Matthew 20 - 11.26.25

Scripture 

So the last will be first, and the first will be last. (Matthew 20:16)

Observation

The context is the parable of the workers in the vineyard. The owner of the vineyard hired workers for a denarius. He continued to hire people every hour from nine in the morning to five in the evening. When it was the end of day, the people who were hired at nine had put in a full days’ work, and the people who were hired at five, had worked only for an hour. When it was paytime, the master started paying starting with the ones hired last, going on to the first. The first laborers expected to be paid more. However, the master paid everyone the same - one denarius. 

Jesus ends this parable by saying that the last wil be the first, and the first will be the last.

The length of time that we served God does not determine our reward. Some people have the privilege of knowing the Lord as a child, and living their whole lives for Him. Some others might have received the Lord just before they died. A typical example is the thief on the cross. The thief believed in Jesus just moments before he died - yet he was received into paradise along with Jesus! 

Just because we received the Lord early, it does not put us into a different category to receive more gifts in eternity because we served the Lord for more time. 

This verse is repeated 4 times in the Bible, twice in Matthew (Matt 19:30, 20:16), once in Mark (Mark 10:31), and once in Luke (13:30), showing that God’s standards are not like human standards. In all the 4 contexts, it is talking about eternal rewards when we get to heaven, and the Lord reminds us that the last will be the first, and the first will be the last.

Application

Prepare to be surprised when we reach heaven. The people whom God honors in heaven might not be the ones we might expect. We might expect God to reward people depending on the visible size of their earthly ministries, mega churches or other things that we value on earth. Jesus gave the example of prostitutes and tax collectors who had truly repented, entering the kingdom of God ahead of the self-righteous religious leaders (Matt 21:31). People who sacrificed all they had including families, friends and earthly wealth for their faith, and had to suffer persecution will receive a hundred times as much (Matt 19;29; Mark 10:30). Jesus taught them that people whom the Jews considered heathen, will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God (Luke 13:29).

People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart (1 Sam 16:7). We don’t want to miss out on the eternal reward of salvation. Let us make sure that our heart is right before God. 

Prayer

Dear Father, I know from your word that not many wise, mighty or noble are called by You (1 Cor 1:26). But Lord, You chose to call me. You made me your child. Thank you for choosing me. Thank you for adopting me into your family. I am yours (Isaiah 43:1). Help me to guard my heart with all diligence as the issues of life spring out of it (Prov 4:23). Help me to set my mind on things above and not things of the earth. Please help me to always set my eyes on You, who are author and finisher of my faith (Heb 12:2). Help me to run the race you have kept before me in a way that I might win the prize (1 Cor 9:24). Help me to be holy as you are holy (1 Peter 1:16). May my life be a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to you (Romans 12:1). In Jesus’s name. Amen.

- Asha Chacko George

Psalm 104 - 11.25.25

SCRIPTURE:  Psalm 104:33

“I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. May my meditation be pleasing to Him, as I rejoice in the Lord.”

OBSERVATION:  The author of this psalm praised God for His greatness, splendor and majesty.  As the Creator and Sustainer of the earth, he praised God for the way He set it on its foundations, and for filling it with His goodness.

God makes springs pour water into the ravines; it flows between the mountains that give water to all the beasts of the field. He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for people to cultivate - bringing forth food from the earth and bread that sustains our hearts.  He made the seasons; and the sun knows when to go down!  He made all the creatures, and they all look to Him to give them their food at the proper time.  Without God’s breath in them, all creatures and people will die! 

APPLICATION:  When I read this portion of Scripture, it reminded me NOT to worry ABOUT ANYTHING because God is sovereign and very much in control over all He made!  God is giving us permission to give Him ALL our anxious thoughts, problems, worries, and frustrations in exchange for His peace - as long as we are willing to trust Him, and surrender our need to control over to Him! 

PRAYER:  Dear Heavenly Father, I praise You for Who You are, and for Your eternal power.  I thank You for all You have done to reveal Yourself to me through all You have made.  I pray I will always remember the wonderful works You have done, and what a trustworthy, faithful loving God You are!  I pray as I continue to observe Your powerful and creative hand in nature, that my trust will grow stronger and my faith will grow deeper.

- Robin Orefice

Matthew 18 - 11.24.25

Scripture

Matthew‬ ‭18‬:‭32‬-‭33‬ ‭NIV‬‬

““Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’”

Observation

In this passage, Peter asks Jesus how many times he must forgive someone who sins against him. Jesus responds to Peter with a parable. It was about a king who decided to bring in a man who had owed him millions of dollars. Unfortunately, the man couldn’t pay the debt he owed. So, the king ordered that this man’s family and all his possessions be sold to pay off the debt. The man pleaded to the king to be patient with him and to give him more time to pay off the debt. The king felt pity on the man, released him, and forgave the man of his debt. But, as soon as this man was released, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him money. Instead of showing his fellow servant the same mercy and forgiveness he was shown by the king, he decided to have his fellow servant arrested until he could pay off the debt. When word got out about this and the news spread to the king, THE KING WAS FURIOUS! He ordered the man to be captured, imprisoned, and tortured until he could finally pay off his debt. 

Application

We must forgive the way Jesus has forgiven us.

I don’t know why, but whenever I sit in traffic and cars are struggling to merge onto the freeway, I think of this story. You see, I’m usually the car on the freeway that has a bit of compassion for those big rig trucks or cars trying to merge onto the freeway. I usually slow down and let them in. But then I see that the same car that I just let in, close the gap and ride the car’s bumper in front of him so that no one else can cut and merge in front of him. I get so angry and frustrated. I’m like, “C’mon my guy, show the same courtesy that I just showed you.” 

This parable does have me think how we can be with God. How many times has God forgiven us? Multiple, if not thousands of times! But, how soon we forget. The moment someone wrongs us, we want to cut all ties and relationships with that person. Some of us even go the “Old Testament” way and seek revenge, (an eye for an eye). But God calls us to forgive. He calls us to forgive the same way Jesus forgives us. That is forgiving with no strings attached and unconditionally. It can be hard to do and easier said than done. It reminds of what C.S. Lewis wrote:

“Everyone thinks forgiveness is a lovely idea until he has something to forgive.”

How easily we expect and want God to forgive us, but when we have to forgive someone else for the same thing, our hearts are hardened to the idea. Let’s not be those kinds of people. Jesus calls us to be holy, (set apart). So, even if the world thinks one way when it comes to forgiveness, let’s look at forgiveness the way God calls us to. The way Jesus forgives.

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” -Ephesians‬ ‭4‬:‭32‬ ‭

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, 

Thank You for your forgiveness. No matter how many times I mess up, which is plenty, You choose to forgive me. The way You choose to forgive is something I can never fathom, but it is something You call me to do towards others. Please give me your forgiving heart towards those who wrong me. May I always remember what Jesus did for me in order for me to be forgiven. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.🙏🏽

-Moses Gaddi