April 10 / Matt. 13:1-9

Matthew 13:1-9 “Notice what you notice.” Today is our 100th day in the Gospels – just so you know… Pat yourselves on the back if you’re keeping up. What hits me today is the fact that it’s all coming together for me. Except for our earlier time in Judea, we’ve had almost three months in …

April 9 / Luke 8:1-3

Luke 8:1-3 “Notice what you notice.” A very short passage today. My Study Bible tells me that these verses are from Jesus’ second journey into Galilee, so if true my chronology is messed up. Still, we do have Jesus in Galilee going throughout the “cities and villages” (v. 1). So three women (“and many others”, …

April 8 / Matt. 12:46-50; Mark 3:31-35; Luke 8:19-21

Matthew 12:46-50, Mark 3:31-35, and Luke 8:19-21 “Notice what you notice.” Two things strike me today. The first is very simple, one word – outside. I’ve always pictured Jesus preaching out in the open air with crowds all around Him. But each of these writers today has Jesus inside (presumably a house) with His mother …

April 7 / Matt. 12:43-45; Luke 11:24-28

Matthew 12:43-45 and Luke 11:24-28 “Notice what you notice.” We’ve probably all heard sermons on today’s topic, that someone has an unclean spirit cast out, but the person does not replace the unclean spirit with “something positive” and the unclean spirit returns “en force”. Jesus’ comments are perfectly in line with Samuel’s sermon today on …

April 5 / Matt. 12:38-42; Luke 11:29-32

Matthew 12:38-42 and Luke 11:29-32 “Notice what you notice.” Asking for a sign… There is one major difference between Matthew and Luke with respect to Jonah. Both writers focus on the repentance of the men of Nineveh. However, Matthew also added the three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish (v. …

April 4 / Matt. 12:31-32; Mark 3:28-30; Luke 12:10-12

Matthew 12:31-32, Mark 3:28-30, and Luke 12:10-12 “Notice what you notice.” Something new today, all three Synoptic Gospels (imbedded below) on one short topic — blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, the unpardonable sin…!! Matt. 12:31-32, Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not …

April 3 / Mark 3:20-27

Mark 3:20-27 “Notice what you notice.” I never really understood verse 28: But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then indeed he may plunder his house. That is, I have understood the content of the verse but not the context, as to …

April 2 / Luke 11:14-23

Luke 11:14-23 “Notice what you notice.” All too often in past readings, when two or three Gospel writers repeated the same story I would look for differences between these accounts. That was interesting to a point, but does not really get very deep into the heart of the matter before us. So I won’t be …

April 1 / Matt. 12:22-30

Matthew 12:22-30 “Notice what you notice.” Have I not noticed before that Beelzebub (Beelzebul) is basically a “Baal” derivative, in this case from Baal-Zebub/Zebul – the God of the Philistine city of Ekron (II Kings 1:1–4)? Thanking my Study Bible notes for that insight… Abraham Lincoln quoted Jesus’ “house divided” item. I offer his entire …