Category: Daily Prayer

Our scripture this week is Matthew 11:2-11.

We can empathize with John the Baptist for asking the question “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”
(Matthew 11:3). God promised a Savior, a Son of David, one who would set us free. Yet John is in prison while Jesus teaches about love.

John had received special knowledge from God that Jesus was the One, but John didn’t see what he expected. Scripture doesn’t say what exactly John was looking for, but many thought the Messiah would come as a mighty warrior to destroy God’s enemies and restore His kingdom on earth by conquest.

Jesus replies to John’s question powerfully but simply “The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor” (Matthew 11:5). Jesus came to be our king, but not in the way anyone expected. We need to change our hearts and lives to be part of His conquest of love and peace.

Heavenly Father, we often fail to see how You answer prayer because our ways are not Your ways. May we feel Your saving grace during this time of preparation and make ourselves ready to receive the gift of the Messiah. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 11:2-11.

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.
Matthew 11:11

This is one of those “unusual” verses from Jesus that sound like riddles. We need to unpack this to try to understand what He is telling us here. Why does He sometimes speak like this?

Jesus wants us to think about the meaning of His teachings. He doesn’t always spell everything out for us. One of the meanings of the term “disciple” is “learner”. Jesus doesn’t want us just sitting around hearing what He says, He encourages us to use our gift of intellect to engage His teachings and then apply them.

In this verse He tells us that John was a great man, but less than anyone who enters the kingdom. Some scholars have analyzed this to mean John was the last prophet, still part of the old covenant, and those that follow Jesus are therefore greater than he in the kingdom to come. However, Jesus teaches us that in Heaven there is no ranking, no one greater than the other, merely God and us. I think this verse means that anyone living is less than anyone in the kingdom. How does this verse strike you? Regardless of our interpretation, Jesus is saying “seek the kingdom for it is greater than any earthly thing”.

Gracious God, we are often perplexed by the Word, not sure of its meaning at first glance. Help us to see Your plan for us and to study Your Word with diligence in order to do Your will. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 11:2-11.

This is the one about whom it is written: “‘I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’
Matthew 11:10

Jesus acknowledges to those who follow Him the special status of John the Baptist. Jesus wants the crowd to know this not so much to give John recognition, but for them to see one who is living out God’s call on his life. John has been faithful all his life, and will continue “even unto death”, as Christ Himself will.

This double call, to obey what God asks us to do, as well as show people what God desires of us is the definition of a life in Christ. We can’t “be” Jesus but we can “be like” Jesus, sharing with others how He wants us to live together and grow together toward the ideal God has for us. When we give our hearts, minds and lives to Him, we become the people He intended us to be all along.

John came to point people to Jesus, to help us be ready for the message God sent through Him. We must continually make ourselves ready for what God gives us and asks of us. Preparing the way of the Lord means we must be prepared first.

Gracious God, we long to be the people You want us to be. Help us to grow in Your love to become those people, made whole by Your spirit and enabled to spread the Good News to all. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 11:2-11.

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? 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. Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
Matthew 11:7-9

Jesus asks the crowd what drew them to John the Baptist. In some ways His questions are a little unusual to us, but the people of that time knew the reed was the symbol of King Herod, used on official seals and coins. Jesus was asking, in a roundabout way, what they were looking for when they came to the Jordan to see John.

His questions indicate the people shouldn’t have expected to see someone who was like their current ruler. Jesus is telling them the kingdom of God proclaimed by John is very different than the governments of men. He continues that John is more than just a prophet as they have heard from before. He preaches not just repentance but the coming of the Lord Himself.

Do we hear John’s call? Are we repentant, anxious, ready for the kingdom of God to come near? John told the crowds to prepare the way of the Lord and his call comes down through time to us. We must be prepared for Jesus’ coming today and always.

Loving Lord, we are often slow to hear and even slower to act. Help us feel the urgency to be prepared for Your coming. May we be ready to receive You and shout to the world “the Lord has come!” Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 11:2-11.

Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”
Matthew 11:4-6

Jesus points out the miracles of healing He performs as a response to John’s question for those around to hear. If this isn’t proof enough of who He is, what would convince unbelievers? Jesus doesn’t often call attention to what He has done for us and He ends His answer with a blessing to “anyone who does not stumble” on account of His teaching (verse 6).

John is not actually testing Jesus but having been imprisoned by Herod perhaps he needs some reassurance. Jesus gives him an answer that quotes portions of the book of Isaiah, one of Israel’s greatest prophets. John is considered to be the last prophet of Israel, a transition between the faith of the Old Testament and the promise of the New Covenant realized through Christ’s coming. This answer is both to assure John that he was not wrong about Jesus but also to let him know that his work and sacrifice were not forgotten – John will later be executed by King Herod.

Sometimes we all need reassurance from Jesus, support in our trials and the knowledge that our faith is in the One who came to save us for eternity. Like John, we may experience setbacks and suffering while we live – Jesus never promised it would be easy! – but we can be confident that our Savior lives and has reconciled us to God.

Heavenly Father, we are weak and often we question Your plan for us. Help us to see through the issues we face that You are with us and ready to guide us always. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 11:2-11.

When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.” 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? 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. Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written: “‘I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’ 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.
Matthew 11:2-11

In this week’s lesson we hear of John’s disciples going to Jesus with a question from John, who has been imprisoned. It is a fair question – “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” John is probably not asking for himself, he is fully aware of Jesus’ identity as the Messiah, but it gives his followers and those around Jesus a chance to hear the answer themselves.

John is also concerned for his followers and is using this as a “handoff” of them to Jesus. Perhaps we need to be “handed off” in this season of Advent, asking to be reconnected to the One who has come for us. Jesus waits for each of us to answer the question and decide if we believe He is the Messiah.

We have individual responsibility for our acceptance of Christ as our Savior, no one else can do it for us. We can share the Good News and show His love for us, but the decision is up to each person themselves. In this season of Advent, may we be ready to say “yes” to His presence in our lives and show the world He lives in us.

Loving Lord, we question Your kingship and authority every time we stray from Your path. Help us to see that You alone are God, the answer to all our questions and needs. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 3:1-12.

In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’” John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

John the Baptist didn’t sugarcoat the truth. He told the people who came to him exactly what was coming – they could be part of God’s harvest or burned up like the chaff. He was straightforward with them about the choice they faced.

We might think of John as a “fire and brimstone” preacher, warning about sin and death. While he tells them some scary things, he wants them to make an honest choice for Jesus and live as Jesus teaches, not just avoiding the unpleasant alternative. We need to learn to be brothers and sisters in Christ, doing the work He has for us gladly rather than the frightened sinners John calls out in verse 7: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?”

John warns the people (and us) that there are consequences for rejecting God’s plan and the Savior He sends us. God loves us and wants us to choose Him, but we must come to with repentance for our failings in order to be forgiven and then “produce fruit in keeping with repentance” (verse 8). Only by accepting Jesus and then living as He has taught us can we be part of the good harvest God desires.

Loving Lord, we are often in opposition to You because of our willfulness. Help us to see that Jesus is the way to forgiveness and the hope of eternal life with You. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 3:1-12.

“I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
Matthew 3:11-12

John gets to the heart of his ministry, telling the people about Jesus with a description of how the Lord will separate the wheat from the chaff. Jesus uses analogies like this when He teaches saying “All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats” (Matthew 25:32). While we can’t work our way into Heaven, we are told that there are expectations and responsibilities we must cary out in order to enter the kingdom.

The other part of John’s statement indicates the hope we have in Christ when we accept Him into our lives – “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire” (verse 11). While this sounds a little ominous, we know that the fire of the Holy Spirit comes to purify, enlighten and energize us, not to punish. His presence with us through the Holy Spirit encourages us to live according to His teaching.

John called the people of his time to repent and live renewed lives through Jesus who came to save us all. We must make our hearts and minds ready to receive Him. As we continue our Advent journey to celebrate His coming among us, may we feel the light and warmth of His love to share with the world.

Gracious God, in Your love and wisdom You sent Jesus to be with us and teach us. May we accept this wonderful gift and be changed by it, ready to go into the world to spread the Good News. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 3:1-12.

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
Matthew 3:7-10

John calls everyone to repentance but he singles out the religious leaders who are supposed to be models for their people, telling them that a change is coming and they must change their lives accordingly. He doesn’t say they can’t be saved, but he warns that they can’t rely on the fact they are special because of their position or their heritage.

The challenge comes to us as well. Our family, job or society can’t save us. We must make the decision for ourselves to “produce fruit in keeping with repentance” (verse 8). Nothing we do and nothing we are brings us to salvation but we show our acceptance of Christ’s promise and prove our love for Him by the lives we lead.

John has one more warning for us all in verse 10 – “The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire”. The time to change is now, for as we have heard, we do not know the hour when Christ will return. Only you can choose to live a new life in Him, and He is always ready to receive us!

Gracious God, we know we are responsible for our sin and our repentance. Help us to admit our failures and accept the love and forgiveness You send us through Jesus. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 3:1-12.

John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
Matthew 3:4-6

John the Baptist was a throwback to the prophets of the Old Testament in his lifestyle, living away from the cities and eating simple food. Conversely, he was a forerunner of Jesus and we will hear John’s testimony concerning the Lord, saying “But after me comes one who is more powerful than I” (verse 11). He serves as a connection to Israel’s past, to what they have been taught and what they have done, but also a guide to the future, the blessing God has sent in Christ.

John attracted people from all over and preached to them the need for repentance. His ministry was one of leading the people to change their lives. It wasn’t about what they had done so much as what they could do if they turned their lives around. His focus was on the future, guided but not bound by the past.

Our lives today are more similar to this than we imagine. Our actions are often grounded in what we have done before, both good and bad. During Advent, this time of preparation for His coming, we must make ourselves ready to meet Jesus as if for the very first time. Let’s imagine going down to the river with John to have a life-changing experience, to begin a new way of living in and for Jesus.

Heavenly Father, we don’t deserve the gift of Jesus, but He comes to us anyway. We don’t deserve Your forgiveness, but You send it anyway. Help us to begin to live in new ways, sharing Your love with all the world. Amen.