These words carry the hope of Christmas: God is with us. Immanuel has come to fulfill this promise. Jesus’ birth reminds us that no matter how dark or uncertain life is, His presence brings peace, deliverance, and hope of a better day. 

In Matthew 15:1-9, we’re given a front row seat right into a scene where Jesus faces off with the Scribes and  Pharisees— those religious authorities, the respected experts of the law who in this case had come all the way from Jerusalem to challenge Jesus. 

The Gospel of Matthew records miracles because the miracles are Jesus' message: they show that because Jesus is sovereign, we can trust Him--even in the midst of danger.

Jesus offers more than a one-time miraculous meal of bread.  Jesus is the Bread of Life, the only one who truly satsifies now and forever.  Because Jesus is the only one that satisfies, we need to trust in Him.

Here’s the reality: we can know about Jesus—know all the Bible stories, sing all the hymns, even come to church every Sunday—and still have hearts of unbelief. 

The twin parables about treasure explain how valuable the King & His Kingdom are.  And since they are the true treasure, it is reasonable to give everything up for them.

When Jesus talked about the "kingdom of heaven" he meant God's renewed reign in a broken world. God's kingdom started small, but because it is growing, we must proclaim it with confidence.

Each of us belongs to one of two groups: the wheat or the weeds. Though we may not be able to tell merely from outward appearances, the truth is revealed in the fruit or lack-there-of.

Jesus uses a series of parables. A parable both reveals and conceals at the same time. These parables are not merely stories; they resonate deeply with our own experience and challenge us to consider our own responses to the Word of God.

Walking in prayer requires intentionality. We can learn from Paul's prayer for the church at Colossae in both the WHO and the HOW of this daily practice of prayer.