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Matthew 21:28-32

16 Dec

28 “But what do you think about this? A man with two sons told the older boy, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ 29 The son answered, ‘No, I won’t go,’ but later he changed his mind and went anyway. 30 Then the father told the other son, ‘You go,’ and he said, ‘Yes, sir, I will.’ But he didn’t go.

31 “Which of the two obeyed his father?”

They replied, “The first.”

Then Jesus explained his meaning: “I tell you the truth, corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you do. 32 For John the Baptist came and showed you the right way to live, but you didn’t believe him, while tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even when you saw this happening, you refused to believe him and repent of your sins.

Matthew 21:28-32

Dear God, oh, how I hope I’m counted, from a character standpoint, with the tax collectors and prostitutes who repented. This reiterates to me that it’s not our actions as much as the states of our hearts that drives your compassion for us. For me. If my heart is humble before you and I’m just trying my best to serve you then you have some mercy for me. But if I just try to do it right and then condemn people who don’t live up to my standard then I’m falling so short.

Today, I am going to a funeral for a friend’s husband. Not a close friend, but a good woman who has actually had a tough go of it the last three years. And now she’s lost her best friend. And it was a long, hard death. Help me to know how to be your presence to her today. Help her friends to know how to be there for her. Give her a sense of your presence. Draw her closer to yourself.

Father, I want to be the son that’s not mentioned here. The son who accepts the assignment and then follows through. Is that possible? Does that son exist? I hope so, and I hope it is me. But I am sorry for what I have done and what I have failed to do. It was my fault. It is my fault. It will be my fault. So I ask that you forgive me and show me your path forward.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 16, 2025 in Matthew

 

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Matthew 21:23-27

15 Dec

23 When Jesus returned to the Temple and began teaching, the leading priests and elders came up to him. They demanded, “By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right?”

24 “I’ll tell you by what authority I do these things if you answer one question,” Jesus replied. 25 “Did John’s authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human?”

They talked it over among themselves. “If we say it was from heaven, he will ask us why we didn’t believe John. 26 But if we say it was merely human, we’ll be mobbed because the people believe John was a prophet.” 27 So they finally replied, “We don’t know.”

And Jesus responded, “Then I won’t tell you by what authority I do these things.

Matthew 21:23-27

Dear God, I was asking yesterday about the purpose of John’s ministry as it relates to Jesus and wondering if he was more for the moment or for us now. I kind of concluded it was more for that moment than for us (although it’s impossible to know how much he actually does impact me), and this certainly affirms that his ministry was important in Jesus’s time.

I wonder what the answer to the question was. Did they each have a different answer? Did some believe he was from heaven? Did some, like Nicodemus, secretly repent and believe? Were they just blowing John off and trying not to anger the people by blowing him off privately?

The truth is, John’s authority was from heaven. And Jesus’s authority was from heaven. John was from you. Jesus was of you. He was you. I really don’t envy the Pharisees back then because I would probably have been skeptical too. I wouldn’t have readily trusted you. At best, I would have been like Nicodemus and secretly believed and followed you, but I know I wouldn’t have just openly followed you in the moment. It was too strange of a plan. I’d never have been able to get my mind around it.

Now, Father, I pray for this day. I have work to do. I have some work to do that is critical to helping our patients. I have some work to do that is important to others. I have some work to do that I don’t want to do. Help me to do it all well. Help me to be your servant and to work cheerfully in everything. Help me to get done what you need me to get done today. And I’ll confess that my performance, or lack thereof, with the man I saw in public while I was praying who was seemingly homeless, is still haunting me a bit. I’m sorry for my inaction. I’m sorry for my fear and my dread. Help me to do what you need me to do in those circumstances.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 15, 2025 in Matthew

 

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Matthew 11:2-11

14 Dec

11 When Jesus had finished giving these instructions to his twelve disciples, he went out to teach and preach in towns throughout the region.

2 John the Baptist, who was in prison, heard about all the things the Messiah was doing. So he sent his disciples to ask Jesus, 3 “Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?”

4 Jesus told them, “Go back to John and tell him what you have heard and seen— 5 the blind see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor.” 6 And he added, “God blesses those who do not fall away because of me.”

7 As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began talking about him to the crowds. “What kind of man did you go into the wilderness to see? Was he a weak reed, swayed by every breath of wind? 8 Or were you expecting to see a man dressed in expensive clothes? No, people with expensive clothes live in palaces. 9 Were you looking for a prophet? Yes, and he is more than a prophet. 10 John is the man to whom the Scriptures refer when they say,

‘Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
    and he will prepare your way before you.’

11 “I tell you the truth, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least person in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he is!

Dear God, I guess I’ve never thought of this before, but what does the Jesus narrative look like without John the Baptist? Does John’s presence and prophetic work lend credibility to who Jesus is for the people back then. I think he’s a piece of the story now, but not a critical piece. I think it still reads okay and Jesus has the same legitimacy with or without John, but for people then, I think John certainly helped to give Jesus some credibility.

So what do I think John’s existence adds to the story? Initially, his presence in Elizabeth’s and Zechariah’s lives put them in a position to be an encouragement to Mary when she went to them. Perhaps they were able to advocate for her to her parents.

Then John started stirring the pot with his provocative preaching, challenging everyone from peasants, to Pharisees, to kings. Everyone needed to be challenged, and challenged from a different perspective. Peasants needed to take worship of you seriously. Pharisees needed to look at the spirit of the law and not necessarily the letter–especially the laws they had added themselves. And kings needed to repent of their lust and quest for power.

Is it any different now? Us common folk need to worship you better, repent of our lethargy and how we’ve let sin into our lives, and move into discipleship. There are some pastors who need to look beyond the rules and get to the heart of what is keeping people from you. And kings/presidents/rulers need to repent of their lust and quest for power.

Father, I’ve been uncomfortable while I’ve been typing this because I decided to come to a public place this morning, and I saw a man who appeared to be homeless. I’d gladly have bought him food, but he had just eaten (empty food containers on his table). I thought about talking to him, but I’ve gotten involved with situations like that before, and I’m very aware of the limits an individual has when trying to help someone in that situation. So I remained silent and didn’t talk to him. Did I make the wrong decision. Did I justify selfishness or was I wise? Right now, I’m feeling more justification in my actions than wisdom. So I pray that you will forgive me if you were just here in front of me and I missed you. Even now, though, I’m still not sure what I would have said to him. What words? Maybe start with making eye contact and just saying hello. Yeah, maybe that’s what I should have done at just a basic human level. Yes, Father, Jesus, and Holy Spirit, I am one of the peasants John called on to repent. Help me to be who you are calling me to be.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 14, 2025 in Matthew

 

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Matthew 17:1-13

13 Dec

17 Six days later Jesus took Peter and the two brothers, James and John, and led them up a high mountain to be alone. 2 As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed so that his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light. 3 Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared and began talking with Jesus.

4 Peter exclaimed, “Lord, it’s wonderful for us to be here! If you want, I’ll make three shelters as memorials—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

5 But even as he spoke, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him.” 6 The disciples were terrified and fell face down on the ground.

7 Then Jesus came over and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” 8 And when they looked up, Moses and Elijah were gone, and they saw only Jesus.

9 As they went back down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

10 Then his disciples asked him, “Why do the teachers of religious law insist that Elijah must return before the Messiah comes?”

11 Jesus replied, “Elijah is indeed coming first to get everything ready. 12 But I tell you, Elijah has already come, but he wasn’t recognized, and they chose to abuse him. And in the same way they will also make the Son of Man suffer.” 13 Then the disciples realized he was talking about John the Baptist.

Matthew 17:1-13

Dear God, the reading today focuses on verse 10-13, but I felt like they needed context so I went back and included the whole scene of the transfiguration. The disciples ask this question having just seen Elijah. Let me say that again in a more appropriate way: “THEY HAD JUST SEEN ELIJAH AND MOSES!” That must have been just surreal. Amazing.

The other interesting part is they seemed to miss the third sentence of verse 12. The part about Jesus being abused like John the Baptist was. They were so focused on the Elijah/John the Baptist part they overlooked those words until they remembered them later.

What is it about us that conveniently looks past things we don’t want to hear or think about and focus on the sensational instead. Or focus on the things that fit into our own narrative of how things should be? In that case, the disciples were focused on the wonder having just seen Elijah and Moses and then the glory of what must be to come next. They weren’t thinking about the negative. The parts they didn’t want to know.

Of course, we do the same thing. The dangerous part about us doing it now is that the computers we hold in our hands continuously throughout the day are designed to only give us what we want to see or know. And we can read over or ignore what we don’t want to see as well. This is taking this negative part of the human sinful nature that is evident even in the disciples in this story and putting it on steroids. It’s cancerous for our society and for us as individuals.

Father, I don’t know how to break out of this unhealthy pattern for myself, but I know I need to fight against it. I need to see what you want me to see. I’m about to go and deliver toys for Toys for Tots. Be with me as I do this. Give me eyes to see. Give me ears to hear. Give me a mind to see and hear these things with your heart and then the courage and insight to act in the appropriate way. Be glorified, sweet Jesus. Be glorified in me.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 13, 2025 in Matthew

 

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Luke 1:26-38

12 Dec

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, 27 to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. 28 Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!”

29 Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. 30 “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”

34 Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”

35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. 36 What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month. 37 For the word of God will never fail.”

38 Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.

Luke 1:26-38

Dear God, this is a story I’ve read so many times, but I suppose there’s always something new to be found. Today, what’s occurring to me is that Mary had this great affirmation in the moment that she was completely in your will, favored by you, and be part of your plan for Israel and the world. Not bad for a young, poor woman.

It makes me think about the few times in my life when I felt like I was right in the middle of your will. So many times–almost all of the time–I feel like I’m just guessing, but there have been a few times when I knew I was doing what you wanted me to do, and you were blessing my work. It actually left me afraid of doing something that would get outside of your will. It’s like Peter walking on water. He was doing great until he wasn’t. Oh, how I would like for my “great” moments to last. And when I say “great,” I mean doing exactly what you would have me to do.

Father, I am overwhelmed by the work in front of me. Help me to do it well. I am overwhelmed by the friends who need prayer. The coworker with a sick child. The cousin with a sick daughter. My niece with a significant medical procedure today. My friend who just lost her husband. My other friend who is recovering from surgery. And these are just a few friends from this week. Help them. Help me help them. Comfort. Heal. Love. Forgive. Redeem. Teach.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 12, 2025 in Luke

 

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Matthew 11:11-15

11 Dec

11 “I tell you the truth, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least person in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he is! 12 And from the time John the Baptist began preaching until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing, and violent people are attacking it. 13 For before John came, all the prophets and the law of Moses looked forward to this present time. 14 And if you are willing to accept what I say, he is Elijah, the one the prophets said would come. 15 Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!

Matthew 11:11-15

Dear God, I think my mind will be absolutely blown when I see the reality on the other side of the veil between this life and the life to come. The first thing I suspect is that we all feel so important in your hierarchy of creation, but verse 11 is a reminder that we are so small and part of something that is so vast and incredible. Beyond our faintest imagination.

This passage makes me think of the Matthew West song “You Are Everything.”

The chorus: 

You are everything that I live for
Everything that I can't believe is happening
You're standing right in front of me
With arms wide open all I know is 
Every day is filled with hope

'Cause you are everything that I breathe for
And I can't help but breathe you in and breathe again
Feeling all this life within 
Every single beat of my heart
You are everything

That’s my worship this morning. You are everything. I am so small. It’s amazing how self-important I get, but I am so small. Father, I submit myself to you today. I get the opportunity in the midst of my busyness to visit another ministry today to learn from them. Help me to learn what you want me to learn. Help me to know what you might be calling me to to meet the needs around me. Give me eyes to see, ears to hear, serenity to accept, courage to change, and wisdom to discern.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 11, 2025 in Matthew

 

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Matthew 11:28-30

10 Dec

28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30

Dear God, what an interesting thing for Jesus to say. He didn’t say, “You best be gettin’ to work!” Yes, he raised the standard on a lot of things. He equated hate to murder. He loathed selfishness. But his lead-off hitter was peace.

I’ve quoted this song many times in these prayers, but the song “Peace” by Rich Mullins comes to mind this morning. The chorus: “May peace rain down from heaven like little pieces of the sky. Little keepers of the promise falling on these souls the drought has dried. In his blood and in his body. In this bread and in this wine. Peace to you. Peace of Christ to you.”

That’s my prayer for my wife and children this morning. For my parents, siblings, and nieces and nephews. For my coworkers, our clients, and then my friends. I pray that they burdens be lifted, their wounds be healed, any secrets locking them up would be revealed for your glory’s sake, and for you to ultimately enter the world through them. And do the same with me. Let your peace fall on me as I go through this day. Help me to carry that peace to others.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 10, 2025 in Matthew

 

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Matthew 18:12-14

09 Dec

12 “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost? 13 And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine that didn’t wander away! 14 In the same way, it is not my heavenly Father’s will that even one of these little ones should perish.

Matthew 18:12-14

Dear God, it’s important to remember the context of this statement by Jesus. He was answering the question about who is the greatest in the kingdom. He starts by talking about the value of children. Then he goes into talking about not causing someone else to sin. Then in tells this story of the one sheep and the 99. So the answer to the question, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven,” is that we are all precious–even that 100th one that wanders away. That lost one must be found. That child is precious. We are precious. I am precious. But when I look at other Christians and what they are doing, there should be no enmity between them and myself. I should not be jealous of another Christian who is living a more obviously “victorious” or “impactful” life than I am (and I confess that sometimes I do get jealous in this way. No, I should delight with you in them. I should ask if there is a way I can support them. I should pray for them that they not be led into temptation and delivered from evil.

Father, help me as I go into this day today. I have some work to do. I have some people to love. Help me to love. Help me to work fast and efficiently. Help me to worship you in everything.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 9, 2025 in Matthew

 

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Luke 1:26-38

08 Dec

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, 27 to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. 28 Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!”

29 Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. 30 “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”

34 Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”

35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. 36 What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month. 37 For the word of God will never fail.”

38 Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.

Luke 1:26-38

Dear God, I’ve read this story so many times that it’s hard to get a new feel for it, but what stood out to me this morning was the idea that you had Mary on a need-to-know basis, and there was a lot she didn’t need to know. If you had given her a vision for how the next 33 years would play out, she probably would have crumbled in tears. Bethlehem. Egypt. Mocking. Crucifixion. Even the ascension after resurrection. This visit by Gabriel tells her what will happen in the unseen world, but she thinks it’s what’s going to happen in this world. But she doesn’t need to know.

Neither do I. Oh, how it’s so much better that I don’t know what’s next. I can make my plans, but I need to just do my best to serve you in the moment. To put my head down and embrace the path. To worship you, which Mary did. To love others, which Mary did. And then take life as it comes, which Mary did. A sword out pierce her soul (thank you, Simeon [Matthew 2:35]), but she didn’t need to know that right now. And my life will play out in ways that I don’t need to know either. It reminds me of the Garth Brooks song “The Dance.” The chorus: “And now, I’m glad I didn’t know the way it all would end. The way it all would go. Our lives are better left to chance. I could have missed the pain, but I’d have had to miss the dance.”

Father, here I am. I’m here to worship and to embrace the words Mary spoke in response to all of this: “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” Whatever that truth is, I embrace it as your path for the little life you have given me.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 8, 2025 in Luke

 

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Matthew 3:1-12

07 Dec

3 In those days John the Baptist came to the Judean wilderness and began preaching. His message was, 2 “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” 3 The prophet Isaiah was speaking about John when he said,

“He is a voice shouting in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming!
    Clear the road for him!’”

4 John’s clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate locusts and wild honey. 5 People from Jerusalem and from all of Judea and all over the Jordan Valley went out to see and hear John. 6 And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.

7 But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to watch him baptize, he denounced them. “You brood of snakes!” he exclaimed. “Who warned you to flee the coming wrath? 8 Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. 9 Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones. 10 Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.

11 “I baptize with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not worthy even to be his slave and carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 12 He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire.”

Matthew 3:1-12

Dear God, my inclination is to figure out how I am or want to be like John the Baptist. What is he doing that I should be doing? How should he be my example. Then I am reminded that there is only one John the Baptist, but there are a lot of Pharisees and people coming to him to repent. Maybe the question should be how I become a “repenter” and not a Pharisee.

I wonder why kinds of sins the Israelites who came to John were repenting of. And were there any Gentiles in the mix who were coming into the Jewish faith? They might have been repenting of the same old sins that must of us struggle with like selfishness, lying, lust, etc., but I wonder if it was more fundamental than that. Were some of them repenting of not following your commands? Tithing. Forgiving debt. Debauchery.

That leads me to the uncomfortable question of, if John the Baptist were down at my local river outside of town, what would I be repenting of? What should I repent of? What are you waiting for me to repent of?

I still don’t think the practice of “confession” or “reconciliation” in the Catholic church is a mandate as the Church believes, but I do see the value in it. I do see the value in being vulnerable about our sins to another person and saying it out loud. And while I don’t do that practice with a priest since I’m not Catholic although I go to a Catholic church with my wife, who is Catholic, I do have two friends who I’m able to tell about my failings–and sometimes I tell them everything. I think if we don’t have godly people in our lives with whom we can share our thoughts, mistakes, misgivings, and then even be vulnerable about the types of motivations and actions that we would normally keep hidden then we will keep ourselves clear with you and with our own consciences.

Father, I feel like I want to close with the penitent prayer Catholics say at just about every mass: I confess to Almighty God that I have great sinned in my thoughts and in my words; in what I have done and what I have failed to do through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault. Therefore I ask blessed Mary, all the angels and the saints, and you my brothers and sisters to pray for me to the Lord our God.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 7, 2025 in Matthew

 

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