25: Jesus tells us here not to worry about food or clothing. He points out he futility of this by asking whether life, and a body, are more important than these things. Obviously they are, but we often fail to worry so much about that which we think we can do less about. In other…

24: Jesus helps us understand that God is not looking for partial service. To serve a master means to give your all to that master. You cannot ‘halfway’ serve. Thus, to fail to serve Almighty God with all of one’s heart is to serve something else. There can be no mixture of loyalties, God wants…

23: This is quite an amazing verse. Jesus said in the previous verse that the eye was the ‘light’ of the body. In other words, the eye is the only way for light to enter the body. Though we have other ‘entrances’, like our ears, nose, and mouth, our eyes alone admit light. Thus, if…

22: This verse has a great passage to go with it from the Old Testament. Jesus is staying on the same topic of treasure and beginning to describe those who serve God Almighty, and those who serve money. The passage that is so helpful here is Deuteronomy 15:9. In this verse, the Jews are instructed not to fail to…

20: Heavenly treasure is pursued much differently than that of earthly treasure. Indeed, heavenly treasure causes an intense adventure of unwavering desire for the things of Almighty God. Thus, it produces the same fervor as greed and hoarding, and yet none of the attendant woes. One may pile up treasure of the finest nature in heaven…

19: The emphasis here is on the temporary nature material wealth. Those who ‘lay up’ treasure presumably trust in that treasure for their needs. This is the problem. Jesus wants us to trust in almighty God, not material things. Having extra money for the future is not wrong. However, thinking that this offers us greater…

16: The Scribes and Pharisees, as well as some of the other Jews of Jesus’ day, had developed elaborate practices in connection with fasting. Though they were not actually sad, they looked sad. They would neglect their personal hygiene to the point that others would notice. However, since long-term fasting was not as common, they added to…

14: The question that comes to mind here is concerning salvation. Can one be saved who refuses to forgive? The Father expects us to forgive others. Thus, when one comes to Almighty God for salvation, he must do it not only with a heart that seeks forgiveness, but also with one that gives forgiveness. This…

13: Although the word here for temptation can simply mean trial, actual temptation to sin is also in view. We are to ask Almighty God to keep us from temptation. Obviously, though, Jesus was himself tempted, and we are told elsewhere that temptations and trials will come. However, this verse is to remind us that God is in…

12: This verse gives us one of the great themes of Jesus’ teaching. He always emphasized the importance of forgiveness. He often made it clear that those who love God Almighty owe Him thanks, and must not fail to forgive those who are indebted to them. The focus here is upon sin, not simply monetary debt. We…