One time Jesus entered a house, and the crowds began to gather again. Soon he and his disciples couldn’t even find time to eat. When his family heard what was happening, they tried to take him away. “He’s out of his mind,” they said. —Mark 3:20-21 Jesus was said to be “out of his mind” by his own family! That is, they thought He was insane! It is interesting that Paul says, “If we are “out of our mind,” as some say, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you” (II Corinthians 5:13). Again, some thought Paul and his companions were “insane.” But…

While he was preaching God’s word to them, four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “My child, your sins are forgiven.” But some of the teachers of religious law who were sitting there thought to themselves, “What is he saying? This is blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!” Jesus knew immediately what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you question…

Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men. —Mark 1:17 You say you follow Jesus. When was the last time you “fished?” He said He would make those who follow Him “fishers of men.” Acts 1:8 says, “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” To fish for fish you need a strategy, tools and a bit of skill. Not a lot of skill because even a child can catch a fish with help. When my daughter, Rebecca, was 4 years old she…

Some of the guards went into the city and told the leading priests what had happened. A meeting with the elders was called, and they decided to give the soldiers a large bribe. They told the soldiers, “You must say, ‘Jesus’ disciples came during the night while we were sleeping, and they stole his body.’ If the governor hears about it, we’ll stand up for you so you won’t get in trouble.” So the guards accepted the bribe and said what they were told to say. Their story spread widely among the Jews, and they still tell it today. —Matthew 28:11-15 Oh no… The guard’s “prisoner” had gotten away! That…

When Judas, who had betrayed him, realized that Jesus had been condemned to die, he was filled with remorse. So he took the thirty pieces of silver back to the leading priests and the elders. “I have sinned,” he declared, “for I have betrayed an innocent man.” “What do we care?” they retorted. “That’s your problem.” Then Judas threw the silver coins down in the Temple and went out and hanged himself. —Matthew 27:3-5 Callous people do not care about the “problems” of others. Judas was responsible for his actions, but so were the leading priests and elders. They did not care at all about Judas, but they used him…

“Put away your sword,” Jesus told him. “Those who use the sword will die by the sword. Don’t you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly? But if I did, how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that describe what must happen now?”—Matthew 26:52-54 Power under control! Jesus could have called upon His Father to save Him from the cruelty of men. He did not have to be arrested. He did not have to be questioned. He did not have to be spit upon. He did not have to be beaten in the face. He did not have…

Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests and asked, “How much will you pay me to betray Jesus to you?” And they gave him thirty pieces of silver. From that time on, Judas began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus. —Matthew 26:14-16 How much do you value Jesus? Is there anything that you think is more important or of more worth than He? If there is then that is your god, your idol. For Judas the betrayer 30 pieces of silver was more important to him than Jesus. It was the price of a gored slave— “If the bull gores a male or…

He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip. —Matthew 25:15 Are you and I truly using the abilities God proportioned to us? He has given us responsibility over a part of His property and resources. Are you and I investing them wisely? We will give an account to the Lord one day. “After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money” (Matthew 25:19). Also in II Corinthians 5:10 we…

And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come. —Matthew 24:14 The goal of Wycliffe Bible Translators is to have God’s Word in every language by 2025. The Worldwide Status of Bible Translation (2015): · More than 1,300 languages have access to the New Testament and some portions of Scripture in their language. · More than 550 languages have the complete translated Bible. · About 7,000 languages are known to be in use today. · Up to 180 million people need Bible translation to begin in their language. · Just under 2,300…

In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness. —Matthew 23:28 Who are you? Who you are is answered by who you are on the inside. The inner person is really who you are. Many people can put on an outward appearance which is totally different from who they are on the outside. Now, we all do this to some degree, but if there is a huge difference of who we portray to others on the outside from who we really are on the inside then that is hypocrisy and deception. In the above verse…