Reflections on the GOSPEL. Creation, fall, redemption, restoration /consummation /recreation. Inclusive and exclusive. Tabernacle and presence.
Loved by God.

- UBF Gospel Musings
- Chicago, IL, United States
- * It's good to suffer loss, for it draws me to the Cross where God's loss is more than what anyone ever lost. * We cannot hear what the stories of the Bible are saying until we hear them as stories about ourselves. * Let go of control. * Trust God. Thank God. Think about God. Talk to God. Talk about God.
Saturday, December 16, 2023
Day 12 Advent, 12/15/23: A Friend of the Socially Unacceptable (Mt 11:19)
Friday, December 15, 2023
Day 13, 12/16/23: The Son of Man is Going to Suffer
Thursday, December 14, 2023
Day 11 of Advent, 12/14/23: A Gentle Forcefulness (Mt 11:12)
Wednesday, December 13, 2023
Day 10 of Advent, 12/13/23: I am Gentle and Humble (Mt 11:29)
Saturday, December 9, 2023
Day 7 of Advent, 12/9/2023: The Laborers are Few (Mt 9:37)
- I pray that my life, lifestyle, choices, and morals may reflect Christ and the holiness of God (Rom 8:29; Heb 12:10).
- In my older years (Ps 92:14) I pray to live a life of repentance (Ps 51:1-4; Mk 1:15).
- I pray to learn and/or re-learn a life of prayer, piety and purity so that God can use me to somehow influence others (Ps 51:13), even the next generation (Ps 22:30).
First Week of Advent |
Matthew 9:35—10:1, 5a, 6–8 |
Friends, today Jesus instructs us to pray for laborers for the harvest, for disciples to do the work of evangelization. We need to organize our lives around evangelization. Everything we do ought to be related somehow to it. This doesn't mean that we all have to become professional evangelizers. Remember, you can evangelize by the moral quality of your life. But it does mean that nothing in our lives ought to be more important than announcing the victory of Jesus. |
Wednesday, December 6, 2023
Day 4 of Advent, 12/06/23: Give Away What You Receive (Mt 15:36-37)
Monday, January 2, 2023
How should Christians Care for the Poor?
OT texts frequently bid us to care for widows, orphans, and sojourners (Exo 22:21-22, 23:6, 9; Lev 23:22; Deut 10:18, 14:29, 15:9, 24:7, 14, 19, 26:12-13, 27:19; Ps 68:5, 72:4, 146:9; Prov 15:25, 22:22; Job 29:12, 31:16; Isa 1:17, 23, 10:1-2, 58:10; Jer 5:28, 7:6, 22:3, 16; Eze 16:49, 22:7, 29; Am 4:11; Zech 7:10, also Mk 12:40; Jas 1:27). In the Gospels, 1 out of every 10 verses is about the poor, and in James, 1 verse in every 5. We can't avoid reflecting on what Scripture says about the poor.
Jesus's words "the poor you will always have with you" (Matthew 26:11) are regularly used to suggest that ending poverty is impossible, that poverty is a result of moral failures, and that the poor themselves have no role in changing their situation. But "the poor you will always have with you" is actually one of the strongest biblical mandates to end poverty.
Sunday, November 7, 2021
Chiasm of Matthew 6:24
- A. No one can serve two masters.
- B. Either you will hate the one
- C. and love the other,
- C'. or you will be devoted to the one
- B'. and despise the other.
- A'. You cannot serve both God and money.

- C/C' the center essentially asks, "Who/what do you love and are devoted to?"
- A/A' on the outside makes a statement of truth.
- B/B' is the contrast of C/C'.
Wednesday, December 9, 2020
Gentle, Meek and Humble (Matthew 11:29)

Sunday, May 3, 2020
Be Perfect in Showing Mercy (Matthew 18:21-35)
- Why were people not moved [disinterested, turned off] by the way the religious leaders taught the Bible?
- How does Matthew end his Gospel (Mt 28:18-20)? What is the mandate of the "great commission"?
- How does this ground the life and mission of the church (Mt 7:24-25)?
- Why is training necessary if we want to follow Jesus (Mt 13:52; 1 Tim 4:7; 2 Cor 7:1; 2 Pet 1:5-8)?
- Is there a system to discipleship? What is the goal of discipleship?
- Is the community of the church necessary for one to follow Jesus? Can one follow Jesus without being trained in the community of the church?
- "Be perfect" (Mt 5:48). Christians don't make excuses: "I'm only human." "I'm still a sinner." "No one's perfect."
- "...unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven" (Mt 5:20).
- "...teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you" (Mt 28:20). No way around teaching obedience. Teaching must be exemplified.
- "...every teacher...who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven..brings out...new treasures as well as old" (Mt 13:52). Am I a one trick pony?
- "...love your enemies" (Mt 5:44). Seriously?
- "Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them" (Mt 6:1). Why do we like to show off our righteousness?
- "I desire mercy, not sacrifice" (Mt 9:13; 12:7; Hos 6:6).
- "But you have neglected the more important [weightier] matters of the law--justice, mercy and faithfulness" (Mt 23:23).
- "If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private" (Mt 18:15, NASB). Why is this straight forward instruction hard to do?
- "...forgive...from your heart" (Mt 18:35).
- Taking Up the Cross [Crucified Messiah] (Mark)
- Training for the Kingdom of Heaven [Teacher] (Matthew)
- Liberation through the Power of the Spirit [The Spirit of the Lord is upon me] (Luke-Acts)
- Loving One Another [Man from heaven] (John and Epistles)
- The problem is NOT the problem.
- Obedience [keeping the Law] {being right} and disobedience [breaking the Law] {being wrong} are NOT "gospel categories," since EVERYONE disobeys [breaks the Law] {is wrong}. Thus...
- Pointing out that someone is sleeping around or not sleeping around is NOT what helps anyone to change or repent.
- Watching porn or not watching porn is NOT the change that should be sought.
- Being great(er) or having no ambition whatever is not the problem. [Hard working or lazy. Accomplished or underachieving.]
Monday, April 27, 2020
Expose the Sin and Forgive (Matthew 18)

- Why are the disciples asking about who the greatest is (Mt 18:1; 16:21; 17:22)? What does this show about them?
- Is being great a requirement for entering the kingdom of God (Mt 18:2-3)? What are kingdom people like (Mt 18:3-5)? What is required (Mt 18:3)? [child - paidion]
- Who are the "little ones" [ton micron] (Mt 18:6a)? Why does Jesus use hyperbole--such drastic language toward those who cause others to stumble (Mt 18:6b-9; 1 Cor 12:12-20)?
- What do disciples [we] incline to do with "little ones" (Mt 18:10a)? Why should we not (Mt 18:10b, 14)? How does Jesus illustrate this (Mt 18:12-13; Lk 15:4-7; Eze 34)? Is this pragmatic or prudent (Jn 11:50)?
- 3 Steps for Conflict resolution.
- What should you do when a fellow Christian sins [against you] (Mt 18:15a; Lev 19:17-18)?
- Why? What is the ultimate objective (Mt 18:15b)?
- What would this avoid? Why do we often NOT do so?
- What if the one who sins is a leader in the church (1 Tim 5:19-20)?
- What is the role of the church (Mt 18:16-17; Dt 19:15)?
- What does it mean to "treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector" (Mt 18:17)?
- Why is church discipline important and necessary (Mt 18:18-20, 6, 1-5)?
- On what basis does the church have such authority (Mt 18:18-20; 28:20)?
- Is excommunication inconsistent with loving enemies and the golden rule (Mt 5:43-48; 7:12)?
- Why did Peter ask about the frequency of forgiving others (Mt 18:21)? Why did he chose "7 times" (Job 33:29-30; Amos 1:3; 2:6)?
- How do we forgive others unlimitedly (Mt 18:22)? How much is 10,000 talents (Mt 18:24) and 100 denarii (Mt 18:28)?
- Why do we not comprehend or grasp the greatness of God's forgiveness (Mt 18:23-31)?
- How serious is it to not forgive others (Mt 18:32-35)?
- What does an unforgiving heart show about the person?
- Does forgiveness involve restoring the relationship?
- Hays, Richard B. The Moral Vision of the New Testament: community, cross, new creation: a contemporary introduction to New Testament ethics. Part One, 3. The Gospel of Matthew: Training for the Kingdom of Heaven. 1996. HarperCollins Publishers, NY.
- Hauerwas, Stanley. Matthew. Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible. Brazos Press, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006. MATTHEW 18: The Church.
Monday, April 20, 2020
God Values the Little Ones (Mt 18:10-14)

God Values the Little Fella (Mt 18:10-14). Disciples Don't Despise Dispensable Disposable Deplorables, for Jesus the good shepherd is the model for his disciples [SWS 4/26/2020; Ps 116; Lk 24 lectionary texts. Song: The Overwhelming Never Ending Reckless Love of God Coming After Me].
- [1] These Little Ones (Mt 18:10a)
- [2] My Father in Heaven (Mt 18:10b)
- [3] 100 Sheep One Lost (Mt 18:12a)
- [4] Leave & Search [for the little one] (Mt 18:12b)
- [5] One Found 99 Never Strayed (Mt 18:13)
- [6] My Father in Heaven (Mt 18:14a)
- [7] These Little Ones (Mt 18:14b)
- the beginning [1], middle [4] and end [7] focus on "the little ones" (Mt 18:10, 12, 14), while
- [2] and [6] are a pair of my/your "Father in heaven" (Mt 18:10, 14), and
- [3-5] are a parable on finding the one lost sheep (Mt 18:12-13) with
- [3] and [5] focusing on "the one and the many" while
- the climax in the very center [4] displays the willingness of the shepherd to risk leaving the 99 "on the hills" to go after the one that went away (Mt 18:12b).
- Who are "these little ones" (Mt 18:10a)? Why might one little one wander away (Mt 18:12a; 16:24; Lk 14:26; 1 Jn 2:15-17)? Is the sheep misled or does it go astray? Is it the fault of the sheep or the shepherd?
- Might Peter denying Jesus, doubting Thomas, the 10 disciples who ran off in the garden, and the "Jerusalem street" (Lk 23:35, 48; 18:13) be among "the little ones" who strayed and went astray?
- What was Jesus "still doing" on the cross with "the little ones" (Lk 23:34)?
- Who did Jesus say is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven (Mt 18:2-5)?
- What does the disciples' question about the greatest show about them (Mt 18:1)?
- Was Jesus speaking of children in general or of this particular child (Mt 18:4)?
- What does the change from "child" (Mt 18:5) [paidion] to "little ones" (Mt 18:6; 10:42) [ton micron] tell us?
- Why does Jesus caution/warn his disciples to "not despise/look down on" [neglect, ignore] the little ones (Mt 18:10a) [to treat others with scorn or contempt]? Why? [See Q. 3.]
- Does this challenge the leadership of the church in every age?
- Do people/organizations/"churches" tend to despise the dispensables /disregard the powerless /overlook the non-contributors? [Or declare an interest in them as a power play?]
- Do you desire/wish to be in what C.S. Lewis calls "The Inner Ring"? [What's the motivation?] Should you not rather be a "sound craftsman"?
- What does it mean that "the little ones" (believers) have angels before "the face of my Father in heaven" (Mt 18:10b; Ac 12:15; 1 Cor 4:9; Heb 1:14; Ps 17:8; Rev 2:1, 8, 12; 3:1, 7, 14)?
- What does Jesus exemplify in the center/climax of the chiasm [3,4,5] (Mt 18:12-13)?
- How does the world regard the weak, the powerless, the poor, the nameless?
- Why do people not want to bother with the one sheep who couldn't keep up?
- Can the lost, the one who wandered off, find their own way home?
- What is the shepherd willing to endure in order to look for the one who is lost/went astray (Lk 15:4, 8; Jn 10:11)? How does this strengthen and encourage the 99?
- What is the tendency of [church] leaders with regard to 1/99?
- How might we want our [church] leaders to act?
- What does the shepherd rejoicing over finding the lost sheep teach us about repentance (Mt 18:13; Lk 15:5-6,9; 19:10; Jn 4:32)?
- Who is the celebration and rejoicing about (Lk 15:6, 9, 24, 27, cf. Lk 15:30)?
- When the lost one is found were they blamed, rebuked, shamed and exposed as a "bad sheep," made to feel bad?
- Despite the intention of the Father in heaven (Mt 18:14) and the shepherd (Mt 18:12), what could still happen? Is there the possibility of failure?
- What was Jesus expecting of his disciples (Mt 25:40; Jn 20:21; 1 Pet 5:2)?
Friday, December 27, 2019
Love God
Tuesday, December 25, 2018
Be Kind and Gentle (2008 - 2018)
- Be kind and gentle (Mt 11:28). Jesus said, "I am gentle and humble in heart." Mother Theresa said, "I prefer you to make mistakes in kindness than work miracles in unkindness." I realize that when I feel attacked, oppressed, imposed upon, criticized, slandered, gossiped about and experience injustice, I am reactive, angry, loud, defensive and offensive. I am anything but kind, gentle and humble in heart, even if I try to control my outward expressions. For the rest of my life, I pray to learn my Lord who is "gentle and humble in heart," though it will surely be with many failures.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Sermon on the Mount (Martyn Lloyd-Jones): General Introduction
Why is the church shallow? Poor/wrong way of studying the Bible. A main cause is our attitude toward the Bible. We fail to take it seriously as our sole authority. We fail to study the Bible in the right manner.