The disciples assumed that Jesus’ timing for His kingdom was during their lifetimes. James and John had requested to have places of honor when Jesus came into His kingdom. Mark 10: 35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came over and spoke to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do us a …
God’s timing is something that affects all of us. We are often impatient and want God to move quickly or answer our prayers as we desire. Like a sailor in the crow’s nest, the Lord sees the big picture and makes the best decisions even if we don’t understand. Several years ago, we prayed for …
The Jews had a problem with engraved coins. We don’t think anything of the image of George Washington on our quarters or Lincoln on our pennies. As a result, we may miss some of the depth of Jesus’ teaching on taxes. Luke 20: 22 Now tell us—is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar …
Wolves in sheep’s clothing symbolize a person pretending to be someone they are not, usually with evil intent. Wolf and sheep are very different animals. Jesus uses a wolf in sheep’s clothing phrase to distinguish false prophets. Matthew 7:15Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. 16 You can …
Nothing can be more tragic in life than missing the Savior. I remember the Lord gave me a vision during a Saturday evening worship service while serving communion. As I looked at the congregation, each believer appeared to have a light inside them, while those who did not were dark. As I looked out, about …
As we reflect on our choices in life, we often ask ourselves: “What could have been?” Sometimes, we are thankful that we did not make a particular decision; other times, we wish we would have heeded the Lord’s nudging. I am grateful that when the Lord called me to be a pastor, I responded to …
When the Jewish leadership confronted Jesus about stopping the Temple marketplace, why did Jesus ask about John? Luke 20: 3 “Let me ask you a question first,” he replied. 4 “Did John’s authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human?”[1] Herod had beheaded John the Baptist over two years before this confrontation. Why would John be …
The Jewish leadership confronted Jesus by asking Him, “Who gave you the right to stop the Temple marketplace?” This was a legitimate question. Without a chain of authority, there will be chaos. The success of any organization, whether social, governmental, or religious, depends on the authority of leadership. Jewish Leadership Knew Their Source of Authority …
As Jesus told the Parable of the Banquet, it ended with someone who would not put on the new. Matthew 22: 11 “But when the king came in to meet the guests, he noticed a man who wasn’t wearing the proper clothes for a wedding. 12 ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how is it that you are here without …
As Jesus told the Parable of the Banquet, He showed how God invites the unlikely. In this parable, a king sent out three invitations to a banquet. Each time, the people refused. Not only do they refuse a gracious invitation, but they also killed the messengers with the invitation. Matthew 22:8 And he said to …