TimFortner.com

Matthew 6: Having taught us – our righteousness must surpass the righteousness of the Pharisees and we are to be perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect- we realize we can never achieve this in our own strength.  This is why we are told our righteousness is as filthy rags. In order to enter heaven … Read more

Matthew 6 B: Father Knows Best! Jesus lists three acts of righteousness we are to practice- giving, praying and fasting.  Did you also notice He taught us there was a reward from your Father in heaven, who is unseen? We  will receive a reward for acts of righteousness done with the right motive from our … Read more

Matthew 5b: The Pure Heart In giving this sermon as the standard for Christian behavior and the qualifications for entering heaven , Jesus wanted us to realize  these standards cannot be met in one’s own power.  Jesus continues with his list of Beatitudes and the third one is – meekness.  The world’s view of meekness … Read more

Matthew 5 C:   I Know What’s Missing “I’m going to fix this world today, because I know what’s missing..” ( He Took a 100 lbs. Clay, song recorded/written by Gene McDaniels, 1961) “ I have set before you, life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may … Read more

Matthew 7 B: The Wrong Way As we have been studying the Sermon on the Mount, we realize the Lord Jesus is teaching us not only what we are to know and believe, but what we are also to do toward God and one another. The so- called Golden Rule is taught by Jesus as … Read more

Matthew 8:  Faith Jesus closes his teaching  we call – ‘The Sermon on the Mount’ with clear instructions what we are to do with his teaching.  “ Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams … Read more

Matthew 4: IF Obedience and sin sometimes hinge on the small word – “IF”.  Consider these verses:  “And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, IF we ask anything according to His will, He hears us: And IF we know that He hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the … Read more

Matthew 25,Part C: The Judgment What is interesting about today’s lesson is the Lord is not giving his disciples and us a parable- he is telling us the facts of his second coming. This will be at the end of that horrific seven year period known as The Great Tribulation. Scripture tells us the church, … Read more

Matthew 26:  Mary’s Alabaster Box Read I Corinthians 13 and it uses the word – ‘charity’ to describe the word for love that we also define as agape –love.  Charity has a connotation today of giving something without any expectation of return. This is what the sheep on the right did in Matthew 25- they … Read more

Matthew 26 B: Do This in Remembrance of Me Today’s lesson begins with the announcement it is the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread- the Passover.  One of the most revered feasts in all of Judaism.  The disciples come to Jesus for instructions. Jesus has already made provisions for a room and directs … Read more

Matthew 26 & 27: Peter and Judas We are moving into familiar territory once again with the story of the arrest, trials, and subsequent scourging, beating and crucifixion of the Lord Jesus.  I want to focus on two of the twelve disciples and their actions during this brief, but fast moving period of time.   Jesus … Read more

Matthew 28:  The Great Commission If anyone ever asked you – ‘ did Jesus ever say he was the son of God?’  The answer is – yes. In Matthew 26: 63-64, we read: “ The high priest said to him, “ I charge you under oath by the living God; tell us if you are the … Read more

Matthew 3: Repentance In today’s lesson we will meet John the Baptists, who appears briefly on the scene as the prophesized ‘voice’ of one calling in the desert. He was to have an important ministry of preparing the way for the Lord.  We will look at the significance of John’s baptism, which Paul called the ‘baptism … Read more

Matthew 5: Bless Your Heart! Today we start our study of what is called: The Sermon on the Mount.  If you have a Bible that highlights Jesus’ words in red, you will notice the next three chapters are completely red.  This is the Lord’s longest recorded sermon. He would repeat portions of this sermon often as … Read more

Matthew 24: The Long and Winding Road That Lies Ahead As we read last week in Matthew 23, the Lord proclaims – “ Look , your house is left desolate!” Matthew 24 begins by telling us- “ Jesus left the temple and was walking away…”  He will not enter the temple again. His disciples come up … Read more

Matthew 22:  Parable of the Wedding Banquet The first verse of this chapter tells us this is a continuation of Jesus’ conversation and confrontation with the Chief Priests and the elders. “ And Jesus answered them and spake unto them again by parables and said,…” Matthew 22:1, KJV. This parable represents the gospel offer and … Read more

Matthew 22B:  The Contest Continues The  Herodians and Sadducces continue in their efforts to entangle, entrap and discredit Jesus.  These are proud men who cannot believe this carpenter’s son from the backwater town of Nazareth is any match for their intelligence and knowledge.  For Jesus to outwit them or be able to answer their clever … Read more

Matthew 23: The first verse tells us this address is to the crowds ( multitudes,KJV) and his disciples.  It is a scathing condemnation of the false teaching of the religious leaders. We will look at the :  a series of ‘woes’ in this chapter as the Lord Jesus in the last week of his earthly … Read more

Matthew 25: As Jesus continues in his answer to his disciples’ questions- he provides parables to illustrate truths about the signs of his coming and the end of the  age. He says when you see these signs- you will know the end is near, but tells us- no man, no angels of heaven know the … Read more

Matthew 25, Part 2: As Jesus finished the Parable of the Virgins, he segues into the next parable by advising the disciples and us- to watch therefore , because we do not know the day. His next parable is also a parable about the Kingdom of Heaven, as he says –‘Again.’; and what proceeds is … Read more

Matthew 20: The Workers in the Vineyard “The kingdom of heaven is like….”  So the first verse tells us this is a parable which reveals facts about the kingdom of heaven.  You might also find yourself agreeing more with the workers in the vineyard  than the vineyard owner.  So let me set the stage for … Read more

Matthew 2: Yada, Yada, Yada… If you ever watched any of the Seinfield television series, a show about nothing, you heard this expression….’yada,yada,yada..’ This is actually a real Hebrew word that means to know or be known.  We began this study of the Gospels at Peter’s instructions- as he wrote in 2 Peter 3:18, the … Read more

Matthew 19: In today’s lesson, I want to concentrate on a young man’s encounter with Jesus that took place over 2,000 years ago. All through the gospels we read of conversations that took place between Jesus and real people from all walks of life. In today’s lesson we listen in to a conversation that takes … Read more

Matthew 18B: Life in the Kingdom In today’s lesson we will look at how seriously sin is regarded by the Lord among believers. He speaks figuratively of ‘ cutting yourself off’ from that sin which so easily entangles one. The Lord then prescribes, step by step, the proper way to handle church discipline of a … Read more

Matthew 18:  Like A Child Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?  For almost 3 years now, beginning with John the Baptist, the message had been- ‘ repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ The disciples envisioned an earthly kingdom, with Jesus crowned King like David and they would be the … Read more