Daily Walk Through the New Testament May 11 Read Matthew 25:41-26:19 In Matthew 26, Jesus’ last days on earth were moving toward a climax. The King was preparing to suffer and die. He explicitly told the disciples he would soon be handed over to be crucified. A beautiful scene unfolded in Simon’s house when a woman (whom we know from John 12:3 was Mary, Lazarus’ sister) poured expensive perfume on Jesus’ head to prepare Him for burial. Meanwhile, the religious leaders plotted to kill Jesus, and Judas agreed to betray Jesus by helping them. Jesus was coming to the end of the long road to the cross. The long road began when He gave up heavenly glory. (Read Philippians 2:6-7) It continued through decades of obedience — resisting temptation and serving others — and the inescapable highs and lows of the human experience — rejoicing and grieving, depending on the day. Jesus must have experienced a wide range of human emotions during His last days on earth — love, hatred, betrayal, rejection. But He remained obedient and kept moving forward in the Father’s plan of redemption. “He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:8). May we also be so committed to obedience in the midst of our emotions and daily praise Jesus Christ for triumphantly completing the long road to the cross!

Daily Walk Through the New Testament May 10 Read Matthew 25:14-40 The parable of the talents illustrates that God’s people are to use the abilities and opportunities He’s given them to do His work. Each man in the parable received an amount of talents that suited him best. No one was overwhelmed. All of them were expected to be faithful and fruitful. Each of us has been blessed with certain abilities and opportunities to be used for God’s kingdom work (Ephesians 4:11-16). It is our privilege, not simply our duty, to serve the Lord and multiply what He has given. In other words, we get to serve our Lord! We get to edify the body of Christ and reach the world with the gospel! Notice that 2 of the 3 men in the parable were commended for utilizing their opportunities in faithful service, while the 3rd wasted his. Jesus’ parable warns us not to waste what we’ve been given and teaches us that as God’s children, we should be watching, witnessing, and working until He returns. What resources has God given you to do His work? How are you using what you’ve been given to be faithful and fruitful?

Daily Walk Through the New Testament May 9 Read Matthew 24:36-25:13 Jesus gave an indication of what the world will be like in the period before His coming, comparing it to the days of Noah. At that time people were enjoying the normal pursuits of life, unaware of imminent judgment. But then the Flood came and took them all away. It came very suddenly, and the people were unprepared. They lost the best by living for the good! Jesus emphasized the necessity of being ready for His coming by sharing the parables of the faithful and evil servant and the wise and foolish virgins. Today, so many are oblivious to our Lord’s Second Coming. Once He returns, there will be no more time to make things right. God’s Word gives us many clear warnings not to be found unfaithful or unprepared when He returns. Read again Matthew 25:13. Jesus wants us to spend our lives keeping His Word, doing His work, and loving Him and others. He wants us to remain patient, alert, productive, and worshipful as we anticipate His coming. Are you “watching,” living in readiness for Jesus’ return?

Daily Walk Through the New Testament

May 8

Read Matthew 24:9-35

Jesus described the events leading up to His return. He told of a time of tribulation before His Second Coming and connected these events with Daniel’s 70th Week in Daniel 9:27. After giving this brief overview of the tribulation, Jesus also described the abomination of desolation, which refers to a terrible desecration involving idolatrous worship in the temple.
There’s a variety of views among Christians about end times and how to interpret Matthew 24, but different views aside, we can all agree that Jesus is indeed coming back and that we are all called to be faithful. He told His disciples, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority,” and the He went on to say they would receive the Spirit’s power and be witnesses in the world (Acts 1:7-8). We see something similar here in Matthew. After Jesus described signs of the end times, He stressed the importance of living in obedient anticipation (Matthew 24:36-25:30 — tomorrow’s reading). May we conduct our daily lives with the expectation that He could return at any moment!

Daily Walk Through the New Testament

May 7

Read Matthew 23:23-24:8

No doubt some of Jesus’ listeners were shocked by His words concerning the scribes and the Pharisees. It wasn’t every day they heard their religious leaders called a “brood of vipers” (Matthew 23:33)! In no uncertain terms, Jesus condemned their sinful hearts.
The scribes and Pharisees claimed if they had been in their ancestors’ positions, they would not have rejected and killed God’s prophets (Matthew 23:30). They said this even while they were plotting to kill Jesus! Even in His righteous anger at their self-righteousness, Jesus grieved over their lostness. The Jews had turned Him away, yet He still spoke of His longing to gather and care for them, “as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings” (vs. 37). Sadly, that just hadn’t let Him.
Jesus has the same heart toward you today. He pursues you with His love and longs to pull you close. The Jews were not willing to soften their hearts, repent, and humbly submit themselves to God in obedience. Learn from their example and do just the opposite!

Daily Walk Through the New Testament

May 6

Read Matthew 22:41-23:22

Throughout Christ’s earthly ministry, Jewish leaders hounded Him, monitoring His every move. They were threatened by His message and His authority, and they were furious with envy as great crowds followed Him. The scribes and Pharisees plotted how they might destroy Jesus, and their first scheme was to try to trap Hi. In a series of loaded questions (Matthew 22:15). In His infinite wisdom, Jesus answered all of them perfectly and then asked, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?”  (Vs. 42).
These Jewish leaders recognized the humanity of the Messiah and that He descended from David, but they certainly didn’t acknowledge His divinity. Answering correctly would have validated Jesus’ claim to be the Son of God, and they didn’t want to do that. Jesus explained that He Himself was David’s Lord. He existed before David and gave David life!
Jesus exposed His antagonists’ evil intentions and warned them they were only asking for judgment. His rebuke of the scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 23 describes how false religion parades itself under the mask of truth. Our society promotes tolerance at any cost, but Jesus was unwilling to compromise the truth of the gospel. Are you willing to compromise? Be sure your are not believing in a false and self-serving version of the gospel. Stay committed to the truth of God’s Word.

Daily Walk Through the New Testament

May 5

Answer the following questions regarding your readings for this week:

1.)  If the Lord did some “house cleaning” in your heart, what would be removed?

2.)     How does your life reflect what is most important to God?

Daily Walk Through the New Testament
May 4
Matthew 22:15-40

Have you ever heard someone ask a question and thought, “I wish I had asked that?” Perhaps after you heard the answer, you were just grateful someone was insightful enough to ask the question. Regardless of the lawyer’s motive, he asked one of the most important questions ever asked (Matthew 22:36).
We have many questions for God. There are many things we do not understand. Bad things happen. People suffer. We are left with a boatload of questions and few answers. Our questions come from our desire to understand. When we can’t figure it out, we feel empty and confused. But then we hear the one question that ushers in the one answer that disarms us: “What is the greatest commandment? Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. The human response God is looking for most — the one at the top of the list — is love.
When we have a love relationship with Him, we know we can trust Him even when we don’t understand His ways. We know and experience His love. Love trumps all explanations. When people are grieving or suffering, their primary need is not an explanation. Their hearts cry out for compassion — genuine, authentic love. The warm, caring embrace of a friend. The shoulder of a family member to cry on.
The most important thing you need from God is not His explanations, but His love. He loves you. Will you respond to His love by loving Him with all your heart, soul, and mind?

Daily Walk Through the New Testament
May 3
Matthew 21:33-22:14

Both parables in this passage teach us about the kingdom of heaven. The wicked vine dressers teach us that those who reject the Son will be rejected by the Father. The wedding feast teaches us that many are invited into the kingdom, but few will respond to the invitation. The kingdom of heaven is only for those who respond positively to God’s initiative with a repentant, obedient heart.
The religious leaders of Israel were offended by the parable of the vinedressers. They understood Jesus was axing that they had rejected God’s Messiah just as their fathers had rejected the prophets, and that even though they were very religious, they were condemned.
Could this parable relate to the religious people of our day? Could it be that when those who reject a messenger of God who proclaims His truth from His Word, they are really rejecting the One who sent the messenger? Christ teaches that the kingdom of God is not for those who are religious, but for those who are responsive to His truth with a submissive, obedient heart. Seek to have such a heart for Christ today.

Daily Walk Through the New Testament May 2 Read Matthew 21:12-32 During Old Testament times, the Jewish place of worship was the temple. When Jesus saw the temple compromised by competing agendas, He did not stand by and allow it to be abused. He conducted a house-cleaning crusade! Since New Testament times, the center of worship has not been a particular place, but the position of our hearts. Christ is to be first in our hearts. Our lives are to reflect our total commitment to Him. If our Lord sees competing or conflicting agendas moving into the center of our hearts, He conducts a house-cleaning crusade on us! When Jesus cleansed the Jewish temple, people experienced discomfort. In the same way, He cleanses the temple of our hearts by creating discomfort in our lives. He wants to remove competing allegiances. Welcome Jesus to cleanse you so you may worship Him in spirit and in truth, and honor Him as Lord over all.