The Bible in Small Steps

Mark 2 - Sabbath is for Man We talked about the story of Jesus healing a paralyzed man who was carried by his four friends and lowered from a rooftop. Jesus forgave the man’s sins, which was questioned by the scribes present. However, Jesus demonstrated His authority to forgive sins by telling the man to rise, pick up his bed, and go home, which he did to the amazement of all present. We also talk...

Mark 1 - Jesus Is the Man of Action We dive into our new book and discuss on Mark 1 today. We’re looking at the second gospel book, which many believe was the first one written. It is thought that Mark was John Mark, Peter’s interpreter, and the book was written in Greek. Mark traveled with Paul and Peter, suggesting that Mark’s gospel is essentially the gospel according to Peter. Mark’s gospel is...

Matthew 28 - Resurrection Reactions of Joy and Fear Today, we get to the end of Matthew in chapter 28 and explore the resurrection of Jesus and the various reactions of those who discovered the empty tomb. I was fascinated by the angel’s actions, such as sitting on the large stone rolled away from the tomb’s entrance, which suggested a sense of humor and energy. He is ready to show people the empt...

Matthew 27- The Ultimate Sacrifice Today we will talk about Matthew 27 and crucifixion of Jesus and explore the events as they unfolded. It is a heart-wrenching account, and we cannot help but feel the weight of emotion that comes with it. Jesus, accused and tried by Pilate, remains silent, amazing the governor. Even though Pilate has the power to execute Jesus, he doesn’t personally wish to do so...

Matthew 26 - Betrayals, Trials, and Denials In my discussion of Matthew 26, I reflected on the complexities of Jesus’ final days, particularly the betrayal by Judas Iscariot and Peter’s denial. Despite what was about to happen all apostles were allowed to share this Passover meal and sit with Jeusus. The motivations behind Judas’s actions and wondered if he truly believed that the Romans could har...

Matthew 25 - Be Prepared! Today we talk about Matthew 25. We explore its themes and messages, starting with the parable of the ten virgins. We examine the contrast between those who were prepared and those who were not, and highlight the importance of being ready for the return of Jesus. This parable warns us against complacency and the danger of last-minute repentance. We also emphasize the impor...

Matthew 24 - It All Pans Out But Be Prepared In this episode, I delve into the chapter of Matthew 24, focusing on the warnings and prophecies Jesus gives his apostles as he nears the end of his time on Earth. Jesus foretells the destruction of the temple and the subsequent events leading to the end of the age. He warns his disciples about false prophets and urges them not to be led astray, emphasi...

Matthew 23 - They Remove the Gnats and Drink the Camels In this podcast episode, I delve into the teachings of Matthew 23 and highlight the essence of Jesus’ teachings about vanity and hypocrisy. I draw attention to the attempts made by the Pharisees and Sadducees to trick Jesus and how Jesus responded by exposing their lack of understanding of God’s word. I discuss Jesus’ analogy of the Pharisees...

Matthew 22 - Give to God What is God’s In this podcast, we continue our study of the book of Matthew, focusing on chapter 22. We delve into the parable of the wedding feast, where the guests he invited reject a man’s wedding feast for his son. This parable highlights two key themes: the rejection of Jesus by the religious leaders who should have recognized him and the idea that some invited to the...

Matthew 21 - Tenants Kill the Messengers and the Son In this podcast episode, we dive into Matthew 21 and the significance of its various parables. We begin by examining Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem, where He fulfills the prophecy of Zechariah 9.9 by riding on a humble donkey. This entry and the subsequent events of Palm Sunday are steeped in symbolism, from the spreading of cloaks and palm branche...

Matthew 20 - Don’t Be First, Be a Servant In this episode, we discuss Matthew 20, a chapter filled with parables and lessons from Jesus. Let’s begin by discussing the parable of the vineyard workers, each being paid a denarius regardless of how long they worked. To us, it may seem unfair, but Jesus is teaching us about the Kingdom of Heaven and God’s generosity, and how not to be envious. Jesus is...

Matthew 19 - Marriage, Divorce, and Children In this latest episode, we discuss Matthew 19. Our focus is on Jesus’ journey towards his mission in Jerusalem. We discuss how he was followed by the crowd drawn by his miraculous healing powers and teachings. We also explore Jesus’ encounter with the Pharisees and their questions about divorce. Jesus reinforced the sanctity of marriage and how Moses al...

Matthew 18 - Rejoice at the Lost Sheep In Matthew 18, we explore the various teachings and parables it presents. We begin by focusing on the disciples’ question about greatness in the kingdom of heaven and Jesus’ response that humility is key. He also emphasizes the importance of children and warns against causing them to sin. This leads to a discussion about the value of innocence and humility an...

Matthew 17 - Jesus, Moses and Elijah In this episode, we look at the book of Matthew 17. We reflect on the transfiguration of Jesus and the appearance of Moses and Elijah. This was a significant event for Peter, James, and John. We also discuss Peter’s reaction to the sight and his offer to build a tent so this can go on the road and everyone can see it! God’s voice urges them to listen to Jesus....

Matthew 16 - The Rock And The Stone In this episode, we take a deep dive into the book of Matthew 16. The conversation revolves around the interactions between Jesus and His disciples, as well as with the Pharisees and Sadducees. It’s intriguing to observe how the latter group constantly tested Jesus despite the numerous miracles He had already performed. The host also reflects on Jesus’ statement...

Matthew 15 - The Right Kind of Persistence is Faith In this episode, we discussed the meaning of tradition in relation to Jesus and our faith, focusing on Matthew 15. We explored the confrontation between Jesus and the Pharisees, who questioned him about the tradition of washing hands. Jesus responded by challenging their hypocrisy and pointed out how they exploited religious laws for their benefi...

Matthew 14 - He Reaches Us In Our Time Of Doubt This episode is about Matthew 14, where we see Jesus’ ministry becoming more bold. The chapter starts with Herod the Tetrarch, who hears about Jesus and mistakenly believes that John the Baptist has been raised from the dead. Herod had previously imprisoned John for condemning his marriage to his brother’s wife, and eventually had John beheaded. The...

Matthew 13 - Parables For All Listeners In this podcast episode, we explore the teachings of Matthew 13 which comes mostly from parables. He tells parables, and then he emphasizes the importance of truly listening and internalizing His messages. The main theme is the parable of the sower and the seeds, and how people receive and respond to God’s word differently. Some people understand and cultiva...

Matthew 12 - Who Is Your Real Family? Today, we will be exploring the teachings of Jesus and their implications in Matthew 12. One of the main themes in this chapter is the Sabbath, Jesus’ role as the Lord of the Sabbath, and how the Pharisees interpret Sabbath laws. As we encounter the incidents of Jesus healing on the Sabbath and feeding his disciples, we confront the criticisms of the Pharisees...

Matthew 11 - He Will Teach Us In this episode, we explore Matthew 11 and its significance in the narrative of Jesus’s ministry. If we look at John the Baptist’s imprisonment and his message to Jesus, asking if he is the one who is to come. Maybe he worried about his fate or if he was wrong about Jesus. Jesus responds by telling John’s disciples about the miracles he has performed and emphasizing t...

-Matthew 10 - Apostles Called and Instructed In this chapter, we talk about the calling of the disciples by Jesus. These were the first laborers sent out to gather the harvest after Jesus asked them to pray for them to come. The disciples are given the power of Jesus to perform miracles, heal, and share the word of God. Jesus tells them not to carry many things but to let the towns and homes they...

Matthew 9 - Who Needs Jesus? In the first part of our discussion, we explore Matthew 9, where Jesus returns to Capernaum after the pig incident. In the first few verses, we see Jesus healing a paralyzed man and forgiving his sins, which caused controversy among the scribes. In a surprising turn of events, Jesus calls a tax collector named Matthew to follow him, which leads to a gathering at Matthe...

Matthew 8 - Fear and Horror We look at Matthew 8, where Jesus descends the mountain and encounters a leper who asks to be healed. It’s a significant event, not only because a leper would typically be ostracized and kept at a distance but also because Jesus physically touches the man to heal him, which is highly unconventional. I’m also exploring the encounter with a centurion who seeks help for hi...

Matthew 7 - The Good and The Bad As I delve into Matthew 7, I can’t help but think of the day the people who heard this sermon and how impactful it was to be there. At the end of the chapter, people were astonished and in awe. I also talk about the metaphor of the speck and the log, which warns us against focusing on minor flaws in others while ignoring our significant faults. It’s important that...

Matthew 6 - His Will Be Done In this episode, I’m delving into Matthew 6, part of the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus discusses righteousness and how to live a righteous life. He’s packed it with teachings on prayer, giving, fasting, and worry. It all starts with a warning against “performing righteousness “ in front of others. Instead, we should do things because they’re the right things to do,...