by Gareth Flanary | Apr 8, 2019 | Matthew Series
Textual context: The last discourse (23-25) anticipates an impending judgment on the Jewish leadership – the scribes and Pharisees. They have focused on outward expressions of piety, rather than on justice, mercy, and faith. They were...
by Gareth Flanary | Mar 22, 2019 | Matthew Series
Matthew 20:1-16 Introduction The “parable of the laborers in the vineyard” is unique to Matthew. The stories that surround this parable — the rich young man and Peter’s claim to have “left everything,” Jesus’ third prediction of his death, and James &...
by Gareth Flanary | Feb 20, 2019 | Matthew Series
Matthew 9:36-13:52 The core of Matthew’s gospels is found in five discourses of Jesus. The first is what we deem the “Sermon on the Mount” (5-7). Today’s article will focus on the second and third discourse. In 9:36-11:1, Matthew reflects a pattern that...
by Gareth Flanary | Feb 10, 2019 | Matthew Series
Matthew 7:1-6 Introduction Illustration: An episode of the Andy Griffith show begins with Andy and Opie playing catch. While they are playing, Annabelle Silby comes by to solicit help with the annual children’s charity drive she heads up every year. Andy and...
by Gareth Flanary | Feb 3, 2019 | Matthew Series
Matthew 6:7-34 INTRODUCTION Today is February 3, 2019. Where did January go? Several circumstances have kept me from our Sunday worship assembly for a couple of weeks (weather cancelation and the Man Flu). I had invited Malik Champlain to preach on...
by Gareth Flanary | Jan 13, 2019 | Matthew Series
Matthew 3:1-17 INTRODUCTION Matthew tells the Jesus story:To a Jewish Christian community groping for direction in the midst of a changing world To reshape their worldview to that of a true follower of Jesus… To restore the second generation church to a Jesus’...
