Skip to main content

Posts

Jesus Has Authority Over Evil (Matthew 8:28-34)

When he came to the other side, to the territory of the Gadarenes, two demoniacs who were coming from the tombs met him. They were so savage that no one could travel by that road. 29 They cried out, “What have you to do with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the appointed time?” 30 Some distance away a herd of many swine was feeding. 31 The demons pleaded with him, “If you drive us out, send us into the herd of swine.” 32 And he said to them, “Go then!” They came out and entered the swine, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea where they drowned. 33 The swineherds ran away, and when they came to the town they reported everything, including what had happened to the demoniacs. 34 Thereupon the whole town came out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him they begged him to leave their district. Jesus crosses to the other side of the sea and enters the territory of the Gadarenes. This was a largely Gentile area, which is also suggested by the presence...
Post a Comment
Read more
Recent posts

Trusting Christ in the Storm (Matthew 8:23-27)

He got into a boat and his disciples followed him. 24 Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by waves; but he was asleep. 25 They came and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” 26 He said to them, “Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?” Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was great calm. 27 The men were amazed and said, “What sort of man is this, whom even the winds and the sea obey?” In this passage, Jesus gets into the boat first, and His disciples follow Him (v. 23). A few verses earlier, Matthew tells us that Jesus had given orders “to cross to the other side” of the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 8:18). The disciples are therefore following Him into the boat and across the Sea of Galilee. The miracle is not separated from discipleship. To follow Jesus means to go with Him where He leads, even when the way becomes frightening and uncertain. A storm comes suddenly and violently. On the Sea of Galilee, str...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Rock on Which Christ Builds His Church (Matthew 16:13-20)

When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. 18 And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he strictly ordered his disciples to tell no one that he was the Messiah. Jesus brings His disciples into the region of Caesarea Philippi, a largely Gentile region north of Gali...
Post a Comment
Read more

Love Christ Above All Else and Receive His Disciples (Matthew 10:37-42)

Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38 and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 40 “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. 41 Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever receives a righteous man because he is righteous will receive a righteous man’s reward. 42 And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because he is a disciple—amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward.” Jesus speaks plainly about the demands of discipleship. Love for Him must come before every other love. Even the love of father, mother, son, or daughter must be placed under love for Christ (v. 37). This does not make family love less important. ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Lord, Only Say the Word, and We Shall Be Healed (Matthew 8:5-17)

When he entered Capernaum, a centurion approached him and appealed to him, 6 saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully.” 7 He said to him, “I will come and cure him.” 8 The centurion said in reply, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed. 9 For I too am a person subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come here,’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. 11 I say to you, many will come from the east and the west, and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the kingdom of heaven, 12 but the children of the kingdom will be driven out into the outer darkness, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.” 13 And Jesus said to the centurion, “You may ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Lord, If You Wish, You Can Make Me Clean (Matthew 8:1-4)

When Jesus came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. 2 And then a leper approached, did him homage, and said, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” 3 He stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, “I will do it. Be made clean.” His leprosy was cleansed immediately. 4 Then Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one, but go show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.” After Jesus comes down from the mountain, great crowds follow Him (v. 1). Matthew has just shown Jesus teaching with authority. Now he shows that Jesus also acts with authority. His words and His works belong together. In this healing, Jesus reveals the mercy and power of God’s kingdom. A leper approaches Jesus, does Him homage, and says, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean” (v. 2). In the biblical setting, leprosy could refer to several serious skin diseases. According to the Law of Moses, a person with such a disease could be declared ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Hear Christ’s Words and Act on Them (Matthew 7:21-29)

Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?’ 23 Then I will declare to them solemnly, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’ 24 “Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. 25 The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. 26 And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. 27 The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined.” 28 When Jesus finished these words, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, 29  for he taught t...
Post a Comment
Read more

John, a Child Set Apart for the Lord (Luke 1:57-66, 80)

When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. 59 When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child, they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, 60 but his mother said in reply, “No. He will be called John.” 61 But they answered her, “There is no one among your relatives who has this name.” 62 So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called. 63 He asked for a tablet and wrote, “John is his name,” and all were amazed. 64 Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God. 65 Then fear came upon all their neighbors, and all these matters were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea. 66 All who heard these things took them to heart, saying, “What, then, will this child be?” For surely the hand of the Lord was with him. 80 The child grew and became strong in spirit, and...
Post a Comment
Read more

Do Good to Others and Choose the Way That Leads to Life (Matthew 7:6, 12-14)

Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces. 12 “Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the law and the prophets. 13 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. 14 How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few. Jesus gives three closely related teachings about wisdom, charity, and the way that leads to life. He teaches his disciples to treat holy things with reverence, to do good to others, and to enter by the narrow gate. The first saying uses strong images. In Jesus’ time, dogs and swine were considered unclean animals and could be used as insulting terms. Jesus speaks of “ what is holy ” and “ pearls ,” images of something precious. The point is that sacred things must be treated with reverence and shared with discernment. The Go...
Post a Comment
Read more

Judge Not: Remove the Beam from Your Own Eye First (Matthew 7:1-5)

S top judging, that you may not be judged. 2 For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you. 3 Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove that splinter from your eye,’ while the wooden beam is in your eye? 5 You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye. After the Sunday Gospel, we return to the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus continues teaching his disciples how to live as children of the Father. Jesus warns his disciples against judging others with arrogance. His words are direct: “ Stop judging, that you may not be judged ” (v. 1). Jesus teaches that God sees the spirit in which we judge and measure others. A harsh and condemning spirit places us under the same measure we have used toward another person (v. 2). Jesus’ teachin...
Post a Comment
Read more

Do Not Be Afraid to Acknowledge Christ (Matthew 10:26-33)

Therefore do not be afraid of them. Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known.  27 What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light; what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. 28 And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s knowledge. 30 Even all the hairs of your head are counted. 31 So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. 32 Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. 33 But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father. In Matthew chapter 10, Jesus sends the Twelve on mission. He prepares them to preach, heal, and bear witness to the kingdom of heaven. He also tells them that the mission will bring opposition. They will not alw...
Post a Comment
Read more

Trust and Serve the Father Without Worry (Matthew 6:24-34)

No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. 25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat [or drink], or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they? 27 Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span? 28 Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin. 29 But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them. 30 If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to d...
Post a Comment
Read more

Be Filled with Light and Store Up Treasures in Heaven (Matthew 6:19-23)

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be. 22 “The lamp of the body is the eye. If your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light; 23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be in darkness. And if the light in you is darkness, how great will the darkness be. Jesus teaches his disciples to look carefully at what they treasure. Earthly treasures can be useful, but they cannot provide lasting security. Clothing can be eaten by moths, stored goods can decay, and possessions can be stolen. Jesus is not speaking only about ancient wealth. He is speaking about anything we treat as our final source of safety, happiness, or identity. Everything earthly is temporary, and anything temporary can be lost. Jesus gives the same warning in the par...
Post a Comment
Read more