Author: Norm

PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Matthew 23:5-12 What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage? “You are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers.” (Matthew 23:8)As a Jesus follower, I follow Jesus as my Rabbi, my Teacher.This means I do not follow Moses, or Paul, or…

“Free at last, free at last! Thank God almighty, I am free at last!” Today is a day that I am feeling set free. For over 30 years I have been living under a heavy and burdensome yoke, but today I am set free. Free to surrender fully to Jesus, to be a Jesus follower…

PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Matthew 23:1-7 What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage? “Everything they do is done for people to see.” (Matthew 23:5)Jesus loves all people, including religious people.But Jesus also seems to ESPECIALLY challenge religious people.I need to see myself in this group, as a long time ‘religious’ person.To be…

PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Matthew 23:1-4 What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage? “For they do not practice what they preach.” (Matthew 23:3)Jesus does not promote rebellion against the religious leaders.He recognizes that they represent Moses, sitting in his seat.They urge the people to trust and obey God, and to keep the…

This week (May 19-25, 2025) I am focusing on Matthew 23. Things are about to explode between Jesus and the religious leadership. Jesus does not hold back on His challenge to hypocritical, loveless shepherds who ought to be caring for the sheep. Although what Jesus says is specifically directed toward the religious leaders of His day,…

PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Matthew 22:41-46 What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage? “No one could say a word… no one dared to ask him any more questions.” (Matthew 22:46)Have you ever talked with someone who strongly rejected God, Jesus, or faith?Their arsenal of arguments was ready to attack, to expose it…

PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Matthew 22:34-40 What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage? “All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:40)There are so many laws associated with driving, the ‘rules of the road’.The purpose of these laws is not to restrict us or hold us back.Every law…

PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Matthew 22:23-33 What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage? “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.” (Matthew 22:29)This question asked by the Sadducees is a legitimate one, based on the Law of Moses.Technically, this is how Levirate marriage worked…

PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Matthew 22:15-22 What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage? “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” (Matthew 22:21)The religious leaders are setting Jesus up, baiting him to defy Rome.Jesus’s response avoids their trap, but what is Jesus actually saying?The religious leaders implicate…

PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Matthew 22:1-14 What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage? “Gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good.” (Matthew 22:10)I was taught that we are all equally bad, that none of us are good.Yet does this theology fit with what Jesus says?Here Jesus…