The parable of the Dragnet describes the culling process God uses to separate the truly committed from every walk of life from those mildly interested.

Jesus' 28 'missing' years were spent maturing, studying, and gaining life experience to equip Him as a high priest who could relate to human struggles.

The apostles' inability to drive out the demon teaches that faith is not a constant factor; it will deteriorate if it not exercised through prayer and fasting.

Matthew's encapsulation of the Beatitudes, the essence of Jesus Christ's teaching, contains the foundation of His teaching through the entirety of His ministry.

Sin causes disease, but the person who becomes sick does not necessarily commit the sin. Because God alone can forgive sin, God alone can heal.

Jesus resisted Satan with the knowledge of God, resisting appeals to vanity, using power selfishly resisting to lust of the flesh, eyes, and pride of life.

When God gives a responsibility, He gives all the tools to carry it out and the freedom to decide how to do it. He wants to see how we do with what He gives.

Entering the Kingdom requires choosing the narrow, difficult path of sacrifice, service, and humility over the easy, broad path of selfishness.

The emotions Jesus felt were real, experiencing every agony, fear, anguish, disappointment, terror and temptation we all experience, yet without sin.

Jesus explains that what truly defiles a person—evil thoughts, murder, adultery—comes from their heart and mind, not from eating with unwashed hands.

To establish sound doctrine, we must build on the foundation Christ's teaching, taking the straight and narrow course rather than the wisdom of this world.

Those who are meek are capable of anger but keep it under control. They are humble, open-minded, willing to listen, don't jump to conclusions, and aren't defensive.

The Pharisees were missing a sense of proportion, avoiding sin, but not lightening the burdens of their flocks by applying justice, mercy, and faith.

Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem fulfilled prophecies. The crowds welcoming Jesus were actually choosing the Paschal Lamb of God on Abib/Nisan 10.

The Pharisees and Sadducees, who normally opposed each other, joined forces against their common enemy, Jesus. They should have recognized Him as the Messiah.

We should not seek material rewards under the New Covenant, though God may sometimes bless us physically. Our focus should be on spiritual rewards.

True greatness does not come from dominance but from serving with the attitude of a slave. Willingness to sacrifice self is the secret to success.

Matthew 11 focuses upon the ruminations of John the Baptist, who, even though he was close to Christ, may have misunderstood the nature of Christ's mission.

Jesus, showing the spirit of the law, warns against rash divorces, taking oaths, invoking God's name frivolously, realizing that a covenant is binding.

The word 'blessed' in the Beatitudes means happy from within, not dependent on circumstances. It comes from having God's spirit and hope for the future.

Life consists of a series of choices, often a dilemma of a pleasurable choice on one hand and a difficult choice (that produces more growth) on the other.

The Bible, in both parables and prophecies, interprets itself and remains consistent in its use of symbols. We cannot arbitrarily attach meaning to symbols.

The events in Matthew 24 parallel the six seals of Revelation 6 and the seventh seal of Revelation 7, showing a definite chronological progression.

Jesus contrasts the enormity of what we are forgiven to what we forgive others. Our forgiveness is directly connected with our forgiveness of our brother.

Those who are mature should be able to endure the slights of the immature, being circumspect not to lead anyone into sin through our careless example.

The transfiguration prefigured the Kingdom of God, with the disciples only seeing Jesus in the end, showing salvation is through Him alone.

If we ask God for protection from demonic influence, we cannot sit back passively; Satan always counterattacks. Evil must be displaced with good.

Jesus didn't break the Sabbath, but he did break extra-legal fanatical human custom applied to the Sabbath apart from God's Law.

Luke's gospel portrays Christ as the son of man, the high priest of man, and the savior of man, having all the feelings, compassions, and aspirations of man.

The admonition to remember is one of the most dominant themes in both Testaments. James teaches that the most important project is the cultivation of our minds.

Mark's gospel describes the miraculous transformation of the disciples, who began with slow comprehension, into faithful, mature apostles and fishers of men.

The dominant emphasis of Matthew is the kingly qualities of Jesus as a descendant of the royal house of David, representing the Lion of Judah.

The Gospels are Christ's biography. They also illustrate the typology of Revelation 4:7 depicting a lion, ox, man, and eagle, giving a picture of Christ's character.

Neither the original apostolic church nor the Roman Catholic Church authorized scripture, but accepted only what was already canonized. Here is how it happened.

Jesus sets a pattern for us by serving without thought of authority, power, position, status, fame, or gain, but as a patient, enduring, faithful servant.

The Sermon on the Mount is as vitally important today as when Christ preached it. It contains the way we are to live as God's representatives on this earth.