FBC Beaumont

(Message) How Do I Think About Temptation?

Sun, 24 May 2026 10:00:00 +0000

James points to man's disordered desires as the source of temptation and points to God as the source for the good gifts in life. Temptation is a process that everyone faces and this text gives us a way of thinking about that.

(Full Service) How Do I Think About Temptation?

Sun, 24 May 2026 10:00:00 +0000

1. The Disciple and Maturity

Sun, 10 May 2026 10:00:00 +0000

God calls His people not merely to profess faith but to demonstrate it through a life that reflects genuine spiritual maturity. True faith, born through the Word of truth, is evidenced by growth, obedience, and a visible transformation that aligns with the character of Christ.

2. The Disciple and Trials

Sun, 17 May 2026 10:00:00 +0000

The trials we face are not meaningless interruptions but purposeful tests that refine faith, produce endurance, and lead to spiritual maturity. James calls believers to respond with wisdom, trust, and perseverance, promising the crown of life to those who remain steadfast under pressure.

1. Release: Living Under the Weight of Self

Sun, 25 Jan 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Solomon begins Ecclesiastes by exposing the futility of life lived “under the sun,” where we try to create our own meaning and control the outcome. He calls life a vapor—brief, elusive, and unable to satisfy the soul apart from God. True rest comes by receiving life as God’s gift and living with our Creator and the final judgment in view.

2. Release: Living in a World that Repeats Itself

Sun, 01 Feb 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Solomon teaches that life under the sun is marked by repetition, weariness, and unfulfilled longing, no matter how much we learn or accomplish. By exposing the limits of wisdom and human effort, he gently redirects us away from self-reliance and toward a deeper, God-centered understanding of meaning and rest.

3. Release: Living Beyond What Can Satisfy

Sun, 08 Feb 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Solomon tests pleasure, work, wealth, and wisdom and declares them all hevel—a mist that cannot sustain meaning. He concludes that achievement exhausts, success fades, and even wisdom is undone by death, leaving life under the sun unsatisfied. Only joy received from the hand of God endures, as life is meant to be enjoyed with gratitude, not used as a replacement for God.

4. Release: Living Within God’s Time

Sun, 15 Feb 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Solomon teaches that life unfolds in seasons appointed by God, not shaped by human control. Though eternity is set in the human heart, meaning is lost when we try to master time instead of trusting God’s work within it. Peace comes, Solomon concludes, when time is received as God’s gift and life is enjoyed with reverent trust.

5. Release: Living Better Together

Sun, 22 Feb 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Solomon warns that isolation magnifies oppression, imbalance, and stress in life “under the sun.” He teaches that work and success become empty when they replace relationships. Life works better together.

6. Release: Living with Open Hands

Sun, 01 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Solomon teaches that God is honored not by many words or vows, but by reverent listening and obedient fear. He exposes the emptiness of trusting wealth, control, or systems for security under the sun. True peace, Solomon says, comes from open-handed trust—receiving God’s gifts without clinging to them.

7. Release: Living With Limits

Sun, 08 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Solomon warns that wealth, long life, and success are empty if God does not grant the ability to enjoy them. He exposes the futility of endless appetite, showing that striving for more or demanding answers only deepens frustration under the sun. True relief, Solomon concludes, comes from trusting God to define what is good and receiving life with contentment and faith.

8. Release: Living Wisely When Life Hurts

Sun, 15 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Solomon teaches that wisdom is forged through sorrow, patience, and humility, because hardship clarifies what truly matters and guards the heart from pride. True wisdom, he says, does not explain everything but steadies life by fearing God and accepting human limits.

9. Release: Living Faithfully When Life Isn’t Fair

Sun, 22 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Solomon observes that life often includes flawed authority, delayed justice, and mysteries that human wisdom cannot fully explain. Yet he concludes that those who fear God can live faithfully by trusting His ultimate justice and gratefully receiving the life He gives.

10. Release: Living Each Day as a Gift

Sun, 29 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Solomon observes that death comes to every person and that life’s outcomes are often unpredictable, reminding us that human skill and effort cannot control the future. Yet he concludes that wisdom responds by gratefully receiving life as God’s gift—enjoying daily blessings such as meals, relationships, and work while we have the opportunity.

11. Release: East of Eden, East of Easter

Sun, 05 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Solomon declares that life under the curse is marked by death, sin, and futility, leaving humanity without lasting gain apart from God. Yet he points to a greater hope: because Jesus at the first Easter overcame death and now offers substitutionary righteousness, the day of death can be better than the day of birth.

12. Release: Living Life the Wisdom Way

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Ecclesiastes exposes the shallow, misguided efforts of attempting to live life “under the sun” apart from the wisdom of acknowledging that there is life that exists "above the sun." The wisdom of thinking and living by God’s Word will guide us successfully as we deal with the struggles and complexities of life.

13. Release: Living Courageously Without Certainty

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Solomon teaches that because we cannot know or control the outcomes of life, we must courageously invest by faith and not wait for perfect conditions to act. At the same time, he calls us to receive life as a gift. You may not control life, but you can receive it as a gift.

14. Release: Living in Light of the End

Sun, 26 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Solomon teaches that life apart from God is empty, but life lived in reverence for Him is meaningful and not in vain. He calls us to remember our Creator early, live wisely, and trust the sufficiency of His Word as we face the certainty of the end.

15. Release: Living Responsibly Before God

Sun, 03 May 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Solomon ends the book of Ecclesiastes by concluding that life’s meaning is found not in what is temporary, but in fearing God and obeying Him. Every action matters before Him, so we are called to live responsibly now, trusting that God sees all and will judge justly.

Our Great High Priest

Sun, 18 Jan 2026 10:00:00 +0000

In Hebrews 4:14–5:10, we are reminded that Jesus is not only our Savior, but our Great High Priest who is able to help us in every time of need. This passage shows us that Jesus sympathizes with our weakness, supplies mercy and grace, shepherds us gently in our wandering, and saves us fully and forever. Written to weary believers tempted to pull away in sin or suffering, Hebrews invites us instead to hold fast to our confession and draw near to Jesus for help. This sermon encourages struggling Christians to come honestly to Jesus, trusting that He welcomes us and helps us when we are weakest.

1. SIN: Introduction to the Book of Romans

Sun, 12 Jan 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Romans, in many ways, is the most important book of the Bible. It is the summit of biblical theology, and the theme of this letter is the theme of the entire Bible: How can a holy God get an unholy person into His holy presence? The powerful answer to that question—called in the book “the Gospel of God”—has the power to change your life from the inside out. This sermon overviews the book as a whole.

2. SIN: Radically Good News

Sun, 19 Jan 2025 10:00:00 +0000

The first paragraph of Paul’s epistle to the Christians living in Rome defines why the good news is so good. The gospel comes from God and brings about the obedience of faith, a number of righteous obligations, and supernatural dynamics of change in a person's life.

3. SIN: Radically Bad News

Sun, 26 Jan 2025 10:00:00 +0000

The second paragraph of Paul’s epistle to the Christians living in Rome begins to define why the bad news is so bad. Paul addresses the spiral down affect that sin has in the world in general and in our nature specifically.

4. SIN: Condemnation of the Gentile Outsider

Sun, 02 Feb 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Paul’s doctrine of condemnation is built on three truths: the condemnation of the gentile outsider, the condemnation of the Jewish insider, and the condemnation of the whole world. This last paragraph of the first chapter of the Epistle to the Romans describes the nine stages that mark man’s tragic devolution, a downward spiral.

5. SIN: The Condemnation of the Jewish Insider

Sun, 09 Feb 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Paul’s treatment of the doctrine of sin moves from the condemnation of the gentile outsider to the condemnation of the Jewish insider in this second chapter. The false security of religious self-righteousness looks even worse in light of the gospel of salvation by grace alone through faith alone.

6. SIN: The Condemnation of the Whole World

Sun, 16 Feb 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Paul’s doctrine of sin concludes by arguing for the condemnation of the whole world. Human depravity means all are condemned and in need of salvation from outside of themselves. We are all of the same genus species: sinner. Consequently, Jesus is a worldwide savior.

7. SALVATION: Introduction The Law Fulfilled

Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:00:00 +0000

God designed the Law as a compass pointing to the need for a Savior. Israel's religious leaders blinded their people by lifting the Law above its intended purpose. The Law was never meant to save but to proclaim the coming Savior, Jesus, who is the absolute fulfillment of the Law.

8. SALVATION: The Most Important Paragraph in the Bible

Sun, 02 Mar 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Paul’s doctrine of salvation begins with the most important paragraph in your Bible. These six verses give the clearest, most concise, and most concentrated exposition of the radical reversal of religion, fortunes, and boasting found anywhere in the human history of writing.

9. SALVATION: The Repercussions of Redemption

Sun, 09 Mar 2025 10:00:00 +0000

In this last paragraph of Romans 3, Paul dismantles the illusion of self-righteous boasting and calls us to rely solely on Christ’s righteousness. We are encouraged to live out this gospel by displaying humility and love to all, as God’s grace knows no boundaries. Let faith clear the stage for God's glory—where human power ends, divine grace begins.

10. SALVATION: Abraham’s Example of Faith

Sun, 16 Mar 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Paul is writing to the church in Galatia with a warning about adding requirements to the Gospel. He uses Abraham as an example of justification through faith.

11. SALVATION: The Illustration of Redemption

Sun, 23 Mar 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Paul illustrates that “justification by faith” alone is not a novelty in Romans 4 by using Abraham as the ultimate Old Testament example. Abraham's faith was “credited to him as righteousness,” effectively challenging traditional Jewish beliefs and universally showing that salvation is a gift of grace, not works.

12. SALVATION: The Blessing of Redemption

Sun, 30 Mar 2025 10:00:00 +0000

After using Abraham as the ultimate Old Testament example of “justification by faith” alone, Paul further challenges traditional Jewish beliefs. He extends his illustration of the blessing of salvation by showing how religious rules and rituals like circumcision also demonstrate that salvation is a gift of grace, not works.

13. SALVATION: The Promise of Redemption

Sun, 06 Apr 2025 10:00:00 +0000

"Abraham stands as a powerful example that salvation in Christ comes not by works, but solely by God’s grace through faith. Throughout this section, the Apostle Paul addresses the question: “How was Abraham made right with God?” His answer is clear—by faith. By pointing to specific aspects of Abraham's faith, Paul not only shows how he was justified by faith, but also how each of us can be made right with God through saving faith in Jesus Christ."

14. SECURITY: Salvation’s Three Deadbolts

Sun, 13 Apr 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Paul celebrates the security of our salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, highlighting grace, hope, and love as the three essential components. Salvation is neither earned nor kept secure by works but is a gift from God, secured by His grace and love.

15. SECURITY: Salvation’s Three Doorways

Sun, 20 Apr 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Paul explores the concept of humanity's imprisonment to sin through Adam's actions and the contrasting liberation and abundance of grace offered through Jesus Christ. Understanding both our inherent sinfulness and the immeasurable grace of God is essential for comprehending our salvation.

16. SANCTIFICATION: You Have Died to Sin

Sun, 27 Apr 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Paul shifts his discussion to the doctrine of sanctification by emphasizing that believers have died to sin and should live in that reality. He explains that this death to sin is not a license to sin more, but a liberation from sin's bondage, illustrated by baptism's symbolism of death, burial, and resurrection with Christ. The key is understanding our union with Christ, which empowers us to live a new life, free from sin's control.

17. SANCTIFICATION: You Are Alive in Christ

Sun, 04 May 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Paul tells believers how they should live in light of their position in Christ, emphasizing that they are dead to sin and alive to God. He urges them to actively live out this reality by considering themselves dead to sin and presenting themselves to God as instruments of righteousness. The message outlines the four verbs of personal holiness: accept the truth, believe the truth, consider it true of them, and dedicate oneself to God.

18. SANCTIFICATION: You Are Led by Christ

Sun, 11 May 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Paul explains that since we have died to sin and are alive in Jesus, we are now able to follow Jesus. Because we are under grace and not law, sin no longer has dominion over us, offering a greater freedom and a new master in Jesus. This new reality provides compelling reasons to follow Jesus, leading to greater dominion (grace over sin), a better destiny (life over death), a deeper motivation (delight over duty), and a transformed identity (bond servant of righteousness over prisoner of sin).

19. SANCTIFICATION: You Died to the Law

Sun, 18 May 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Paul advances the concept of being freed from the inescapable bondage of sin. He explains that believers have "died to the Law," shifting from reliance on human effort to serving in the "newness of the Spirit." True freedom comes not from doing whatever we want, but from the grace-driven power of the Holy Spirit.

20. SANCTIFICATION: You Are Blessed by the Law

Sun, 25 May 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Paul reveals that the purpose of God's Law is not to save us but to expose our sin. The Law, therefore, is good and holy in that it acts like a mirror, showing us the reality of our sinfulness and our inability to meet God's perfect standard. Ultimately, the Law highlights our need for a savior, pointing us towards the grace found in Jesus Christ.

21. SANCTIFICATION: You Are Battling Flesh

Sun, 01 Jun 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Paul's personal struggle with sin highlights that our pursuit of holiness is not about self-improvement, willpower, perfection, or externals, but rather about acknowledging our wretchedness apart from Christ. The core problem is our flesh-driven efforts, leading to frustration and a constant war within us. The solution is grace-driven effort through Jesus Christ, leading to thankfulness and true freedom from the body of this death.

22. SANCTIFICATION: "F.R.E.E. in Christ"

Sun, 08 Jun 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Romans 8:1–4 speaks directly to freedom from condemnation—not because we are innocent or righteous in ourselves, but because Christ bore the punishment for our sins. God's mercy redefines us—not by our failures, but by the righteousness of Christ.

23. SANTIFICATION: You have the Spirit

Sun, 15 Jun 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Paul explores the transformative power of the Holy Spirit in a believer's life, moving from a propositional understanding of salvation to an experiential one. Believers “have” the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit “has” them. This enables followers of Christ to fight the battles of the flesh with weapons of the Spirit and live a life aligned with God's will.

24. SANCTIFICATION: You have Sonship

Sun, 22 Jun 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Believers find profound security and identity as adopted children of God. Paul emphasizes that through the Spirit, we gain fearless intimacy with God as "Abba Father" and receive an internal confirmation of our belonging to His family. Ultimately, this sonship secures an eternal inheritance, making us co-heirs with Christ and calling us to live in holiness out of love for God.

25. SANCTIFICAITON: You have Hope

Sun, 29 Jun 2025 10:00:00 +0000

In Romans 8:18-26, Paul reminds the ancient, modern, and future Church that their present sufferings are nothing compared to the glory to come. Enslaved to corruption, all of creation groans as it eagerly awaits redemption. Through their hope in Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit, Jesus' followers can look forward to the freedom that comes with being children of God.

26. SANCTIFICATION: You Have the Spirit

Sun, 06 Jul 2025 10:00:00 +0000

The Apostle Paul encourages believers who are facing trials by reminding them of the Spirit’s work in their salvation. Difficulties need not be our undoing because the Spirit is at work within us, praying for us and applying to our hearts the blessings secured by Christ.

27. SANCTIFICATION: You Have Him

Sun, 13 Jul 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Paul explains the security believers have in God's sovereignty. He highlights five aspects of this sovereignty, emphasizing that God is always at work for our good and His glory, even amidst suffering and trials. The text ultimately aims to instill confidence in believers, assuring them of God's perfect plan and consistent faithfulness.

28. SANCTIFICATION: God is for Us

Sun, 20 Jul 2025 10:00:00 +0000

The conclusion to Romans 8 emphasizes that if God is for us, no one can successfully stand against us in any way. Paul explores the profound and unwavering love of God and then assures believers that nothing can separate them from the love of God in Christ Jesus.

29. SOVEREIGNTY: God is Free (Part 1)

Sun, 27 Jul 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Paul defends the challenging concept of predestination and address its implications concerning the people of Israel. The whole chapter emphasizes that God is consistently faithful to His covenants, and also free to choose, exercising His sovereign will. Ultimately, Paul aims to foster trust in God, highlighting that salvation is by His mercy and grace, not human merit.

30. SOVEREIGNTY: God is Free (Part 2)

Sun, 03 Aug 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Paul delves into God's absolute freedom, particularly His right to judge and use individuals as He wills. It asserts that God's character is faultless and His judgments are trustworthy, as demonstrated through the contrasting examples of Moses and Pharaoh. Ultimately, salvation originates solely with God, and rejecting His mercy leads to facing His justice.

31. SOVEREIGNTY: God is Gracious

Sun, 10 Aug 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Paul examines why the Jewish people, who felt they deserved God's favor, stumbled over Jesus Christ. Ultimately, Paul concludes that salvation is a free gift received through simple faith in Jesus Christ, and not through personal works or religious heritage. Jesus is either a rock of refuge to the humble or a stumbling stone to the prideful.

32. SOVEREIGNTY: Too Easy?

Sun, 24 Aug 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Paul emphasizes that salvation is God’s simple, universal gift—available to “whoever calls on the name of the Lord.” We cannot earn salvation through works, rituals, or personal merit. We receive it by faith alone, confessing Christ openly. Paul challenges listeners not to stumble over the gospel’s simplicity, but to embrace the certainty of God’s promise: “You will be saved.”

33. SOVEREIGNTY: Too Wide?

Sun, 31 Aug 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Paul discusses the simplicity and profoundness of the gospel, focusing on the accessibility of salvation to "whosoever." Anyone, regardless of background or nationality, can be saved by calling on the name of the Lord.

34. SOVEREIGNTY: Too Severe?

Sun, 07 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0000

God has not rejected His people the Israelites but always preserves a faithful remnant by His grace. Romans 11:1–10 reminds us that salvation is never by works but rests entirely on God’s kindness and mercy.

35. SOVEREIGNTY: Too Late?

Sun, 14 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0000

God’s plan for Israel is not finished and His covenant promises still stand. Paul urges Gentile believers to walk in humility, remembering God’s grace and longing for the salvation of the Jewish people. The kindness of God toward Gentiles and the severity of God toward Jews calls us to gratitude and faithfulness in the Gospel.

36. SOVEREIGNTY: Too Deep?

Sun, 21 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0000

God cannot be contained in our boxes. His true nature will always overflow our preconceived ideas. Paul highlights three aspects of God's character as uncontainable: His unchangeable loyalty, unsearchable mercy, and unfathomable depths. This text calls us to worship the God who is beyond comprehension yet made known in Christ.

37. SERVICE: The Commitment of a Rescuer

Sun, 28 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Paul urges believers to respond to God’s mercy by offering their bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to Him. He contrasts conformity to the world with transformation through the renewing of the mind, so that believers can discern and live out God’s will. This passage marks a shift from doctrine to practice, calling for total dedication and daily transformation in the Christian life.

38. SERVICE: The Community of a Rescuer

Sun, 05 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Paul traces the ripples of redemption to the relationships found within the Church. Believers should serve one another within the local church with humility, recognizing that each person is a vital part of Christ's body and has a unique gift to contribute. We should use our special gift(s) with passion for the good of the church.

39. SERVICE: The Compassion of a Rescuer

Sun, 12 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Paul calls believers to love others sincerely, not with masks or hidden agendas, but with purity and authenticity that reflects the gospel. Insecurity and busyness often hinder genuine compassion, yet God’s love secures our worth and frees us to care deeply for others. True Christianity shows itself in love that is sincere, honoring, zealous, patient, and generous.

40. SERVICE: The Care of a Rescuer

Sun, 19 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Paul traces the ripples of redemption to the basic sharing of lives found in all godly relationships. We reflect Christ’s love by sharing generously, blessing those who wrong us, rejoicing and weeping with others, and living humbly in harmony.

41. SERVICE: Qualifications To Do Ministry

Sun, 26 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Making disciples is the call of every follower of Jesus. It’s not just for his original disciples or those who have a special calling. In Acts 3 and 4 we see that Peter and John were seen to be boldly sharing the Gospel and making disciples despite their lack of education or pedigree.

42. SERVICE: The Counterculture of a Rescuer

Sun, 02 Nov 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Paul calls believers to live as a countercultural people who respond to evil with good. Rather than seeking revenge, followers of Christ demonstrate the character of God by blessing those who wrong them and trusting God with justice. Such radical forgiveness generates grace in a world driven by retaliation, revealing the transforming power of the gospel.

43. SERVICE: The Citizenship of a Rescuer

Sun, 09 Nov 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Paul teaches that all authority is established by God and that believers honor Him by living as respectful, responsible citizens. Government serves God’s purpose to restrain evil and promote good, so obedience flows from both wisdom and conscience.

44. SERVICE: The Commitments of the Rescuer

Sun, 16 Nov 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Believers live out their own rescue by being a part of the rescue others. To do this, we need to be committed to loving others, staying spiritually awake, and walking in holiness. Love fulfills the Law, urgency marks the hour, and righteousness adorns the believer who “puts on Christ.”

45. SERVICE: The Conscience of a Rescuer – Part 1

Sun, 23 Nov 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Paul urges believers to accept one another without passing judgment over nonessential matters. God alone is the Master to whom each believer stands accountable, and Christ is Lord over both the strong and the weak. True unity in the body of Christ comes when grace, not criticism, governs our conscience and relationships.

46. SERVICE: The Conscience of a Rescuer – Part 2

Sun, 30 Nov 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Paul calls believers to “walk according to love” by sometimes laying aside their freedoms, pursuing peace, and ensuring that whatever they do flows from faith. Believers must refuse to put anything in a brother or sister’s path that would cause them to stumble.

47. SERVICE: Jesus’s Mission Center

Sun, 07 Dec 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Paul calls believers to follow Christ’s example by bearing the weak, seeking others’ good, and welcoming one another for God’s glory. He shows that the strong strengthen others by pointing them to Scripture, pursuing unity, and helping all believers glorify God together.

48. SERVICE: Paul’s Mission Circle

Sun, 14 Dec 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Paul shows that his ministry to the nations is a gift of grace, rooted in the gospel and offered to God like a priest presenting a sacrifice. He declares that everything accomplished through him is the work of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. His ambition is to take Christ where He is not known and invite believers into God’s mission to reach those who have never heard.

49. SERVICE: Our Mission Core

Sun, 21 Dec 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Paul describes his mission as a journey marked by serving the saints, finishing the work God gave him, and pursuing unreached people with the blessing of Christ. He urges believers to “strive together” with him in prayer, showing that gospel ministry depends not on human ability but on reliance upon God.

50. SERVICE: The God of Peace

Wed, 24 Dec 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Paul closes Romans 15 with a blessing that anchors weary believers in the character of God Himself—the God of peace who steps

into human chaos with restoring power. He reminds the church that this peace is not passive sentiment but God’s active work to heal division,

strengthen mission, and steady hearts in hope.

51. SERVICE: Gospel People

Sun, 28 Dec 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Paul closes Romans by naming and greeting ordinary believers, reminding us that the gospel advances through people, not programs. As he commends, thanks, and affirms them, Paul shows how deeply God values every member of the church. Christ-centered community grows when believers take the lead in honoring and loving one another.

52. SERVICE: Gospel Protection

Sun, 04 Jan 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Paul urges the church to watch out for divisive teachers whose smooth words and selfish motives threaten gospel unity. He calls believers to be wise in what is good, innocent in what is evil, and confident that the God of peace will ultimately crush Satan. Gospel love builds the church, but gospel discernment protects it.

53. SERVICE: Gospel Passion

Sun, 11 Jan 2026 10:00:00 +0000

In this final sermon from Romans 16:25–27, we saw that gospel people are marked by gospel passion. Paul’s closing doxology shows that the gospel fuels our passion by God’s power to establish us, anchors our confidence in the trustworthiness of God’s revealed plan in Christ, and produces the obedience of faith through the work of the Spirit—leading ultimately to praise of the only wise God through Jesus Christ.

1. The Pedigree of a King

Sun, 27 Nov 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Matthew’s gospel was largely written for a Jewish audience and begins by answering the most important question a Jew would ask in relation to the Kingdom of the Messiah: how can Jesus claim to be King of the Jews? Matthew traces Jesus' pedigree through David, Judah, Abraham, and the surprisingly gracious inclusions of 5 women (Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba, and Mary).

2. The Divinity of the King

Sun, 04 Dec 2022 10:00:00 +0000

2. Matthew balances Jesus' human heredity against His divine heredity. As the perfect union of God and man, Jesus could and would represent humanity flawlessly in His sacrificial monarchy. The mission of the cross is hidden in the message of the cradle.

3. The Gifts of the King

Sun, 11 Dec 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Matthew does not spend time on the narrative of Jesus as a baby but skips ahead two years to show the contrast between how the gentiles responded to His birth and how the people of Israel responded. Jesus is shown to be prophetically born in Bethlehem and contrasted with the current “king” who is there at that time: Herod. In the gifts given by the Magi we see symbolically who Jesus is, what He came to do, how others responded, what it cost Him, and where history is going.

4. The Humility of the King

Sun, 18 Dec 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Matthew concludes his narration of Jesus' early childhood by showing the humility of His Kingship. This approachable King was born in a humble village and grew up in a despised city. The humility of King Jesus does not just make Him easier to approach in times of need, but His "lowly and gentle" heart (Mt. 11:29) is certainly something for us to imitate in our own lives (Phil. 2:1–13).

5. The Herald of the King

Sun, 01 Jan 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Greco-Roman rulers would always have their visits announced by an official herald before their arrival. These envoys would prepare the way for the King’s visit by making proclamations and preparations. They served as both the king’s “secret service” and his “hype man.” John the Baptist fulfills these political and prophetic expectations (Is. 40:3; Mal. 3:1) by preparing the way for King Jesus. John preached a message of repentance from sin, remnant theology, and a coming new age of the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit (Ez 36:26-27).

6. The Baptism of the King

Sun, 08 Jan 2023 10:00:00 +0000

The baptism of Jesus reads as an unusual, out-of-the-ordinary event. The Son of God baptized? The Spirit of God descending? The Father God speaking? This of course was all “fitting” to “fulfill all righteousness” as Jesus prepares to become our perfect substitute in life and in death on the cross.

7. The Temptation of the King

Sun, 22 Jan 2023 10:00:00 +0000

The temptation of Jesus allows the enemy of God (Satan) to affirm Jesus’s identity as the king as well. King Jesus was tempted by Satan so that every creature, both angelical and earthly, would know that Jesus is both Christ and Conqueror.

8. The Servants of the King

Sun, 29 Jan 2023 10:00:00 +0000

The first disciples of Jesus were called with a specific message, method, and mission. The choice of mostly fishermen was both convenient and strategic. These men were summoned to become “fishers of men,” in part because they already knew how both “fish” and “water currents” worked. They were, by the nature of their career, faithful, bold, adaptive, busy, and patient people. As kingdom men and women, we too are called to train in order to be as well-equipped in kingdom work.

9. The Proclamation of the King

Sun, 05 Feb 2023 10:00:00 +0000

The Sermon on the Mount is the greatest sermon ever preached. The main question Jesus is answering is: “What is true righteousness?” Jesus flips the “religious script” of the spiritual leaders of the day who believed in a primarily external type of self-righteousness. Jesus, the master teacher, does not begin His sermon by harping on these religious leaders but just points out that character flows from the inside out, not the other way. True righteousness, as Jesus described it, begins internally, in the heart, and flows from there.

10. Salt and Light, Kingdom Influencers

Sun, 12 Feb 2023 10:00:00 +0000

The Sermon on the Mount moves logically from the attitudes of the blessed life to the purpose of the blessed life. The purpose of spiritual blessing is to be a blessing to others. The primary analogies Jesus uses for the kingdom influence of His people in the world are that of “salty salt” and “lights set on lampstands.”

11. Kingdom Law and Lord

Sun, 26 Feb 2023 10:00:00 +0000

In the third section of Jesus’s radical, counter-culture manifesto about the inner life in His Kingdom, Jesus gets to the heart of His message by focusing on inner righteousness and the Law of God. The two integral connections He proclaims are His fulfillment of the entire Law and a believer’s passion to obey all its commandments. This passionate pursuit of holiness for the believer is driven by grace, not guilt.

12. King of Hearts

Sun, 05 Mar 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Through thousands of years and across countless cultures, Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount stands as radical and counter-cultural as the day He first preached it. Most cultures define their morality and values on a sliding baseline of social ethics, but Jesus focuses on the heart. Studying the transformation of anger into murder reveals that sin is birthed in the heart. Focusing on the actions apart from the motivation is like treating the symptoms without addressing the terminal illness.

13. Purity of Heart

Sun, 12 Mar 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount stands as radical and counter-cultural as when He first preached it. In a culture that sets its moral baseline on a sliding scale, followers of Jesus must remember that our standard is based on the Word of God. Studying the transformation of lust into adultery reveals a great deal about our modern culture and personal spiritual maturity.

14. A Question of the Heart

Sun, 19 Mar 2023 10:00:00 +0000

15. People of Mercy

Sun, 16 Apr 2023 10:00:00 +0000

The surpassing righteousness of Jesus’ followers impacts the world because it surpasses mere “religiosity.” In this last part of chapter 5, their righteousness surpasses the basic religious expectations of what mercy looks like. By addressing the Old Testament law of retaliation, Jesus once again establishes Himself as the interpreter of the Law. The inner, ‘spirit of the law,’ righteousness of Jesus leads His people to replace expected retaliation with unexpected generosity, to replace eager litigation with radical unselfishness, to replace enemy hatred with unworldly love , and to replace economic exchange with undiscriminating love. This is how Jesus defines the surpassing “mercy” of godly lives.

16. People of Authenticity

Sun, 23 Apr 2023 10:00:00 +0000

The rest of the Sermon on the Mount focuses on true righteousness practiced in the believer’s life. The surpassing righteousness of Jesus’ followers MUST be applied in the everyday activities of life. Our relationship to God—seen in such basic spiritual activities as giving, praying, and fasting—MUST be secret, for God to see and not for people to applaud. This gets to the heart of one’s motives.

17. People of Prayer

Sun, 30 Apr 2023 10:00:00 +0000

18. People of the Kingdom

Sun, 07 May 2023 10:00:00 +0000

The Sermon on the Mount continues as Jesus, once again, addresses the hearts and motivations of His people. Jesus here warns against the sin of living for the things of this life. The most important things in life are not things. Jesus makes very clear the sad consequences of materialism and covetousness. Hearts, minds, and will focused, first and foremost, on God’s kingdom characterizes God’s people.

19. People of Peace

Sun, 14 May 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Jesus answers the next questions in the mind of the audience of His Sermon on the Mount, who have just been challenged to prioritize the Kingdom of God above their own lives. If a person has their heart, mind, and will set on obeying the true Master, how will this same person be able to care for the ordinary needs in life, such as food, clothing, and shelter? Jesus addressed the life of daily faith and says it does no good to worry. Saying “do not worry” three times (vv. 25, 31, 34), the Prince of Peace gives three practical reasons for peace of heart, mind, and will.

20. People of the Discernment

Sun, 21 May 2023 10:00:00 +0000

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus next addresses the necessity of judging with the right manner and the right heart. He tells us to avoid the critical judgementalism found flowing from a hasty, harsh, hypocritical spirit while embracing the careful judgment found in honest, humble, and honoring people of God.

21. People of the Fruit

Sun, 28 May 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Jesus begins to wrap up His Sermon on the Mount by giving some quick axioms of ministry within His kingdom. Principally, people of the kingdom will be known by their fruit.

22. People of Foundation

Sun, 04 Jun 2023 10:00:00 +0000

23. The Greatest Theologian of His Time

Sun, 11 Jun 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Jesus displays His power as the long-awaited king by first healing a leper, the first of 10 miracles. This visible sermon displays both the nature of sin (Lev. 13) and the power of the Savior to heal the foulest of sinners (Lev. 14).

24. Genuine Authority and Faith

Sun, 18 Jun 2023 10:00:00 +0000

After healing the Jewish leper with a touch (up close)—someone excluded from the congregation by his physical condition—Jesus heals the Gentile centurion’s servant with a word (from a distance)—someone excluded by his race. With this second example of His power, Jesus teaches about genuine authority and about genuine faith.

25. Healing of Peter’s Mother-in-Law

Sun, 25 Jun 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Jesus challenged the physical taboos of the day by healing the leper and the ethnic taboos of the Jews by healing the Centurion’s servant. In this third miracle (out of ten), Jesus heals Peter’s mother-in-law to challenge the gender taboos of the day and demonstrate several ministry axioms. For example, miraculous intervention should always be followed by ministry investment. Peter’s newly healed mother-in-law immediately gets up and serves.

26. Count The Cost

Sun, 02 Jul 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Jesus' call is an invitation to follow Him into His work to seek and save the lost. Jesus' call is not an invitation to an all-inclusive luxury lifestyle. This does not imply that a disciple of Christ is required to live in poverty or despair, only that they are required to follow where Jesus leads.

27. Calming Storms

Sun, 09 Jul 2023 10:00:00 +0000

In this story about Jesus calming a storm at sea we see encouragement to trust God’s will and seek Christ’s help in prayer. Jesus uses this storm as an opportunity to both test His disciples’ “little faith” and display His own “resting faith.” Jesus rebukes His disciples before rebuking the storm. We are meant to compare ourselves to the disciples. Never see a storm as just a storm: it's a test.

28. The Other Side

Sun, 16 Jul 2023 10:00:00 +0000

For miracle number five out of ten, Jesus takes His disciples on their first mission trip to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, where the help rescue a man from Gadara who is possessed by demon(s). Ministry to the Gentiles comes with the adversity of spiritual warfare, and His disciples need to know that the thickness of the battle from the other side is part of the plan. We fight from victory however, not for victory. While destruction is the ultimate goal of demonic forces, damnation is their ultimate destination.

29. At the Feet of Jesus

Sun, 23 Jul 2023 10:00:00 +0000

For miracle number six out of ten, Jesus shows His authority over the disease of paralysis in order to teach on the nature of sin and the greater glory of His free offer of forgiveness.

30. The Calling of Matthew

Sun, 30 Jul 2023 10:00:00 +0000

In calling the tax collector Matthew as one of His first followers, Jesus takes a moment to discuss the advantages of the pushback He and His followers will receive. One of the main applications of this discourse on the cost of following Christ is the profitability of such pushback. Jesus’s disciples actually grow through such adversity and persecution.

31. Tale of Two Daughters

Sun, 06 Aug 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Jesus heals two daughters through a word and a touch. Both met at the feet of Jesus, one public and one anonymous, one through the faith of a father and the other through her own faith, one healthy for 12 years and the other unhealthy for 12 years. Jesus touches both and meets their needs.

32. Tale of Blind Men… and Mute

Sun, 13 Aug 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Jesus heals two blind men and a mute, demon-possessed man as His finale in this section of Scripture that displays so perfectly His power over distance, disaster, discouragement, disease, death, and darkness.

33. Jesus’s Mighty Men

Sun, 20 Aug 2023 10:00:00 +0000

After encouraging His disciples to pray for the harvest, Jesus sends them out to be the answer to their own prayer. They are strategically chosen, equipped, and ordered into small groups to maximize their reach and effectiveness.

34. Jesus’s Worthy Workers

Sun, 27 Aug 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Jesus sends out His disciples two by two with very specific and strategic instructions. They are strategically to focus on the Jews first, preach the Kingdom is here finally, and trust in God fully.

35. Jesus's Peaceful Partners

Sun, 03 Sep 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Jesus sends out His disciples two-by-two with very specific and strategic instructions. They were to foster partnerships as a strategy of interdependence and simplicity. The work carried with it such austerity and urgency that any resistance was to be seen as a rejection of God Himself.

36. Jesus’s Wounded Warriors

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Jesus sends out His disciples two-by-two with both clear instructions (12) and compelling identifications (7). Regarding opposition, they are sent out as sheep among wolves. Considering this opposition and the opportunity it brings for the gospel, they are also called to be as shrewd as serpents and gentle as doves.

37. Jesus’s Struggling Servants

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Jesus sends out His disciples two-by-two with both clear instructions (12) and compelling identifications (7). Regarding the struggle they will encounter as His representative servants, Jesus emphasizes the position, protection, privilege, profit, practice, and posture of His servants. They are well-equipped to handle any opposition or struggle.

38. Skandalon

Sun, 24 Sep 2023 10:00:00 +0000

The narrative of Matthew reaches another turning point after the training and ministry of 12. The revelation of the King now complete (chaps. 1–10), the rebellion against the King commences in earnest. The scandalous challenge to the King’s Authority is first seen in the rejection of John the Baptist.

39. Scandalous Shepherd

Sun, 01 Oct 2023 10:00:00 +0000

As the Lord’s Shepherd, Jesus was scandalous in calling His followers to celebrate the joy of salvation, repent from sin, and rest in His provision. Following Christ should transform us and radically reorient our perspective in life to the point of making us "scandalous" to outsiders.

40. Lord of the Sabbath

Sun, 08 Oct 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Chapter 12 of Matthew is thick with conflict, and it continues to get thicker. The scandalous challenge to the King’s Authority was first seen in the rejection of His Prophet (John the Baptist, Matt. 11) and now in the rejection of His Principles (Matt 12). The main principle that Jesus’s enemies attach here was His violation of their traditions surrounding the Sabbath. Jesus gives three illustrations and a demonstration to declare without uncertainty that He alone is “Lord of the Sabbath” (Matt. 12:8).

41. The Unrivaled Christ & the Unforgivable Sin

Sun, 15 Oct 2023 10:00:00 +0000

The unrivaled Christ is greater than the Temple, Satan, Jonah, and Solomon. Jesus is the perfect prophet, priest and King, and Israel fully rejects Him as their savior in this chapter by ascribing His work to Satan. This final step of rebellion, called here “the unforgivable sin,” is a one-time event of utter unbelief. Jesus now pivots and gives His attention to the salvation of Gentiles.

42. Inside or Outside?

Sun, 22 Oct 2023 10:00:00 +0000

The protests against Jesus by the Jews continue to mount and even evolve to an issue much closer to home. After the Sabbath controversy (How should Christians view the Sabbath?), the Spirit controversy (What is the unforgivable sin?), and the Sign controversy (Is asking for a sign from God an indication of unbelief?) comes a Sibling controversy. Jesus uses the interruption of His teaching by his biological family as a teachable moment. Who are Jesus’s brothers and sisters?

43. Check Your Heart

Sun, 29 Oct 2023 10:00:00 +0000

In this text, Jesus begins to teach his disciples using parables about the Kingdom of God and draws a line between his disciples and those who had previously rejected him. This parable uses an agricultural metaphor to demonstrate that the condition of a person’s heart will determine their response to the Word of God.

44. Wheat or Cheat? The Imitation of the Kingdom

Sun, 05 Nov 2023 10:00:00 +0000

In Jesus’s second parable, He creates another fork in the road by forcing His listeners to consider their authenticity as His followers. The questions that come out of the parable of the wheat and the tares are worth asking, whether people are imitation Christians or whether they are authentic Christians that just need to be woken up from their sleep. These are questions that point to three hallmarks of a growing relationship with God.

45. Seed and Leaven? The Increase and Impact of the Kingdom

Sun, 12 Nov 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Jesus presents two more parables that are prophetic about the age to come—the church age. His Church will have exponential growth through reproducible units (seed). His Church will also enjoy the remarkable pervasiveness of small transformative agents (leaven).

46. Treasure? Israel and the Kingdom

Sun, 19 Nov 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Jesus’s fifth parable describes God’s kingdom as a hidden treasure that requires a number of steps to secure its possession. God’s “treasured possession” (Ex. 19:5; Ps. 135:4) is Israel, and the field that is purchased is the whole world. Jesus showed His great value for Israel by selling all He had to redeem His people.

47. The Training of the Twelve: Compassion

Sun, 07 Jan 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Jesus feeds over 5,000 people with a small amount of food demonstrating His power over natural limitations and His concern for the needs of humanity. What can His disciples learn from Him in this text?

48. Pearl? The Internationality of the Kingdom

Sun, 26 Nov 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Jesus’s sixth parable describes God’s kingdom as a pearl of great price representing the “Church.” Like the pearl, Jesus’s Church is a unity and was made possible through the suffering and death of Christ. It comes out of the seas representing the nations of the earth, and the Church grows unseen until God reveals it in its glory.

49. Dragnet? The Inter-advent of the Kingdom

Sun, 03 Dec 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Jesus’s seventh parable reveals the character of the time between His first coming and second coming. What will lead up to the end of the age is the coexisting of good and evil followed by an angelic sorting of the wicked from the righteous. Jesus also gives our role as the end of days draws closer: we are called to be scribes, disciples and heads of household (13:52).

50. Return to Nazareth

Sun, 10 Dec 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Jesus returns a second time to Nazareth and is rejected a second time by His own people. This last offer of Himself to those who have known Him the longest leads to Him shifting all His attention to the training of the twelve (Matt. 14-20). This sad story begs the three-part question: Is Jesus more than a man, more than a carpenter, and more than an offensive prophet?

51. The Preparation of the Twelve: Caution

Sun, 31 Dec 2023 10:00:00 +0000

The execution of John the Baptist sets the stage for the training of the twelve. His death creates both the vacuum of leadership for Jesus to fill and the cautionary tale of the dangers of Christ’s enemies.

52. Preparation of the Twelve: CRISIS

Sun, 14 Jan 2024 10:00:00 +0000

The Chinese word for “crisis” is comprised of 2 characters: one meaning “danger” and

the other meaning “opportunity.” The crisis in Matthew 14:22-33 presented both

danger (disciples) and opportunity (our Lord).

53. The Preparation of the Twelve: Commandments

Sun, 21 Jan 2024 10:00:00 +0000

In training the 12 Jesus now moves to address the toxic interplay between truth and tradition. The change that Jesus brings comes from the inside to the outside. Jesus accentuates both the required prioritization of biblical precepts and the ruinous direction of internal defilement. Believers must constantly be reminded that true religion comes from the heart.

54. The Preparation of the Twelve: Connections

Sun, 28 Jan 2024 10:00:00 +0000

In training the 12 Jesus has addressed Caution, Compassion, Crisis, and Commandments. In the second half of this chapter, Jesus now trains His disciples in the kind and manner of Connections they will make for His kingdom. He demonstrates how they should hear, help, and heal, all those that are hungry for the “Bread of Life” that Jesus provides.

55. The Preparation of the Twelve: Corruption

Sun, 04 Feb 2024 10:00:00 +0000

In training the 12 Jesus sets up His next lesson on the “Great Confession” by first addressing a number of great corruptions. He uses the image of leaven again as a negative illustration of how small things like traditionalism and progressive can corrupt the whole community of faith. Jesus’s church should especially avoid the kind of forgetfulness and dullness that the early disciples struggled to escape.

56. The Preparation of the Twelve: Confession

Sun, 11 Feb 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Jesus presented His first disciples with the most crucial question ever asked in Matthew 16: 13-23. This question continues to echo in the heads and hearts of all who have heard the gospel. During Jesus’ ministry, and still today, popular culture and manufactured designer religions present answers to this crucial question that are half-truths and whole lies. How you answer the question of Who Jesus is affects every aspect of your life.

57. The Preparation of the Twelve: Cross

Sun, 18 Feb 2024 10:00:00 +0000

After training His disciples in regard to the “great corruptions” (traditionalism and progressivism) and the “great confession” of Jesus as the “God Messiah,” Jesus is now open about His quickly approaching arrest, crucifixion, resurrection, and second coming. God’s devotion to paying such a high redemption price for us creates a debt of devotion from us to God. His sacrificial cross leads us to taking up our own cross of self-denial in order to serve His kingdom interests.

58. The Transfiguration: A Memory of the Future

Sun, 25 Feb 2024 10:00:00 +0000

As Jesus continues to train His disciples, God the Father gives Jesus and His twelve a tangible experience they can see and hear to strengthen them for the suffering that lies ahead of them all. The purpose of the transfiguration was definitive and multilayered. It was the Father’s way of strengthening His Son for that terrible ordeal of being the sacrifice for the sins of the world. The transfiguration was also for the purpose of assuring the apostles that Jesus Christ would come back in glory and suffering always proceeds such glory.

59. Mountains to Valleys

Sun, 03 Mar 2024 10:00:00 +0000

The Son of God leads His disciple from the meeting with His Father to a meeting with another Father and demonized Son. Spiritual highs are often followed by spiritual lows. Jesus uses this contrast as an opportunity to teach about ministry, faith, power, and prayer.

60. From the Valley to the Sea

Sun, 10 Mar 2024 10:00:00 +0000

The Son of God intentionally leads His disciple from the mountain, to the valley, and then to the sea. Jesus uses this location as an opportunity to teach about ministry to the larger world and the humility that it requires. Spiritual greatness necessitates an attitude of childlike dependence on God whereby we serve others as a stepping stone not a stumbling stone.

61. Church Discipline

Sun, 17 Mar 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Jesus takes His disciples’ training to the next level by addressing restoration of wayward believers. Without fail conflict and hurts will arise in any community of faith. This, of course, is the proper curriculum to learn forgiveness (next section). If such conflict is avoided or not handled properly, then the community of faith will not get to display the supernatural forgiveness the watching world desperately needs to see.

62. Church Forgiveness

Sun, 24 Mar 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Jesus trains His 12 disciples in the next logical step in the process of seeking restoration during church discipline. When we are hurt by others in the family of God, this gives us an opportunity to display the deep experience we have had with our own forgiveness from God. In this last section of Matthew 18 Jesus tells a parable that illustrates the power of forgiveness in His Church.

63. The Sanctity of Marriage

Sun, 12 May 2024 10:00:00 +0000

In the training of his 12 disciples Jesus turns from church problems to marriage problems as the proper soil to display the unconditional love God to a watching world. When we are hurt by our spouse and turn to faith and faithfulness instead of selfishness and divorce (marriage suicide), the marriage bond grows stronger and louder.

64. The Regeneration of the Next Generation

Sun, 19 May 2024 10:00:00 +0000

In the training of His 12 disciples, Jesus connects His discussion concerning the importance of marriage with the importance of reaching the next generation. God’s design is for the blessing of marriage to produce the blessing of children as a heritage of faith and faithfulness. This training revolves around five questions and the answers Christ gave, one implicit and four explicit questions. Jesus ultimately answers the fundamental question of the regeneration of the next generation.

65. The Disciples’ Reward

Sun, 26 May 2024 10:00:00 +0000

In training His disciples with the example of the rich young ruler, Jesus tells the man to sell all he had and follow Him. Seeing this exchange, Peter blurts out another foolish question, wondering out loud about the expected rewards for abandoning all to follow Jesus. The Lord takes this moment to talk to the twelve about rewards and follows His teaching on rewards with a pointed parable (20:1-16).

66. The Attitude of the Disciple’s Heart

Sun, 02 Jun 2024 10:00:00 +0000

From the transformation of the heart springs forth the desire to be Christ-like, and the call of Christ in a believer's daily life is one of purpose and intention. The transformation of the heart leads to a desire to emulate Christ in speech and behavior. Throughout His earthly ministry, Jesus consistently worked to address the physical and spiritual needs of those around Him. Are God’s glory and His kingdom so important to you that you don’t need anyone’s applause to serve Him?

67. Improving your Serve

Sun, 09 Jun 2024 10:00:00 +0000

In this third announcement of His cross, Jesus uses the request from John and James’ mom to reward her sons with special thrones as a teaching moment about the transformative power of serving. God reserves special rewards in the next life for those who practice the art of unselfish living in this life. Suffering and serving for the sake of others makes us very Christlike.

68. Helping the Blind to See

Sun, 16 Jun 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Jesus illustrates the salvation He brings and the service He expects by healing two blind men who cry out to Him as Messiah.

69. The Triumphal Entry and Spiritual Blindness

Sun, 23 Jun 2024 10:00:00 +0000

In an entrance fit for this King, the misnamed “triumphal entry” displays both the humble and prophetic nature of Christ’s kingdom. While the Israelites remain spiritually blind to the significance of the passion week, this ironic event gives a teachable contrast for future generations of followers of the King Jesus.

70A. The Cleansing of the Temple and Inward Corruption

Sun, 30 Jun 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Matthew 21:12-17 describes a significant event in the life of Jesus, highlighting His authority and mission. These verses underscore Jesus’ authority over the temple, His supernatural ability to heal, and the recognition of His messianic identity. At the same time, it highlights the tension between Jesus and the self-appointed religious leaders of the day. Throughout this text, Jesus demonstrates compassion and the expectation of authentic worship.

70B. The Cleansing of the Temple and Inward Corruption

Sun, 30 Jun 2024 10:00:00 +0000

71. The Cursing of the Fig Tree and Outward Fruitlessness

Sun, 07 Jul 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Upon first entering Jerusalem on the last 8 days of His life, Jesus gives three signs of the type of problems He came to solve. After confronting Israel’s spiritual blindness (triumphal entry) and Israel’s inward corruption (cleansing the Temple), Jesus confronts Israel’s outward fruitlessness (cursing the fig tree). The cursed fig tree represents His judgement of fruitless Israel and stands a contrast for the church on how to grow both their faith and their resultant fruitfulness.

72. The Remnant and the Removal of the Shepherds

Sun, 14 Jul 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Matthew 21 is about one theme: The entry of the promised Son of David into Jerusalem. After Jesus gives three signs of the type of problems He came to solve in the Holy City, He gives three parables about the judgement of the current leadership of Israel. That generation of Israelite shepherds have rejected Him fully, and they are about to be fired. The kingdom then would be given to “the afflicted of the flock” (Zechariah 11:7).

73. Parable of the Guests and the Gate Crasher

Sun, 21 Jul 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Our Lord had spoken the previous parables of the sons and the vineyard (Matthew 21:28-44) to the Jewish leaders who had failed in their responsibility as the spiritual shepherds of Israel. In the Parable of the Marriage Feast (Matt. 22:1-14), Jesus speaks of the privilege that noteworthy guests will enjoy when they accept Him as King and dine with Him in great celebration. Only those who are properly attired in His righteousness will enjoy the blessings of His kingdom.

74. Church and State, Flip the Coin

Sun, 28 Jul 2024 10:00:00 +0000

In Matthew 22:15-22 Jesus is tested by religious and political leaders who plan to trap and discredit Him. Though their snare is well set, their trap is limited by their poor understanding of God and His Kingdom (Matthew 15:14; 23:27). Jesus’ response is believed by many to be, “the single most influential political statement ever made in the history of the world.”

75. One Bride, Seven Brothers, and the Resurrection to Come

Sun, 04 Aug 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Jesus recognizes the devious intent and foolish question of the Sadducees. He responds to their

outlandish story by affirming Holy Scripture, the power of God and the reality of the

resurrection. Jesus’ teaching amazes His listeners by His authority and grasp of divine truth.

76. The Great Commandment

Sun, 11 Aug 2024 10:00:00 +0000

As a last-ditch effort to discredit Jesus the religious leaders of the day asked a question that was so highly debated that most would have assumed there wasn't an answer. in the hopes of setting an achievable standard, the religious leaders attempted to grade the commands of God so they could keep what they credited as the "most important" Laws. It is only upon asking Jesus, which is the greatest command, that the core of the Law of God is revealed to be Love.

77. The Last Word

Sun, 18 Aug 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Matthew 22 ends with Jesus giving one last word to the challenges of His enemies. His final word is about His credentials as fully man and fully God. Using the most quoted Psalm in the Bible, Psalm 110, Jesus challenges His challengers with the duality of nature as the divine messiah.

78. Pathology of Hypocrisy

Sun, 25 Aug 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Matthew 23 is Jesus’s last time to address the public. He gives a strong rebuke of Jewish leadership by diagnosing their problem as religious deceit. He used the words “hypocrisy” and “woe” repeatedly in this message. Their false righteousness—and the destruction it causes—deeply saddens our Lord.

79. Opening the Door of Biblical Prophecy

Sun, 01 Sep 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Matthew 24-25 records Jesus’s Olivet sermon. In it He lays out the basic elements and atmosphere of the events surrounding the last days. Matthew 24 focuses on the deception and destruction that characterizes the world around the time of His return to establish His kingdom on earth.

80. Keeping a Light on for Him

Sun, 08 Sep 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Jesus wraps up the first half of His sermon on the Mount of Olivet with three practical admonitions all built around 3 illustrations: a fig tree, Noah, and a thief in the night. The core reactions toward His second coming Jesus expects from His followers are Expectancy, Imminency, and Urgency.

81. Ten Ladies in Waiting

Sun, 15 Sep 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Jesus gives a fourth illustration (3 previous are Figs, Flood of Noah, Faithful fella put in charge) to warn His would-be disciples to ready for His return at any moment with a parable of the ten female virgins waiting for the groom and his wedding procession. In this story the groom comes back later than expected. Five of the bridesmaids are wise, and five are called “foolish” because they were not prepared to wait so long.

82. Men at Work

Sun, 22 Sep 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Jesus gives a sixth and final illustration to warn His would-be disciples to be ready for His return at any moment. Using another parable—the parable of the talents—Jesus encourages His followers to labor faithfully until He comes again by comparing three men who were given various levels of stewardship over large sums of borrowed money.

83. The King Sitting in Judgment

Sun, 29 Sep 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Jesus began His sermon on the Mount of Olives with the temporal judgment against Israel (23:1f), and now concludes His eschatological sermon with the eternal judgement of the Nations. Through a parable-like simile of sheep and goats, Jesus discusses with His disciples the clear delineation of those that are His sheep and the dire consequences of not being one His own (i.e. the goats).

84. The Greatest Story Ever Told

Sun, 06 Oct 2024 10:00:00 +0000

After the sermon on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sets His eyes and heart on His substitutionary death. On Tuesday of the passion week Mary worships Him by anointing Him for burial with expensive perfume, and Judas begins his betrayal of Jesus in earnest. On Thursday of passion week Jesus has His disciples set up the last Passover and the first Lord’s Supper.

85. The Last Passover and The First Lord’s Supper

Sun, 13 Oct 2024 10:00:00 +0000

In Matthew 26, Jesus celebrates His last Passover Feast with His disciples and institutes the Lord's Supper for the first time. What was intended to remember God’s goodness to Israel during the Exodus is now eaten to remember Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.

86. The Last Adam at Last

Sun, 20 Oct 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Jesus has the stage for His death, burial, and resurrection. He is not caught off guard by His impending death. Leaving the upper room, He travels with his 11 followers to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray and await His arrest. The scene unfolds with a number of contrasts between His submission and the resistance of people.

87. Jesus’ Arrest: The Crowd, Community, & Christ

Sun, 27 Oct 2024 10:00:00 +0000

As the corrupt and evil religious leaders of Jerusalem plot, Jesus continues to

demonstrate His righteousness, power, and authority as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. While

facing a mindless mob, the betrayal of Judas, and the abandonment of His disciples, Jesus

remains focused on His work to seek and save the lost.

88. The Trials of the King

Sun, 03 Nov 2024 10:00:00 +0000

In the next step of the passion of the Christ, our innocent substitute takes our place in judgment without witnesses and without a word of defense. Jesus is tried six times (3 religious trials, 3 civil trials) and is found innocent six times. He is only found guilty of claiming to be the Son of God.

89. The Trials of the King, Behold the King

Sun, 10 Nov 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Jesus is tried six times in three religious trials and three civil trials. He is found innocent six times. The three civil trials move more legally from Pilate, to Herod, and back to Pilate. As we study this second half of the trials of Jesus, we get the strange feeling that the tables are being turned on us. Jesus is not so much on trial here, Pilate is… we are. When we come face to face with Jesus, we have a choice to make.

90. The Gospel according to Barabbas

Sun, 17 Nov 2024 10:00:00 +0000

As the false trials of Jesus end and the crucifixion begins, there is a clear presentation of the meaning of Jesus death by way of a switching of criminals. The true criminal Barabbas is substituted for the innocent savior Jesus. To make the meaning of Christ’s death on the cross crystal clear, God provides a perfect and timely picture of substitutionary atonement through the exchange of Barabbas.

91. The Greatest 6 Hours in Human History

Sun, 24 Nov 2024 10:00:00 +0000

This text deals with Jesus being crucified. Jesus’ death on the cross is both the greatest event in human history and the worst at the same time. Human sin is on full display as well as God’s grace, judgment, and love.

92. The Last Three Hours

Sun, 01 Dec 2024 10:00:00 +0000

During the crucifixion of King Jesus, darkness falls over the land as if all of creation is sympathizing with the creator. In the last three hours of Jesus life, this dramatic pause of darkness creates a spotlight on the true king’s work. Three miracles occur after His death as the true king dies for His subjects accenting that King Jesus has just conquered sin, law, and death itself for them.

93. The Power of the King’s Resurrection

Sun, 08 Dec 2024 10:00:00 +0000

The last chapter of Matthew records the climax of the gospel story with the resurrection of King Jesus in power. Whereas the cross gives us a message, the resurrection gives us a message and the power to deliver it. The Kingdom of Kind Jesus is a kingdom of resurrection power.

94. The Mission of the King’s Representatives

Sun, 15 Dec 2024 10:00:00 +0000

The Gospel according to Matthew is written for Jews by a Jew about a Jew who would be King. It describes who this king is and what His kingdom would be like. The last paragraph of the book appropriately tells the final words of King Jesus and gives His marching orders to His kingdom representatives in the world. The Great commission gives 4 reasons why we should live on mission for King Jesus.

1. The King: Wise Men Still Seek Him

Sun, 22 Dec 2024 10:00:00 +0000

The Story of the Magi “worshipping” Jesus provides a great epilogue to the kingship motif of the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew does not spend time on the narrative of Jesus as a baby but skips ahead two years to show the contrast between how the gentiles responded to His birth and how the people of Israel responded. Jesus is shown to be prophetically born in Bethlehem and contrasted with the current “king” who is there at that time: Herod.

2. Christmas Eve: The Gifts of the King

Tue, 24 Dec 2024 10:00:00 +0000

responded, what it cost Him, and where history is going.

3. The King: Jesus Makes Men Wise

Sun, 29 Dec 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Paul's conversion from Pharisaic Judaism to a disciple of Jesus exemplifies how Jesus calls individuals to wisdom. Even though Paul was at the peak of his Jewish heritage and education, he failed to recognize the Messiah until his transformative encounter with Him. This shift in belief highlights the profound change Jesus can bring, even to those most firmly grounded in tradition and religion.

4. The King: Unleashed

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 10:00:00 +0000

In the kind providence of God, a long-standing desire in the heart of the Apostle Paul was

fulfilled when he was arrested and sent to Rome. Paul knew that the gospel must take root in

one of the chief cities of the world if the great commission was going to be fulfilled. The book of

Acts closes with the missionary-apostle being under house arrest in Rome. Even though he was

under guard, the Word of God was unleashed as the Gospel spread, culminating in a church

being planted which would receive a letter from Paul—the book of Romans.

2. Move Forward, Kneeling Down

Sun, 14 Apr 2024 10:00:00 +0000

The book of Nehemiah began by anchoring a vision of the future in the past (Neh. 1:1-3). But once the bad news of Jerusalem’s state of affairs was known, Nehemiah turns to God in prayer, anchoring Israel’s problems also to the promises and reputation of God. This section of the book teaches that nothing of eternal significance happens apart from prayer.

3. Move Forward, Reclaiming God’s Vision

Sun, 21 Apr 2024 10:00:00 +0000

After Nehemiah turns to God in prayer and anchors Israel’s problems in the promises and reputation of God, he then looks toward strategic vision and strategic action. Not only did Nehemiah pray for an opportunity, he planned for an opportunity. Nehemiah’s Vision teaches us that the kingdom of God ought to reshape our vision of what matters and that action follows intention.

4. Move Forward, Assessing Reality

Sun, 28 Apr 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Nehemiah turned to God in prayer, anchored Israel’s problems in the promises and reputation of God, caught the strategic vision God provided, and then began to take strategic action to rebuild the ruined walls of Jerusalem. The first action he took was to go and assess the reality on the ground in Jerusalem. Nehemiah began by accepting life as if was, not as he would have it. We should approach ministry objectives with the same ‘fearless ministry inventory.’

5. Move Forward, Doing the Work

Sun, 05 May 2024 10:00:00 +0000

God used Nehemiah in tangible ways as he responded to God’s call and his burden for God’s reputation. Nehemiah’s cooperative work to rally the Israel to rebuild the wall and the gates of the city teaches us that the kingdom of God requires strategic vision to be followed by strategic action and strategic collaboration.

1. Stepping Out With God

Sun, 26 Mar 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Abraham is the patriarch who was known by his altars. Altars are places where you celebrate that your life has been altered. Abraham’s faith could be trusted because his faith had been tested. He stepped out with God (Gen. 12:1-3) and believed God could bring life from death (Gen. 15:10). Abraham was prepared to do anything for God. He was even willing to offer up his only son, Isaac.

2. Her Only Son

Sun, 02 Apr 2023 10:00:00 +0000

In this passage, God sent Elijah to school. God prepared Elijah and the widow for ministry by bringing them to the end of themselves. It is only when we come to the end of ourselves and our supplies that we begin to appreciate our great need for God and His help. God has to bring us to this point of desperation because it is often the only way He can get our attention and show us what only He can do for us.

3. God’s Only Son

Sun, 09 Apr 2023 10:00:00 +0000

God’s only Son was not spared death like Isaac. Jesus freely gave Himself up to death so we could be forgiven. Jesus was a willing sacrifice and will return as a conquering sovereign. He was forsaken so we could be forgiven.