Category Archives: NT260

Click here for Matthew 26 audio:

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The religious leaders plotted to arrest and kill Jesus (vv. 1–5). While He was in Bethany, a woman anointed Him with expensive ointment, which Jesus said prepared Him for burial (vv. 6–13). Judas agreed to betray Him for thirty pieces of silver (vv. 14–16). At the Passover meal, Jesus told His disciples that one of them would betray Him, then instituted the Lord’s Supper, pointing to His body and blood given for the forgiveness of sins (vv. 17–30). He predicted Peter’s denial (vv. 31–35) and prayed in deep sorrow in Gethsemane, submitting to the Father’s will while the disciples slept (vv. 36–46). Judas arrived with a crowd to arrest Him; Jesus was seized, and the disciples fled (vv. 47–56).

Jesus was brought before the high priest and the council, where false witnesses accused Him (vv. 57–68). When asked if He was the Christ, the Son of God, Jesus affirmed it, and they condemned Him to death, mocking and striking Him. Meanwhile, Peter denied Jesus three times, just as predicted, and wept bitterly when he realized what he had done (vv. 69–75). This chapter shows Jesus moving with purpose toward the cross, even as friends failed Him and enemies plotted against Him, fulfilling God’s plan for our salvation.

🌀 Reflection: In Gethsemane, Jesus surrendered completely to the Father’s plan, even when it meant suffering and death. Following Him means learning to trust God’s will, even when it’s hard.

💬 Mission Challenge: Pray about an area of your life where you’ve been resisting God’s will. Choose one way today to obey Him in that area.

Click here for Matthew 25 audio:

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Jesus told three parables about His return. First, the parable of the ten virgins teaches that only those prepared will enter the kingdom when the bridegroom comes (vv. 1–13). Five wise virgins brought extra oil for their lamps; five foolish ones did not. When the bridegroom arrived, the prepared went in with Him, and the door was shut. The others were refused, and Jesus warned to “watch” because no one knows the day or hour (v. 13). Next, in the parable of the talents, a man entrusted three servants with different amounts to manage while he was away (vv. 14–30). Two invested and doubled their master’s money, receiving his praise and greater responsibility. The third hid his talent out of fear and laziness, losing even what he had and being cast into outer darkness. The lesson is that Jesus’ followers must faithfully use what He has entrusted to them while waiting for His return.

Finally, Jesus described the final judgment, when the Son of Man will come in glory and separate people like a shepherd separates sheep from goats (vv. 31–33). The “sheep” on His right inherit the kingdom because their care for “the least of these” was service to Christ Himself (vv. 34–40). The “goats” on His left are condemned to eternal fire for failing to show such compassion, revealing hearts that never truly belonged to Him (vv. 41–46). The chapter calls believers to readiness, faithful stewardship, and love for fellow believers in need, knowing that these are inseparable from a true relationship with Jesus.

🌀 Reflection: Jesus’ return will come without warning, and once He comes, there will be no second chances. Readiness means living each day with faith, using the gifts and opportunities God has given you, and loving others as if you were serving Jesus Himself.

💬 Mission Challenge: Do one act of intentional kindness this week for a fellow believer in need—whether through encouragement, help, or provision—seeing it as service to Christ.

Click here for Matthew 24 audio:

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Jesus left the temple, and His disciples pointed out its buildings, but He told them that not one stone would be left on another (v. 2). Later, on the Mount of Olives, they asked Him about the timing of His coming and the end of the age (v. 3). Jesus warned them not to be led astray—many would come claiming to be Him, and there would be wars, famines, and earthquakes (vv. 4–8). These troubles would lead to persecution, betrayal, false prophets, and growing lawlessness, but the one who endures to the end will be saved, and the gospel will be proclaimed to all nations before the end comes (vv. 9–14). He spoke of the “abomination of desolation” foretold by Daniel, urging those in Judea to flee when it appears (vv. 15–20). Great tribulation would come, unlike anything before, but for the sake of the elect, those days would be cut short (vv. 21–22). False christs and prophets would arise with signs to deceive, but Jesus warned not to believe them (vv. 23–28). After this tribulation, the sun and moon will darken, the stars will fall, and the Son of Man will appear with power and glory, sending His angels to gather His elect (vv. 29–31).

Jesus told a parable of the fig tree—just as new leaves signal summer, so these signs will signal His nearness (vv. 32–33). He said His words will never pass away, though heaven and earth will (v. 35). But no one knows the day or hour—not even the angels, only the Father (v. 36). His coming will be sudden, like in Noah’s day when people were unprepared (vv. 37–39). Two will be in the field; one will be taken, the other left (vv. 40–41). Therefore, His followers must stay ready, like a homeowner who keeps watch for a thief (vv. 42–44). Jesus ended with a contrast: the faithful servant, ready for his master’s return, will be blessed, but the wicked servant, unprepared and living for himself, will face judgment (vv. 45–51).

🌀 Reflection: The call to “stay awake” is not about predicting dates—it’s about living faithfully today. Jesus wants His people to endure, to proclaim the gospel, and to live with hearts ready for His return, no matter when it comes.

💬 Mission Challenge: This week, let someone know why you’re living for something—and Someone—beyond this world. Share the hope of Jesus’s return with them.

Click here for Matthew 23 audio:

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Jesus warned the crowds and His disciples about the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees. They taught the Law of Moses but failed to live it, burdening people with manmade rules while seeking honor for themselves (23:1–12). He then pronounced seven woes against them for shutting people out of the kingdom, making misguided converts, creating meaningless oath distinctions, tithing tiny spices while neglecting justice, mercy, and faithfulness, focusing on outward appearances instead of inner purity, and pretending to honor the prophets while sharing in their ancestors’ guilt (23:13–32). These leaders, like a brood of vipers, would face judgment for persecuting and killing God’s messengers (23:33–36).

Jesus ended with a lament over Jerusalem, grieving how often He had longed to gather and protect His people, but they were unwilling (23:37). Because of their rejection, their “house” would be left desolate, a prophecy fulfilled in A.D. 70 with the temple’s destruction (23:38). Yet one day they will again say, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” (23:39; Psalm 118:26).

🌀 Reflection: Jesus values humility and servant-heartedness far more than public recognition. Where might you be tempted to appear righteous instead of being transformed from the inside out?

💬 Mission Challenge: Serve someone today in a way that draws no attention to yourself—point their gratitude to Jesus instead.

Click here for Matthew 22 audio:

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Jesus told a parable comparing the kingdom of heaven to a king who prepared a wedding feast for his son (22:1–14). Those first invited refused to come, mistreating and even killing the king’s servants, so the king punished them and invited others—both “bad and good”—to fill the banquet hall (22:8–10). Yet one man, without the proper wedding garment, was cast out, showing that we must come to God on His terms, clothed in the righteousness He provides (22:11–13; Isaiah 61:10). When Pharisees tried to trap Jesus about paying taxes to Caesar, He replied, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (22:21), showing that allegiance to God is supreme. The Sadducees, who denied the resurrection, posed a trick question about marriage in the afterlife. Jesus answered that in the resurrection there is no marriage, and proved from Exodus 3:6 that God is “the God of the living” (22:23–33).

A lawyer then asked which commandment was the greatest, and Jesus responded with two: love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself—on these two depend all the Law and the Prophets (22:34–40; Deuteronomy 6:5; Leviticus 19:18). Finally, Jesus questioned the Pharisees about the Messiah’s identity. They said He was the son of David, but Jesus quoted Psalm 110:1 to show that David called the Messiah “Lord,” revealing that the Christ is greater than David and more than merely his descendant (22:41–46). Unable to answer, His opponents stopped questioning Him.

🌀 Reflection: Loving God fully will naturally overflow into loving people well. Which of these loves needs more attention in your life today?

💬 Mission Challenge: Show love for your neighbor today in a tangible way—serve, encourage, or pray with someone who needs it.

Click here for Matthew 21 audio:

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As Jesus approached Jerusalem, He entered riding a donkey, fulfilling prophecy and declaring Himself the humble King (21:1–11; Zechariah 9:9). The crowds shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” and spread cloaks and branches before Him. Once inside the city, Jesus cleansed the temple, driving out merchants who were turning God’s house into a den of robbers (21:12–13; Isaiah 56:7; Jeremiah 7:11). He healed the blind and lame, welcomed the praises of children, and spent the night in Bethany (21:14–17). The next day, Jesus cursed a fruitless fig tree, teaching His disciples about faith-filled prayer (21:18–22). When the chief priests challenged His authority, He exposed their hypocrisy with a question about John the Baptist, which they refused to answer (21:23–27).

Jesus told two parables against the religious leaders. In the first, two sons illustrate that true obedience is shown in action, not empty promises (21:28–32). In the second, wicked tenants kill the landowner’s servants and son, picturing Israel’s rejection of God’s prophets and His own Son (21:33–41). Jesus warned that the kingdom would be taken from them and given to those producing its fruit (21:42–44; Psalm 118:22–23). Realizing the parables were about them, the leaders wanted to arrest Him, but they feared the crowds (21:45–46).

🌀 Reflection: How can your life bear the kind of fruit that shows you belong to God’s kingdom (21:43)? True obedience is more than saying “yes” to God—it is following through with faithful action.

💬 Mission Challenge: Encourage someone today by pointing them to Jesus as the true King—share how He has changed your life.

Click here for Matthew 20 audio:

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Jesus told a parable about a vineyard owner who hired workers throughout the day, yet paid them all the same amount—a denarius (vv. 1–9). Those hired first complained, but the master reminded them that he had kept his promise and had the right to be generous to others (vv. 10–15). Jesus concluded, “So the last will be first, and the first last” (v. 16). On the way to Jerusalem, He told His disciples for the third time that He would be betrayed, condemned, mocked, flogged, crucified, and raised on the third day (vv. 17–19). The mother of James and John asked for her sons to sit at Jesus’s right and left in His kingdom, but Jesus taught that greatness in His kingdom comes through humble service, just as He came “not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (vv. 20–28). Leaving Jericho, two blind men cried out to Him as the “Son of David” and received both their sight and the chance to follow Him (vv. 29–34).

🌀 Reflection: God’s kingdom doesn’t work like the world’s. We tend to measure worth by effort, seniority, or achievement, but Jesus’s parable reminds us that entrance into His kingdom is by grace, not by human merit (Eph. 2:8–9). His generosity toward the “last” should stir humility in the “first” and joy in all who receive His mercy (Matt. 19:30). This truth is anchored in the greatest act of service—the Son of Man giving His life as a ransom for many. The One who had every right to be exalted chose to take the lowest position, showing us that greatness in God’s eyes comes through sacrificial love (Phil. 2:5–8).

💬 Mission Challenge: Serve someone this week in a way that costs you—your time, comfort, or resources—without expecting anything in return. Let your service be a small reflection of Jesus, who gave His life for you.

Click here for Matthew 19 audio:

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Jesus left Galilee for Judea beyond the Jordan, healing many who followed Him (vv. 1–2). The Pharisees tested Him, asking if divorce was lawful “for any cause” (v. 3). Jesus pointed them back to God’s creation design: He made them male and female, joined them as “one flesh,” and declared that man must not separate what God has joined (vv. 4–6; Gen. 2:24). Moses allowed divorce because of hardened hearts, but it was not God’s original intent (v. 8). Jesus said divorce is only permissible in cases of sexual immorality, and remarriage after an unbiblical divorce is adultery (v. 9; cf. Matt. 5:31–32). The disciples, surprised at the strictness, said it might be better not to marry. Jesus replied that singleness is a gift for some, whether by birth, by human action, or by choice for the sake of the kingdom (vv. 10–12; 1 Cor. 7:6–9). When the disciples tried to turn away children, Jesus welcomed them, saying the kingdom belongs to such as these (vv. 13–15; cf. 18:1–4).

A rich young man asked what good deed he must do to have eternal life (v. 16). Jesus told him to keep the commandments (vv. 17–19), but when the man claimed to have kept them, Jesus exposed his true allegiance—his wealth—by telling him to sell his possessions, give to the poor, and follow Him (v. 21). The man went away sad, unwilling to part with his riches (v. 22). Jesus warned how hard it is for the rich to enter God’s kingdom, saying it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle (vv. 23–24). When the disciples asked who could be saved, He answered, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (v. 26). Peter reminded Jesus that they had left everything, and Jesus promised that those who follow Him will be rewarded in the new world and inherit eternal life—yet many who are first now will be last, and the last first (vv. 27–30).

🌀 Reflection: Following Jesus means surrendering anything that competes with Him for our loyalty. What “treasures” might you be holding on to more tightly than Him?

💬 Mission Challenge: Take a step today to loosen your grip on something that distracts you from Jesus—whether a possession, habit, or attitude—and offer it to Him in prayer.

Click here for Matthew 18 audio:

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The disciples asked Jesus who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven, and He answered by placing a child in their midst, teaching that only those who humble themselves like children will enter and be great in His kingdom (vv. 1–4; cf. Matt. 5:3). He warned against causing “little ones” who believe in Him to sin, saying it would be better to drown than to lead one astray (vv. 5–6). Jesus stressed the seriousness of sin, calling His followers to cut off anything that causes them to stumble, for it is better to lose a limb than to be thrown into hell (vv. 7–9; cf. 5:29–30). He told the parable of the lost sheep, showing the Father’s heart to seek and save even one who has wandered (vv. 10–14; Luke 15:3–7). He then gave instructions for restoring a sinning brother—beginning privately, then with witnesses, and finally involving the church if needed (vv. 15–17; Deut. 19:15). Jesus promised that heaven affirms such Spirit-led discipline, and that He is present where two or three gather in His name (vv. 18–20).

Peter asked how many times to forgive a brother—suggesting seven—but Jesus replied, “seventy-seven times” (v. 22), showing that forgiveness must be limitless for the repentant (cf. Luke 17:3–4). He told a parable about a servant forgiven an unpayable debt who refused to forgive a fellow servant’s much smaller debt (vv. 23–30). The master, angered by the servant’s lack of mercy, handed him over to be punished until his debt was paid (vv. 31–34). Jesus concluded with a sober warning: the Father will do the same to those who refuse to forgive from the heart (v. 35; cf. Eph. 4:32).

🌀 Reflection: Who in your life needs your forgiveness? Remember how much God has forgiven you, and let that mercy shape your response to others.

💬 Mission Challenge: Take one step today toward reconciliation with someone—write, call, or meet with them—to extend grace and seek peace.

Click here for Matthew 17 audio:

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Six days after Peter confessed Him as the Christ, Jesus took Peter, James, and John up a high mountain, where He was transfigured before them—His face shone like the sun and His clothes became dazzling white (vv. 1–2). Moses and Elijah appeared, showing that the Law and the Prophets point to Him (v. 3; Matt. 5:17). A bright cloud overshadowed them, and the Father’s voice declared, “This is my beloved Son… listen to him” (v. 5; Matt. 3:17). Terrified, the disciples fell down, but Jesus reassured them (vv. 6–8). Coming down the mountain, He explained that Elijah had already come in the person of John the Baptist, who, like the Son of Man, suffered at the hands of others (vv. 9–13; Mal. 4:5–6; Matt. 11:14).

Back in the valley, Jesus healed a boy with a demon after the disciples had failed to do so, telling them their problem was “little faith” and teaching that even faith as small as a mustard seed can accomplish the impossible (vv. 14–21; cf. 13:31–32). He again predicted His betrayal, death, and resurrection, which deeply distressed them (vv. 22–23). In Capernaum, when asked about the temple tax, Jesus taught that as God’s Son, He and His disciples are free—but to avoid unnecessary offense, He sent Peter to catch a fish with a coin in its mouth to pay the tax for them both (vv. 24–27; Ex. 30:11–16; Gal. 6:2).

🌀 Reflection: The Father’s command is still the same today—listen to Jesus. Where do you need to slow down, quiet distractions, and hear His voice through His Word?

💬 Mission Challenge: Share one thing Jesus has taught you recently with someone who needs encouragement or truth.