FRIDAY, APRIL 27 | MATTHEW 18:20 – Community
“I signed up to join a church, not be part of the body of Christ.” This may be what you’re thinking! But there are many expressions of what community looks like. In Matthew it says, “whenever two or three are gathered,” there you find the Kingdom of God at work. And don’t forget, community is … Read more
SATURDAY, MARCH 24, 2012: Matthew 18:21-22 Broken Relationships
The deepest pain in our lives is relational brokenness. Broken relationships wound us more deeply than anything else. Every one of us knows how deadening it feels to be at odds with someone. While the cross restores our relationship with God through the proclamation of love and forgiveness, it also empowers and compels us toward … Read more
THURSDAY, MARCH 15, 2012: Matthew 21:12-17 Temple
The Temple is crowded during this Passover, with thousands of visitors from all over the world. The religious leaders crowd the temple even further by allowing money changers and merchants, selling merchandise required for sacrifices, to set up booths in the court of the Gentiles. They rationalize that they are providing a convenience for the … Read more
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2012: MATTHEW 6:16-21 HEART
When Jesus admonishes us to trust in God instead of “treasures on earth,” he’s not saying that money is bad. Matt Skinner, Associate Professor of New Testament at Luther Seminary puts it this way: “The true value of monetary wealth, therefore, lies not in its power to accumulate possessions in pursuit of power and comfort. … Read more
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2012: MATTHEW 6:16-21 DEPENDENCE
When we combine these verses, we see the theme of dependence upon God alone. Giving, praying and fasting are acts of sacrifice in which we give ourselves and our resources away. We can only do so when we know ourselves to be richly rooted in God’s love and provision. Otherwise, these acts will feel, at … Read more
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2012: MATTHEW 6:1-6 THREE PRACTICES
This text is located in the middle of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, when Jesus lays out the constitution of the new Kingdom. Here Jesus addresses three important religious practices of his day: giving alms, prayer and fasting. Like Isaiah, Jesus puts the harsh light of judgment on empty piety. It is not the act … Read more
THURSDAY, JANUARY 25, 2012; MATTHEW 17:1-8 PROXIMITY
Jesus, Peter, James, Moses, and Elijah all in the same place at the same time? When they come into proximity with one another, extraordinary things happen. The second lens for building genuine relationships is proximity. Who are you around on a regular basis? We all have neighbors, but a recent poll reports that less than … Read more
