Matthew 23:38-39, “Behold, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.’” What catches my attention here is the “for I say to you…” This phrase is introducing the explanation as to why […]
Matthew 22:4, “Come to the wedding feast.” I read three parables this morning. The parable of the two sons (21:28-32), the parable of the tenants (21:33-44), and the parable of the wedding feast (22:1-14). Each one of these parables is told in response to the Scribes and Pharisee’s question about Jesus’ authority, and Jesus’
Matthew 16:23,25, “But He turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man…” I’m always intrigued by the seeming irony of Jesus’ statement here. Peter has just said, essentially, that
Matthew 11:29, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” + Psalm 23:1-3 Short Thoughts: Our souls will find rest in green pastures and beside still waters when we learn from our Master to bear the
Matthew 11:29 + Psalm 23:1-3 Read More »
Matthew 6:24, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and…” Fear. Of course you know that Jesus actually says that we cannot serve both God and money.
Hosea 11:10-11, “They shall go after YHWH; He will roar like a lion; when He roars, His children shall come trembling from the west…and I will return them to their homes, declares YHWH.” Matthew 27:50, “And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up His spirit.” John 11:52, “[Jesus died] to
Hosea 11:10-11 + Matthew 27:50 + John 11:52 Read More »
Matthew 6:8-9, “…your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. Pray then like this: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.” Short Thoughts: When we pray this, we are asking for the beauty of God’s identity—as He has made it known in the crucified and risen Son—to illuminate and saturate
Matthew 3:17, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” Short Thoughts: And all who are trusting Christ as their life, have entered into this same fellowship as beloved sons and daughters, with whom the Father is well pleased. Long Thoughts: By virtue of the Christian’s union to God
Matthew 5:16, “…let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Short Thoughts: Christians ought to be explicit about Jesus When our good works are flavored and illumined by the supremacy of the slain and risen Lord, they become pointers
Matthew 5:16, “…let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Short Thoughts: Christians ought to be explicit about Jesus When our good works are flavored and illumined by the supremacy of the slain and risen Lord, they become pointers
Matthew 1:21-23, “…you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.’ All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: ‘Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call His name ‘Immanuel’ (which means God with us.)” In the evenings
Matthew 5:10, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” This is the final of the “Beatitudes” pictures…..The main points that I wanted to hit in this final image were: 1) To be persecuted “for righteousness’ sake” is to be persecuted—whether intentionally or unintentionally on the part
Matthew 5:9, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” As the Church reconciles the shattered family of humanity to one another and to God, she manifests and continues the work of the True Child of God: the crucified and risen Lord whose blood has purchased all true and lasting
Matthew 5:8, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” While preparing for this picture, I was pointed to Psalm 24:4-6, which is the primary OT context that Jesus seems to be drawing from in this Beatitude. There the concept of a “pure heart” seems to be unfolded in v.4b, namely,
Matthew 5:6, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” Matthew is most likely not talking about Pauline righteousness (ie, The righteousness of Christ imputed to the believer by grace through faith), though that is certainly necessary. The righteousness in view here is likely a life of practical,
Matthew 5:5, “Blessed are the meek, for that shall inherit the earth.” 1 Peter 2:23, “…when He suffered, He did not threaten, but continued entrusting Himself to Him who judges justly…” At the heart of true meekness is trusting submission to the will and purposes of God. It is not fatalism or a religious
Matthew 5:5 (1 Peter 2:23) Read More »
Matthew 5:3, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.” I just finished up a series on John 1:1-18 at Community Christian Church, and anticipate starting the Sermon on the Mount this coming Sunday. As I’ve been preparing for this next series I’ve been musing over, among other things,
Matthew 25:40, “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” For today’s picture, the text I put together with the image is actually not the text that gave me the idea for the image….the passage
Matthew 25:40 + Luke 9:46-48 Read More »
