We have some really interesting passages left in the Sermon on on the Mount: store up treasures in heaven; do not be anxious about your life; don’t throw pearls to the pigs; seek and you will find; the golden rule and not everyone who says “Lord Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven. We’ll cover those in January-February and then I’m taking a break before starting the next series.
I hope you've been enjoying our study of the Lord's prayer. It's something most of us routinely say but don't often study. I plan to finish the Lord's Prayer in December, finish the Sermon on the Mount in January, and then start a new series after a break. We'll come...
17 podcasts to cover Matthew 5. A new record! In November we’ll begin Matthew 6 which includes the Lord’s prayer. You say it. Do you know what it means?
We can have all the knowledge in the universe, but if we don’t fear the Lord, the Bible calls us fools. The fear of the Lord is the necessary ingredient that turns knowledge into wisdom. In that way, our righteousness must surpass that of the scribes and the Pharisees.
The Wednesday in the Word podcast is on break to celebrate the arrival of my newest grandchild! We’ll return to the Gospel of Matthew in mid-September. We finished the beatitudes We’ll pick up with the “Antitheses.”
WitW: Do you interpret the Bible literally? I’m often asked as if no self-respecting adult would do such a thing. Of course, I do! Interpreting the Bible literally means interpreting it according to the way it was written.
Does God only bless? Many are willing to believe that God only blesses, but reject the idea that He also judges. A subtext of the beatitudes counters that idea.
1st major section done! Deep dive into the beatitudes. Tell me what you’ve learned from the Gospel of Matthew so far. I’ll include a few favorites in next month’s email. (This should be fun!)
In May, we’ll start the beatitudes from the Sermon on the mount. We’ll talk about what they mean and how Jesus expects us to respond.
In April, we’ll study the temptations of Jesus from Matthew’s gospel. While I’ve taught this passage many times, the podcast gives me the ability to teach it without a time constraint for the first time! I will finally be able to really explain the Old Testament background, the parallels to the Exodus, and how Jesus fulfills God’s promises to the children of Israel.
What should we do when Scripture annoys us? This is my best advice on handling difficult passages like the ones coming up in Matthew 2.
Teaching through a gospel has long been on my teaching “bucket list”. I decided to tackle Matthew’s Gospel because he is famous for his use of the Old Testament and including 5 long discourses from Jesus.