serving the Least, the Lost, and the Lonely.My prayer is for …
Parable of the Good Samaritan
“And who is my neighbor?” This question prompted Jesus to tell the parable of the Good Samaritan. I suspect this parable is known inside and outside of Christian circles as it provides a solid moral truth about helping others. The story tells of a priest, a Levite and a Samaritan and it’s point is intuitively …