Hi, it’s Susan, but not bringing the announcements.

Some random things about me: I love tea, I love routine, alleys, and tall
tables to sit at. I love visual aides (our house is littered with pictures
of God’s faithful shepherding of us). I’m a 2 on the Enneagram and
understanding this has been an interesting study for me. I’ve spent a lot
of time the past couple years seeing the ways that shame has been used
by satan in my life, and am thankful for the ways that Jesus has made
Himself real to me.

• Stop and read Matthew 15: 21-28.

This story always makes me shake my head and then smile. I shake my
head at Jesus’ response about the crumbs and the dogs, and then smile
as he acknowledges the faith of this woman that was not esteemed
by most Israelites. Jesus has just left a heated conversation with the
Pharisees and Teachers of the Law where He calls them hypocrites
and blind guides. He heads straight into a territory filled with mostly
Gentiles (any one not Jewish), and is approached by this woman.

Ponder the following questions as you go about your day today:

• Why do you think Jesus first makes no reply, and then replies so cryptically?

• How does Jesus’ answer acknowledge that He knew He had a mission to accomplish while He was here on earth?

• How does the woman’s response demonstrate faith?

• Why do you think Jesus is so pleased with her faith?

• In what situation are you being challenged to respond in faith today?

Mike Houghtaling writing again today, representing the Beacon Home
Group. You probably have heard what we are about to read today. Jesus
walks on water and Peter does, kind of.

• Please take a minute and please read Matthew 14:22-36 AND as you do think: What is the point of this story?

This story is often called “Peter’s walking on the water.” The take-home
is often something like this: You can walk on water – and not sink! – if
you keep your eyes on Jesus. But I read an interesting take on this story
as I was studying this passage a few months ago:

What if the message of this text were “If [Peter] had enough faith, he
would have believed the word of Jesus (Verse 37, “Take courage. I am
here.”) that came to him in the boat as [providing] the presence and
reality of God”? Faith is not being able to walk on water – only God can
do that – but daring to believe, in the face of all the evidence, that God
is with us in the boat, made real in the community of faith as it makes its
way through the storm, [despite the fight of the heavy waves].”

If the above take is correct, then this story is NOT about the courage to
get out of the boat (even though courage is important), nor is it about
keeping our eyes on Jesus (even though we do need to stay focused on
Jesus). The importance is taking Jesus at his word that he is with us in
the boat, that is whatever situation we find ourselves in. After all, Jesus
being “God with us” is a dominant theme in the Gospel of Matthew from
beginning (Matthew 1:23) to end (Matthew 28:20).

Ponder and reflect on the following question today:

• What situation do you find yourself in that you find it hard to trust that Jesus – and therefore God – is with you? And as we ask at Hope Ministries: What would trusting God look like in your situation?

I, Mike Houghtaling, am writing the devotional thought today. My wife
Amy and I lead the Beacon Home Group which does not, as the name
implies, meet at the Beacon but rather at our house in Marquette Park. I
work as the spiritual life director at Hope Ministries. I am originally from
Ohio and during my high school years Shawn and Susan Titus were my
youth group leaders.

God’s people experience difficulties on a regular basis. If God is powerful
and good, why do you think bad things happen?

Our passages today are Matthew 13:24-30 and 36-43. Please read
them before going any further.

Let’s be honest, Jesus’ explanation of his parable can be downright
frightening. But think about it from the perspective of someone who is
a victim of the evil deeds of another person(s). For a victim this is good
news because we learn that God has a plan to deal with evil. And for evildoers, this is not only a warning and an invitation to turn from evil and
turn to God. (Who ever has ears, let them hear.) But that’s not where I
want to camp out on today.

If Jesus attributes this evil to the devil and NOT God, why are we some of
us so quick to assume that God is behind evil things that happen?

I know that the Bible is a big book and we cannot begin to answer all
our questions about why bad things happen. The Bible says that God
controls the universe. But the Bible also says that humans have free
choices. And, in this passage we read today, Jesus attributes evil to the
devil. Let’s be careful in pointing the finger at God. Let’s be careful in
telling ourselves or others that ‘everything happens for a reason’ as if
all evil is part of God’s purposes. Instead, can we follow the example
of Jesus here and attribute evil things to the devil and to the people
who belong to ‘the evil one’? If we allow ourselves to get frustrated by
‘weeds’, or if we shake our fists at God over their presence in our lives,
we probably need to allow Jesus to speak to us through this parable.

Greetings, Riverside Church family. I’m Tony Fuller. I’ve been attending
Riverside for over 4 years with my wife Jessica and our kids, Anna,
Zane, and Ty. We’ve been meeting (mostly virtually) with the Unnamed
Home Group. I work as a Video Producer/Editor in the Marketing
Communications Dept. at Notre Dame and South Bend has been home
for a number of years.

• Our passage today is from Matthew 13:1-23. Please take a few moments to read the Parable of the Sower.

As someone who’s spent many years working in the field of visual media
for a living, I’m quick to notice that Jesus was a master storyteller.
His use of clear and distinct imagery always accompanies a deeply
profound and urgent message. His parables are typically short and
easily digestible, but they are very rich and multi-layered if we allow
ourselves to look inward and be examined by them.

For this parable, I could focus on any number of things. The seed fell
in different areas. As someone who claims to follow Jesus, it is easy to
want to convince myself that I’m planted in the good and fertile soil.
Upon further, honest reflection that is an assumption I should not be
so easily willing to accept. In verse 22 Jesus reveals that the seed that
fell among the thorns is choked out by the cares and worries of this life.
The lure of wealth and earthly pleasures cancel out what is intended to
be fruit for the kingdom. Upon further self-examination, I must confess
that there have been many times that I’ve allowed and continue to
allow these things to take a hold of me.

My preoccupations with politics, social media, and my sports teams are
easy distractions for me. I can also be a professional worrier as well (just
ask Jessica). It doesn’t take long before these earthly cares and desires
get the upper hand and choke out the Word in my life.

Ponder and consider the following question:

• If Jesus were to try to speak to me, would I hear Him?

During this season of Lent, I want to be especially aware of the Word
and how Jesus may want to reach me. Jesus has a much better place
for me in the rich and fertile soil which will in turn produce fruit for His
kingdom.

Hi, I’m Andrew Gates, the “In” Pastor of Riverside Church where, among
other things, I get the privilege of overseeing our home group ministry,
and am part of the new Unnamed Home Group at Riverside. I would be
extremely shocked if any of our five kids grow to be taller than me (6’ 9”)
or shorter than their mom, my wife Marcie (5’ 1”).

Please take the next 7:09 to watch the BibleProject video “Overview:
Matthew 14-28.”

Soren Kierkegaard’s profound line “life can only be understood backwards;
but it must be lived forwards,” certainly applies to our lives, but there’s
another layer to Jesus’ story, where it seems clear throughout that Jesus
is the only one who understands what is happening in the moment, and
with two millennia of hindsight we are still struggling to unravel the full
significance of the greatest story ever told.

Even if you’ve read all of Matthew several times throughout your life, you
may not have noticed or considered many of the elements of the narrative
so clearly outlined in this video.

As you watch the video, please reflect on and wrestle with some of these thoughts and questions:

• The Gentile crowd seemed ready to receive Jesus as Messiah after he fed them, whereas the Jewish crowd, who had strong biblical and historical expectations for their Messiah, had lots of objections. As you read Matthew 14-28 in the coming weeks, notice how people’s expectations and assumptions get in the way of seeing and understanding what Jesus is doing.

• Peter declares “You are the Messiah!” and he is correct! In what way does Jesus challenge their expectations for the Messiah? (hint: see Isaiah 53)

• Matthew’s gospel begins and ends with “God with us” in the person of Jesus Christ. Remind yourself regularly today that God is with you. How does that attentiveness to Christ’s presence make a difference throughout your day?

Ahhh, our predictable routine or rest and reflection with the Father.

We again remember that the shared rhythms of Advent, Christmas,
Epiphany, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost root us in the redeeming story of
Christ, and live into the Biblical wisdom of the teacher that “there is a
time for everything” (Ecclesiastes 3:1). Built into these annual rhythms
are the wide spectrum of our life with Christ: anticipation and fulfillment,
proclamation and response, lament and joy.

• Today we are going to reflect on discovery. The season of Epiphany begins when the Magi discover the baby Jesus and fall to worship.

• In this past week as you’ve read the beginning of Matthew, what are you discovering about Jesus? Share with the Father what you are loving about Him as you discover.

Hello, my name is Phil Lubensky. My wife Jodi and I have been part of
Riverside for about 10 years. We are also part of the West of Westside
Home Group. We have lived in this area for over 20 years, but grew up in
the Pittsburgh area of Western PA.

• Please take a few minutes to read through Matthew 12:1-21.

In this passage, we see that the Pharisees are at it again! Here they
confront ‘The Lord of the Sabbath’ and criticize He and His disciples
for what they did on the Sabbath. They misunderstood that God never
intended for the 5th commandment to apply to the service of God,
deeds of necessity or deeds of mercy. God truly desired for the Nation
of Israel to cease from work on the 7th day and to act mercifully toward
others and ‘Do Good’.

For Christians, the distinctive day of the week is the first day, Sunday.
The Lord Jesus arose to life on that day! However, if I’m not careful (and
I’m far from perfect, as my Home Group can attest), I can treat the Lord’s
Day just like any other day.

There’s joy in the fact that Jesus freed us from all the false rules and
regulations of the Pharisees. For me/us, the Lord’s Day should be a day
of privilege and freedom…‘To do good’!

Reflect and consider the following questions:

• How well do you honor/celebrate our day of privilege?

• Another way to ask this question is: In how many different ways do you worship God on Sundays?

• What are some ways you can keep Sunday ‘special’…by showing mercy…by doing good to/for others?