Our entire journey through Matthew over the last two and a half years has been all about the anticipation of God’s plan to establish his kingdom through Jesus. In this week’s passage, we clearly see that plan get put into motion with his betrayal and arrest. Though it may seem unlikely to us, Jesus’ abandonment and His being taken into custody by human authorities were necessary for fulfillment of this kingdom.

As we journey through the events of Holy Week in Matthew 26, the narrative leads us to the account of Christ instituting the Lord’s Supper. This is a profound and dramatic moment in which Christ reveals the significance of His death and explains how it applies to His disciples. It also demonstrates that the condition of our hearts shapes the manner in which we partake of the meal.

As we turn to chapter 26, we now enter into the home stretch of the Gospel of Matthew. This week's text confronts us and the disciples with the reality of the Lord's impending death and gives us a glimpse inside the minds and hearts of those involved. However, it is not meant to be a mere description of events as they played out. This passage provides a means to examine our own hearts as we consider what it means to worship the King.

In our brief pause from our walk through the Gospel of Matthew, we take some time to consider the overall mission of God revealed in the pages of Scripture. From the very beginning, God has had a plan, and that plan includes using His people to bring it to fulfillment. This is an idea that ought to shape the lives of each and every one of us as we consider how we live in this world today.

In Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus finishes his long answer to the question that the disciples asked in Matthew 24:3. In the preceding passages, Jesus has identified the signs to watch for and has instructed his followers on how to live in preparation for his eventual coming. In concluding this section of Matthew he focuses squarely on the nature of the final day—a reality that is both sobering and encouraging.

In last week’s message, we walked through Jesus’ words to the disciples concerning what they (and we) ought to expect at the end of the age. In 24:45-25:30, Jesus presents three parables to teach us how to live in light of these realities. It is a message that is meant to both encourage

In last week’s text, Jesus began to answer the disciples’ questions about signs of the end of the age. In this week’s text, he goes further, offering greater detail about what the disciples themselves can expect in the days ahead. Although this chapter of Matthew has long been a source of controversy for many Christians throughout history, the main reason that Jesus is communicating these things is to prepare us for how we should be living in light of them. 

Now that we are firmly into 2026, we enter into the home stretch in our journey through the Gospel of Matthew. In this week’s text, Jesus addresses a question that his disciples, and all followers of his since, have asked: When will the end come? Our Lord gives us a word here that is meant to steel our resolve and prepare us to persevere in this age.

As we move beyond the Advent season, we look ahead to journeying together into 2026. Our hope is that we will grow in our love for Christ and mature as his followers. Our engagement with his Word is central to this goal. Deuteronomy 6:4–9 gives us a picture of what it means to be God’s people and shows how our approach to Scripture shapes our relationship with him.