Author Archives: Jefferson Vann
trusting heaven’s king
Matthew 6:25-34. This section of our Lord’s sermon on the mount resonates with God’s heart as revealed in the Old Testament. Jesus pleads with his disciples not to make the mistake that Israel did under the Mosaic covenant. The LORD … Continue reading
Posted in confidence, dependence upon God, ethnic Israel, idolatry, kingdom of God, resurrection, trust
Tagged Matthew 6
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treasures and heaven’s king
Matthew 6:19-24. Jesus did not oppose his disciples having personal possessions, but he did warn them not to lay up treasures on earth. He wants to prevent his followers from being possessed by their possessions. There are three very practical … Continue reading
religion and heaven’s king
Matthew 6:1-18. Jesus did not oppose practicing acts of religious piety, but he warned his disciples not to practice them to gain a present “reward” (1,2,4,5,6,16,18). There will be rewards in the future, but disciples should focus their attention on … Continue reading
Posted in commitment, dependence upon God, discipleship, forgiveness, giving, kingdom of God, prayer, witness
Tagged Matthew 6
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the scriptures and heaven’s king
Matthew 5:17-48. Jesus taught his disciples to have a different attitude toward the Law and the Prophets (that is, the Old Testament scriptures) (17). He particularly warned them not to follow the path established by the scribes and Pharisees (20). … Continue reading
Posted in adoption, church, commitment, discipleship, faithfulness, Jesus Christ, kingdom of God
Tagged Matthew 5
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promises from heaven’s king
Matthew 5:1-16. Christ’s message and ministry brought light to a dark land. He now challenges his disciples to live up to that message by being salt and light so that others may see their good works. What is the payoff? … Continue reading
Posted in discipleship, future, grace, Jesus Christ, kingdom of God, relationship with God, suffering, witness
Tagged Matthew 5
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light from heaven’s king
Matthew 4:12-25. Jesus moved from his home town of Nazareth to the great city of Capernaum. From there he launched his year-long great Galilean ministry. The region had a reputation of spiritual darkness and physical danger. It was the perfect … Continue reading
Posted in church, discipleship, gospel, Holy Spirit, ministry, missions, witness
Tagged Matthew 4
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testing heaven’s king
Matthew 4:1-11. Jesus responded rightly to each of the devil’s temptations in this narrative. He used the word of God to combat the challenges the tempter brought to him. Yet it is equally clear that there are fundamental flaws in … Continue reading
Posted in dependence upon God, faith, genuineness, Jesus Christ, prayer, scriptures
Tagged Matthew 4
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preparing for heaven’s king
Matthew 3. The life of John the Baptist was consumed with one task: preparing Israel for heaven’s king. His call for repentance was directed not toward the pagan masses, but toward a nation whose heart had forgotten that their God … Continue reading
Posted in commitment, destruction in hell, discernment, ethnic Israel, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, preparation, second coming
Tagged Matthew 3
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the destiny of heaven’s king
Matthew 2:13-23. Who you are right now is the result of a thousand decisions – some large and some small – and those decisions shaped your destiny. The catalysts for those decisions are various. In Jesus’ early life, his parents … Continue reading
Posted in dependence upon God, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, scriptures, second coming
Tagged Matthew 2
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the virgin birth of heaven’s king
Jesus’ birth was completely natural; there was nothing supernatural about it. His conception was the miracle. The human DNA that would have come from Joseph in a natural conception came from the Holy Spirit instead. Matthew tells the story by … Continue reading
