Today’s Reading: Matthew 26:31-35,57-75; 27:1-10

On the way, Jesus told them, “Tonight all of you will desert me. For the Scriptures say,
‘God will strike the Shepherd,
and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’
But after I have been raised from the dead, I will go ahead of you to Galilee and meet you there.”

Peter declared, “Even if everyone else deserts you, I will never desert you.”

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, Peter—this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.”

“No!” Peter insisted. “Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you!” And all the other disciples vowed the same. – Matthew 26:31-35

PETER DECLARED HIS LOYALTY.

Peter’s response was so genuine. I truly believe he had no intention of denying he was one of Jesus’ closest friends. He loved him dearly. When he said he would die for Jesus, I believe he meant it. So what happened between this declaration of loyalty and the denial? What caused Peter to behave differently than he predicted he would?

Jesus was led to the home of Caiaphas, the high priest, and all of the teachers of religious law and elders gathered around him. The disciples had scattered but Peter followed from a distance, slipping into the high priest’s courtyard to see what was happening to Jesus.

The leading priests and high council had been searching for someone who would testify against Jesus, and they had found two men who took a statement Jesus had made and used it out of context. “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the Temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’” (Matthew 26:61). The high priest demanded that Jesus explain himself, but he remained silent. Then the high priest demanded, in the name of God, that Jesus tell them if he was the Messiah, the Son of God.

Jesus replied, “You have said it. And in the future you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

Then the high priest tore his clothing to show his horror and said, “Blasphemy! Why do we need other witnesses? You have all heard his blasphemy. What is your verdict?”

“Guilty!” they shouted. “He deserves to die!”

Then they began to spit in Jesus’ face and beat him with their fists. And some slapped him, jeering, “Prophesy to us, you Messiah! Who hit you that time?” – Matthew 26:64-68

I imagine Peter could hear what was happening from the courtyard; he could hear the outrage of the accusations, the verdict of guilt, and the sound of each blow to Jesus’ body. He was probably in disbelief that this was really happening. I imagine his heart was pounding and his mind racing. It was too much to take in. Peter was human and he was probably experiencing all the emotions we would if the person we loved most in the world was being assaulted and condemned to die. His grief was interrupted by the sound of a young girl asking him a question. He was not prepared to answer her; he allowed fear to take over as he did the exact thing Jesus said he would.

A servant girl came over and said to him, “You were one of those with Jesus the Galilean.”
But Peter denied it in front of everyone. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said. – Matthew 26:69b-70

Time passed before another servant girl approached Peter. This time she spoke to those around her, declaring that Peter had been with Jesus of Nazareth. They were by the gate at this point, which tells us Peter had put some distance between himself and what was happening inside. Perhaps there was something inside of him that wanted to run, yet something within him that compelled him to stay.

PETER WAS PUTTING DISTANCE BETWEEN HIMSELF AND JESUS.

Peter denied knowing Jesus again. Time passed. Another bystander walked over to Peter, insisting that Peter was one of Jesus’ followers. His Galilean accent had given him away. This time Peter answered strongly.

Peter swore, “A curse on me if I’m lying—I don’t know the man!” And immediately the rooster crowed.
Suddenly, Jesus’ words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.” And he went away, weeping bitterly. – Matthew 26:74-75

It was done. He had betrayed his closest friend and it could not be undone. He walked away — away from the pressure of the accusations and away from the Jesus he had proclaimed he would die for. Judas was feeling a similar remorse, because the next morning he took the 30 pieces of silver back to the leading priests and elders in hopes of undoing the mess he had made. He declared that Jesus was innocent, but it was too late. He threw down the coins, went out and hung himself (27:5).

The weight of our sin can cause us to behave in ways we never thought we would. The recognition that we have been unfaithful to God can change the trajectory of our life. But please know today, my friend, that we serve a God of mercy who longs to restore you to a right relationship with Him. He loves you so much that He sent His only Son to die on a cross for you. His love for you is so great that He is willing to clothe you in His righteousness in order to draw you into His presence. Bring all your fear and regret to the Lord, and experience His forgiveness. His grace is abundant and His arms are open wide in invitation. Don’t run away; don’t punish yourself. Allow the One who is worthy to make something beautiful out of your story this Christmas.

PETER ALLOWED GOD TO REDEEM HIS STORY.

Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away—all who have been called by the Lord our God.” Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!” Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all. – Acts 2:38-41

Today’s Reading: Matthew 22:15-46; 26:1-30,36-56

But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees with his reply, they met together to question him again. One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”

Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” – Matthew 22:34-40

The leaders of the church were trying to trap Jesus, and yet he gave them an answer that could have changed their lives. To focus on our own love for God and the degree to which we are living that love out with all of our heart, soul, and mind — this is what God commands of us. When we truly love God, our love for Him shows up in our love for others. Loving others is a great way to live out our love for God! Remember yesterday? When we do for others, we are doing for Jesus; when we neglect to respond to the needs of those around us, we are neglecting Him. The leaders of the church missed the value of what Jesus was saying and instead plotted to capture and kill him (26:3-4). He was speaking of love but they were focused on hate.

Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy. While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume and poured it over his head.

The disciples were indignant when they saw this. “What a waste!” they said. “It could have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor.”

But Jesus, aware of this, replied, “Why criticize this woman for doing such a good thing to me? You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me. She has poured this perfume on me to prepare my body for burial. I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.” – Matthew 26:6-13

While eating at the home of a man whom Jesus had healed, a woman whom Jesus had forgiven came in and generously poured out her love for Jesus by anointing him with expensive perfume. But the disciples missed the value of this authentic offering and instead focused on the extravagance of the gift. They had the opportunity to celebrate the love of Jesus but instead allowed themselves to be distracted by the earthly value of the gift.

Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests and asked, “How much will you pay me to betray Jesus to you?” And they gave him thirty pieces of silver. From that time on, Judas began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus. – Matthew 26:14-16

Judas’ life was changed the day he became one of the disciples of Jesus, but his heart did not. He had witnessed the love of Jesus in every healing, every story, and every interaction, yet his focus was still on himself and what he wanted. He betrayed the one who had given him so much in order to gain so little of what the world could offer him.

On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, Jesus sent the disciples into the city to prepare the Passover meal. That evening, Jesus joined them at the table. During the meal, he told them that one of them would betray him. One by one they asked Jesus if they were the one. Lastly, Judas asked the question he already knew the answer to.

Judas, the one who would betray him, also asked, “Rabbi, am I the one?”
And Jesus told him, “You have said it.” – Matthew 26:25

After dinner, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Jesus asked his disciples to keep watch and pray while he went on ahead to spend time praying to His Father. Three times he came back to find them sleeping.

Then he came to the disciples and said, “Go ahead and sleep. Have your rest. But look—the time has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Up, let’s be going. Look, my betrayer is here!”

And even as Jesus said this, Judas, one of the twelve disciples, arrived with a crowd of men armed with swords and clubs. They had been sent by the leading priests and elders of the people. The traitor, Judas, had given them a prearranged signal: “You will know which one to arrest when I greet him with a kiss.” So Judas came straight to Jesus. “Greetings, Rabbi!” he exclaimed and gave him the kiss.

Jesus said, “My friend, go ahead and do what you have come for.” – Matthew 26:45-50a

Jesus taught us that the greatest commandment is to love God with all of your heart, soul, and mind, and to love your neighbor as yourself. Then he demonstrated what love looks like. To share a meal with the one who is about to betray you is love. To call him friend the moment after he greets you with a kiss of betrayal — that’s what love looks like. To die for the sins of those who have sinned against you is the ultimate demonstration of love.

Jesus, thank you for all that you continue to teach us about love. May we gain a deeper understanding this year of what it means to love God with all our heart, all our soul, and all our mind, and may that love be beautifully demonstrated in our love towards others. That you would call us your friends even after we have sinned against you is a beautiful, undeserved gift. Show us, teach us, lead us, grow us. We long to be filled with who you are so that we no longer get caught up in all that has earthly value. May this Christmas bring us a new level of understanding of what love looks like. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Matthew 24:1-51; 25:31-46

As Jesus was leaving the Temple grounds, his disciples pointed out to him the various Temple buildings. But he responded, “Do you see all these buildings? I tell you the truth, they will be completely demolished. Not one stone will be left on top of another!”

Later, Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives. His disciples came to him privately and said, “Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will signal your return and the end of the world?” – Matthew 24:1-3

WHEN IS JESUS COMING BACK?

It’s a question the disciples asked Jesus then and a question we still hear today. When will the bridegroom return? What signs will reveal that the time has come so that we don’t miss this moment? Jesus described what this world will be like before he comes back, and so we often find ourselves looking around to see if our current world resembles what Jesus described.

“Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.

“Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers. And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other. And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come. – Matthew 24:9-14

YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT DAY YOUR LORD IS COMING!

“Two men will be working together in the field; one will be taken, the other left. Two women will be grinding flour at the mill; one will be taken, the other left.

v“So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming. Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into. You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.” – Matthew 22:40-44

So if we do not know the day or the hour that the bridegroom is returning, what should we do in the meantime? We should prepare ourselves for his return so that we will be ready. We should do what God has called us to do; we should be responsible with the life God has given us, treating those around us with love like Jesus has taught us to do.

“A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them. If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward. I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns. But what if the servant is evil and thinks, ‘My master won’t be back for a while,’ and he begins beating the other servants, partying, and getting drunk? The master will return unannounced and unexpected, and he will cut the servant to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. – Matthew 24:45-51

“But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’

“Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’

“Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’

“Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’

“And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’

“And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.” –
Matthew 25:31-46

Lord, as we celebrate your birth this week, remind us of this scripture. When our heart longs to do something for you in return for all you have done for us, remind us of the many who are in need all around us. Instead of focusing on when you will return, give us a deep ache to make sure that those around us are ready, as we also prepare our own hearts for that day when the bridegroom will return to his bride. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Matthew 22:1-14; 23:1-39; 25:1-30

The Pharisees had the opportunity to learn from Jesus and to celebrate the coming of the Messiah. But in their arrogance, they looked for fault in what Jesus did or did not do. Knowing they had become comfortable in their own habits of self-righteousness, he pointed out to them the condition of their hearts. Although they took pride in their spotless perfection, Jesus pointed out to them the obvious stains of their spiritual condition.

THEY WERE CLOTHED IN THEIR OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS INSTEAD OF HIS.

“The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a king who prepared a great wedding feast for his son… – Matthew 22:2

Invitations were sent to all the guests and, as was the custom in those days, a second invitation went out to let all of the guests know that the banquet was prepared and they were ready for everyone to arrive. The decorations were up, the food was prepared, and the wedding clothes were laid out but the guests refused to come.

So the king sent his servants out once more, extending grace to those who had so rudely refused his invitation. But some guests were too busy to be bothered and other guests were so bold as to insult and kill the messengers. So the king sent out his army to destroy them and burn down their town.

The king sent his servants back out to the street corners to invite anyone they saw. Everyone was invited to this great wedding feast, whether they had the reputation of being good or bad. The king was extending grace to all who were willing to come and enjoy the banquet he had prepared. As was the custom, wedding clothes were provided and it was an insult not to wear the gift so generously given.

But when the king came in to meet the guests, he noticed a man who wasn’t wearing the proper clothes for a wedding. ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how is it that you are here without wedding clothes?’ But the man had no reply. Then the king said to his aides, ‘Bind his hands and feet and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

“For many are called, but few are chosen.” – Matthew 22:11-14

The guests had the opportunity to share a meal with the king, to sit around the table and enjoy the celebration that had been prepared. They did not have to prove their worthiness or their religious status; it did not matter if they had a good or bad reputation. They were being given the opportunity to accept the invitation extended in grace and the gift of the king’s righteousness was offered.

THEY WERE UNPREPARED FOR THE COMING OF THE BRIDEGROOM.

“Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. – Matthew 25:1

Five of the bridesmaids came unprepared and ran out of olive oil for their lamps, while the other five were wise enough to bring extra. As they waited for the bridegroom, they all fell asleep. At midnight they woke to the announcement that the bridegroom was coming. The five foolish bridesmaids did not have enough oil to light their lamps and they left to buy more oil. By the time they returned, the door was closed. Because they weren’t prepared, they missed the moment when the bridegroom had returned. It was too late.

THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT WITH WHICH THEY HAD BEEN ENTRUSTED.

“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone.” – Matthew 25:14

When the master returned, he asked each servant to give an account of how they had used his money while he was gone. The one who had been given five bags of silver reported that he now had ten to give back to the master; the one who had been given two bags of silver now had four.

“The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’” – Matthew 25:23

But the servant who had been given only one bag of silver reported that he had buried the silver. In fear and laziness, he had protected the money rather than using it to multiply the master’s profits. The master was angry and took the money away from the servant, giving it to the one who now had ten.

To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. – Matthew 25:29

Am I properly dressed today? Am I clothed in the kind of real faith that produces spiritual fruit? Have I accepted the gift of His righteousness, fully accepting my inability to earn my place at the table. Producing fruit is not something I can do on my own. I can try to be known for my good works, but my efforts will be like the Pharisees who clean the outside of the cup but are powerless to clean the inside (Matthew 23:25). I can clothe myself in generosity, but my attempts to produce fruit will be like the guests who came to the wedding feast dressed in their own clothes.

Precious Lord, thank you for the gift of salvation and the opportunity to work in your vineyard today. Empty me of my own selfish tendencies, fill me with your Spirit and work through me to produce fruit for you today. God, I come to you today just as I am, submitting who I am in order to be clothed with who you are. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Matthew 20:17-19, 21:1-17, 33-46

As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside privately and told them what was going to happen to him. “Listen,” he said, “we’re going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die. Then they will hand him over to the Romans to be mocked, flogged with a whip, and crucified. But on the third day he will be raised from the dead.” – Matthew 20:17-19

This must have been so hard for the disciples to hear — even harder for them to fully understand. As they continued their approach to Jerusalem, Jesus sent them into a village to borrow a donkey.

This took place to fulfill the prophecy that said,
“Tell the people of Jerusalem,
‘Look, your King is coming to you.
He is humble, riding on a donkey—
riding on a donkey’s colt.’” – Matthew 21:4-5

As they entered Jerusalem, a crowd of people began spreading their garments on the path in front of Jesus. They cut down palm branches, spreading them across the road and waving them as they shouted praise to the Son of David!

The entire city of Jerusalem was in an uproar as he entered. “Who is this?” they asked. And the crowds replied, “It’s Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.” – Matthew 21:10-11

Jesus continued through Jerusalem until he arrived at the Temple. With authority, he knocked over the tables of those who were trying to make a profit off of those who were coming to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices. People brought their blind and lame into the Temple and Jesus healed them. The children shouted, “Praise God for the Son of David.” The teachers of religious law saw that people were being healed, but their focus was on the praise Jesus was receiving rather than the power he was displaying.

They asked Jesus, “Do you hear what these children are saying?”

“Yes,” Jesus replied. “Haven’t you ever read the Scriptures? For they say, ‘You have taught children and infants to give you praise.’” Then he returned to Bethany, where he stayed overnight. – Matthew 21:16-17

The next day, Jesus came back to the Temple and was soon surrounded by the leading priests and elders. They demanded he tell them by what authority he was doing all these things. He responded by telling them that corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes would enter God’s Kingdom before they would. Then he told them this story:

“A certain landowner planted a vineyard, built a wall around it, dug a pit for pressing out the grape juice, and built a lookout tower. Then he leased the vineyard to tenant farmers and moved to another country. At the time of the grape harvest, he sent his servants to collect his share of the crop. But the farmers grabbed his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. So the landowner sent a larger group of his servants to collect for him, but the results were the same.

“Finally, the owner sent his son, thinking, ‘Surely they will respect my son.’

“But when the tenant farmers saw his son coming, they said to one another, ‘Here comes the heir to this estate. Come on, let’s kill him and get the estate for ourselves!’ So they grabbed him, dragged him out of the vineyard, and murdered him.

“When the owner of the vineyard returns,” Jesus asked, “what do you think he will do to those farmers?”

The religious leaders replied, “He will put the wicked men to a horrible death and lease the vineyard to others who will give him his share of the crop after each harvest.”

Then Jesus asked them, “Didn’t you ever read this in the Scriptures?
‘The stone that the builders rejected
has now become the cornerstone.
This is the Lord’s doing,
and it is wonderful to see.’

I tell you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation that will produce the proper fruit. Anyone who stumbles over that stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush anyone it falls on.”

When the leading priests and Pharisees heard this parable, they realized he was telling the story against them—they were the wicked farmers. They wanted to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowds, who considered Jesus to be a prophet. – Matthew 21:33b-46

The servants were sent to collect the landowner’s money. They had the authority to require the payment, but the tenants beat one, killed one, and stoned another. The landowner’s son came to collect the required payment. He had the authority to demand it, yet they chose to murder him instead of giving him what was required of them. The “owner of the vineyard” had sent His Son into the world and the leaders of the church demanded by what authority he was healing, teaching, casting out demons, cleaning out the Temple, forgiving sins, and receiving the praise of the people. They had the opportunity to worship the Messiah, but instead plotted against him.

Lord, may we respond as the people who prepared the way for you by laying out their garments, waving palm branches, and shouting your praise. May we recognize your deity as the children did in the Temple that day, celebrating the wonderful things you are doing in the lives of those around us. May we bow to your authority, giving you all that you are asking for and allowing you to be the King of our lives. Show us today what we have wrongfully taken ownership of that only belongs to you. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Matthew 19:1-12; 21:18-32

WHERE IS THE FRUIT?

Jesus went to the fig tree looking for fruit and there was none.

In the morning, as Jesus was returning to Jerusalem, he was hungry, and he noticed a fig tree beside the road. He went over to see if there were any figs, but there were only leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” And immediately the fig tree withered up. – Matthew 21:18-19

Jesus went to the Temple looking for fruit and there was none.

Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out all the people buying and selling animals for sacrifice. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves. He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves!” – Matthew 21:12-13

Jesus looked for fruit while considering the issue of divorce and there was none.

Some Pharisees came and tried to trap him with this question: “Should a man be allowed to divorce his wife for just any reason?”

“Haven’t you read the Scriptures?” Jesus replied. “They record that from the beginning ‘God made them male and female.’” And he said, “‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’ Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.” – Matthew 19:3-6

WHAT IS WORSE? To say you will NOT bear fruit but then bear fruit, or to say that you WILL bear fruit but then NOT bear fruit?

“But what do you think about this? A man with two sons told the older boy, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ The son answered, ‘No, I won’t go,’ but later he changed his mind and went anyway. Then the father told the other son, ‘You go,’ and he said, ‘Yes, sir, I will.’ But he didn’t go.

“Which of the two obeyed his father?” – Matthew 21:28-31a

Jesus has purchased our salvation and prepared the way for us to bear fruit. He expects us to do what he has called us to do – to bear fruit. If we do not make use of this salvation and bear fruit as he intended, what will his response be?

“Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.” – Matthew 7:15-20

Producing fruit is not something I can do on my own. “Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?” I have to allow God to make me into a good tree in order to produce good fruit. I go to God, just as I am, submitting who I am in order to be clothed with who He is. Here I am, Lord. Make me into the fruit-bearing tree you created me to be! Amen.

Today’s Reading: Matthew 19:13-30; 20:1-16, 20-34

FORGIVENESS. FREEDOM. MERCY.

One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could lay his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him.

But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” And he placed his hands on their heads and blessed them before he left. – Matthew 19:13-16

The disciples had this idea that Jesus could not be bothered by the littles in the crowd — those who were seen as the least. They still had so much to understand about this man; they had so much more to learn from Jesus.

As Jesus and the disciples left the town of Jericho, a large crowd followed behind. Two blind men were sitting beside the road. When they heard that Jesus was coming that way, they began shouting, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

“Be quiet!” the crowd yelled at them.

But they only shouted louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

When Jesus heard them, he stopped and called, “What do you want me to do for you?”

“Lord,” they said, “we want to see!” Jesus felt sorry for them and touched their eyes. Instantly they could see! Then they followed him. – Matthew 20:29-34

These two men cried out for mercy and Jesus responded from the heart of a merciful God. While those around them were annoyed by the volume of their needs, Jesus was touched by the strength of their faith. They were treated by their community as the least but Jesus had something to teach all who would listen.

“But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.” – Matthew 19:30

“So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.” – Matthew 20:16

When the mother of James and John was bold enough to ask if her sons could sit on either side of Jesus in His Kingdom, the disciples began to argue with each other.

But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” – Matthew 20:25-28

We can see in Jesus’ words the reflection of the heart of God. Just as he was responding in mercy to the needs around them, God responds in mercy to our needs today; just as Jesus led from the desire to serve others, we should also humble ourselves in a willingness to serve those around us.

THE FIRST SHALL BE LAST AND THE LAST SHALL BE FIRST.

Lord, teach us what mercy looks like in our lives. May we live in response to the mercy we have received, willing to extend mercy to others with the same generosity you have shown us. Give us confidence in who you have called us to be, while making us humble in the way we respond to the needs of others. May we define importance through the lens of mercy, and continue to learn what it means to be a true follower of Christ. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Matthew 18:21-35

Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?”

“No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!” – Matthew 18:21-22

FORGIVENESS. FREEDOM. MERCY.

When we forgive those who have sinned against us, we experience freedom. We give the situation to the Lord and pray for Him to extend mercy both to us and to those who have hurt us — over and over again. Jesus went on to explain this repetition of forgiveness.

“Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him. In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars. He couldn’t pay, so his master ordered that he be sold – along with his wife, his children, and everything he owned – to pay the debt.

“But the man fell down before his master and begged him, ‘Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.’ Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt.

“But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment.

“His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it,’ he pleaded. But his creditor wouldn’t wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full.

“When some of the other servants saw this, they were very upset. They went to the king and told him everything that had happened. Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’ Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt.

“That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.” – Matthew 18:23-35

Jesus lived out this kind of forgiveness. He knew he was going to be betrayed by one of his closest followers, one of the Twelve. He knew he would be handed over to those who were plotting against him. He knew he would be killed, and how significant his death and resurrection would be to the forgiveness of all. Knowing this, he still lived the example of being a good citizen, paying the Temple tax to those who were going to be instrumental in his coming death.

FORGIVENESS. FREEDOM. MERCY.

Father, reveal in me any unforgiveness. Strengthen my faith to believe that you will be with me in any attempt I make to restore a relationship or extend a hand of forgiveness. May the words coming out of my mouth reflect a heart of forgiveness — not bitterness, unforgiveness or gossip. Make me uncomfortable with any relationship or situation in which you want me to seek restoration. Transform my mind, precious Lord. May my life be described as FORGIVEN and FORGIVING.

“If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” – Matthew 6:15

Today’s Reading: Matthew 18:15-20; Mark 11:22-25

Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.” – Mark 11:22-25

Last week, we considered how the disciples lacked the faith to heal the boy who was demon-possessed. In his gospel story, Mark repeats the same words of Jesus but he adds another element that often blocks our prayers. At times we lack the faith for our prayers to be answered and at times unforgiveness blocks the path between our requests and God’s answer.

As we start a new day, let us consider the relationship between forgiveness, freedom and mercy. What freedom do we experience when we choose forgiveness and mercy over bitterness and pride? What would life look like if we consistently LET FORGIVENESS FLOW and mercy show? What would it sound like to truly let freedom ring?

FORGIVENESS. FREEDOM. MERCY.

If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two or three witnesses. If the person refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.

“I tell you the truth, whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.

“I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.” – Matthew 18:15-20

Again Jesus coupled the issue of forgiveness and restoration with the idea of our prayers being answered. UNFORGIVENESS BLOCKS OUR PRAYER LIFE. God’s plan is for us to be all about forgiving others and bringing restoration into relationships that are strained or in need of resolution. I am to walk into these situations in strong faith that God will be in the middle of it all, that He will be with us through our attempts at restoration. Our own forgiveness depends on our commitment to forgive others, not just in our hearts but through necessary conversations.

If our attempts at restoration with another believer are unsuccessful, Jesus instructs us to treat that person as a pagan or corrupt tax collector. And how did Jesus model our treatment of sinners? He ate with them in their homes and even called Matthew to be one of his disciples. Jesus said he didn’t come to call those who think they are righteous, but he came for those who know they are sinners (Luke 5:32).

FORGIVENESS. FREEDOM. MERCY.

When we forgive those who have sinned against us, we experience freedom. When we humbly recognize our own capacity to sin, we can then have mercy on those who have sinned against us. We give the situation to the Lord and pray for Him to extend mercy both to us and to those who have hurt us.

“Pray like this:
Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.
May your Kingdom come soon.
May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.

“If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” – Matthew 6:9-15

Today’s Reading: Matthew 18:1-14

About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”

Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me. – Matthew 18:1-5

TURN FROM YOUR SINS

The disciples asked a great question, but I am guessing that they were not expecting the answer Jesus gave them. The greatest is the humblest. The greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven is the one who humbly turns from their sinful past in order to receive the future God has planned for them. And when we welcome the one who has a messy past, recognizing that God has a beautiful future for them, we are representing well the One who died for their salvation. We are humbly acknowledging that we also have a sinful past; we, too, are sinners in need of a Savior.

“But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.” – Matthew 18:6

So if the greatest in God’s Kingdom is the one who humbly repents of their sin, and Jesus is calling us to welcome them on his behalf, there is also a strong warning here to never be the one who causes someone to walk away from Jesus into a life of sin. We are to help them find their way toward salvation without pushing them away from all God has for them. When we encourage them to remain in their sin, or when we redefine sin in order for them to feel affirmed in their rejection of the righteousness to which God is calling all of us, it would be better for us to die than to live.

THROW IT AWAY

“What sorrow awaits the world, because it tempts people to sin. Temptations are inevitable, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting. So if your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one hand or one foot than to be thrown into the eternal fire with both of your hands and feet. And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.” – Matthew 18:7-10

Precious Father, may our hands and feet be your instruments today. May we be expressions of your love to those around us; may we be the voice of truth to one another. May we never become so arrogant that we believe we have the right to reinterpret your words in order to widen the way to salvation. Show us how to extend your grace while honoring your truth, fully aware of our need for salvation and helping others find their way to repentance. May our faith help others to find you, and may we never do anything that would cause someone else to stumble in their journey towards you. Amen.

Jesus went on to ask a question that reveals his love for the lost. When the one wanders away from the shepherd, the man does not leave that one stumbling in the dark. He also doesn’t take the whole flock with him or encourage them to also wander away. No, he goes in search of the one in order to bring it back to the fold. The shepherd celebrates that the lost has been found and is therefore no longer lost.

“If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine that didn’t wander away! In the same way, it is not my heavenly Father’s will that even one of these little ones should perish. – Matthew 18:12-14