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Bible Reading Plan

Reading Plan: Matthew 7:1-29

Judging Others

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

“Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

Ask, Seek, Knock

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

The Narrow and Wide Gates

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

True and False Prophets

“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

True and False Disciples

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

The Wise and Foolish Builders

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

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Daily Devotional: Build vs. Smash

And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.”

So Jesus called them over to him and began to speak to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come.”

Mark 3:22-26 

I was delighted to watch my son, Matthew, build a tower with his 3 ½-year-old son, Oliver. Just as Matt was about to place a block, out of nowhere, a tiny hand swiped, and the entire building crumbled. I saw the joy on Oliver’s face as well as the chagrin on Matt’s. My 36-year-old engineer wanted to complete the structure before the inevitable destruction. I verbally acknowledged the frustration he felt—he’s still my baby, too. The educator in me knew a teachable moment. I told Oliver (mostly thinking of future play with other wee ones) that he should ask permission first before wrecking the tower. Then I practiced building, pausing, directing him to ask, and responding with “not yet” to learn waiting. Rinse and repeat. Then, finally, replied, “Go for it!!”

This is a tiny example of “a house divided against itself cannot stand.” Human division often has the same source: conflicting desires. Matt wanted to build, and Ollie wanted to smash. Matt exercised patience and forgiveness because he was an adult playing with toys.. Ollie learned proper citizenship and courtesy, growth, and restraint. They loved each other, therefore this was an easy fix.

The scripture reading for today is yet another clever answer from Jesus to put the Pharisees in their place. Jesus could not be Satan because Satan was placing demons inside of people, and Jesus was removing them. Simple logic dictates Jesus could not be from Beelzebub. 

What does that mean for us today? The church should not be a house divided against itself; it should be a beacon on a hill. The church is the entire congregation. All the people—you and Iwe make the church. The problems may be complex and difficult which is all the more reason that when we deal with others, we must strive to practice patience, maturity, restraint, flexibility, perspective, validate others’ feelings, educate, and receive instruction.  We will always have conflicting desires, but when we learn to work within that framework with understanding and compromise we will find common goals. Each of us must be willing to grow and understand someone else’s viewpoint. In the toughest disputes, we need to seek God’s power through the Holy Spirit to find love for the other person. The ultimate goal is for the church to reflect the glory of God.

Next Steps

I encourage you to use this vibrant song as your own prayer from the heart. 

“Show Your mighty hand
Heal our streets and land
Set Your church on fire
Win this nation back
Change the atmosphere
Build Your kingdom here
We pray

– Rend Collective