Season 3, Episode 4.

Surrender, Calling, and Kingdom Fruit (Matthew 19–24).

Date: October 17, 2025

Duration: 43:16 minutes

Hosts: Brigette Heller, Andrew Blackwood, Tanja Bentley Ward

Covering Matthew 19–24, the hosts wrestle with Jesus’ teaching on marriage, singleness, and the heart behind divorce; the rich young ruler’s call to surrender; the vineyard wages and God’s generosity; servant-leadership (not status) in the Kingdom; the triumphal entry and “Hosanna - save us”; the fruitless fig tree; the great feast; the greatest commandment; warnings to religious hypocrites; and the call to watchfulness in the last days.

Key Points Covered:

Marriage, Divorce, Singleness (Matt. 19:1–12)

• Marriage and singleness are callings to oneness with God; both require surrender.
• “Hardness of heart” explains Mosaic concessions on divorce; idolatry of marriage is a danger.
• Practical lens: put God first - without that, marriage (or singleness) falters.
  

The Rich Young Ruler (19:16–22)

• The humble prayer: “What lack I yet?” Surrender exposes the one thing we cling to.
  

Blessing the Children (19:13–15)

• Kingdom posture = childlike dependence and openness.
  

Vineyard Wages (20:1–16)

• God’s generosity offends entitlement; focus on the Giver, not comparisons.
• Doing vs. being: quality (with God) over quantity (for God).
  

Servant Leadership & Zebedee’s Sons (20:20–28)

• Greatness = serving and suffering, not titles and thrones; roles are the Father’s to assign.
  

“Hosanna” & the Triumphal Entry (21:1–11)

• “Hosanna” means “Save us.” Praise and plea meet in true worship.
  

Fig Tree & Fruit (21:18–22)

• Looking the part isn’t fruit; faith + obedience bears Kingdom fruit.
  

Two Sons / Tenants / Great Feast (21:28–32; 21:33–46; 22:1–14)

• Saying “yes” without doing isn’t obedience; refusal shifts the Kingdom invitation to responsive hearts.

• Many are called, few are chosen - response matters.
  

Greatest Commandment (22:34–40)

• Love God with all your heart, soul, mind; love neighbor as yourself—Kingdom center of gravity.
  

Woes & Hypocrisy (ch. 23)

• Individuality in God leads to oneness; performative religion divides and withers.
  

Watching for His Coming (24:36–44)

• Live awake and ready; trust Christ amid uncertainty.

Takeaways:

• Keep asking “What do I lack?” - and obey the answer.
• Don’t idolize roles (marriage, leadership); seek oneness with God first.
• Celebrate God’s generosity; drop comparisons.
• True leadership serves. True faith bears fruit.
• Praise Jesus with a sincere “Hosanna—save us.” Live watchful and ready.

Mentioned Links/Resources:

• Matthew 19–24 (KJV) - King James Version (KJV) Bible
• Parables referenced – vineyard workers, two sons, tenants, great feast 

Connect with Connected in Christ:

• Website: Coming Soon
• Social Media:

Facebook

Instagram: @connectedinchristpodcast

Call to Action:

Please subscribe, leave a review, share the episode, and follow us on social media.

Support the Show:

If you would like to support the podcast you can donate to our PayPal account: [email protected]

Acknowledgments:

Thank you so much for listening—we pray this conversation brought you closer to Christ!