Pastor’s Blog
A Christ for People of All Kinds
Matthew 4:18-25 Suggested further reading: Matthew 9:10-13 Those whom Jesus chose to be His disciples were mostly life’s poorest and humblest. Christ is not just for the rich and learned, but for all kinds of people. There are no worldly attainments that commend one...
A Call to Fish
Luke 5:1-11 Suggested further reading: Isaiah 6:1-8 Being in God’s presence humbles us by making us painfully aware of our sinfulness—so Peter learns here when the miraculous catch of fish reveals to him God’s presence in their boat in the person of Jesus. At the time...
Obey Now!
Luke 5:1-11 Suggested further reading: Matthew 8:18-22 Our Lord was always ready to preach the Word, not just in a church but in public, on a street corner, or even a fisherman’s boat. Souls need to hear the Gospel. Thus, any personal consideration is ignored. God’s...
Preaching Repentance
Matthew 4:12-17 Suggest further reading: Romans 2:1-11 There is no greater honor for a believer to have than to share the Gospel with others because nothing is more important than the saving of souls. Our Lord dedicated Himself to this task. To this, He ap-pointed His...
The Peril of Familiarity
Luke 4:22-30 Suggested further reading: Isaiah 46:8-13 “Familiarity breeds contempt.” Those who heard our Lord’s self-revelation in Nazareth rejected Him because they were familiar with the little boy who had grown to manhood in the thirty years He had lived among...
Jesus Is Dismissed in His Hometown
Luke 4:14-22 Suggested further reading: Isaiah 61:1-7. Our Lord’s first sermon, preached in His hometown, should have stunned the congregation when He revealed to them who He really was! He read aloud a prophecy from Isaiah and told them that He fulfilled that same...
Satan Is Subtle
Matthew 4:1-11 Suggested further reading: Deuteronomy 6:4-9 Satan is subtle, a master in the “art” of temptation, having a higher intelligence than us and thousands of years of successful experience. First, he tempts our Lord to distrust His Father’s providential...
Don’t Be Surprised
Matthew 4:1-11 Suggested further reading: Genesis 3:1-6 Since Satan successfully tempted Adam to sin, he was not timid to assault the second Adam, our Lord Jesus. He knew who Jesus was. He had, no doubt, witnessed Jesus’ baptism and saw the dove descending, and heard...
After the Praise Comes the Temptation
Matthew 4:1-11 Suggested further reading: Hebrews 4:14-5:5 Here is a major crisis point in our Savior’s life. Immediately after receiving God’s praise, He is tempted by the devil. The praise of the Father draws a sneering “if” from the devil. It is the same with...
