Reading: Matthew 16:13-20 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man but by my Father in heaven.” (vv.15-17) And blessed…
Reading: Matthew 16:5-12 When we read the Word of God and it makes us feel uneasy about some of our habits, practices and lifestyle—what do we find ourselves doing? Do we run to people who tell us a different interpretation of things and make us feel better? Do we seek comfort in highly acclaimed books…
Reading: Matthew 16:1-4 How could we be sure that Jesus is the Messiah? Aside from the sign of Jonah (i.e., three days in the belly of the fish; see also Matt.17:23), we have the Law and the Prophets (the Old Testament!)—they all attest to Him! “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained…
Reading: Matthew 15:29-39 His disciples answered, “Where could we get enough bread in this remote place to feed such a crowd?” The miraculous feeding of the five thousand had just happened, and yet the disciples were anxious where to get bread for the four thousand—which is even a thousand lower. Oh God! Forgive us for…
Reading: Matthew 15:29-39 I am always amazed at the Lord’s compassion. When great crowds brought to him the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and ‘many others’ (fill in the blank, my friend) and laid them at his feet—Jesus healed them. Nobody was turned away. And what a happy sight that would have been—people…
Reading: Matthew 15:1-28 “Yes, Lord,” she said, “but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table” (v.27) I thought before that reasoning with God is dangerous—that lightning may come out of the clouds and hit me. But for now we are given the chance, and we are not consumed because of…
Reading: Matthew 15:1-20 “But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man ‘unclean’. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man ‘unclean’; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him ‘unclean’”…
