Exodus 36-38, Matthew 23:1—22 • Key Verses: Exodus 36:4—5 Today’s reading includes one of the few times in history that a fund- raising effort was too successful. Exodus gives great detail to the constriction and furnishing of the Tabernacle. In almost an incidental way, the funding of the project is...

Exodus 34-35, Matthew 22:23-46 • Key Verse: Exodus 34:6-7 Critics of the Bible sometimes speak negatively about the God of the Old Testament, stating that the God of the New Testament is preferred. One of the most obvious problems with that viewpoint is that the God of the Old Testament...

Exodus 31-33, Matthew 22:1—22 • Key Verses: Exodus 32:7-8 When we talk about worship, one phrase that is not true is, “Anything goes.” It is possible to worship the right God in the wrong way, as today’s reading indicates. The incident of the golden calf typically is remembered as a...

Exodus 29-30, Matthew 21:23-46 • Key Verse: Matthew 21:23 Do you ever question authority? Think about it before you answer “no.” Are you sure that there is never a time when you say, “Who do you think you are?” Perhaps you, do not say those exact words, but do you...

Exodus 27-28, Matthew 21:1-22 • Key Verses: Exodus 28:36-37 The tendency is to think the details of these chapters hold little significance for today. But God put the details in for a reason. One reason is to vividly remind us of the necessity of holiness in our worship of Him....

Exodus 25-26, Matthew 20:17-34 • Key Verse: Matthew 20:23 Sometimes you have to wonder what in the world is going on in the heads of some people. This chapter includes one of those times. Jesus was again predicting His death, noting that it would involve betrayal, condemnation, mocking, flogging and...

Exodus 23-24, Matthew 20:1—16 • Key Verse: Exodus 24:3 The children of Israel had a phenomenal opportunity in the desert. True, they ultimately would be in the wilderness for 40 years, but at this point consider what was happening to them. God had delivered them from Egypt and was leading...

Exodus 21-22, Matthew 19 • Key Verse: Matthew 19:27 The struggle to keep oneself in check can rear its head at the most inappropriate times. A young man came to Jesus asking what he needed to do to get eternal life. He was wealthy and probably thought that, like success,...

Exodus 19-20, Matthew 18:21-35 • Key Verses: Matthew 18:32-33 We live in an angry world. Too often there is not even time for the proverbial “slow burn.” For example, road rage is typically an immediate response. Another driver’s actions cause not an equal but usually greater reaction. Obviously, forgiveness has...

Exodus 16-18, Matthew 18:1-20 • Key Verse: Matthew 18:15 One of the toughest things a Christian is called upon to do is confront a believer about sin in his life. Part of what makes this hard is the reaction we anticipate. Yet .because we love Christ and the other Christian,...