Pastor Tom's Journal

   When the Questions Become Ours Matthew 22:15–46 Questions can open doors. They can help us examine our assumptions and discover truths we might otherwise miss. Questions can also become traps. In Matthew 22, three questions are directed toward Jesus. They are intended to test, manipulate, or discredit him. Jesus refuses to remain confined within them. He turns each question into a question for us. Then Jesus asks a fourth question—and all the others converge upon it. This is a brief introduction to the message. For the synopsis, complete article, full sermon, historical background, Gospel comparisons, and subscriber Deep Dive, visit Bible Chat on YouTube or Substack: ttps://tomsims.substack.com/p/when-the-questions-become-ours Who owns what? The Pharisees and Herodians ask Jesus whether it is lawful to pay taxes to Caesar. They want a yes-or-no answer. Either answer could create trouble. Jesus asks to see the coin. “Whose image is this, and whose inscription?” “Caesar’s.” “...

   Can You Drink the Cup? Matthew 20:17–34 Jesus is on the road to Jerusalem. He tells his disciples plainly what is waiting for him there: betrayal, condemnation, mockery, flogging, crucifixion—and resurrection. He is going up to Jerusalem, but the way up is sometimes down. It is down into service. Down into compassion. Down into surrender. Down into the costly love that refuses to grasp for power. And immediately after Jesus tells them this, James and John come seeking the best seats in the kingdom. They want one at his right hand and one at his left. They are posturing and negotiating. They still seem to imagine that Jesus is going to march into Jerusalem, take over, and need a couple of trusted associates to help him run things. We understand that impulse. You can still visit old Bruton Parish Church in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia, where a guide will point out pews once rented by prominent families. They bought the best seats, and no one else could sit there. Even afte...