Tag Archive | "Matthew"
Devotional,NJ
Again, Jesus lays into the pharisees, and it is easy to begin to set these guys up as shallow, self-serving ungodly people. But what we know of the Pharisees gives us a different perspective. There were five major sects of Judaism (denominations of sorts), of which the Pharisees were the most committed to the whole [...]
Devotional,NJ
Sometimes what strikes me about the reading is the context of one passage in relation to another. On this reading in Matthew 14, verse 13 caught my eye: When Jesus heard what had happened (to John the Baptist), he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on [...]
Devotional,NJ
THE PICTURE IS A LOVELY ONE. Jesus is so tender and gentle that when he finds a “bruised reed” (Matt. 12:20), instead of snapping it off thoughtlessly, he binds it up in the hope that it will rejuvenate itself. If the wick of a candle has been reduced to a smoldering ember, instead of snuffing [...]
Devotional,NJ
Everyone loves a window of opportunity… a great deal, a chance to talk with someone of prominence, being part of a once in a life-time event. And the most amazing one is listed in Matthew 8. Jesus does a work of healing, of deliverance and transformation in the life of two young men. These guys [...]