Sermon Notes; a Daily Devotional

Luke 7:41&42 "41 There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. 42 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?" We just completed the series Gathering in Jesus' Name, learning how vital it is. Jesus is not merely a teacher or prophet, but the divine, exalted King over all creation. We must take His commands seriously. As we observe Lent in preparation for Holy Week and Easter, let’s seek ways to better serve our Lord and Savior. Today we begin our Lenten series on the Parables of Jesus, starting in Luke with Jesus’ visit to Simon the Pharisee. Simon judged a sinful woman for her deep affection toward Jesus, while his own minimal hospitality revealed his failure to recognize his need for grace or who Jesus truly is. Through this parable, Jesus teaches a key spiritual truth: the greater the forgiveness received, the greater the love shown i...

Matthew 28:19&20 "19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." Gathering in Jesus' name is more vital now than ever. Just before ascending to heaven, He gave these words to His eleven disciples. "Go therefore" is often taught as a direct command, but the Greek uses a participle ("as you are going"). The emphasis falls on making disciples in everyday life, not solely through distant missions. "Make disciples of all nations" The central command is to make disciples—not just convert, but mentor believers into lifelong obedience to Christ. "All nations" (Greek: panta ta ethne) means all ethnic groups, extending God's salvation beyond Israel to the whole world. "Baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, ...

Matthew 28:18 "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth." We are studying Matthew’s final four verses. These capture Jesus’ last moments with His eleven disciples, the core group chosen to receive His parting instructions. Their journey to Galilee fulfills His earlier command and was the heart of His ministry and a familiar place for them. The disciples rightly worshiped Jesus—prostrating in homage and acknowledging His divine authority—yet some doubted. They wavered or hesitated, not outright disbelief in the resurrection, but uncertainty. Jesus had conquered death and descended to hell and back—it’s a lot to process! Remarkably, worship and doubt coexisted here, showing that faith isn’t the absence of questions. Even His closest followers wrestled with understanding, yet Jesus immediately entrusted them with the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18–20). This affirms that doubt does not disqualify you from encountering and serv...

Matthew 28:17 "And when they saw Him, they worshipped Him: but some doubted." We conclude our study, Gathering in the Name of Jesus, with Matthew’s final four verses. These capture Jesus’ last moments with His disciples. The number “eleven” is significant, highlighting Judas Iscariot’s absence after betrayal and death. These eleven remain the core group chosen to receive His parting instructions. Their journey to Galilee fulfills His earlier command. It was the heart of His ministry and a familiar place for them. Though the mountain is unnamed, mountains in Matthew often signal divine revelation (e.g., Sermon on the Mount, Transfiguration), underscoring the authority of the commission to come. Today’s verse reveals the complexity of human response to the miraculous. The disciples rightly worshiped Jesus—prostrating in homage and acknowledging His divine authority—yet some doubted. The Greek word used here, "distazō" means to waver or hesitate, not outright disbelief...

Matthew 28:16 "Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them." We conclude our study, Gathering in the Name of Jesus, with the final four verses of Matthew’s Gospel. This has been a rewarding journey into God’s plan and the teachings of our Lord and Savior. Last week we saw a key truth: when we aid the vulnerable—especially fellow believers in need—we touch God’s heart and bring Him delight. God meets us in suffering humanity; how we treat others reveals our relationship with Him. Today’s passage brings us to Jesus’ final moments with His disciples. The number “eleven” is significant, underscoring Judas Iscariot’s absence after his betrayal and death. Despite their earlier abandonment (Matthew 26:56), these eleven men remain the core group chosen to receive Jesus’ parting instructions. Their journey to Galilee shows obedience to His earlier command, delivered through the women at the tomb (Matthew 28:10). Galilee was the hear...

Matthew 25:45&46 "45 Then shall He answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to Me. 46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal." In verses 42–44, Jesus vividly describes the “goats” (the cursed) failing to help the hungry, thirsty, strangers, naked, sick, or imprisoned—and He takes it personally. This passage identifies Christ with the marginalized, teaching that compassion (or its absence) toward others directly reflects our relationship with Him. “The least of these” often refers to fellow believers or any vulnerable person; serving them is serving Jesus Himself. These verses conclude Jesus’ teaching on final judgment in the Parable of the Sheep and Goats. The contrast is stark: • Everlasting punishment for those who showed no compassion—eternal separation from God. • Eternal life for the righteous who served “the least”—everlasting communion with God...