Focal Passage: Matthew 15:1-11, 16-20

Some news changes everything. Maybe it’s a doctor telling you, “The tests came back clear,” or it’s a soldier hearing, “The war is over,” or even a prisoner hearing, “You’ve been pardoned.” Those type of announcements can change your life. 

Early on Easter morning 2000 years ago, a group of women arrived at the tomb of Jesus expecting silence and sorrow. Instead, they received the greatest announcement in human history: “He is not here, For He has risen” (v. 6). That moment didn’t just change their morning; it launched the mission of the Church.  [Read more…]

Focal Passage: Matthew 18:21-35

My wife and I have three little boys (ages 10, 8, 5) and I recently took them on a hike. They each had a small backpack containing all the essentials we would need: flashlight, change of clothes (because you never know), drinks, and the most important part … some snacks! We had all the necessary snacks: Vienna sausages, apples, cheese, Slim Jim’s, and some candy! We were ready. 

However, somewhere along the trail those bags started to get a little heavy for the boys. One by one they gave them to me to carry and by the end of the hike I had, not only my backpack, but all three of the boys’ too. It was as if I was their pack mule. You know, holding onto bitterness can feel like carrying backpacks around wherever you go. The boys were free, but I was weighed down. In Matthew 18, Jesus shows us that forgiveness is about releasing what we were never meant to carry. This parable teaches us some powerful truths about forgiveness.  [Read more…]

Focal Passage: Matthew 17:1-13

Have you ever seen one of those movies that doesn’t make sense until the final scene? Maybe you think it’s going in one direction and the final scene pulls everything together differently than you thought. 

Maybe what felt disconnected all comes together in one moment and the bigger picture finally becomes clear. Matthew 17 is one of those moments. On a mountain, God pulls back the curtain and shows the disciples (and us) that everything written before finds its fulfillment in Jesus. Every promise and every prophecy is found in Him.  [Read more…]

Focal Passage: Matthew 16:13-26

Our life is filled with questions: both answering them and asking them. Questions such as, “What do you want to eat?” or “When will you be home?” Most of life is shaped by how we answer certain questions. 

Some questions are just searching for information, but others require a commitment. Questions like, “Will you marry me?” or “Are you in or out?” or the question that Jesus asked to His disciples in Matthew 16:15: “Who do you say that I am?” As we come to this text it is important that we ask some questions in our own life. [Read more…]

Focal Passage: Matthew 15:1-11, 16-20

Outward appearances don’t always match reality. We all have one junk drawer in our kitchen that acts as a “catch-all” for all the random pens, chargers, batteries, paper clips, etc. People can come over and your kitchen can look immaculate. Everything is neat and clean and in its place. People may even compliment how tidy and beautiful it is. Just don’t look in that drawer! Religion can look impressive on the outside while missing what matters most on the inside. In Matthew 15, Jesus confronts that very problem. 

Jesus first exposes the Pharisees tradition apart from transformation (vv. 1-6). The Pharisees come to Jesus upset about handwashing. Not for hygiene purposes, but ritual purity. Jesus immediately exposes their deeper issue which is that they have elevated tradition over obedience. They had created loopholes that allowed people to appear spiritual while neglecting honoring their parents.  [Read more…]

Focal Passage: I John 4:7–19   

Years ago, I read “Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health” by Dr. Donald Whitney. It greatly challenged my walk with Christ. One of the chapters is entitled, “Are You More Loving?” That’s a great question we should all ask ourselves right now. In a world divided by hate and fearmongering, our call is to be more loving.

The apostle John writes with a pastor’s heart, urging believers to understand the depth of God’s love and to reflect that love toward others. His message is simple yet profound: because God loves us, we must love one another.  [Read more…]