The purpose of Matthew is to prove
Jesus is Messiah the eternal King.
This week we see Christ finishing
His earthly work, as well as teaching
and commissioning His disciples.
On Monday, we learn from Mt 21
that Christ Teaches Trust & Obey.
On Tuesday, we learn from Matt 23
that Christ Looks for Authenticity.
On Wednesday, we learn from Mt 24
that Christ Promises His Return.
On Thursday, we learn from Matt 25
that Christ Teaches Accountability.
On Friday, we learn from Matt 26
that Christ Obeys Father’s Will.
On Saturday, we learn from Matt 28
that Christ Gives Great Commission.
Let us humble ourselves and pray
and seek His face…In Jesus’ name.
The events in the final two days of
Jesus’ earthly life carry shadows of
the cross: the anointing in Bethany,
the Passover Observance, Lord’s
Supper, the prayer in Gethsemane.
Jesus is arrested, tried, condemned
executed and placed in a tomb. But
in triumph, Jesus comes forth from
the grave in resurrection power.
The Kings of the Jews Lives again,
a message which His followers
are commissioned to share.
Lord, we Affirm Your Commission:
Then the eleven disciples went
into Galilee, to the mountain which
Jesus had appointed for them…
And Jesus came to them and said:
All authority has been given to Me..
Go and make disciples of all the
nations… teaching them to obey
everything I have commanded u;
and lo I am With you Always, even
to the end of the age (Mt 28:16-20)
This gospel of the kingdom will
be preached in all the world as
a witness to all the nations, and
then the end will come They will
see the Son of Man coming on
the clouds of heaven with power
and great glory (Matt 24:14, 30).
Lord, there is no doubt about
the task You had left for us to do.
Help us step out of comfort zone
to find people who need to know U.
Help us witness to those You have
placed in our sphere of influence
in words, deeds and attitudes.
Help us Lord reflect You clearly
as people with fragrance who
has found the answer to life.
Help us be disciples and make disciples. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Lord Jesus, You promise Your
followers that You Will Be With
them Always. Though busyness
and activities often disconnect
me from others, it will never
separate me from You. Your
promise is reliable in a world
where most promises are not.
Thank You Lord for the permanent
nature of Your promise. Amen.
Lord, the signs of the times
including Covid virus pandemic
and the raging war in Ukraine
reminds us we are at end of age.
And the promise of Your coming
again spurs us to evangelism.
We rededicate ourselves to the
service of Christ in submission
to His authority over our lives.
We believe that faith in Christ Jesus
alone brings about salvation; and
we purpose to spread this message
to our friends & loved ones. Amen.
The events during the final two
days of Jesus’ earthly life carry
the shadow of the cross. Everything
He says and does foreshadows
that symbol of shame, sacrifice
and salvation: the anointing in
Bethany, the Passover observance,
the Lord’s Supper and the prayer
in Gethsamane. Jesus is arrested
and tried, first by the Jews, then
the Romans; He is condemned,
executed and placed in a tomb.
But the story does not end there.
In glorious triumph, Jesus comes
forth from the grave in resurrection
power. Indeed, the King of the
Jews lives again, a message of
Good News which His followers
are commissioned to share.
Lord, we’ll learn to Seek God’s Will:
While they were eating, Jesus took
bread, gave thanks and broke it
and gave it to His disciples saying:
Take and eat; this is my body.
Then He took the cup, gave thanks
and offered it to them saying:
Drink from it, all of you. This is
my blood of the covenant, which
is poured out for many for the
forgiveness of sins (Mt 26:26-28)
My Father, if it is possible, may
this cup be taken from me. Yet
not as I will but as You will. Then
He returned to His disciples and
found them sleeping and said:
Could you not watch with Me one
hour? Watch and pray, lest you
enter into temptation (v39-41).
He went away 2nd time & prayed:
My Father, if it is not possible for
this cup to be taken away unless
I drink it, may Your will be done.
When He came back, he found them
sleeping. So He left & prayed the
third time the same thing (v42-44).
Lord Jesus, You tell us in Your
Word to watch and pray so that
we may not fall into temptation.
We realize as Christian soldiers
we’re compelled to constant guard
for the enemy is like a roaring lion
seeking to take advantage of us.
Make me Lord a worthy soldier of
Your army so that I will not fail You
or cause others to stumble. Amen.
Lord Jesus, thank You for the bread
and the cup for they signify You
offering Yourself that we perceive
how much You love us & be drawn
into deep relationship with You.
Dear Jesus, each time we share
in the Lord’s Supper, remind us
that we are truly receiving Your gift
of Yourself to us, that we may live
in and through Your Love. Amen.
Lord Jesus, You were totally
committed to Your Father’s plan;
obedient to do what He wanted.
Your prayer for the removal of the
cup was denied and Your submitted.
Father God, we know that You
have good plans for our lives; and
we want Your Will be done in our life.
Reveal Lord Your specific will and
help us to pray accordingly. Amen.
Herod’s temple captured the
attention of all who passed by.
Commenting on its splendour, the
disciples set the stage for Jesus’
Olivet Discourse. His followers
are urged to watchful expectation
coupled with faithful service;
because despite signs of His
coming, the return of Christ will
be unannounced. His coming
will bring judgment on the nations
and rewards for His followers.
Lord, we will Do Assigned Work:
The master replied: You wicked
and lazy servant! You think I’m
a hard man… harvesting crops
I didn’t plant and gathering
crops I didn’t cultivate? Well,
you should At Least have put my
money into the bank so I could
have some interest (Mt 25:26-27)
When the Son of Man comes,
He Will Separate the people…
Then the king will say to those on
his right: Take your Inheritance.
For I was hungry & you gave me
something to eat, I was sick and
you looked after me, I was in
prison and you came to visit me…
Whatever you did for one of the
least..you did it for me (v31-40).
Lord, it’s easy to look at others and
think that I have Nothing to offer.
But You have blessed me with gifts
and talents that the world needs.
Help me to plant talents & resources
as well as look for opportunities to
sow seeds of kindness on others.
Thank You for helping those seeds
to grow and flourish ; and thank You
for reaping a good harvest. Amen.
Lord, we avail to Join You to rescue
people who are perishing and who
need Bread of Life & Living Water.
Forgive me when I don’t listen and
instead pursue my own agenda.
Help me to hear & Obey when You
call upon me. Help me to prioritise
activities to free time for God’s work.
And empower me to be Your hands
and feet. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Lord, Your Word has shown
us what Really Matters to You:
caring for the sick, visiting those
in prison and feeding the hungry.
Help us O Lord to feed daily on
Your Word and live our life of faith.
Grant us Lord the grace to do so
for it is Christ in us that helps the
disadvantaged, tells the truth,
and fights the battle. In Jesus name.
Herod’s magnificent temple
captured the attention of all who
passed by. Commenting on its
beauty & splendour, the disciples
set the stage for Jesus’ Olivet
Discourse, a prophetic look at
future events. His followers are
urged to watchful expectation
coupled with faithful service
because, despite the signs of
His coming, the return of Christ
will be unannounced. His coming
will bring vengeance on His
enemies, judgment on the nations
and rewards for His followers.
Lord, we’ll Prepare for Your Return:
Immediately after the tribulation…
the sun will be darkened… Then…
they will see Son of Man Coming
on the clouds with power & great
glory. He will send forth his angels
with the sound of a mighty trumpet
& they will gather his chosen ones
from the farthest ends of the earth.
When you see the events I have
described beginning to happen,
u can know His Return is very near
right at the door (Matt 24:31-33).
Heaven and earth will pass away,
but My Words will by No Means
Pass Away (Matthew 24:35).
Watch therefore, for you do not
know what hour your Lord is
coming… Therefore you also
Be Ready for the Son of Man
is coming at an hour you do
not expect (Matt 24:42-44).
Lord, let us be forever settled in
our hearts that You’re Returning.
Help me Lord be sensitive to the
changing season in my life and
in the lives of those around me.
Help me share You with those who
yearn to know more about You.
Open my eyes to the signs all
around so that I may prepare for
and anticipate Your Return. Amen
Lord, Your Words will Never Pass
Away for they speak in present
ways into the nows of our lives.
In fact the scriptures contain
Your truth and sacred promises
which I can base my life on.
Lord, let Your Word teach me,
shape me and saturate me; and
then speak Your Word through
me to others. In Jesus’ name, Amen
Lord, help us Keep Watch and
Be Ready for Your sure return
so that we may be able to give an
account of ourselves at any time.
Help us declare the word of the Lord
for righteousness being restored.
These are the days of the harvest,
The fields are as white in Your world.
We’re the labourers in Your vineyard
declaring the word of the Lord!Amen
After Peter’s dramatic confession
of Jesus as the Christ, the Son
of the living God, Jesus began to
shew unto His disciples how He
must go to Jerusalem and suffer
many things, be killed and raised
again the third day. After preparing
His disciples for the unexpected
events, Jesus begins His final
journey to Jerusalem. Arriving
to a hero’s welcome, He is hailed
as King while making His humble
entrance into the city. It’s now the
final week of Christ’s earthly life.
Lord, help us to Be Authentic:
You must obey the Pharisees…
But don’t do what they do, for they
do not practice what they preach…
The greatest among you will be
your servant. For those who exalt
themselves will be humbled and
those who Humble themselves
will be exalted (Matt 23:1-12).
Woe to you, teachers of the law,
you hypocrites! You have neglected
the more impt matters of the law –
justice, Mercy and faithfulness…
Woe to u Pharisees, hypocrites!
For you are so careful to clean
the outside of the cup & the dish,
but inside you are filthy. First Wash
the Inside… and then the outside
will become clean too (v13-26).
O Jerusalem… how often I wanted
to gather your children together,
as a hen gathers her chicks under
her wings but you would not (v37)
Lord, help us to focus on You God
rather than ourselves; and replace
our self-centredness with Humility.
Help us also to lead a way of life
that furthers the kingdom of God
and based on serving others.
Help us Lord to have a Servant
mindset in service and live out
our Christianity in truth & grace.
Help us to do justly, love mercy &
Walk Humbly before You. Amen.
Lord, we realise it’s so easy to fall
into the trap of being judgmental.
It’s so easy to point out tiny faults
in others that annoy us and yet
we ignore the shortcomings the
size of camels in Our Own Lives.
Even when we feel as if we have
arrived without much imperfection,
we still have a camel of pride in us.
Help us Offer Our Hearts and minds
daily to U God so that Your grace
can redeem our failures. Amen.
Lord, we realize Your discipline
may likely follow wrong doing.
But make us Lord to love You that
You may be to us a fire of love,
purifying us and not destroying.
And let us Lord not serve You
with a spirit of a slave but with
gladness of children, delighting
ourselves in You and rejoicing
in Your kingdom work. Amen.
