Matthew 8:5–7 5 When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. 6 “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.” 7 Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?”   One thought: We are all suffering in some way, some just more obvious than others.   Three questions: Why do people come to Jesus? Do you know you need Jesus? Bring your problems and sufferings to Christ in prayer today.   Prayer: Praise God that He is a God of mercy and compassion. Give thanks for Christ who came to save sufferers and end suffering. Ask God to help you + someone else come to Jesus with your suffering and ...

Matthew 8:1–4 8 When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. 2 A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” 3 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. 4 Then Jesus said to him, “See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”   One thought: We all have spiritual leprosy, but Jesus can cleanse us from even this   Three questions: How does the physical realm reflect the spiritual in this passage? ...

Matthew 7:27–29 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” 28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.   One thought: Humans have a tendency to talk about things they have no authority on and if they sound confident we believe them – Jesus speaks with and from true authority, how much more should we believe Him. Three questions: What gives Jesus the authority to speak this way? Do you see Jesus as the authority in your life? Can you ...

Matthew 7:24–26 24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.   One thought: Life is like a house, but it isn’t about how good your house is, how good it looks on the outside or how many features it came with – it’s about what ...

Matthew 7:21–23 21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’   One thought: The danger with this verse is that we think it is attacking us/everyone rather than just a particular (and probably small) group of people.   Three questions: Who do you think Jesus is speaking to? Why do ...

Matthew 7:18–20 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.   One thought: When things do the opposite of what they were created for, destruction is the natural response   Three questions: Why is it so bad that trees bear bad fruit? Do you care about how God’s sees your life? Reflect on your own fruit, how have you become more like Christ?   Prayer: Praise God that He made us to bear good fruit and not evil. Give thanks that in Christ, we have been ...

Matthew 7:15–17 15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.   One thought: False teaching smells like fruit gone bad   Three questions: Why is false teaching such a big deal?   Do you hate false teaching?   Watch American Gospel if you haven’t already   Prayer: Praise God that He provides the truth about who He is and what He has done in Christ. Give thanks that we have the Scriptures to teach us the ...

Matthew 7:13–14 13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.   One thought: There is only one way to God. There are many ways to destruction.   Three questions: Why do you think God made it this way?   Do you trust God in this?   Give thanks today that you were shown the narrow path.   Prayer: Praise God that He made a way through Jesus Christ to return to good relationship with Him. Give thanks for those who proclaimed the gospel ...

Matthew 7:7–12   7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 9 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12 So in everything, do to others what you would have ...

Matthew 7:6 6 “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.   One thought: Some people aren’t interested in knowing about God’s grace   Three questions: Have you ever encountered a situation where you have tried to talk to someone about Jesus but they have been rude or dismissive? How do you feel when people disregard God’s grace?   Pray for someone who has rejected God’s grace in the past   Prayer: Praise God that the gospel is the greatest news in the world, regardless of whether people believe it. Give thanks that Jesus is a wonderful, ...