In this text, we see Jesus show his longing for justice to be brought against sin, as He says that He came to cast fire on the earth. It is a hard saying! But He immediately follows it up by saying that He has a baptism that He himself must undergo, referring to the cross! Although judgement is a necessary thing against sin, Jesus immediately points to the mercy we have at the cross where He dies in our place. Those who take hold of that free gift of salvation are protected from the fire of judgement because Jesus took it upon himself.

And that is the offer He gives to the crowds the rest of the passage! He says to read the signs of the Kingdom right in front of them, they are walking with their Maker, their Messiah! But they are walking to eternal death if they don’t turn to Him and repent of their sin. Our time on this earth is short, and we should not presume upon the grace of God for another day - we aren’t guaranteed tomorrow. Turn to Jesus, receive mercy - because one day we will all die, and then it will be too late. Today is the day of salvation!

In these verses, Jesus teaches the crowds, his disciples, and us to live in such a way that we are ready for his return. Jesus explains what this readiness looks like using the image/parable of faithful/ready servants, and unfaithful/unprepared servants. The faithful servants (v. 35-40) are dressed for action, have their lamps burning, and are awake at every watch throughout the night - looking for the return of the master. In a shocking reversal Jesus promises that, rather than those faithful servants attending to him, when he returns he will serve them!

In this passage Jesus addresses one of the most common idols in the lives of both Christians and non-Christians - money and possessions. An idol is anything that promises us hope, safety, life, or fulfillment, and requires that we sacrifice our time, thoughts, or affections to pursue it. Money and possessions make those kinds of promises to us, and Jesus knows how much they can have a hold of our hearts rather than the true and certain promises made to us in the gospel. Jesus encourages all of us, whether rich or poor, to find our treasure in him alone. And then, for the way we view and use our money and possessions to be radically transformed because of that.

In these verses Jesus offers his disciples freedom from fear, by being more deeply rooted in a proper fear of God. Jesus addresses three powerful and common fears - exposure, suffering, and rejection. The answer to these fears is not stirring up courage, but rightly fearing God in his holiness, and finding freedom from fear through the gospel. We are transformed in our fears when we BOTH fear God, AND fear not, because of the forgiveness and righteousness that are ours through our union with Christ.

The focus of the gospel message is on what is done for us, not what we should do. Only when Jesus has covered and wiped away our sin, and given us his own righteousness, can we pursue holy living - fueled by the work of Jesus on our behalf, rather than our own works.

Jesus says, “If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be wholly bright, as when a lamp with its rays gives you light.” What darkness are we allowing to fill us that we need to cut out?

Although you can find help elsewhere and clean yourself up pretty decently, apart from Jesus, you will never be truly healed and delivered. He has to rule your heart!

Jesus teaches us how to pray, and how to approach the Lord as a child approaches a parent.

Jesus reveals how we are supposed to live, as we seek to love the Lord with all we are, and to love our neighbors as well.

The Harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few! We have a mission - a calling on our lives - to be laborers in the harvest and to pray for more laborers. Let's not miss out on what we have been invited into!