Focal Passage: Matthew 14:22-33

Fear has a way of shrinking our world. Maybe you’ve experienced a medical report, a financial setback, or a hard conversation where everything feels smaller and shakier. The disciples knew that feeling well. 

In Matthew 14, they find themselves in a storm, struggling against the wind in the middle of the night. The waves are real. The battle is exhausting. And Jesus is not in the boat. [Read more…]

Focal Passage: Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

April 15th is a date we all know. It’s tax day. The deadline put on most people to complete the filing of their taxes. We have other deadlines too like school assignments, registration windows, project completion dates, etc. 

Most deadlines feel flexible … it’s a long way off, until it isn’t. We assume there’s always a little more time, but, eventually, the window closes. Jesus tells a parable in Matthew 13 that reminds us of God’s patience, but it also signals to us that it has an end.  [Read more…]

Focal Passage: Matthew 12:1-14

When you walk into a museum you are met with order and rules. Can you picture it? It’s quiet, stale almost. Signs are posted everywhere: “Please do not touch,” “No pictures.” Nothing can be moved or changed. Then think of the opposite. You walk into an active workshop, and you instantly sense the busyness. It’s loud, messy, and full of life. There is a distinct difference. Legalism has a similar effect on our faith. It turns our faith into a museum. But Jesus turns it into a workshop where lives are restored. 

In these verses, Jesus exposes what legalism does to our hearts and then shows us a better way. Legalism doesn’t just misunderstand scripture; it distorts faith. The first distortion we see here is that legalism values rules over people. In verses 1-2, the disciples are hungry, but the Pharisees aren’t concerned with their need; they are upset over the technical violation of the law. Legalism notices rule-breaking faster than suffering. It’s like seeing a child swimming at the city pool and someone notices them struggling to stay afloat and then runs to jump in, but someone else shouts, “No running.” At the point of need, the rule is not as important as the person struggling.  [Read more…]

Focal Passage: Matthew 11:1-6, 16-24

In this passage we encounter three kinds of people. All of them are close to Jesus and exposed to truth, but each responded differently. John is in prison questioning with honest doubt. There are crowds of people who criticize Jesus expressing comfortable doubt. And there are the cities who totally ignored Jesus showcasing hardened doubt. Every response to Jesus reveals the heart toward Jesus. 

The first person is John the Baptist (vv.1-6). He’s now in prison and he’s beginning to question. This once bold preacher who introduced Jesus as “the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29) now sits in chains, wondering if he misunderstood the mission. His question is not rebellion or unbelief. It’s confusion mixed with disappointment. I love Jesus’ response. He doesn’t shame him. He welcomes the question and points him to evidence. (vv. 4-6) In other words, Jesus reminds him, “look what God is doing.”  [Read more…]

Focal Passage: Matthew 10:16-20, 26-34

Any of you who have played a sport competitively can understand the idea that the pregame hype speech from the coach is way more fun than the halftime berating we get when we are down by a bunch of points. Most of us would always prefer encouragement to warnings. We like the pep talks over the cautionary tales. 

Jesus is not berating His disciples, but He is being real with them. When Jesus sends out His disciples, He doesn’t sugarcoat the road ahead. He tells them it’s going to be tough. He says, “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves” (v. 16). That’s anything but a Hallmark card. Jesus is making it clear to them and to us that following Him won’t always feel safe, easy or popular. Our loyalty will be tested.  [Read more…]

Focal Passage: Matthew 9:10-19, 23-26

We’ve all encountered (at least I hope I’m not the only one) those storefronts that have two doors. Both look like entrances, but it never fails that I try the wrong door. I’ll pull and pull and then try pushing it and nothing happens. Then, I’ll look on the door and see the handwritten sign that says, “Please use other door” with an arrow pointing in the correct direction. I can only imagine what the people inside are thinking as I try to pull the wrong door over and over again.

Many of us approach God that way. We try the doors of performance, religion, or self-improvement only to realize none of them lead to mercy. In Matthew 9, Jesus shows us the true entrance to God’s mercy and it’s not where the religious leaders expected.  [Read more…]

Focal Passage: Matthew 8:1-4, 14-17; 9:1-8

A few years back I had to go to the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) to get a new driver’s license. I avoided going there at all costs and tried accomplishing what I needed to online and over the phone, but they said I had to come in. I remember walking into a room filled with people and feeling instantly overwhelmed.

At the entrance there was a big sign that said, “Take a number and find a seat.” In that moment I was no longer a name, but a number along with everyone else. I blended in. I was unseen. I felt unimportant. The people Jesus encounters in these verses knew this feeling all too well. They lived on the margins, often unnoticed or avoided. But Jesus never treated them as invisible, as interruptions, or as inconveniences. Every encounter revealed the same truth: Every life matters to Him.  [Read more…]

Focal Passage: Matthew 7:15-29

Authority isn’t proven by how convincing someone sounds; it’s proven by what holds up over time. Most of us have learned the hard way that not every confident voice is a trustworthy one. Maybe you’ve been to that smooth talking mechanic who promised an easy fix, but it turned out to be an expensive band-aid. Or maybe you tried that financial “expert” who promises quicker and bigger returns. Whatever the scenario, we have all learned to be careful who we trust. 

As Jesus brings the Sermon on the Mount to a close, He turns our attention to the question of authority. He begins with a warning: “Be on your guard against false prophets… You’ll recognize them by their fruit” (vv. 15-16). Words alone are not the test, fruit is. A tree reveals its health and worth by what it produces. In the same way, a life shaped by true authority will show evidence of transformation. Character always tells the truth eventually. [Read more…]

Focal Passage: Matthew 6:19-34

At our house we have a small safe for very important items and documents. We have those items in the safe to make sure they are secure and not misplaced, destroyed, or taken. Those are usually items that are difficult or impossible to replace. Maybe you have some things you value in a safe place. You can usually tell what someone values by what they protect. 

A prized possession gets special care. What we treasure, we guard. Going beyond our stuff, Jesus says the same is true of our hearts. In this passage, we see that the things or people we treasure captures our heart, shapes our vision, commands our allegiance, and controls our peace.  [Read more…]

Focal Passage: Matthew 5:13-20, 43-48

You can tell a lot about something by the influence it leaves behind. Have you ever been around a campfire and then walked in somewhere around someone who wasn’t? It won’t be long before they say something about the smell you are putting off. 

Recently, we had some concrete laid at our house and overnight, before it fully cured, a racoon left several footprints on the concrete indicating it had been there. There may be no greater examples of influence in our world than salt and light. Salt changes the flavor of whatever it touches. Light changes the atmosphere of a room the moment it’s switched on. Both make a tremendous impact. In the same way, Jesus teaches that a life truly shaped by Him doesn’t stay hidden. It leaves a mark. [Read more…]