Matthew 20: Grace Is Not Fairness

Some people look to God for justice; others pray to Him for grace.

Matthew 19: Relationships Vs. Riches

Matthew 19 is a study in contrasts.  The Pharisees come to Jesus seeking approval for the termination of marriages.  Jesus tells them a marriage is the spiritual merger of a man and a woman into one flesh; it is not so simply ended.  Meanwhile, a rich man approaches Jesus seeking to gain entry into the kingdom of heaven.  Jesus tells him that spiritual perfection for him lies in the renunciation of all his goods.  This the man cannot accept; he would rather cling to his possessions than follow Jesus.

Psalm 49: Do You Believe The Ransom Has Been Paid?

"The ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough" (vs. 8).  Psalm 49 could be taken as a very depressing song, even one of the "blues."  It is a meditation on the inevitability of death for everyone - rich and poor, wise and foolish, powerful and weak.  At best, the Psalmist's point could serve as a cold comfort to the downtrodden: Don't be overawed when people get wealthy and influential - their time of death is coming, too.

Matthew 18: Childlike Faith

There are many who accuse Christians of being childish; a more apt description, however, is that we strive to be childlike.

Matthew 17: Mountaintops And Valleys

Matthew 17 begins with Jesus and His inner circle ascending a high mountain.  Something incredible and otherworldly is about to happen: Jesus is going to be transfigured!

Matthew 16: Torn Between Two Kingdoms

Simon Peter is a fascinating individual.  At times, he could be counted on as a bold and fearless leader of the early church.  At other times, he could not be counted on at all; he would waver and lose faith.  Whether courageously getting out of the boat to walk on water (before doubting and sinking) or cowardly denying three times that he even knew Jesus (before repenting and returning), Peter's spiritual highs and lows resonate with a large majority of believers in Christ.

Matthew 15: Cleanliness Is Next To Godliness?

What's more important?  Clean hands - or a clean heart?  Should we be more concerned with what we put into our bodies - or what comes out of our bodies through our words and actions?  Jesus is pretty clear in Matthew 15 that God is not so much concerned with the raw materials that go into making up our bodies (physical) as He is with what we do with them (spiritual).