Author: Norm

PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Matthew 23:25-26 What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage? “First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.” (Matthew 23:26)Jesus stresses that inward integrity is what matters most.Would you want to drive on a bridge that only looked solid?Too often…

PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Matthew 23:23-24 What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage? “The more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness.” (Matthew 23:23)Are some parts of the law more important than others?There is confusion because we conflate God’s Law with the Law of Moses.God’s Law is the eternal Law of…

This week (May 26-Jun 1, 2025) I am continuing to focus on Matthew 23. Jesus is really coming down hard on the religious leaders… hypocritical, loveless shepherds who ought to be caring for the sheep. What stands out to me is that it is the religious people – those who should know better – who are…

PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Matthew 23:16-22 What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage? “Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred?” (Matthew 23:17)Jesus challenges the religious leaders for misplaced values.They are focused on the things themselves, and not on their meaning.It’s not the gold of the temple,…

PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Matthew 23:13-15 What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage? “You make them twice as much a child of Gehenna as you are.” (v.15)God comes through Jesus to make us children of ‘heaven’.That is, to once again live WITH, LIKE and FOR God as image-bearers.This has always been…

PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Matthew 23:13-15 What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage? “You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces.” (Matthew 23:13)I am spending extra time on this chapter, looking at each of the woes.My conviction is that these words apply to many christians today, including me.How…

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…