Serving God to the End Matthew 19:30–20:16 So the last will be first, and the first last. Matthew 20:16 What Jesus had in mind when he told the provocative parable of the workers in the vineyard is suggested by the most important verse that both introduces the story and ends it: “But many who are…

Overcoming Failure Matthew 17:1–23 They could not heal him. Matthew 17:16 There are always valleys. But as far as failures are concerned, although we will certainly also have those, we do not need to have as many as we do or experience them so often. Fortunately, Matthew 17 has provided pointers to the way we…

The Great Confession Matthew 16:13–20 But who do you say that I am? Matthew 16:15 Jesus asked his disciples two probing questions. First, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” (v. 13). The disciples would have been in a better position than Jesus to have known what people were saying about him,…

Clean Hands or Clean Heart Matthew 15:1–20 What comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person. Matthew 15:11 Do you stand before God with clean hands only, that is, with mere ceremonial religion, or do you come with a new, clean heart? Washing our hands in a religious way is not the issue today,…

Faltering Faith Matthew 14:22–33 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Matthew 14:30 True faith involves an actual trust in Jesus as the Son of God and Savior. It means that a person actually commits himself or herself to Jesus. To use the…

Pursuing the Prize Matthew 13:44–46 On finding one pearl of great value, [he] went and sold all that he had and bought it. Matthew 13:46 What did the two men in the parables in these verses do when they came upon treasure? First, they recognized the value of what they had found. Second, they determined…

The Open Heart Matthew 13:1–23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. Matthew 13:23 The open heart receives the gospel like good soil receives seed. This soil produces a good crop. Three minor points might be made. 1. Only a portion (in the…

God’s Servant Matthew 12:15–21 Behold, my servant whom I have chosen. Matthew 12:18 Matthew sums up who Jesus was and indicates the nature of his ministry by quoting a well-known messianic passage from Isaiah (42:1–4; Matt. 12:18–21). This is the longest quotation from the Old Testament in Matthew but it is not a word-for-word quotation….

A Gospel Invitation Matthew 11:25–30 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden. Matthew 11:28 It is difficult to think of an invitation more important or more gracious than this. There are several reasons why this invitation is so gracious. 1. The invitation is for everyone. Jesus’s words are for people of all…

Deciding for Christ Matthew 10:17–42 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. Matthew 10:39 The last verses of Jesus’s discourse (vv. 17–42) focus on a person’s relationship with Jesus in two ways. First, they focus on the disciple himself and whether he remains true…