Matthew

Study Scripture

March 23, 2023 by Tim Sherfy

When we study scripture, we should always ask, “What is this passage revealing to me about God?” The Bible is God’s Word to us. It is His revelation of Himself. If you want to know God, study scripture. If you want to hear the Lord speak, read what He is saying in His Word. God reveals all we need to know about Him within the pages of His Word.

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The Bible is a sacred book, a book to be cherished above everything else in our lives. Jesus is the Word of God in the flesh (John 1:1-4; John 1:14). He is the bread of life. If we want to live fully, then we must consume His bread (John 6:35; John 6:48-55). We must delight in His Word. We study scripture to know God and to learn how to live our lives as He intends us to live them.

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Our Perspective

March 16, 2023 by Tim Sherfy

When Jesus is our Lord, our perspective on time, resources, career, marriage, and money changes. We want to represent Jesus well in every area of our lives. If we don’t have this desire, then Jesus is not our Lord. Contrary to some popular teaching these days, when you surrender your life to Jesus, everything changes. To make Jesus your Lord is to reject every pleasure and desire we have ever known.

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Everything becomes about Jesus. All things become new (2 Corinthians 5:17), not just some things. Life as we have known it ceases to exist. This is why Jesus explains few will enter through the narrow gate (Matthew 7:13-14). Most people will insist on carrying so much stuff from their life before Jesus that they cannot squeeze through the narrow path leading to eternal life.

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Running the Race

March 6, 2023 by Tim Sherfy

Paul’s letter to the Church at Corinth contains the familiar passage where he compares living life for Christ with running a race (1 Corinthians 9:24-27). It’s a great analogy not only because the road we travel is long but also because of the discipline it requires to stay on the path. Any form of athletics is by its nature a competitive process.

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Everyone who competes wants to finish first, but only one can. In some events, like a marathon, participants are content to only finish, regardless of winning or losing. Both hold lessons for us. No one runs a race without a goal, and no one achieves their goal without putting in a lot of hard work before the race ever begins.

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We Will All Face Persecution

March 2, 2023 by Tim Sherfy

How can I be certain we will all face persecution? First and foremost, I know because Jesus told us we would face it (John 16:33). We need no other proof. Jesus speaks only the truth. He cannot lie and is never wrong. What you may have never considered, though, is the “why” behind Jesus’s proclamation. Jesus established the foundation here. He said the world would hate us because it first hated Him (John 15:18).

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They didn’t just hate Jesus for who He said He was, they hated everything He did. The fact many were following Him incensed them even further. So whether it is Jesus or a follower of His, the hatred of the world will burn hot. But there is still a deeper “why” behind such hatred that if we understand, I think it will help us deal more effectively with the persecution that is sure to come.

Making People Uncomfortable

February 27, 2023 by Tim Sherfy

Are You making people uncomfortable with the way you live? That may seem like an odd question until you realize Jesus made a habit of making those around Him uncomfortable. If we want to live like Jesus, shouldn’t we be less concerned with having everyone like us and more concerned with making people uncomfortable when we interact with them? I’m not certain where the goal of getting along with everyone came from, but it’s ridiculous if you think about it.

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We are called to stand out and be different (1 Peter 2:9). We are also called to be bold and proclaim the name of Jesus (Matthew 10:32; 1 Corinthians 16:13). By obeying those two commands alone, there is no way we are going to be the “go along to get along” kind of people. When we choose Jesus, we choose to ruffle more than a few feathers by the way we live.