by Rachael Stelzer
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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. (Matthew 7:24)
Read Matthew 7:22–27
Today’s parable follows Matthew’s account of Jesus’ teaching about true disciples. He uses a parable about wise and foolish builders to demonstrate his point.
I’ve often read this parable incorrectly. Surely, I say to myself, the wise builder is the one who listens carefully to Jesus’ words, and the foolish one ignores them.
But that’s not how Jesus characterises the two builders. They are both listeners to his words, potentially both believers in the same community, hearing the same teachings and encouragements.
The difference between the wise and the foolish builders? Five little words: ‘… and puts them into practice’. The wise man hears Jesus’ words and puts them into practice. The foolish man hears Jesus’ words and doesn’t put them into practice.
I’ve heard Jesus’ words. Am I putting them into practice? Or am I sitting in my pew, looking around me smugly at all the people I believe should be acting on what they hear?
To take some steps in love, in prayer, in service and in witness – these are the things that show that my foundations are firm and that I have built on the Rock.
Dear Jesus, your words are life and love. Help me to put them into practice in my own life. Strengthen my foundations and help me build my life on your word. Amen.
Rachael Stelzer is Primary Head of Faith and Spirituality at Coomera Anglican College near Brisbane. She is a member of Our Saviour Lutheran Church in Rochedale.
by Rachael Stelzer
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
Thus, by their fruit you will recognise them (Matt 7:20).
Read Matthew 7:13–21
In this passage, Jesus taught his disciples how to recognise true prophets and true disciples from those who were tricking others, and even those who fooled themselves. It is not an easy teaching, but it is clear and simple.
Jesus used a simple analogy to help people understand the difference between true prophets and false ones. He pointed out that no-one picks grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles. A good tree bears good fruit, and a bad tree bears bad fruit. So rather than listening to what someone says, we need to look for the fruits demonstrated in their life.
Do we notice the fruit of the Spirit, their quality relationships and the empowering of those around them? Do we hear words of life and encouragement? Do they convey the love of a generous God?
Jesus even suggested that not everyone who calls him ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only those who do those things that are God’s will for them.
US preacher, poet and philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson has been quoted as saying, ‘Your actions speak so loud that I cannot hear what you say.’ Rather than the ‘do as I say, not as I do’ attitude, the life that Jesus looks for is the one fruitful in actions, in love and in legacy.
Lord Jesus, please forgive me for the times I talk the talk but don’t walk the walk. May my actions speak louder than my words. May my life reflect the fruit of the Spirit in me. Amen.
Rachael Stelzer is Primary Head of Faith and Spirituality at Coomera Anglican College near Brisbane. She is a member of Our Saviour Lutheran Church in Rochedale.
by Rachael Stelzer
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, ‘Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!’ (Luke 5:8)
Read Luke 5:1–11
Peter and his brother and friends had been fishing all night. And they had caught nothing all night. These simple men had not even caught enough fish to feed their families, much less enough to sell to make a profit.
And now this stranger, this itinerant preacher, was telling them to try again on the other side of the boat. It beggared all common sense. What did he know about fishing?
And yet, something about the way he spoke drew Peter in. There was something about him. And Peter figured he had nothing to lose. So, he talked the others into trying again.
And suddenly, they reeled in a catch like they had never seen before. So many fish that they were nearly swamped! They called for reinforcements from the other boat, and both almost sank under the weight of the fish!
And Peter knew without a doubt that something more than an abundant catch was being provided here. Peter recognised the power at work in this man. And his own imperfection. And the fear of God moved him to speak.
‘Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!’
But the stranger did not turn away. Instead, he calmly said, with a twinkle in his eye, ‘Don’t be afraid. From now on, you will be catching people.’
And Peter was hooked from that moment.
Dear Lord, when we recognise the abundance you bring into our lives and communities, we are hooked. May our lives tell the story of your welcome, your leading and your rich love so that others will also be attracted to the abundant life you offer. Amen.
Rachael Stelzer is Primary Head of Faith and Spirituality at Coomera Anglican College near Brisbane. She is a member of Our Saviour Lutheran Church in Rochedale.
by Pastor Glenn Crouch
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I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart (Psalm 138:1a).
Read Psalm 138
Do you find some places more worshipful than others? Out in the bush? Looking up at the night sky? Walking along the beach? Watching the skies afire with lightning? Think of a place like that as you read this psalm. Better yet, if you can, go to a place like that and read this psalm. It is good to worship our Lord – yes, you can do that wherever you are. Remember Paul and Silas in the Philippian jail (Acts 16).
There is also something wonderful about worshipping with fellow followers of Jesus and knowing that we are coming together in God’s presence. In our gathering, we join in with those already with our Lord Jesus – and all of heaven – in worshipping our Triune God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. For those who originally sang this psalm, it is about going to the temple. For us, it may be a Sunday worship time or some other gathering where we come together to hear his word, sing his praises and receive forgiveness. I think our worship goes to the next level when we can gather around his table and receive the body and blood of our Lord Jesus, where we receive all he has done for us.
As we come and worship our Lord and God, we realise how much more praise he deserves. As the Spirit within us joins in the worship, we are refreshed – we are renewed. This is what truly amazes me: We come to bring our praise and thanks for all that he has done for us, and in doing that, we receive far more than we give! How great is our God!
A good exercise is to take a psalm (such as today’s) – or a passage from it – and turn it into your prayer. Give it a try!
Great and merciful God, grant me the words so I can praise you – not only on Sundays but every day. Renew in me the joy of your salvation. Above all, I want to thank you for my Lord Jesus. Thank you for his incarnation, life, death, resurrection, ascension and promised return. O, my Father, how great you are! Amen.
Glenn is the pastor of St John’s Lutheran Church in Esperance and looks after St Paul’s Lutheran Church in Kalgoorlie–Boulder, Western Australia. Glenn and Karen have been married since 1985. They have two grown sons and are enjoying regular video chats with their first grandchild.
by Pastor Glenn Crouch
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you (Matthew 7:12a).
Read Matthew 7:1–12
As we have journeyed through Jesus’ teaching from the Sermon on the Mount this week, we have focused on what is required of us as followers of Jesus. As I prepared these devotions, I found that these passages remind me of the ‘plank in my own eye’ (verse 3) that still needs lots of work. How am I to ‘cast stones’ when there is still so much work for the Holy Spirit to do with me?
Of course, Jesus wants us to have good discernment (‘wise as serpents’ – see Matthew 10:16), but we must be careful that we don’t set ourselves up as the judge of others, as there is only one Judge (James 4:12). It is not up to us to decide who God saves, especially given that we cannot even save ourselves.
Remember when we looked at the Lord’s Prayer on Tuesday? Check out the verses Matthew included following the prayer (Matthew 6:14,15). If we are forgiven, then we should forgive others. If God is gracious to us, then it makes sense that we should be gracious to others. When I get frustrated with others, I try to remember a comment a Pentecostal pastor (and good friend) said to some of us pastors: ‘I am glad that God is more patient with me than I am with others!’
As we deal with our families, schoolmates, friends, work colleagues – whomever we encounter – we need to remember how our loving God has treated us, and this should then be how we treat others.
Gracious Father, forgive me for how often I forget all you have done for me. Remind me each day of your wonderful gospel. Please help me, through the power of your Spirit, to treat others well. I pray in the name of my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Glenn is the pastor of St John’s Lutheran Church in Esperance and looks after St Paul’s Lutheran Church in Kalgoorlie–Boulder, Western Australia. Glenn and Karen have been married since 1985. They have two grown sons and are enjoying regular video chats with their first grandchild.
by Pastor Glenn Crouch
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness (Matthew 6:33a).
Read Matthew 6:25–34
This is a passage I need to hear continually. Jesus has no problem with us having sensible concerns or making good contingency plans. The problem is when those concerns turn into worry and anxiety that then seem to take us over. Added to this, many of us have health issues (both physical and mental) that make us anxious. You may find this passage challenging if you are already in a dark place. Please bear with me if you can.
Jesus asks us, as his followers, to put our trust in him and to rely on our Heavenly Father even when everything is falling down around us. Do this first – don’t try fixing things first, don’t try complaining about it first; instead, trust in Jesus.
In this passage, the first thing we are told to do is to seek his kingdom and his righteousness (verse 33). Hold onto Jesus as best you can, knowing he is far better at holding onto you. Rather than focusing on tomorrow, hold onto Jesus now. Give him your concerns and worries. Let him know what is freaking you out.
I frequently come back to the dad whose son is possessed, and the disciples have been unable to help. The dad says to Jesus, ‘I believe! Help my unbelief’ (Mark 9:24). Based on this, I often pray, ‘I trust you, Jesus; help my lack of trust – calm my anxious heart …’.
Loving Father, I hand to you all that I am anxious about. However, I have trouble letting go of my worries. Please help me. Keep my eyes focused on Jesus. Father, I also lift before you those I know who are struggling with depression, anxiety and the weight of this fallen world – grant them your comfort and peace. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
Glenn is the pastor of St John’s Lutheran Church in Esperance and looks after St Paul’s Lutheran Church in Kalgoorlie–Boulder, Western Australia. Glenn and Karen have been married since 1985. They have two grown sons and are enjoying regular video chats with their first grandchild.
by Pastor Glenn Crouch
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
You cannot serve both God and money (Matthew 6:24).
Read Matthew 6:19–24
We do like our ‘stuff’. I have always enjoyed collecting things – especially when I was younger. Oh, the joy of coming across that stamp I was missing from a set or that comic that had the conclusion of a story I had been waiting ages to finish. Even though my pastoral library is primarily digital these days, I still get a good feeling when I complete a commentary set – or an expensive book I’ve been after is on a good special! How about you?
In today’s passage, Jesus is not saying that all this stuff we have is bad. God created and sustains a beautiful and rich world, and there is nothing wrong with enjoying the many blessings he supplies. Rather, Jesus is warning his followers about priorities. How much weight do we place on our possessions (money, property, status)?
Treasure is something we tend to horde, lock away and keep to ourselves. We protect and fight for it. We can easily turn our stuff into idols – we can treasure it more than following Jesus. Our eyes drift away from the cross as we focus on our stuff. Our ears no longer hear the Holy Spirit as we follow where the materialism of our world leads us. We cannot be followers of Jesus and be obsessed with our possessions.
Turn back to the cross. Confess your sins. Receive the forgiveness that your Lord Jesus has earned for you. Get up and go out and follow Jesus. Hold on to Jesus, and never forget that he has an even tighter hold on you.
Creator God, thank you for the abundance you supply me with. You far exceed my needs. I need your help to keep me focused on my Lord Jesus. I want to be good at following Jesus, but I fail so often. Forgive me. Help my eyes to remain focused on him. In his name, I pray. Amen.
Glenn is the pastor of St John’s Lutheran Church in Esperance and looks after St Paul’s Lutheran Church in Kalgoorlie–Boulder, Western Australia. Glenn and Karen have been married since 1985. They have two grown sons and are enjoying regular video chats with their first grandchild.
by Pastor Glenn Crouch
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
This, then, is how you should pray … (Matthew 6:9a).
Read Matthew 6:7–15
I spent many years of my adult life where the Lord’s Prayer was seen primarily as a framework for how to pray. Don’t get me wrong – it does do a wonderful job of this. But since joining the Lutheran Church 30 years ago, I have found such joy and blessing in the liturgy. I now feel that a church service where we don’t say the Lord’s Prayer together is missing something.
Yet, as many commentators have pointed out, this prayer isn’t really how Jesus prayed but how he wanted us as his followers to pray. (See John 17 for our Lord Jesus praying.) So, we must think about the words we pray in this prayer. We can’t do that justice here – instead, let’s look at one particular aspect: ‘our.’
We pray to ‘Our Father’ – we are brothers and sisters through Christ. We ask for ‘our daily bread’ – not just for my needs but also for my family’s and my neighbour’s needs. We ask for forgiveness for ‘our debts’ – not only for my sins but also for the sins of others. We ask, ‘Lead us not into temptation’ – not only for my protection but also for the protection of others.
While I definitely bring my praise and requests to my Heavenly Father, as a follower of Jesus, I must not forget those around me. As we ask for ourselves, we also ask for others. Jesus advocates for us (as does the other great advocate, the Holy Spirit), so we do need to advocate for others. We should see beyond our own needs and problems and thus see the needs and problems of those around us – and bring those to our Heavenly Father.
Our Father in heaven, thank you for this prayer that your Son gave us. I thank you that I can bring my praise and my needs before you. Help me remember that you also want me to bring praise and the needs of my neighbours before you. In Jesus’ mighty name, I pray. Amen.
Glenn is the pastor of St John’s Lutheran Church in Esperance and looks after St Paul’s Lutheran Church in Kalgoorlie–Boulder, Western Australia. Glenn and Karen have been married since 1985. They have two grown sons and are enjoying regular video chats with their first grandchild.
by Pastor Glenn Crouch
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen (Matthew 6:6a).
Read Matthew 6:1–6,16–18
We continue our week of looking at what is involved in being a follower of Jesus. Today, we look at the area of piety. This may not be a term we are comfortable with using these days, but by it, we mean our personal devotion to God.
The first thing we notice, and this may come as a surprise, is that Jesus talks about our giving to those in need. This is a part of our personal devotion to God and not something we do so that others can see how generous we are. We give to those in need because our Heavenly Father gave his only Son for us. We are to be generous with all that God has given us, and we need to be discreet about our giving.
Do you put aside time to pray? Should it be the same time each day? What about using a prayer journal? What about an app for your phone that looks after this? How does fasting fit in? All wonderful questions so please talk to your pastor or a Christian mentor about these things, as your prayer life is important. We will talk more about prayer tomorrow, but in today’s passage, Jesus tells you that when you pray and/or fast, it is something between your Heavenly Father and you. Some things are not for public consumption.
You may be surprised that Jesus didn’t include daily reading of Scripture, something many of us have as part of our devotional time. We often forget that we live in a truly blessed time when we can easily access the Scriptures in print and electronically. As followers of Jesus, we need to spend time learning more about him through our Bibles and good devotional tools. This very resource is one of those tools.
Gracious Father, help me to do better when it comes to giving to the needy, spending time with you in prayer, and reading your word. I know I need to spend more time with you – help me. Forgive me when I fail and encourage me to continue these useful habits. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Glenn is the pastor of St John’s Lutheran Church in Esperance and looks after St Paul’s Lutheran Church in Kalgoorlie–Boulder, Western Australia. Glenn and Karen have been married since 1985. They have two grown sons and are enjoying regular video chats with their first grandchild.