Reading 26 Something Is Missing—Matthew 25 Read Chapter 25 When I first read my assigned text, I was excited to have received it. But after thinking for a short while, I realized that I didn’t know how to interpret parables. Then I remembered the book a friend had loaned me, Short Stories by Jesus: The […]
Reading 26 – Something Is Missing—Matthew 25 Read More »
Reading 25 Follow Me and Do Not Fear—Matthew 24 Read Chapter 24 Upon hearing about the chaos, darkness and destruction that will mark the end of the age, one by one, the disciples reveal their anxiety and fear as they approach Jesus privately. They ask big questions such as “How long, O Lord?” and “How
Reading 25 – Follow Me and Do Not Fear—Matthew 24 Read More »
Reading 24 Where Is God in the Woe?—Matthew 23 Read Chapter 23 Jesus used the word more than anyone else in the Bible, woe is used seven times in this chapter. What is Jesus trying to say? I believe Jesus is trying to get us to wake up and take notice of our choices. Calling
Reading 24 – Where Is God in the Woe?—Matthew 23 Read More »
Reading 23 Questions. Questions. Questions.—Matthew 22 Read Chapter 22 A chapter of questions confronts us. For some we know the answer and others raise even more questions. The chapter begins with a wedding feast to which many have been invited but did not come. Most commentaries believe this was a reference to the Jews having
Reading 23 – Questions. Questions. Questions.—Matthew 22 Read More »
Reading 22 Important Questions—Matthew 21 Read Chapter 21 Sometimes questions are more important than answers. I am a middle school English teacher. I spend a lot of time either answering or asking questions. Sometime when a student asks me a question, even if I can easily answer it, I tell the student “Go find out,
Reading 22 – Important Questions—Matthew 21 Read More »
Reading 21 Our Absurdly Generous God—Matthew 20 Read Chapter 20 Taking in the 20th chapter of Matthew’s Gospel feels at first like feeding on a hodgepodge dinner of leftovers from the fridge. Two stories, a parable, and Jesus’ third unsettling prediction of his death (definitely not comfort food).
Reading 21 – Our Absurdly Generous God—Matthew 20 Read More »
Reading 20 Faith Like a Child—Matthew 19 Read Chapter 19 In addition to serving as a pastor, I work as a professional musician. While learning music, I ask questions: What is the major theme? Where is the tension, the resolution? These questions help me understand the music. These questions work with biblical texts as well.
Reading 20 – Faith Like a Child—Matthew 19 Read More »
Reading 19 Living Forgiveness—Matthew 18 Read Chapter 18 “I forgive you.” These three small words came out of the mouths of my nieces and nephews often as I visited family earlier this summer. Days were filled with normal sibling behavior—stealing toys, stepping on fingers, eating each other’s snacks, or just looking at a sister the
Reading 19 – Living Forgiveness—Matthew 18 Read More »
Reading 18 High on the Mountain—Matthew 17 Read Chapter 17 There is a lot going on in Matthew 17. The chapter begins with a narrative of the Transfiguration, Jesus curing an epileptic man, and forewarning the disciples about what would happen to him, among other things; but the high point (pun intended) for me is
Reading 18 – High on the Mountain—Matthew 17 Read More »
Reading 17 One Bite at a Time—Matthew 16 Read Chapter 16 For years, humans have been trying to boil down the Bible into bite-sized, easily-digestible chunks. One of the more infamous attempts to make the Bible easier to digest comes from Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson sat at his desk with a razor, carefully cutting out the
Reading 17 – One Bite at a Time—Matthew 16 Read More »
