Matthew 22
New Hope Daily SOAP: Matthew 22
Pastor Vicki Harrison
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Matthew 22:34-40, Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
In this chapter, we see the Pharisees and Sadducees are trying to trick Jesus. They are desperately trying to trap him in his words so they can discredit him and/or arrest him. These teachers of the law feel like Jesus is destroying the very fabric of their religious faith. He certainly is turning everything upside down!
When asking about which commandment is greatest, the expert in the law is hoping to engage in some kind of debate. But the commandment Jesus chose was not one that could be open for debate – it was a commandment recited by pious Jews each and every day, Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
But then, Jesus adds something new, as he often does. He says …and the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. A person cannot love God and treat their neighbor poorly. Love of God is not an intellectual or abstract claim. Rather, love of God is expressed in the way we love others. I John 4:20 speaks to this truth, Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.
What’s interesting to me here is that Jesus says that the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments. If one loves God wholeheartedly, then they will observe the law. If someone loves God wholeheartedly, they will care for others as well. The prophets often proclaimed the need to worship God sincerely (not just go through the motions) and take care of those who were oppressed. One cannot split hairs about observing the Sabbath but then cheat your neighbor in the marketplace.
Love of God and neighbor are intricately connected. This was true 2000 years ago and it’s true today. Think about this past week. How have you demonstrated love of God? What about love of neighbor?
Let’s pray…Lord Jesus, We do truly love you. You are worthy of our praise and adoration. Forgive us for the many times we have not loved you well and have not loved others well. Help us see others through your eyes and love people in a way that is pleasing to you and brings glory to your Kingdom. In Your Name, Amen.
Matthew 21
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Matthew 21:7-9, They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,
“Hosanna to the Son of David!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”[c]
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
Today, we are looking at what we know as the Palm Sunday passage. Jesus has sent the disciples ahead to fetch a donkey and its colt. Let’s start by talking about these animals. Some of us may think it’s strange that Jesus rode on a donkey rather than a horse but that would have been normal at the time. Horses were only used for battle.
What’s more, in the Old Testament, new kings would come riding in on the donkey or mule of the previous king. We see this in 1 Kings 1 when King David puts his son Solomon on his own mule, the trumpet is sounded, the people rejoice and shout, and then the priest and the prophet Nathan anoint him as king of Israel. The mule is like the presidential limo, a sign of power and prestige that says this is the new leader. What is interesting in this case is that Matthew is very clear – Jesus is not riding on a previous king’s colt or donkey. He is riding on a colt that has never been ridden before. This is a sign that God is doing a new thing. Jesus is king but a different kind of king.
We also see Jesus being given a royal welcoming. The people are laying cloaks and branches down for him. This is the kind of welcome that the emperor or a high official of the Roman government would have received. Think of it kind of like the red carpet being rolled out, a sign that a very important leader, the new king, has arrived. For the Jews in the crowd, they would have also know that this a fulfillment of prophecy – Zech. 9:9, Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. All the signs point to the fact that this Jesus is the king!
In addition, the people are running ahead and shouting “Hosanna to the son of David, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” Hosanna means “pray, save us.” They are expressing that this is the messiah, the anointed one, the one they have been waiting for that God has sent to save them. These words are based on Psalm 118:22-26, The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. The Lord has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad Lord, save us! Lord, grant us success! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. From the house of the Lord we bless you.
Surely, this is the messiah who has come to sit on the throne of David, just as God promised 600 years before. You see, it’s all coming together for them. There is joy and celebration. God has sent King Jesus to save us all.
But the enthusiasm is short-lived. Human beings get distracted and disillusioned fairly quickly (2000 years ago and today!) They realize that while there is something clearly royal about Jesus, he is the promised figure, it’s not in a way they expected or wanted. They think Messiah has entered the royal city to stage a royal takeover, to save them from the Romans. And we know what happens…he has actually entered to royal city to suffer and die.
Yes, Jesus is Messiah and Savior. But he wasn’t a military leader on the way to stage a coup. He was actually God himself who came to save us in a much more fundamental way: to be the final sacrifice for sin so that we can be reconciled to God, so that we can live abundant lives walking hand in hand with God. Jesus certainly could have overthrown the Romans and reinstituted Israel as they desired it, as it was in the days of King David. But Jesus’ mission wasn’t just to save the Jews, but rather to usher in the Kingdom of God, in which all people for all time could be part of God’s greater work in the world and could have a relationship with a God who loves them, adores them, and calls them to something bigger and more important, more eternal.
Jesus was king, they were right, he just wasn’t the king they expected.
How often has Jesus not been the King we expect?
Let’s pray…Lord Jesus, Help us acknowledge who you are. Help us live as children of the one true King. In Your Name, Amen.
Matthew 20
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Matthew 20:9-16, The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’
“But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’
“So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
The Kingdom of God turns things upside down. In this parable, we see Jesus emphasizing this truth. The bottom line, whether you worked all day or just for an hour, God acts with grace toward all people. If we are “good people” our whole lives, that doesn’t earn us a place in heaven. None of us are good enough; we are all sinners (Romans 3:23). We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone. And whether we have believed in Jesus since we were 5 years old or 95 years old, we are given the same offer of grace. We are all in the same boat. God won’t be passing out MVP trophies. Rather than complaining that it isn’t fair, let’s rejoice that Jesus has offered us grace at all. Let’s be real - none of us are worthy.
Let’s pray…Jesus, We give you all the glory, honor, and praise. Thank you for loving us enough to save us from ourselves. Help us be even but a small reflection of your amazing grace. In Your Name, Amen.
Matthew 19
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Matthew 19:23-26, Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Jesus and his disciples have begun to make the journey to Judea; they are heading to Jerusalem. And Jesus is using this time to teach about what it means to follow him. Jesus is turning everything upside down in his teachings: to follow him means renouncing the things that the world values.
In this chapter, we see Jesus touch on how following him will affect how we behave in the most fundamental parts of our lives. He starts by teaching on divorce, making the point that marriage is not simply a contract, but it’s a creation of God and both men and women are equal partners in the marriage. Jesus is saying in God’s Kingdom, marriage is a covenant between the man, the woman, and God. The commitment is sacred. Here he is - turning things upside down.
Jesus goes on to teach about children – parents were bringing children to him to be blessed and the disciples scolded them. Jesus intervenes and says to let the little children come to me and then makes this stunning point that we all must become like little children to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Children, in those days, weren’t seen as having any value. But Jesus places tremendous value on them. Jesus’ point is that to follow him, we have to become like little children – vulnerable, powerless, needing someone else to provide safety and sustenance. Again, he is turning things upside down.
Then, we come to today’s focus verses. A man comes up to Jesus and asks, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus says, “Well, you need to follow all the commandments.” He then lists out the various commandments and the man simply says, “Yes, I’ve done all those things since I was a boy.”
Then, Jesus looks at the man and says that to be perfect, he must go and sell everything he owns and give it all to the poor. The text says that the man’s face fell. He went away sad because he had great wealth. This is the irony. The children in the former story who possess nothing are not told that the kingdom of God is theirs; yet this man who possesses everything still lacks something! Only when he sells all he has—only when he becomes like a vulnerable child—will he possess everything. But he isn’t willing to do that. He decides to walk away from Jesus. The man wasn’t expecting to have to make that kind of sacrifice. He had no idea following Jesus would be so hard.
The disciples are really confused by this. At that time, most people believed that being wealthy was a sign of God’s blessing. Here, Jesus is saying that this man has to sell everything and give it to the poor. And that’s when Jesus says the really, really hard thing…It’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
And the disciples ask “then who possibly can be saved?” Jesus says, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” I don’t know about you but I find it very unsettling to read this passage.
Let’s go deeper: Jesus could look at this young man he loved and see that what he cherished most were his possessions. I think there is a warning in here for us. Jesus is not condemning having resources. There are others in the Gospels with great wealth that Jesus doesn’t tell them to do the same thing. But he is making it clear --- having wealth can get in the way of our relationship with him. When we have resources, our tendency is to rely on ourselves, to hold on to our money, to not fully submit our lives to him. It’s hard to approach God as a vulnerable little child (think about how children totally depend on their caregivers for everything), when we don’t feel so humble and vulnerable. The greatest enemies to faith and obedience are self-satisfaction and pride. And live in a culture where these things are held up as ideals.
Jesus is saying, being a disciple, is not about following a list of rules. If that were the case, then the rich young ruler would have been a shoo-in. He is saying, it’s about denying yourself, picking up your cross, and following me. And we don’t like to deny ourselves. We don’t like to be uncomfortable. It means looking at your life and renouncing any part of it that gets in the way of your walk with Jesus. That means that following Jesus isn’t one part of our life; following Jesus isn’t simply one activity in a busy life filled with lots of great stuff. No, following Jesus means radically reorienting our life. Jesus comes first and our devotion to Jesus as Lord and Savior affects every other area of our lives. Our dedication to Jesus affects how we treat other people, it affects how we spend our money, it affects how we spend our time, it affects how we behave. Following Jesus means a radical adjustment to priorities. It means worrying less about what the world values, and focusing on what Jesus values.
Let’s pray…Lord, How we need you. Help us shed those parts of our lives that get in the way of our relationship with you. Help me be a fully devoted follower of Jesus. More of you and less of me. In Your Name, Amen.
Matthew 18
Matthew 18 NIV
Welcome to the daily SOAP from New Hope I’m Jaci and I am on staff here at New Hope Church, and today I will be your guest speaker. We are going to read from Matthew, Chapter 18. If you haven’t taken a moment yet to read the chapter, you can click on the link in the email. Today’s reading really highlights our relationship with others and our significance with our relationship with God. This is where we'll pick up the reading:
Verse 19 reads, “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”
In this chapter, there are several amazing parables for our lives, many of which are majority favorites. Still, the overlying theme here is preserving our relationships with God and each other. First, Jesus says we should be like children, and I feel like this has so many meanings. Children are innocent beings, always eager and quick to learn, quick to forgive and create friendships, and I like to think of it that everything seemed so much easier when we were children. And as we grew up, we learned to adapt to our world; unfortunately, that means we’ve learned “how people are” and to live up to the “status quo,” and even Jesus knew, we can pass it on to those around us. Yet, like the one sheep, we are ALL important and significant and valued and loved by God. So much so, that he wants to make sure we continue to live our lives with each in honor and justice. Jesus knows that our greatest strength is in numbers (Even archeologists and historians will tell you that the reason humanity is at the top today is because we first saw value in our community.) and our weakness is also, each other. In verses 15 through 20, Jesus is talking about struggles, fights, drama, gossip and how the order should follow when a disagreement happens. He plainly lays out “…go and point out their fault, just between the two of you…” so why do we just jump ahead two steps and talk about it to everyone else first- we seem to want to gather as many people as we can “on our side” before solving it with the actual person. He goes on to point out that we are powerful together, but when we follow the correct steps, honor our Christ-like values, and ask for it by God’s name is when it will be honored by God. The flow of this chapter is truly amazing, I tend to read just the parables individually when needed but they truly do connect! The next parable, in my opinion is speaking specifically about the previous, “Ok, I have confronted the person who wronged me. What do I do next?” FORGIVE THEM. Jesus didn’t stutter. Continue to forgive, first and foremost, hard stop. And yet… Jesus continues about when the person betrays your good heart stating that God feels that strongly about your relationships with each other. All of these examples are guidelines for a Christian Life™ and we still doubt and question how we should be with each other – forgetting that this is what brings glory to God and shows people how we are changed - from the inside - out.
At this point I was going to write a prayer, but this is the beauty of the bible, it is a living word. This is the prayer from a previous SOAP I wrote, on what seemed like a really hard chapter, and didn’t have much to do with this book.
Let’s pray, “God help us soften our hearts to receive your guidance. Open our ears to hear your guidance when we call on you. Give us wisdom to do the right things we are doing in your name. And show us your grace when we fail. And most importantly, give us the encouragement to echo your love and compassion to our neighbors. We ask all of this in the powerful and loving name of Jesus. Amen.”
Matthew 17
Matthew 17:6-8 (RSV)
When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces, and were filled with awe. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.” And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.
The first half of the 17th chapter of Matthew tells of what is called The Transfiguration. Six days after the events described at the conclusion of Chapter 16, Jesus took Peter, James, and John up a mountain to be apart. There Jesus became all white and bright, as if He was His own light or sun.
Not only did Jesus’ appearance change dramatically, but Peter, James and John then saw Moses and Elijah join Jesus and speak with Him. Peter offered praise and started brainstorming ways to memorialize the occasion and the three presences before him. He offered to build three tabernacles, or tents, right then and there!
A bright cloud overcame them and spoke, frightening and filling Peter, James and John with awe. They were so shocked, they fell face down on the ground, covering and possibly even closing their eyes tightly. This response did not earn them more bright lights or loud voices from clouds, but instead a softer, gentler move. Jesus went to them. He touched them. And He gave them two commands: (1) “Rise”, and (2) “Don’t be afraid.” Following those instructions, they looked up to see Jesus and Jesus only.
After all the disciples had experienced with Jesus already, I wonder how Peter, James and John felt being selected to accompany Jesus up a high mountain. What exhilarating happenings awaited them up there? They got up there and were not disappointed. Jesus was transfigured before them, and they received a special visit from Moses and Elijah. Peter got all excited to the point of babbling. While Peter was still speaking, the cloud came up to set things back on track.
I love that there is specific mention that Jesus touched them. He went to them and touched them. Jesus is always there and connected and personal with us. We can have some amazing, awe-inspiring, even terrifying “mountain top” experiences where we see God’s glory in a blazing light, but in the aftermath, Jesus is still with us, a concerned and comforting presence, willing to guide us.
Jesus’ two commands: (1) “Rise” and (2) “Do not fear” appear a lot throughout Scripture, sometimes apart and sometimes together. Most translations of Matthew 16:7 put them in that specific order, too: Rise, then don’t be afraid. Faith will lift us up, and that action, as well as what we see there, will help fear melt away.
When Peter, James and John looked up, all they saw was Jesus. No bright lights, no booming clouds, no Moses or Elijah or anyone else, major or minor. Just Jesus. Jesus was the focal point for going up the mountain, having an amazing experience up there, and then to help bring them back down.
Through all the ups and downs of our lives, Jesus is with us.
Dear Lord, Thank You for always being with us. Thank You for when we have the opportunity to see Your presence in amazing ways. Help us to move in faith and have no fear as we seek to walk closer and closer with You. In Christ’s name I pray, Amen.
Matthew 16
Matthew 16:1-4 (NCV)
The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus, wanting to trick him. So they asked him to show them a miracle from God. Jesus answered, “At sunset you say we will have good weather, because the sky is red. And in the morning you say that it will be a rainy day, because the sky is dark and red. You see these signs in the sky and know what they mean. In the same way, you see the things I am doing now, but you don’t know their meaning. Evil and sinful people ask for a sign, but they will not be given any sign, except the sign of Jonah.” Then Jesus left them and went away.
The Pharisees and Sadducees approached Jesus with the intention of tricking Him. Other translations use “test” and even “tempt” to describe what they were trying to do. Verse one in The Message reads, “Some Pharisees and Sadducees badgered him again, pressing him to prove himself to them.” They wanted to incite Jesus into performing in order to prove Himself to them. They did not come to Jesus in belief seeking help for their unbelief, but instead as ones having already made up their minds, wanting Him to enter a debate where they could provide counterargument, if not have Him fail the challenge in the first place.
Jesus did not take the bait. He pointed out the obvious signs they used in nature to determine the weather forecast, things they see and believe in all the time. Yet, Jesus was right in front of them, and they refused to see Him and believe in Him. Jesus Himself was a sign, from His miraculous birth and very existence to the teaching and miracles He performed on this earth and, eventually, though not at this point, His death and resurrection.
According to Jesus, the only sign the Pharisees and Sadducees and people like them would get is the sign of Jonah. Jonah went into the city of Nineveh and announced it would be destroyed, and the people repented. (See Jonah 3:4-5.) If the Ninevites could be so responsive to just an announcement of destruction, why not the Pharisees and Sadducees of all the announcements of the coming Christ? (Not to mention the life and miracles of Jesus!)
At the end of the whole encounter with the Pharisees and Sadducees, Jesus left them! Walked right out and went on. He refused to be goaded by them. He did not feel a need to debate with them or argue or try to prove Himself and His point.
If someone is trying to lure us into the sin of argument for argument’s sake or only to defeat us no matter what, then we are best to just leave them alone. They have the prophecy and signs that have already happened. They have the example of our lives. If their hearts are hardened and their minds already made up, nothing we say or do to them is going to change their minds. All we can do is pray for the Lord to soften their hearts and the Spirit to find a way into them.
Later in this chapter of Matthew (verses 8-12), Jesus admonished the disciples that they had seen the feeding of the five thousand and the four thousand and yet still thought he worried about the availability of food when He spoke of bread. Don’t be like the Pharisees and Sadducees and completely miss out on what happens right in front of you!
In response to Peter’s recognizing Him as the Christ, Jesus said, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 16:17.)
The use of debate and worldly logic is not solely going to convince a person to accept Christ. God’s ways are not our ways. It’s an act of faith based on the miraculous signs the Lord gave us in Jesus and through those who walk in faith, demonstrating His Light and Power right in front of our eyes.
Lord, give us eyes that see and ears that hear. Come into our hearts and guide us to ever turn toward You, taking Your Hand so that we walk in faith with You. Bless us this day and every day. Thank You for Your loving provision. In the glorious name of Christ we pray, Amen.
Matthew 15
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Matthew 15:1-2, Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!”
In today’s Scripture, we are talking about handwashing and cleanliness but it has nothing to do with germs. In fact, germ theory didn’t really become a notable thing until the 1800s. So what was the hand-washing ritual discussed in the first half of Matthew 15?
To go deeper, we need to talk a little about 1st century Jewish life. Certain groups of Jews, such as the Pharisees and the scribes, affirmed two types of law. There was the written law (the first five books of the Bible) and the oral law (the traditions of the elders/rabbis). Basically, the written law didn’t have specific details so the rabbis, over the years, filled in those details with oral traditions.
In today’s chapter, there were Pharisees from Jerusalem who sought out Jesus. We don’t know why these Pharisees had traveled some 80 miles from Jerusalem (a long trip in those days) but there is some speculation that they had come to check out this Jesus character, this man who was healing, teaching, and saying things that were questionable in their eyes. They were suspicious. Remember the Pharisees were a strict sect of Judaism that believed in following the law in the fullest sense. There were different standards for following the law for different groups of people (i.e. a day laborer would not be expected to follow the law in the same way that a scribe could do so.) But certainly, it would have been expected that a rabbi and his followers would follow both the oral and written law.
The Pharisees noticed that Jesus’ disciples were not going through the ceremonial hand-washing rituals that were required before they ate. They asked Jesus about this. This was a dig, it was more like, why aren’t you properly teaching your disciples? Jesus has this interesting reply, he quotes Scripture from the prophet Isaiah: “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me...”
On the surface, there wasn’t anything wrong with what the Pharisees were trying to do. They had purity laws which they thought were very important in following God. But Jesus could see past their words, past their ritual, and into their hearts. He saw their insincerity, hollowness, and hypocrisy; it was all a facade. Thus, he sees this as a fulfillment of Biblical prophecy. Just as in the times of Isaiah, the Pharisees were giving lip service to following God but their hearts were far from him. They were concerned about the Sabbath being followed to the tee but they would cheat people in the marketplace. They were concerned about following specifics of the handwashing but they weren’t at all concerned about the widow and the orphan. Something was truly skewed here. They were all about piety but they had neglected compassion, justice, and love.
But this issue goes even deeper. Being unclean and being defiled was a big deal in 1st century Judaism. If you couldn’t be clean (and let’s be real, a lot of regular people worked jobs or had lives that meant they couldn’t meet all the various regulations to stay clean). If you were unclean for whatever reason, then you were ostracized from the temple. You were basically shunned from religious life. So Jesus is making a huge point here. Jesus is saying, “You are shunning people, you are telling them they are unclean, you are ostracizing them from the community, based on the rituals they have done or haven’t done to be clean. But what you are missing is this: the things that really matter, the things that pose the greatest danger, are not external. They aren’t hand-washing. They aren’t meticulously keeping Sabbath. The things that matter most to God are internal.” What Jesus is saying to them is that God cares most about the heart.
I think we will all should admit that, at times, the church has looked a lot like these Pharisees. We’ve been all about religious activity and less about trying to be like Jesus. We’ve been about the external and not the internal. We’ve cared about appearances. We are putting up this great religious front but then being horribly judgmental, angry, or bitter. Friends, God could care less about your religious busyness. He wants your heart. He doesn’t care about our ceremonial handwashing --- he cares about if we are treating others with the love of Christ. And if we aren’t, then all the ceremony, all the church stuff, it’s kind of a farce. Why? Because God looks on our hearts.
Let’s pray…Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. More of you and less of me, Jesus. Amen.
Matthew 14
New Hope Daily SOAP: Matthew 14
Pastor Vicki Harrison
To read this text, CLICK HERE
Matthew 14:28-31, “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
“Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
This chapter includes a variety of narratives that give us a glimpse into life in first century Palestine. Please be sure to read through all of it. We start with John the Baptist’s murder in an incredibly gruesome way. We can see there is little value placed on human life in the Roman Empire; rather, Herod is far more concerned about how he looks in front of his guests than how he looks in front of God.
Then, we read about Jesus feeding the 5,000. This is a beautiful miracle that gives us a great picture of the Kingdom of God. In God’s Kingdom, there is no hunger so Jesus feeds. But he doesn’t do so in any kind of conventional way. He makes sure that everyone there knows that God provided the meal. Every part of the feeding experience is intended to demonstrate the power and glory of God. My very favorite part is that there is an abundance left over (twelve basketfuls!) Our God is a God of abundance. He doesn’t skimp on his miracles. He demonstrates to us that he is a generous provider.
Finally, the chapter closes with Jesus walking on water and this fascinating interaction with Peter. Jesus had been off praying, as he was apt to do, and he goes to find the disciples. They see him walking on water and at first, think he is a ghost. Peter, in his normal partly bold, partly impulsive way, asks Jesus if he can walk on the water too. Specifically he says, “Lord, if it is you, tell me to come to you on the water.” So Jesus says to come and Peter steps out on the water. Can you even imagine what must have been going through Peter’s head at the time?
For a while, Peter does fine. He is actually walking on water. But as soon as he takes his eyes off Jesus, he sinks. Think about that – the very minute he looks away, gets distracted, and begins to doubt – he starts to sink.
Think about your own life. How often have you taken your eyes off Jesus and begun to sink? The author of Hebrews tells us in chapter 12 to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith. When we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, we have confidence that we aren’t alone, that God is present, and that there is a purpose to all of this. The very minute we begin to look away, the sinking begins. We become stalled. We falter. We forget who and whose we are.
Let’s pray…Lord, How we need you. On my own, I will sink every single time. I need you, Lord Jesus, to keep me afloat. I want to finish strong. I want to make a difference for your Kingdom. Help me, Jesus. Amen.
Matthew 13
MATTHEW 13: 1-3a
On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. And great multitudes were gathered there together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. Then he spoke many things to them in parables…
MATTHEW 13:54-58
When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, “Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon and Judas? And His sisters are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?” So they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.” Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.
These two passages caught my attention and they both tell their own story and give explanations on the actions of Jesus in each situation.
In the first passage, He says He spoke in parables. Before this point in His ministry, Jesus used many graphic, detailed analogies and their meanings were clear in His teaching. His message had been “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” However, from this point forward in the remainder of His Galilean ministry, He only spoke in parables or “stories.” Jesus knew there were many unbelievers in the multitudes and they would not understand due to their spiritual blindness but He was actually giving them His mercy because in their continued rejection of His teaching, they would only be condemning themselves more.
Isn’t that just like our Lord and Savior? They were still rejecting Him but He was still merciful. Wow, what a God we have!
Now, in the last passage Jesus has come home to Nazareth to His family and friends. Think how comforted we are after a trip and finally coming home and sleeping in our own bed!! Nothing like home… Well, Jesus goes to the His home town synagogue and begins teaching. However, remember the old saying, “familiarity breeds contempt!” They knew Him when He was growing up, so who does He think He is? What right does He have to try to teach them? He was nothing special. Then in verse 58, we see the sad result. This is not to suggest that His power was somehow diminished by their unbelief. He had the power to do more miracles but not the will because they rejected Him. Miracles belonged among those who were ready to believe.
Have you ever been with family or friends and the opportunity presented itself for you to talk about your testimony and witness but it wasn’t received well? That is very disheartening but we have to continue to witness because “The kingdom of heaven is at hand!”
Let’s pray: Dear Jesus, when we gave our hearts to you, at that point we have everything living in us that we need. So we ask now to help us let more of you take over our minds, open our ears and hearts that you will unveil more than a new understanding; reveal a whole new kingdom – the kingdom of heaven! Amen and Amen
Matthew 12
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Matthew 12:46-50, While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.”
He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”
I’ll be honest, growing up I used to really struggle with this passage. It seemed so harsh!
But deeper reflection yields a different perspective.
Can you imagine what it must have been like for Jesus’ immediate family? We know that Mary knew that Jesus was special but did she really understand the significance of his life at this point? What must his siblings have thought? We see in this text that his mother and brothers are wanting to talk to him, interrupting a teaching session. Are they chatting about Sunday dinner or do they want him to stop making such a ruckus around town? Again, we don’t have details but it’s clear they don’t really know him as the Son of God (yet).
Jesus’ reaction is a bit off-putting. As a mom, I might have gotten my feelings a bit hurt. But he is making a point. Jesus’ family has become much wider than Mary, Joseph, and the boys. There are no bounds to who may be part of it.
Let’s consider this: Family in God’s Kingdom is serious. Yes, family are those to whom we are biologically related but it also includes our brothers and sisters in the family of God. The bonds between brothers and sisters in Christ are intended to be just as strong as the bonds between biological siblings.
Think about the relationships you have made within the faith family. Are they strong? Why or why not? What holds you back from creating strong, meaningful connections to your brothers and sisters in Christ?
Let’s pray…Lord, Bind us together with cords that cannot be broken. Help us love one another the way you have taught us so that we can demonstrate to the world who you are. Amen.
Matthew 11
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Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
There is so much substance in this chapter. Please be sure to read through all of it. I feel like there is no way for me to even brush the surface. I choose to focus on some of my favorite Scripture in the Gospels.
What is Jesus truly addressing in these verses? Is he simply talking about people who are physically weary? That’s certainly part of it. Think about the culture at the time of Jesus. Most people were poor and they worked really, really hard. This whole idea of rest would have been very appealing to them. But it goes much deeper. We know from scripture that the Pharisees were kind of obsessed with following the law and the manmade traditions they had created. In fact, they had created hundreds of additional rules that they felt were necessary to follow the law well. God’s law, Torah, was certainly fine and it was a good thing to keep Torah. But this group took it to the extreme, creating an additional burden on people to follow. Matthew 23:4 said, “They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden.” This created constant striving, but always failing, never being able to be good enough. Their souls were being worn down and worn down and worn down. And Jesus said, “NO – come to me all of you who are experiencing this soul weariness, all of you who are tired and need rest – physical rest, emotional rest, and spiritual rest.”
We live in a culture where being stressed out is the norm (we almost wear it like a badge of honor). People are tired and weary. The truth is that life can wear you down. Once we overcome one challenge, there seems to be another right around the corner. I know that many of you are dealing with really serious difficulty like health problems, broken relationships, and significant financial issues.
But the weariness of life is not just about the big burdens, is it? Sometimes, it is the everyday busyness of life that wears us down, the feeling of running on the hamster wheel, the getting up and dealing with the same stress day end and day out. The end result of all this weariness is a kind of restlessness. And yet, this isn’t the kind of restlessness that just goes away by watching TV or going on vacation. Could it be that our need for rest is different than we think it is? Is rest simply the freedom from work OR is it something very different?
True rest is impossible apart from Jesus Christ. We can never be at rest in our soul apart from Jesus. This restlessness of our soul is truly what ails so many of us. No amount of money, no amount of power or prestige can keep you from this restlessness. No one can escape it.
So what in the world can we do? Well, Jesus gives us the answer. He says to take his yoke upon us. A yoke was essentially a wooden frame that was used to harness together a pair of oxen at their necks so that they could pull a plough or some other kind of load. It was kind of a balancing device. Often a younger ox that needed to be taught to work would be paired with an older, more experienced ox.
This is a wonderful picture of our relationship with Jesus (or maybe I should say what our relationship with Jesus ideally looks like). The people that Jesus was speaking to would have known this – their yoke was hard. The Pharisees put this really difficult, ill-fitting yoke around their necks. But being yoked together with Jesus is so much better. The fit is better, it doesn’t hurt so badly. When we allow him to walk alongside us, sharing our burden and yoke, the load does not disappear but is made lighter.
Being yoked together with Jesus does not mean we won’t have to work, we will. We will still have problems, we will still have difficulty. But his yoke is not harsh or oppressive. Jesus’ company is gentle. Just picture being yoked together with him as you plow a field. I know it might be a ridiculous thought for some of us non-farming people, but it is also a comforting thought. He wants us to attach ourselves to him. Not just hang around him every now and then. Not just go and have dinner with him once a week and then do it our way the rest of the week. No, he wants us to become permanently yoked with him, day in and day out. In doing so, our load will be lighter because he will share it with us. His peace and his comfort will walk alongside us and enable us to keep going.
Let’s pray…Lord Jesus, I want to yoke myself to you. Help me depend on you and do life with you, day in and day out. More of you and less of me. Amen.
Matthew 10
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Matthew 10:16-20, “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
Here we are – back to the sheep! Jesus sends out the disciples to proclaim that the Kingdom of God is near. But the danger is real. Jesus warns them that they would be sheep among wolves. Remember, sheep are vulnerable. So while Jesus is saying they are like sheep, he is also telling them to be shrewd and cunning, like a snake. Yes, sheep are vulnerable but they don’t need to be stupid. When faced with difficult circumstances, Jesus-followers need to use their brains and really think about what they say and do. And yet, while shrewdness is important, so is innocence. Be as innocent as a dove, Jesus says. This means to stay faithful and gentle as well. Remember who you are, who you represent, and that you can be faithful to Jesus and grace-filled AND also not be a doormat.
Jesus is clear. There will be consequences to following him. The world around us won’t be happy about it. Thankfully, we aren’t flogged or jailed for our belief in the United States. But let’s remember that Christians in other countries certainly experience this on a regular basis. I know that the Holy Spirit guides their words and gives them strength that we can’t even imagine.
That being said, we do still experience difficulty. When we speak out for our faith, we often will see opposition. In those cases, allow the Holy Spirit to speak through you. Trust God. Set aside your own fears and anger and allow the God of the universe to allow his words to flow through you.
Let’s pray…God, Give us your words, your grace, and your wisdom. Speak through me, Lord Jesus, in such a way that brings you glory. Amen.
Matthew 9
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Matthew 9:35-38, Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
We continue to see Jesus’ authority through both his words and his deeds in chapter 9. There are teachings and miracles, a brush with the Pharisees, and some reinterpretation of fasting. Then, the chapter ends with today’s focus verses.
Jesus spent a great deal of time going from town to town, teaching, healing, and demonstrating to people what life under the Kingdom of God is like. Through his actions, through the authority he demonstrated, and through his powerful words, he was giving people a glimpse at a new way of doing life, the way God always intended his world to be. In God’s Kingdom, there is no illness so Jesus heals. In God’s Kingdom, there is grace, truth, and clarity of purpose, so Jesus taught with authority and wisdom. Jesus truly embodied the Kingdom of God in everything he did. He demonstrated love and compassion but he also offered direction, guidance, and a new standard for what God requires.
The Scripture says that he saw the people and he felt compassion for them because they were sheep without a shepherd. Think about sheep – they are totally vulnerable without a shepherd to care for them, guide them, and provide protection. Goats, who we often think of as similar to sheep, tend to do fine on their own. But sheep, not so much. They are helpless and vulnerable to predators. Jesus is saying that he looked at the people and realized how vulnerable and defenseless they were. They needed guidance and divine protection. Without it, they were doomed. Friends, without Jesus, we are all doomed.
The text closes with the very famous Scripture about the harvest. The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few so ask the Lord of the harvest to send more workers. Of course, Jesus is speaking about the people harvest. There are so very many people who need to know about Jesus Christ. They need the guidance of the divine shepherd and they don’t even know it. Someone must tell them. Jesus is counting on his followers to do the work of sharing the Gospel. And yet, how often it feels like there just aren’t enough people willing to go and share, go and tell, go and proclaim, go and harvest. We need more workers.
This really got me thinking. Are you one of God’s workers? Are you willing to help with the harvest? Why or why not?
Let’s pray…Lord Jesus, We need more workers. We need more people who are willing to get out of their comfort zones, to take risks, to be part of the harvest. Where we are weak, fill us with your strength. Where we are scared, fill us with your courage. More of you and less of me. In Your Name, Amen.
Matthew 8
“When Jesus returned to Capernaum, a Roman officer came and pleaded with him, Jesus said, “I will come and heal him.” But the officer said, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.” When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to those who were following him, he said, “I tell you the truth, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel! And I tell you this, that many Gentiles will come from all over the world—from east and west—and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven. But many Israelites—those for whom the Kingdom was prepared—will be thrown into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, “Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened.” And the young servant was healed that same hour.”
Matthew 8:5-13
Key thoughts:
The most amazing aspect of this story is not Jesus' power to heal, but the faith of the Roman officer who opened the door for Jesus' amazing work to happen. I would love to bless the Lord with my faith and my concern for others, especially in trying times. We get a glimpse of heaven in this scripture between Jesus and a Gentile and in his faith and genuine concern for others. Nationality, race, status, and position are all irrelevant. All that matters is Jesus, his love for you, his love for us, his love for me and our love for him. We will get to see him bless all kinds of people in incomparable ways. I can hardly wait ... But I will; I will wait so that I can show Jesus' concern for those broken, for those in need, in need to be mended.
Prayer:
Holy God, heavenly Father, please hear my prayer today. I pray that my faith in you, and my concern for others who need you, will open the door for you to do amazing & supernatural things. Search my heart, use my hands, stir my hope, and use me to help others because I believe you can do amazing things through a common person like me when I believe in you. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
Matthew 7
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Matthew 7:24-27, “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
The Sermon on the Mount closes with a serious spiritual warning about faith in Jesus. The wise person is the one who hears the words of Jesus and heeds them. The result of this kind of obedience is security. The house does not fall because it is built on a strong, solid, unwavering foundation in Jesus. That doesn’t mean the house won’t be knocked around a bit by the weather events of life but it will NOT fall down. On the other hand, the foolish person is one who hears the words of Jesus and does not heed them. That person builds their house on sand and we all know what happens to sand when a terrible storm comes – erosion! Sand is not a solid foundation. The result of a life built on anything other than Jesus is erosion/destruction.
The teachings of the Sermon on the Mount provide followers of Jesus with wonderful practical guidance on what it looks like to be his disciple. This final teaching, as hard as it is, sums it all up – a life built on the solid foundation of Jesus yields safety and eternal security. A person who chooses to build their life on worldly security will ultimately face death and destruction. There really isn’t a way to sugar coat this and frankly, we should not even try. Jesus speaks with great clarity – we have a choice.
What do you choose?
Let’s pray…Lord, Thank you for being my solid foundation. I want to build my life on you and nothing else. More of you and less of me. In Your Name, Amen.
Matthew 6
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Matthew 6:33-34, But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
In this block of Sermon on the Mount teaching, Jesus focuses on prayer, fasting, and giving of one’s resources. He warns against behaving like the Pharisees who seek attention for their piety; it’s almost a show for them. Instead, Jesus compels his followers to be sincere in their devotion and obedience to God. It’s not about what others think – there truly is just an audience of one. The only approval we should seek is God’s.
As Jesus closes his teaching on money, he flows right into a discussion on worry. It points to the relationship between money and worry. When we don’t have enough money, we tend to worry. When we have a lot of money, we tend to worry about its safekeeping or what we will spend it on. Think about the first listeners to this teaching. Most would have been quite poor and truly just living hand to mouth. And to this group, who we might think had legitimate cause to be seriously anxious, Jesus tells them not to worry about the basic things of the world. God’s going to take care of them.
I once read that 98% of the things we worry about never come to fruition. Worry, my friends, is a royal waste of time. It is useless. It causes us serious distress and steals today’s joy. I am not saying this because I have somehow mastered the art of not worrying. I worry way too much but I am working on it. I recognize that the root of worry is a lack of trust in God. Thus, I make a decision every day to trust God, I’m constantly giving things to God, and I’m working very hard on not taking them back.
Which worries do you need to give to God today?
Let’s pray…Lord, Take our worries, our cares, our struggles, and our burdens. They are too heavy for us and we know that your hands are so much more capable than our own. Increase our trust. More of you and less of me, Jesus. Amen.
Matthew 5
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Matthew 5:43-44, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…”
In chapter 5, we find the first portion of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. This block of teaching may have occurred over several days or even several weeks. We really don’t know. But the author, Matthew, has beautifully pieced together this teaching, highlighting the authority of Jesus and the unique nature of his Kingdom. Under the law, it was said this but now I tell you this…. Jesus is presenting his followers with a whole new way of looking at the world. He isn’t dismissing the Old Testament teaching, he is simply reinterpreting them.
One of the most intriguing of the teachings is to love our enemies. This would have been unheard of in first-century Palestine. Love your enemies? What? Jesus’ basis for this teaching is founded in God’s own nature. God is, first and foremost, a God of love. He gives sun and rain to the good and the evil alike. He does not discriminate. Nor should we. The Pharisees cast judgment on others but we are not to do the same. We should seek to be perfect, as God is perfect, to have a heart willing to love those who seem to be unlovable.
Be honest with yourself. Who have you deemed unlovable? Spend some time with God reconciling this.
Let’s pray…Lord Jesus, Help us seek holiness and perfection, loving others in the way you love them. Reveal to us those places in our hearts that are hard and unforgiving. In Your Name, Amen.
Matthew 4
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Matthew 4:18-22, As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him.
Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
I think it’s hard for us to imagine how abruptly these four men responded to Jesus. While there was probably more back story here that we aren’t privy to, the reality is that they left everything to follow Jesus. They left all human sources of security, all human goals and aspirations to respond to a call by God. They left their jobs and probably their families to respond to a call, and did so as far as we can tell without hesitation or doubt.
Could we do the same? God calls each and every one of us but we still hold on to various aspects of the world. How often do we fully and completely let go of everything to simply follow Jesus? This is the demand of the kingdom of God – turn away from the kingdom of the world and give all to a bigger, deeper purpose. Stop worrying so much about fishing for money, power, or admiration and simply fish for people.
We may live 2000 years later but this is our mission and call as well. Do you believe this? Are you ready to say yes?
Let’s pray…Lord Jesus, We fall short over and over again. We hold on to the things of the world, we hold tight to human security. Forgive us. Free us for joyful obedience. Give us courage to respond to your call. More of you and less of me. In Your Name, Amen.
Matthew 3
SOAP, Matthew 3: Friday, September 2, 2022
Welcome to the Daily SOAP from New Hope. This is Paton Cadwallader, your guest host for today.
Today we will be reading from Matthew 3 and focusing on verses 11-17. If you haven’t already done so, please take the time to read the entire chapter to get the full context. It is a short chapter (17 verses all together) and it is probably something you have read or heard before since Matthew 3 focuses on the ministry of John the Baptist. It shares how John was preaching and baptizing to prepare the way for Jesus, and the chapter ends with the baptism of Jesus. Today, I will be reading from The Message version. It begins with John the Baptist speaking…
11-12 “I’m baptizing you here in the river, turning your old life in for a kingdom life. The real action comes next: The main character in this drama—compared to him I’m a mere stagehand—will ignite the kingdom life within you, a fire within you, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out. He’s going to clean house—make a clean sweep of your lives. He’ll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false he’ll put out with the trash to be burned.”
13-14 Jesus then appeared, arriving at the Jordan River from Galilee. He wanted John to baptize him. John objected, “I’m the one who needs to be baptized, not you!”
15 But Jesus insisted. “Do it. God’s work, putting things right all these centuries, is coming together right now in this baptism.” So John did it.
16-17 The moment Jesus came up out of the baptismal waters, the skies opened up and he saw God’s Spirit—it looked like a dove—descending and landing on him. And along with the Spirit, a voice: “This is my Son, chosen and marked by my love, delight of my life.”
I chose The Message version for today, because I enjoyed the fresh take it provided, and I found myself drawn to the use of the term “kingdom life”. In our sermon series of late, we have been talking a lot about kingdom life and kingdom heroes. This passage in Matthew emphasizes that a “kingdom life” is a changed life. It is a change that begins on the inside when a fire is lit within you by the Holy Spirit. This fire, once sparked, should spread quickly and become evident on the outside as well. When you are living a life focused on God’s kingdom, “everything true will be put in its proper place before God” (verse 12). People will be able to see the spark, the light within you. You are a new creation in Christ with a passion enflamed by the Holy Spirit. Wouldn’t it be amazing if we were all living out a passionate life, a life on FIRE for our Savior on a daily basis? So often though, life and busyness get in the way. Are you on fire? Or do you feel like your spark has dimmed or is lying dormant? What specific steps can you take to activate your faith and spark the flame within you? Thankfully, the words of John the Baptist still ring true today. All we simply need to do is call on our Savior. Jesus will “ignite the kingdom life within you, a fire within you, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out.”
Let’s close in prayer.
Dear Jesus,
We cry out to you in desperation because we want to be on fire for you. Ignite the kingdom life within us, ignite the fire within us, fill us with your Holy Spirit and change us from the inside out. Come Holy Spirit and light us on fire for your kingdom so we can be your light in this world!
In your holy name we pray,
Amen.