The Disciples Get Ready to Celebrate the Holy Day with Jesus Today’s passage: Matthew 26:17–19, Mark 14:12–16, and Luke 22:7–13 Focus verse: “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’” (Matthew […]
The Traitor Sells His Master For a Few Coins Today’s passage: Matthew 26:14–16, Mark 14:10–11, and Luke 22:1–6 Focus verse: “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” (Matthew 26:15) Right after the woman anoints Jesus’s head, preparing him for his burial, we read of Judas deciding to betray […]
A Woman Prepares Jesus’s Body for Burial Today’s passage: Matthew 26:6–13 and Mark 14:3–9 Focus verse: “When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial.” (Matthew 26:12) As we continue reading about Jesus’s last week on earth before his execution, Matthew notes he is now in Bethany and […]
One Man to Die For the Entire Nation Today’s passage: Matthew 26:1–5, Mark 14:1–2, and John 11:45–57 Focus verse: [The religious leaders] schemed to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. (Matthew 26:4) Jesus has wrapped up a lengthy teaching about the end times and his later return to earth. He shared two parables about the […]
A Good and Faithful Servant Today’s passage: Matthew 24:45–25:46 Focus verse: “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:21) As Jesus winds down his teaching about the end times and his return, he shares an example of two servants. One is faithful and wise. The other is wicked. The first does what’s expected by his […]
The Return of Jesus Today’s passage: Matthew 24:1–44, Mark 13, and Luke 21:5–38 Focus verse: “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. (Matthew 24:36) After Jesus does some more teaching (Matthew 23), he and his disciples leave the temple. What […]
Celebrate Jesus and His Death on the Cross to Save Us Traditionally, Lent begins on Ash Wednesday. It continues through to Maundy Thursday (the day before Good Friday and Jesus’s death). Some church calendars, however, end Lent on Good Friday and others on Holy Saturday. This is the season of Lent. (Resurrection Sunday begins the […]
Children of God Today’s passage: Matthew 22:41–46, Mark 12:35–37, and Luke 20:41–44 Focus verse: No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions. (Matthew 22:46) Having deftly deflected all three of their ploys, Jesus now has a question for his detractors. “Considering […]
Today’s passage: Matthew 22:34–40 and Mark 12:28–34 Focus verse: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.” (Matthew 22:37) After he shares the three parables, the religious leaders—roiling over Jesus’s parable of the tenants—seek to trap him […]
Three Parables Today’s passage: Matthew 21:28–46, Mark 12:12, and Luke 20:9–19 Focus verse: When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them. (Matthew 21:45) Immediately after Jesus counters the religious leaders who challenge his authority, he shares some parables. With a crowd already gathered, it provides him […]