Many Opinions, One Question
Matthew 16:13–14 Before Jesus asked the disciples what they thought, He asked what everybody else was saying. “Who do men say that I,...
A Strange Place to Ask
Matthew 16:13–15 Jesus could have asked the most important question in the world anywhere. He could have asked it in the synagogue at...
Don’t Keep the Bread to Yourself
Scripture: Matthew 15:36–37; Matthew 28:19–20 There’s a small detail in Matthew’s account of the feeding of the four thousand that...
An Invitation for Everyone, Through Jesus
Scripture: John 6:35; Romans 10:12–13 One of the most striking features of Matthew 15 is the location of the miracle. Jesus is in the...
Put What You Have Into His Hands
Scripture: Matthew 15:34–36 Seven loaves. A few small fish. Thousands of hungry people. It wasn’t an impressive inventory. If the...
Jesus Notices What Others Miss
Scripture: Matthew 15:32 “I have compassion on the multitude.” Those words are easy to read quickly. But pause for a moment and...
There’s Room at the Table
Scripture: Matthew 15:29–31 If you’ve ever been to an Australian barbecue, you’ll know the invitation: “Bring a plate!” It’s...
Clean Hands, Pure Heart
Read: Matthew 15:1–28; Psalm 24:3–4 The Pharisees built a fence to guard the law, and it hardened into a cage. They discovered a...
Empty Hands, Great Faith
Read: Matthew 15:21–28 Having dismantled the notion that outward religious cleanliness commends us to God, Jesus travels into Gentile...