Matthew #44: A Fruitless Religion (Matthew 21:18-23)

Many years ago I was with my dad at the home of family friends. At one point, he reached out for an apple that was in a fruit bowl as the centerpiece for the table where we were sitting. Our friends gasped in horror as he quickly put it to his mouth and bit down hard…only to find it was plastic. I have to give it to the old man, his teeth were in great shape because he bit right through the plastic shell. We all had a good laugh (at least I did), but my dad didn’t seem to find it as humorous as the rest of us. I suppose it’s pretty disappointing to find an imitation meant only for display when you have your heart set on a tasty apple.

This Sunday we’ll be returning to our study in the book of Matthew, reading chapter 21:18-32, and we’ll be considering that theme of religion for display purposes only.

In v18-22, we see Jesus do the only destructive miracle in the entirety of the gospels. Do you think this fruitless tree was just something that irritated Jesus and he lashed out…or do you think there was something else being communicated in this? If this were a living parable being acted out for his disciples – what do you think the message is, given Jesus’ actions in the last section, where he condemned the temple?

The following account actually gives examples of what the message of the fig tree was. Jesus has yet another conflict with religious leaders – albeit, the chief priest is now involved. This is a first in an escalating opposition to Jesus. The question of authority is posed – “who do you think you are Jesus, emptying out the temple like that?”. There is no answer Jesus can give that won’t put him in immediate danger.  Jesus pulls a Bugs Bunny (“Duck season, Wabbit season…”) by posing a question that is impossible for them to answer. Who were the religious leaders afraid of when it came to answering the question? What does that tell us about the motive for their spirituality?

The parable of the two sons spells it out in a pretty straightforward way. If you were to sum up the lesson of the parable, how would you word it?

Looking forward to examining this passage together! Hope to see you Sunday!

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Matthew #43: The Triumph of Peace (Matthew 21:1-17)

This Sunday we’ll be reading the account of Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem, something we’ve called the “Triumphal Entry”. It’s a very familiar event from the Gospels, and one that we might miss the significance of because of that familiarity. We’ll be reading Matthew 21:1-17 as we continue our study of that Gospel.

This event is pointing back to ancient prophecies about the Messiah, as well as prior historical events in Israel, and all of it is meant to create a contrast between the kingdoms of this world and how God rules His kingdom. That’s something we’ll be digging into in our examination of the text.

We’ll also be reading about Jesus’ actions in the temple. Normally when we hear about Jesus driving out those who were selling sacrificial animals and exchanging money in the temple, we assume his motive is to rebuke commercialism/consumerism within the house of worship. I would say the majority of people read it that way…I know I always did.

This Sunday we’re going to challenge that idea. Jesus was certainly staging a prophetic rebuke…but of what? There is an alternative proposition about what Jesus was doing that I find quite persuasive, and the message if far deeper and heavier than mere consumerism. (Not to excuse a consumer mindset within the sphere of worship – there are other places in Scripture that address that as improper, I’m just not convinced that’s what Jesus was doing in this particular text).

I think this will be an enlightening, albeit challenging, study. I hope you can join us this Sunday!

Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.

Matthew #42: The Power of Mercy (Matthew 20:29-34)

This Sunday, in our study of the Gospel of Matthew, we’ll be reading Matthew 20:29-34.

Like all the gospel writers, Matthew loves a good contrast. In this text, we find two blind and desperate men who are presented right on the heels of James and John seeking greatness in the last section. Instead of two self-assured followers of Jesus looking for advancement, we have these two beggars bereft of any self-confidence. It’s another reminder of what sort of attitudes rightly represent God’s kingdom activity.

When the blind men call out to Jesus for mercy, the crowd tries to silence them. What are some of the ways in which societal pressures or assessments try to silence our cries for God’s mercy? This passage is inviting us to consider the nature of God’s mercy and its powerful effect on our lives. When these men experienced the mercy of Jesus by receiving their sight, what did they do? When we’ve encountered God’s mercy in our lives, how can that draw us closer to him?

This story is a great reminder of the depths of God’s love for us, and his desire to meet our true needs, not just our immediate wants. I think it will be really encouraging! Hope you can join us this Sunday as we dig into scripture together!

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Matthew #41: The Path To Greatness (Matthew 20:17-28)

This Sunday, we will continue our study in the Gospel of Matthew as we read Matthew 20:17–28.

In this passage, Jesus predicts His death for the third and final time (see also Matthew 16:21 and Matthew 17:22). Yet instead of seeing the disciples wrestle with or process what Jesus has just revealed, we immediately encounter an unexpected request. The mother of James and John approaches Jesus asking that her sons be given seats of honor in His kingdom.

Their reaction reminds me of this humorous scene from The Simpsons, when Marge gives Homer instructions for when she’s away:

Like Homer in the clip, the request from the disciples’ mother—and likely James and John themselves—shows little indication that they truly heard what Jesus was saying. Jesus is speaking about suffering, betrayal, and death in Jerusalem, yet their focus is on status and position.

The passage invites us to pause and reflect:
Are we really listening to what Jesus is saying?
Do we understand the road He is describing for His followers?

As the section unfolds, it becomes clear that the disciples are looking ahead to the throne awaiting Jesus, but they are not recognizing the cross that lies on the road to get there.

Jesus responds by teaching them that leadership in His kingdom must look radically different from the power structures of the world. Instead of authority being used to dominate others, greatness in God’s kingdom is defined by humility, service, and sacrifice.

We invite you to join us this Sunday at 10:00 AM as we dive into God’s Word together.

Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.

Matthew #40: The Radical Exchange (Matthew 19:27-20:16)

This Sunday we’ll be reading Matthew 19:27-20:16 – which includes a parable that is unique to Matthew’s gospel. It is the parable of the laborers in the vineyard.

In chapter 19, after witnessing what happened with the rich young ruler, Pete asks the question that is basically “after sacrificing all we had to follow you, what’s in it for us?”. Jesus does promise a reward to him, but where is it centered, according to the first part of v28? Given that context, what do you think the first/last dynamic is intended to teach us?

In chapter 20 Jesus tells a story about a rich landowner who hires day laborers to pick grapes during the vineyard’s harvest. The story is unsettling in it’s economic implications – but what about it’s spiritual ones? What reason does the landowner give for paying everyone the same amount? What do you believe that is teaching us about our pursuit of spiritual and eternal rewards and the actual source of it?

In v12, what is the chief complaint about the identical pay-stubs everyone had? What does this tell us about the self-perception of the complainers? In v 15 when it says “Or do you begrudge my generosity?”, it literally is asking “why do you give my generosity the evil eye?” Many, if not most, translations read a variation on “Should you be jealous because I am kind to others”. What are the complainers be envious of? They received what they agreed on as a wage. Justice was done…but something else was added – what? It’s interesting that they aren’t jealous of the money the short-timers received, they’re jealous of the landowners right to judge by his own standards. This really makes me think of something we’ll expound on in the teaching.

I find this whole story to be fascinating…hope you can join us on Sunday!

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Matthew #39: Treasures The World Misses (Matthew 19:13-26)

Last week my son carried his piggy bank to the store and exchanged months of saved change for a pair of upside down goggles. After carefully looking at each item in the toy aisle, he chose to spend his own money on something that would flip his view of the world. The goggles use small mirrors to turn everything upside down, and they honestly made me dizzy when I tried to use them. Simple challenge cards like high five the person next to you or drawing a tree suddenly become surprisingly difficult. What feels easy becomes confusing and what seems obvious takes patience and practice.

This Sunday we will look at a passage that reveals the upside down nature of God’s Kingdom. It can feel as though Jesus is turning everything over, but in truth he is restoring the world to what it was always meant to be. 

In Matthew 19:13-26 Jesus welcomes children, who were overlooked in that culture, and he challenges a wealthy young man to surrender his possessions. The least are treasured in God’s Kingdom, and earthly treasures are exposed as worthless. What does that say about the things we value most? Where might our perspective need to be flipped?

We invite you to join us this Sunday at 10:00 AM as we read and study this passage of scripture together.

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Matthew #38: A Controversial Trap (Matthew 19:1-12)

I will warn you, the topic of our passage this week is going to be uncomfortable. One may be tempted to skip this teaching, but I can assure you we’ll be treading very carefully here, and you may even be relieved as we get into the cultural and historical elements that surround this text – those elements make this section far more nuanced that a cursory reading seems.

We’ll be reading Matthew 19:1-12 in our study of this Gospel.

One thing I intend to do this Sunday is zero in on the set up for this discourse by Jesus. It’s so very important to remember how Jesus got onto this topic…it was a trap. I want to consider that this Sunday. We’ll look at what Jesus says and see how it instructs his people in marriage relationships, but we’ll also note that Jesus doesn’t allow himself to get cornered by the trick question the religious leaders posed to him. His focus, as it is consistently, is on the heart.

What can we learn from the way Jesus deals with this culturally and politically sensitive topic? There is a difference between the way Jesus speaks in public and the things he says in private to his disciples. How can we apply this to the way we hold our convictions before a watching (and listening) world?

I encourage you, if you’re concerned about this text, we will be remain centered on God’s grace. Hope to see you this Sunday!

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Matthew #37: The Call To Community (Matthew 18:15-35)

Did you know that April 15 marks Eastgate’s 31st birthday? Last year at a staff meeting, we talked about how amazed we were that our little church community had reached 30 years. Now here we are, a year later, celebrating 31.

Instead of throwing a big party, we realized we would rather invest our energy into the people and ministries that make this community what it is.

Over the past year, we launched a podcast to share more about who we are and to talk about things we do not always have time for on a Sunday morning. We created our first ever VBS program from scratch and served over 30 children. We began weekly financial support for Pastor Christian and the Spanish speaking ministry he leads. We also opened a new Eastgate location in the Fountain and Marianna area called Eastgate North, led by Julie Gjendem and her husband Trond. 

We also continued many of the quiet, faithful practices that shape who we are. Our weekly donations to the Panama City Rescue Mission continued. Our meal train ministry kept bringing meals to families welcoming babies or walking through illness. Men’s gatherings, women’s gatherings, young adult meetings, and small groups all carried on. We trained and hired our teens to help care for children during special events, inviting them into responsibility and service. 

I have been part of this community for all 31 years, and I am continually in awe of what God has done through this imperfect, generous group of people. That brings us to this Sunday’s scripture. Jesus will be teaching about what to do when people in a community face internal struggles. 

The truth is that a healthy community is made up of people, and wherever there are people, there will be conflict. This Sunday we will read Matthew 18:15 to 35. The first part of the teaching helps us see that conflict is not only normal, but that there are wise and loving ways to address it. How might learning to handle conflict well actually strengthen a community rather than weaken it?

We invite you to join us this Sunday at 10:00 AM as we study this scripture together and reflect on what it means to cultivate community.

Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.

Matthew #36: The Humble Standard (Matthew 18:1-14)

My dad used to say: “If it weren’t for my great humility, I’d go on about how humble I am”. It was a joke, of course, but how often do we find it difficult not to go out of our way to make sure the people around us have taken note of our gracious and humble attitudes? That’s the struggle we have with our fallen, human nature – we just want to be recognized in one way or another. We are a very lonely and insecure species.

We’re coming to a section in our study of Matthew where Jesus is going to give us some instruction as to how to handle ourselves in community. We’ll be reading Matthew 18:1-14.

The scene opens with Jesus’ disciples vying for the number one spot in terms of God’s kingdom and His fantasy team ranking. In response, Jesus puts a child in front of them and commands that we follow that example. In what ways do children embody the concept of humility on a societal level? If we think about ancient attitudes towards children, it expands that idea even further. How is Jesus’ call to intentional humility distinct from the way our normal societal patterns work? If we’re not getting our validation from our fellow humans, where will we get it from if we embrace intentional humility?

Jesus warns us not to put a scandalon (stumbling block) in front of his humble children– that is, offend or trip up someone who is a humble believer in Jesus. Given the context of not seeking to advance ourselves over each other, how do you think this translates to our community interaction? Based on the imagery Jesus uses, how important do you think this is to him?

The final section has a parable about a shepherd who leaves his ninety nine sheep to search for one lost lamb. He was pointing out how all the sheep are valuable to God. No one is unimportant, including you and I. Realizing that, what do you think Jesus’ point is concerning how we interact with each other in community? How can we better embody these traits as a church? If we could do that, what effect do you think it would have on the world around us?

Hope you can join us this COLD Sunday!

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Matthew #35: Sacrificial Freedom (Matthew 17:22-27)

We’ll be reading Matthew 17:22-27 this Sunday. It’s a highly unusual story. One that’s unique to Matthew’s gospel, but understandable considering his tax-collector background.

The story opens in v22-23 where Jesus once again announces his upcoming arrest and execution, as well as his resurrection. Again, the disciples are puzzled.

When they get to home to Capernaum, they are confronted by “collectors of the Temple Tax”. This was a tax instituted in Exodus 30 as a census tax that went to support the temple operations. The priests would go to outlying areas up in Galilee and collect it from the Jewish people. When the collectors corner Peter, they assume Jesus isn’t going to pay that tax. Why do you think they would assume that? Interestingly, a sect within Israel, who was contemporary to Jesus, the Essenes, openly opposed the temple tax. It’s probable that the priests were trying to embroil Jesus in a politicalized debate.

Peter answers in the affirmative, but when he sits down with Jesus, he gets a different perspective. Jesus gives a parable about the kings of earth and how they operate a tax. We’ll get into what Jesus is getting at on Sunday – but it’s pretty clear that Jesus considers himself and his followers as free from that tax.

Surprisingly, Jesus capitulates, he does so not to offend. What can we learn about Jesus’ attitude and our calling here? What do you think is worth offending people over when it comes to our faith?

The fish story at the end…that’s something, huh? What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever found? We see here that God will provide for us to peacefully navigate through this world of ever present cultural expectations. Let’s trust him for the wisdom to live well.

I hope you can join us on Sunday!

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Matthew #34: Christ's Glory Revealed (Matthew 17:1-20)

Are you familiar with the phrase “a mountaintop experience”? It’s describing times of glory and exuberance, especially as it touches our spiritual journey. Those experiences are great, but usually…actually, always short lived.

This Sunday we’ll be reading Matthew 17:1-20 and we’ll read about the original mountaintop experience as we get a glimpse of God’s glory revealed in Christ.

The first section, v1-8, provides the account of the “transfiguration” of Jesus. Jesus takes three of his disciples up on a mountain, and there, his appearance changes in front of them – he is glorious. Why do you think Moses and Elijah showed up? What is it that they represent?

When the voice instructs us to “listen to him“, Jesus, what do you think that means in light of who is on the mountaintop with him?

When they head off the mountain in v 9-13 the disciples get a lesson about Elijah’s coming before the Messiah. Why do you think the people didn’t recognize John the Baptist as a fulfillment of Micah’s prophecy about Elijah’s appearance? What can we learn from that when it comes to our expectations about how God will manifest his glory?

After they return down from the mountaintop experience, they face a different tone in v14-20. What is the key element that Jesus says is missing, which prevented the disciples from helping the demonized boy? What connection would there be between our faith and God’s glory?

We’ll get really honest about our journey this Sunday – hope to see you there!

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Matthew #33: The Cost of Belief (Matthew 16-38)

In Matthew 16:13-28, Jesus asks a question of his disciples that still confronts each of us today: “Who do you say I am?” There have always been plenty of opinions about Jesus. Even to this day, some say Jesus was merely a prophet, teacher, or a well meaning individual. However, Jesus presses past secondhand answers and makes it personal. How we answer this question matters because it shapes how we live and what we believe about God, ourselves, and the world. Who is Jesus to you? 

Peter boldly answers, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God,” and Jesus affirms that this confession is the foundation of the church. Belief in Jesus is the doorway into the Kingdom of Heaven—but that kingdom doesn’t look the way we expect. When Jesus explains that the Messiah must suffer and die, Peter resists, revealing how easy it is to trust Jesus while still wanting control over how his plan unfolds. 

Jesus then makes it clear: following him means surrender. “Take up your cross and follow me” is a call to sacrificial love. He goes on to say that this means losing our lives so we can truly find them. The kingdom of God is upside down, where real power looks like humility and real life is found in giving ourselves away. 

We invite you to join us this Sunday at 10:00AM as we study Matthew 16:13-28 together.

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Matthew #32: A Contrast of Intent (Matthew 15:29-16:12)

This Sunday we’ll be returning to our study in Matthew, and we’ll read Matthew 15:29-16:12. It’s a big section, but I think you’ll see how it all goes together pretty well.

As you read through this section you’ll notice that, even connected with last section, there is an ongoing bread theme. The Canaanite woman asked for bread crumbs. Jesus provides bread in the wilderness and then warns about the wrong kind of spiritual bread. There could be a whole teaching in that thematic vein alone…but that’s not where I went for this study.

In the section that closes out chapter 15, Jesus is doing all sorts of miracles, finishing off with a miraculous feast on a desert mountaintop. Mark’s parallel account clues us in that this happened in the Decapolis – a largely gentile region. When Jesus is performing all these miracles in that region, what does it mean? How should it be read?

When we come to chapter 16 the Pharisees and Sadducees ask for a sign – ignoring what has been happening right under their noses. They are intent on trying to control God’s plan concerning what Messiah would be doing, and with whom. In what ways are we sometimes guilty of trying to dictate to God our own purposes? How can we keep from trying to steal the director’s chair in life?

in v 5-12, Jesus’ disciples are cast in a pretty dim light. They forgot bread and assume Jesus’ warning about the leaven of the Pharisees was about a lack of bagels. Leaven is used as a metaphor for an element introduced that changes it’s host into something else. Leaven changes bread dough, causing it to rise and inflate. In what way do you think the teaching of the Pharisees had done this as it touched Israel’s calling? What is Jesus warning his disciples about? What are the philosophies, politics and religious agendas in our world that could veer us off the path that God originally set the church on? What is lacking, according to v8, that can keep us from falling prey to these aberrant directions?

Once again, this will be a challenging and thought provoking passage to dig into. Hope to see you on Sunday!

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Matthew #31: The Canaanite Woman Who Outwitted Jesus (Matthew 15:21-28)

This Sunday we’ll be reading Matthew 15:21-28.

This is a distressing section of Scripture. We are confronted with a Jesus who seems strange to us; uncharacteristically distant and even apparently rude. He and his disciples have left Israel and are 50 miles north in the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon, which is modern day Lebanon. While there, a local woman calls out for Jesus’ help on behalf of her demonized daughter. Jesus doesn’t answer her, but remains silent.

Jesus’ response and statements about and to this woman are perplexing – they have been since he spoke them, I guess. What lessons can we learn about faith – faith that’s not easy, exercised in a world that is not easy on us either. In what ways can she inspire us when we feel frustrated by God’s silence or by circumstances that seem to be against us?

We will be hearing a very interesting take on this passage tomorrow from a guest speaker. I’m very excited to hear what it said!

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Matthew #30: Traditional Trouble (Matthew 15:1-20)

Do you have any traditions for Christmas that your family has passed down through the years? I think the most delightful for Robbie and I is the annual watching of Die Hard as we put up the Christmas tree. “Ho, Ho, Ho…now I have a machine gun.” C’mon? What’s more Christmasy than that?

Traditions are great. They can keep us in touch with our history and even connect us with what is unique about our family or community. Traditions, however, can become troublesome if we allow them to take precedence over the more important issues of life. Spiritual communities are especially susceptible to that. That’s what we’ll be considering this Sunday as we read Matthew 15:1-20 in our study of Matthew.

The passage starts out with a controversy over hand washing. This wasn’t about hygiene – it was about ceremonial hand washing (Netilat Yadayim) required in the Talmud before eating bread (or anything else, by implication). It is still a tradition to this day among observant Jewish people.

V6, 8, 17-20 sum up Jesus’ response to the Pharisees. How would you word what it is that Jesus is trying to communicate about religious traditions and rules?

What does Jesus point to as being the most important issue when it comes to our relationship with God and how we live our lives in this world (v19)?

It’s not addressed in this passage per se, but how do we go about seeing a change take place in our hearts if righteousness doesn’t come from the outside in?

I hope this proves to be an encouraging contemplation of the Gospel of grace. See you on Sunday!

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Matthew #29: Faithful In The Fury (Matthew 15:1-20)

“Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.” ~ Captain Edward A. Murphy Jr. (Murphy’s law)

This Sunday we will continue our study of Matthew – 14:22-36 and we’ll be reading about things going very wrong for Jesus’ disciples, and the awe-inspiring revelation they get in the process.

I believe this is an account of something that really happened. I also believe this actual event can read as a parable – a metaphor for a life of following Jesus. Very few of us, if any, have been fully insulated from the storms we face in life. We’ll find some encouraging insights we can hold to when we face troubles as we face troubles along the way.

The disciples follow Jesus’ instructions to get in the boat and go. Obeying Jesus, they find themselves caught in a storm and being (literally) tormented by the waves. What metaphor can you see in that? How does this correspond with your own life of faith?

When Jesus shows up the disciples are terrified. They think he’s a ghost sent to welcome them into death – but in reality, he’s showing up just like the Spirit of God did in Genesis 1:2, bringing light, life and order to the chaos.

What do you think, was Peter right or wrong to ask Jesus to command him to walk on the water? Scholars seem to be divided about it. Do you think his lack of faith began when he had to have proof that it was really Jesus, or was it a bold move of faith to claim participation in the miracle?

When Peter is focused on the rising surf, he begins to sink. The lessons there are obvious. Something else to think about is: what was Jesus’ first response (not words, necessarily) to Peter’s predicament? How does his response encourage you when you remember times where you’ve had “little faith”?

Those are just some things we’ll be unpacking on Sunday. I really love this account, and I think we’ll have some fun but also be very encouraged by what we encounter in this text!

Hope to see you this Sunday!

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Matthew #28: The Parallels of Power (Matthew 14:1-21)

Have you ever found yourself wondering where God is in the middle of a chaotic or painful moment? Many of us have been there. Plans fall apart, people are hurt in ways that seem needless, and violence can spread with unsettling speed. In moments like these it is natural to ask, Where is God in all of this and Does He care?

As we turn to the Scripture for this Sunday, those questions are not spoken aloud in the text, yet they seem to echo beneath the surface. This week we will read the account of John the Baptist’s beheading under Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee. In this section of Matthew’s Gospel, the narrative shifts from the parables Jesus has been teaching to a dramatic story that reveals the fragility of human power and the quiet persistence of God’s kingdom.

When you think about your own difficult seasons, what questions about God’s presence rise to the surface?

Matthew then moves from the darkness of Herod’s banquet to the miraculous feeding of the five thousand. The contrast is striking. One scene takes place in a palace where fear and manipulation dictate the outcome. The next unfolds in an open field where Jesus meets the needs of the crowd with compassion and abundance. As we read these stories together, we will look for the ways God’s power is at work among the powerless and how the kingship of Jesus challenges the self-serving rule of Herod.

Both stories invite us to reflect on the kind of kingdom Jesus brings into the world. Even in moments when God seems distant, Scripture reminds us that His work often unfolds quietly and faithfully, especially among those who feel overlooked or vulnerable.

We invite you to join us this Sunday at 10:00 AM as we read Matthew 14 together and consider how God’s presence meets us in both suffering and hope.

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Matthew #27: The Valuable Kingdom (Matthew 13:44-58)

It seemed to me that my mom was on a perpetual hunt for some valuable antique that would somehow turn the tide of her fortunes. She wasn’t materialistic, per se, but just had this indefatigable hope that some day she would discover treasure. By and large, the stuff she had (either passed to her from her family, or found in some market) was of little value. Nevertheless, she persisted in hoping for that bountiful encounter.

Finding something of value is the theme for the passage we’ll be looking at this Sunday as we continue our study of Matthew, reading chapter 13:44-58.

The parable of the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price carry on the prior theme of something hidden and unexpected (like that of the wheat and weeds, the mustard seed and the leaven), but now a new dimension is added: value. Jesus is trying to get across the great value of God’s in-breaking kingdom in comparison to all other things/religions/philosophies/pursuits of life. In what way do you understand God’s kingdom to be something of great value to you? What do you think it means to prioritize and value God’s kingdom more than anything else?

If you’re not too clear on how to understand what the Kingdom of God is – check out this helpful video from the Bible Project: Heaven and Earth

The parable of the dragnet leaves the world of agriculture and sets us out to sea. Once again, we have something hidden yet productive as our motif. Why do you think its important that Jesus describes the indiscriminate nature of the net in that it gathers all kinds of fish? When the net gets filled, it gets pulled to shore. There is a finite amount of time for gathering. How does that reality impact your valuation of God’s kingdom?

The parable of the old and new treasure seems to be making a closing point to the line of thought we’ve been on. What do you think the old and the new treasure represents in this story? How can something old shed light on something new, and visa versa? How did we see that being played out in Jesus’ ministry and later in that of the church?

I’m looking forward to exploring this series of parables together. Hope to see you on Sunday!

Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.

Matthew #26: The Hidden Work of the Kingdom (Matthew 13:24-43)

My brother Daniel used to work as a manager in the Publix deli. It seemed like a hard job with long hours, demanding customers, and endless sandwiches. Yet when I asked him what it was like, he said he loved it because every day he got to “feed the hungry.”

That perspective changed how I think about ordinary work. Daniel could have focused on the frustration, but instead, he found fulfillment in serving others.

It made me wonder, how would our view of daily work change if we saw it as a way to serve rather than just something to get through?

In Matthew 13:24–43, Jesus shares three parables about the Kingdom of Heaven. The last two show how something small can become something extraordinary in God’s Kingdom. We learn that God’s kingdom often works quietly and unseen, transforming small acts into meaningful impact.

This gives me pause as I consider, what small or hidden ways might God be at work in our lives and community right now?

The world may look like an endless line of sandwiches, but in God’s kingdom, every act of service becomes part of feeding the hungry and building something eternal.

Join us this Sunday at 10:00 a.m. as we study the book of Matthew and reflect on how God’s kingdom grows through everyday moments.

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Matthew #25: Learning To Listen (Matthew 13:1-23)

Have you ever been talking with someone and then, with a chill, realized you’d tuned out and had no idea what the person was talking about? Not listening can be frustrating in a conversation; it can be devastating spiritually, when God is trying to communicate and people don’t seem to listen.

That is going to be the dominant theme of the text we’ll be examining this Sunday as we continue our way through the Gospel of Matthew, reading chapter 13:1-23.

This is the beginning of what has come to be called the “parables discourse”, where Jesus tells 8 parables in a row. It is very significant that Jesus taught through the use of stories that represented a larger truth. What do you think is significant about his use of parables?

When his disciples ask him why he’s teaching people through these unexplained riddles, Jesus gives an answer that is as cryptic as the parables themselves, and somewhat disturbing. He indicates that the parables are a means of hiding the arrival of God’s kingdom from certain types of people. Who is it that Jesus seems to have in mind in this warning? Why do you think they are unable to hear what it is Jesus is saying, or see what it is that is happening? What lesson can we take from this as the 21st Century American church?

Jesus provides an explanation of the parable in this section, and tells us plainly that the seeds represent the news of God’s kingdom arriving through Jesus while the soils represent the hearts and lives of people. Some hear and embrace the possibilities of God’s rule over life and it produces varying amounts of fruit. Some hear and are interested, but lose interest as everyday life crowds out the importance of what God is doing in their hearts. Others hear and are stoked, but its shallow emotionalism so that when things get difficult or demanding, they bail out. Worst of all, there are those who are like hard-packed dirt on a well-trodden path – who won’t allow the news of God’s rule get anywhere near their hearts because it doesn’t fit with what they’ve already assumed about life.

Think about this: Jesus was talking about people who were pretty religious already. He’s not necessarily talking about the pagan Romans, but most likely the pious Jews. How do we evaluate what this story means to us in our journey of faith? Do you think its possible to have all of these types of soil represented in one life? How can we hear with an intent to embrace what God says in his gospel? What can make us more receptive to His word?

This will be a challenging study – hope you can join us this Sunday!

Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.