February 8, 2026
Feb 8, 2026 “When Faith Meets Questions”(Matthew 11:1-19)
Matthew 11:1-19 New
International Version
Jesus and John the Baptist
11 After Jesus had finished instructing his
twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee.[a]
2 When John, who was in prison,
heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples
3 to ask him, “Are you the
one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”
4 Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see:
5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy[b] are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.
6 Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account
of me.”
7 As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind?
8 If not, what
did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes
are in kings’ palaces.
9 Then what did you go out
to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
10 This is the one about whom
it is written:
“‘I
will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way before you.’[c]
11
Truly
I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John
the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
12 From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence,[d] and violent people have been raiding it.
13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John.
14 And if you are willing to
accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come.
15
Whoever
has ears, let them hear.
16 “To what can I compare this
generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to
others:
17
“‘We
played the pipe for you,
and
you did not dance;
we sang a dirge,
and you did not mourn.’
18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’
19
The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton
and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right
by her deeds.”
When Faith Meets Questions
Matthew 11:1-19
John the Baptist was a very disciplined man and well known. John the Babtist did many great things and attracted much attention. He was taken from the desert and his followers and put into prison.
John the Baptist had proclaimed that Jesus was the Messiah.
Matthew 3:11-12 ESV
[11] “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. [12] His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
Still John needed to examine who Jesus was, so John sent his disciples to ask Jesus if He was the one.
Matthew 11:2-3 ESV
[2] Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples [3] and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?”
Jesus responds with evidence of what He was doing rather than a direct answer.
Matthew 11:4-6 ESV
[4] And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: [5] the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. [6] And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”
John would have to examine his understanding of who the messiah was. Jesus was doing something very radical. Jesus came to bring the Good News and He did great things such as healing people. John and his disciples were probably hoping Jesus would say that He was the Messiah. Yet, Jesus gave evidence to show the signs that He was the Messiah.
The Kingdom of God is revealed through actions and transformations. However, those actions are not great miracles, political movements or punishing unjust people and systems. The Kingdom of God is about restoration and healing what is broken.
Jesus gives praise to John the Baptist but added something very humbling.
Matthew 11:11 ESV
[11] Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
Jesus then goes onto show the spiritually corrupt generation with a children playing a game.
Matthew 11:16-19 ESV
[16] “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates, [17] “‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’ [18] For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ [19] The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.”
Here is an attitude problem with people. John the Baptist who was very disciplined, was criticized about his austere life. Whereas with Jesus, who celebrated openly, people criticized His behavior and His company. The people did not have the heart to see God truly. The people put their expectations first and refused to respond.
The real issues was not that God hadn't spoken or hadn’t shown himself; the real issue was the people had chosen not to respond.
If you love God, you will have questions. You might be in a type of prison. Waiting to be released from suffering while praying for change. You might see the signs of the Kingdom of God, but finding excuses not to believe this is the Kingdom of God.
The Gospel is being preached to the poor, the sick are being healed and the disabled made able. Jesus is still working and we need to respond to Jesus.
February 1, 2026
Feb 1, 2026 “I Never Knew You… or Did I?”(Matthew 7:15-23)
I Never Knew You... or Did I
Matthew 7:15-23
The message that Jesus is giving is addressed to those who believe in Jesus. Jesus isn't criticizing their righteous actions, efforts or diligence but their relationship with Jesus. Jesus is challenging their self-confidence.
Jesus tells His audience that real faith comes from our relationship with Christ.
Matthew 7:15 ESV
[15] “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
False prophets look like sheep not wolves. It is easy to be deceived by those who use faith language but their lives are not aligned with Jesus' ways. In church, we can deceive ourselves by not questioning our actions or intentions. We could be the wolves in sheep's clothing.
Before we look for others who are False prophets or anti-Christs, we need to look at ourselves. Anyone can imitate the life of faith with actions. However, eventually reality will come up. Faith is not something you can display, but something you live.
Matthew 7:16-17 ESV
[16] You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? [17] So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.
Jesus does not say that we should evaluate faith, but we need to look at fruit. The fruit is not short term results. Yes, there are good goals and ministries we can do, but Jesus is talking about endurance.
Fruit is the revelation of faith. Worship matters, prayer matters, ministry matters, outreach matters, but they are not the end result.
Matthew 7:21-22 ESV
[21] “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
[22] On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’
This passage can be used to judge others but it is asking us to self-examination. It is about are we living for our Lord Jesus and not our actions. We can look at our service, our efforts, our results, but if our relationship was not right with Jesus what good is that.
For a Christian, this is the most terrifying statement you could hear.
Matthew 7:23 ESV
[23] And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
Jesus has one standard. Are you having a proper relationship with God. Roles can be delegated, results can be measured, but your relationship with God is between you and God. No one else can fix your relationship with God but you.
It is not the lazy that Jesus is addressing, but the diligent. Jesus is not trying to discourage us from doing good works or from being diligent. He is trying to look at our relationship with Him.
Our hope is not how faithful we have been, but how faithful Jesus has been to us.
What we long for to hear that Jesus says he knows us and loves us. It is not by effort but by grace we are saved.
January 25, 2026
Jan 25, 2026 “Am I Still Blessed?” (Matthew 5:1–12)
Am I still Blessed
Matthew 5:1-12
The Beatitudes talks about blessings. There are eight blessings in particular, but the blessed people he mentions seem they are lacking, struggling or suffering.
Jesus doesn't give a message saying that their lives will get better, but he gives a new direction for living. Even the way Jesus calls his disciples to learn with him is humble and different from other leaders.
Matthew 5:1 ESV
[1] Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.
Jesus then goes on to say how to live. He does not say that if you do these things you will be blessed. Instead, He says this is how blessed people are.
Matthew 5:3 ESV
[3] “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
This is not talking about the future. It is talking about now. God's kingdom is for those who come empty handed. They come with complete dependence.
Matthew 5:4 ESV
[4] “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
The same is true with the second beatitude. When we realize the gap between us and God is do severe. When we see what sinners we are and how much we have rebelled against God. However, God will comfort those who come to this realization.
Matthew 5:5 ESV
[5] “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Those who wait on God to right the wrongs and do not seek vengeance will be blessed.
Matthew 5:6 ESV
[6] “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
People who crave a right relationship with God are hungry for God and what is good. Following God will give a blessed life.
The first part of the beatitudes that deal with our self but then we move into the second part which deals with our relationship with others.
Matthew 5:7 ESV
[7] “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Mercy costs something. It might cost you time, comfort or some resource, and this is why we are reluctant to give mercy. Yet, we know Jesus has been merciful to us, and this alone should make us merciful to others. Those who show mercy are already living in God's mercy and this is a blessing.
A sinless life is a direction towards God that is not divided. A divided heart is always suspicious. Is this God's will? The one whose direction is straight to God can be faithful.
Matthew 5:9 ESV
[9] “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
To be a peacemaker does not mean to avoid confrontation. Sometimes we need to confront people and make people uncomfortable in order to reconcile them to God. This is choosing obedience over comfort.
What is the outcome of this path?
Matthew 5:10 ESV
[10] “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
If you love God and are serious about living for God, you will be hated by the world. Jesus also tells us to be happy when we are persecuted because we are on the right path. Our life has meaning now and pleasing to God.
We do not need to seek pain or suffering, but we do need to live for God. We start poor in spirit and move towards living for God. It will be difficult but worth the effort.
January 18, 2026
January 14, 2026
Jan 11, 2026 "Faith Is Not Homework" (1 John 5: 1-15)
Faith Is Not Homework
1 John 5:1-15
In church circles we often hear that we need more faith. We are told when things go wrong, it is because we lack faith. However, faith is not homework . John tells us faith is different.
1 John 5:2-3 ESV
[2] By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. [3] For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.
John is talking about making faith your daily rhythm. John does not say this because we are weak or lazy. John says we lack faith when we are distant from God. It is harder to keep God's commands when we are not close to God.
The language of relationship is keeping God's word. John is telling us that being in relationship with God we are guided to keep God's word. Obedience to God becomes natural as we depend on God more and draw closer to Him.
John is not talking about doing more work to get closer to God or talking more about God. John is talking about faith that is the potential how God can work. Faith is not pretending that reality doesn't exist. Faith allows us to see the world through God's perspective.
1 John 5:13 ESV
[13] I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.
Christian faith is not about living in fear or asking if we are good enough. John reminds us that our confidence comes from the faithfulness of God. This assurance comes from God.
1 John 5:14-15 ESV
[14] And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. [15] And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.
Faith is not a magical spell or the power of our will, but the direction in the way we pray. When we pray, we admit that God is real and God comes first. Prayer is the way we converse with our Father.. When we pray with God, our hearts settle and we understand God more.
We pray because God is already with us. We pray because that is how we converse with God. Faith is trusting that God is already holding on to us.
Christian faith is not about asking us if we are strong enough or doing enough. Faith is being confident that God is strong enough. We can see the world's problems through God's perspective.
Whether our faith is small or large, God will be enough.
January 4, 2026
Jan 4, 2026 “Loved First”(1 John 4:7-16)
1 John 4:7-16 New International Version
7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.
8 Whoever does not love does
not know God, because God is love.
9 This is how God showed his
love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through
him.
10 This is love: not that we
loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our
sins.
11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
12 No one has
ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made
complete in us.
13 This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.
14 And
we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the
world.
15 If anyone acknowledges that
Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God.
16 And so we know and rely
on the love God has for us.
God
is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.
Loved First
1 John 4:7-16
One of the phrases we hear much in church that
we need to love. Love is central to the Christian life. When compared to faith and
hope, love is greater.
1 Corinthians 13:13 ESV
[13] So now faith, hope, and love abide, these
three; but the greatest of these is love.
However, loving other people is not an easy thing.
It can be very hard to love someone who has wronged or hurt us. We need divine intervention
to love. John tells us what the source of love is. It is not that we can force ourselves
to love. Love does not come from our personality, skills or will; it comes from
God.
1 John 4:7 ESV
[7] Beloved, let us love one another, for love
is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.
Our love comes from God and if we love, we show
we have been born of God and know God. In other words, our relationship with God
allows us to love. Furthermore, John defines love as an action and not a feeling
or a thought.
1 John 4:9-10 ESV
[9] In this the love of God was made manifest
among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through
him. [10] In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent
his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Love moves towards its object of affection. God
came to us and stayed with us. God did not sit in Heaven. He came as a person, Jesus Christ, and
lived with us. God came not just to live with us, but to live in us.
1 John 4:13 ESV
[13] By
this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.
We have his spirit, but we have to have faith.
1 John 4:15 ESV
[15] Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of
God, God abides in him, and he in God.
There is no work we need to do. There is no formula
we have to complete. God did the work and we need to believe that He loves us.
When our hearts feel closed or we find it impossible
to love, John reminds us to go back to the place we were loved first. When our faith
is restored, love will come naturally.
God is not telling us to try harder, but to go
back to the cross. We don't become more loving, so that God will come into our hearts.
God has already given us the gift to love, we just need to return to the truth that
God loves us.
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