Category: The Book of Matthew

Have you ever felt like life wasn’t fair? Maybe you worked harder than someone else but didn’t get the recognition or reward you thought you deserved. The parable of the workers in the vineyard from Matthew 20 taps into that very feeling—and challenges us to see God’s generosity from a new perspective. Jesus tells the… Read more

Have you ever found yourself asking questions you already know the answer to? In Matthew 19, we see people asking Jesus familiar questions—questions that reveal more about their hearts than they might realize. First, the Pharisees ask Jesus about divorce, not because they want to learn, but because they want to test Him (v. 3).… Read more

When you think about greatness, what comes to mind? Success? Influence? Recognition? In Matthew 18, Jesus flips our ideas of greatness upside down. His disciples ask, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” (v. 1). Jesus doesn’t give them a lecture or list of achievements. Instead, He brings a little child into their… Read more

Can you imagine standing on a mountain with Jesus and suddenly seeing Him glowing with heavenly brilliance? That’s exactly what happened to Peter, James, and John in Matthew 17. Jesus takes them up a high mountain, and right before their eyes, He is transfigured. His face shines like the sun, His clothes become dazzlingly white,… Read more

Have you ever caught yourself asking God for a sign? “Lord, if You want me to do this, give me a clear sign.” Or, “God, if You’re really with me, show me something undeniable.” It’s not unusual to want reassurance, but in Matthew 16, Jesus has some strong words for people who demand signs. The… Read more

Have you ever felt weighed down: trying to meet other people’s expectations or live by rules that seemed to miss the point? In Matthew 15, Jesus addresses something similar. The Pharisees confront Him, upset because His disciples aren’t following their tradition of washing hands before eating. To us, that might sound like nitpicking, but for… Read more

Can we think of a time when confusion and misunderstanding led us to a devastatingly incorrect conclusion? Do we ever get an idea into our heads about how the world works, only to discover how wrong we were? Here in Matthew chapter 14 there seems to be a lot of that being displayed. Herod Antipas,… Read more

Our reading today opens with a series of parables: What is the focus and message of those stories? Who is Matthew attempting to influence? More importantly, why is Jesus using parables? “And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.” (Matthew 13:58 NIV) Matthew concludes this chapter with a sobering… Read more

“Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. A good man… Read more

Do we “pick and choose” details we share when we are working to convince people to accept our perspectives on a matter? So far in our readings through the book of Matthew, which details have we been given? What purpose is driving Matthew in his unveiling of Jesus? Read this chapter with those questions in… Read more