In the Parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus reminds us of what it means to be a good neighbor. Before someone is a neighbor to us, we are called to be a neighbor to them!

When we follow Jesus, we are called to put Him first. Jesus encounters three men who want to follow Him, but do not want to do so first. What things cloud out the primacy of Jesus in our lives?

In the Transfiguration, Jesus is revealed for who He really is. Our sin destroys who God has made us to truly be. But by the power of the Spirit, we “are being transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

With so many questions about faith, we can sometimes lose sight of the simplicity of faith. To be a Christian means to believe Jesus is the Messiah – the Son of God. Peter’s simple answer reminds us of the cornerstone of our faith.

When a crowd of 5,000 needs food, the disciples are at a loss. They cannot provide! Have you ever been in a situation where you cannot provide? Jesus’ miracle reminds us that He provides when and what we cannot.

When Jesus leaves Galilee, He meets one demon-possessed man who is alone and bound. Like this man, our sin isolates and binds us – and ultimately destroys us. This is what we are reminded of on Ash Wednesday. But Jesus can bring us up from the ashes and free us!

In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus offers a metaphor for how sharing God’s Word works – some people receive the message while others do not. Our calling is not to control how other people receive the Word, but to care enough to share the Word.

John the Baptist sends some of his disciples to Jesus to ask if He really is the Messiah the world has been waiting for. There is still some question in His mind. When we have questions in our minds about Jesus, are we willing to ask them as candidly as John did of Jesus?

Jesus challenges us to love those we like the least – those who have behaved wickedly toward us. But He doesn’t just challenge us, He reminds us that our Father loves us well even when we act rebelliously toward Him.

In Jesus’ day, the Jewish religious leaders had turned the Sabbath into a burden – a day you had to exhaustively plan for so you didn’t break any of the rules surrounding the day. Jesus reminds us that the Sabbath is meant to be a day of enjoyment.