Archives for 2026

Good morning,

The evening of April 1, 2026, is the celebration of Passover. How are Jesus and Passover connected? That will be our study for this week.

What’s Jesus link to Passover?

How are Jesus and the Passover connected?

I. Introduction

Passover, an annual Jewish festival commemorating the Israelites’ deliverance from slavery in Egypt, holds significant meaning within biblical history. The question of how Jesus is connected to the Passover underscores deep theological themes that span from Exodus to the New Testament. By exploring Passover’s Old Testament origins and its culminating aspects in the life and ministry of Jesus, we gain a fuller understanding of how Scripture consistently portrays redemption through the sacrifice of the “Lamb of God.”

V. The Last Supper as a Passover Meal

The Gospels describe Jesus celebrating the Passover with His disciples shortly before His crucifixion (Matthew 26:17-20; Mark 14:12-16; Luke 22:7-13). Known commonly as the Last Supper, it retains the form of the traditional Jewish Passover meal. Yet Jesus transformed its meaning by reframing the bread and wine as symbols of His impending sacrifice:

“And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is My body, given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you.’” (Luke 22:19-20)

The bread now represented His body, and the wine His blood, revealing that He ultimately fulfills the Passover. The timing-taking place during Passover week-strongly connects His death to the sacrificial typology that the festival had foreshadowed since Exodus.

VI. The Crucifixion and Passover Timing

All four Gospels indicate that Jesus’ crucifixion occurred around the time of the Passover feast. Historical sources such as Josephus (“Antiquities of the Jews” 18.3.3) corroborate that the Passover was indeed one of the major pilgrimage festivals, drawing large crowds to Jerusalem, aligning with the scriptural accounts of Jesus’ final days.

In John’s Gospel, the crucifixion is specifically noted to coincide with the preparation day of the Passover (John 19:14). This highlights again that, at the time the Passover lambs were being slain, Jesus was being sacrificed for the sins of the world-fulfilling the deeper meaning of Passover.

VII. Theological Significance

1. Deliverance from Sin and Death

In the same way that the blood of the Passover lamb rescued the Israelites from divine judgment in Egypt, Jesus’ blood rescues believers from the penalty of sin (Romans 5:8-9). Passover, therefore, is no longer merely historical ritual. In Christ, it points to ultimate, eternal deliverance.

2. Inauguration of the New Covenant

Jesus’ reference, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood” (Luke 22:20), reveals the establishment of a new relationship between God and humanity. Echoing Jeremiah 31:31-34 and Ezekiel 36:26-27, this is a covenant in which God’s law is written on the hearts of believers.

3. Remembrance and Worship

Just as Jewish believers were commanded to keep the Passover as a memorial (Exodus 12:14), Christians observe the Lord’s Supper in remembrance of Christ’s sacrifice. This ongoing practice unites believers with the redemptive history begun at the Exodus and brought to fullness in Jesus’ death and resurrection.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

The evening of April 1, 2026, is the celebration of Passover. How are Jesus and Passover connected? That will be our study for this week.

What’s Jesus Link to Passover?

How are Jesus and the Passover connected?

I. Introduction

Passover, an annual Jewish festival commemorating the Israelites’ deliverance from slavery in Egypt, holds significant meaning within biblical history. The question of how Jesus is connected to the Passover underscores deep theological themes that span from Exodus to the New Testament. By exploring Passover’s Old Testament origins and its culminating aspects in the life and ministry of Jesus, we gain a fuller understanding of how Scripture consistently portrays redemption through the sacrifice of the “Lamb of God.”

II. Old Testament Foundations of Passover

Passover (Hebrew: Pesach) was instituted during the Exodus when Yahweh commanded the Israelites to sacrifice a lamb, place its blood on their doorposts, and eat the lamb as part of a special meal (Exodus 12:3-14).

Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: ⁴And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb. ⁵Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: ⁶And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. ⁷And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. ⁸And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. ⁹Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof. ¹⁰And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire. ¹¹And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD’S passover. ¹²For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. ¹³And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.¹⁴And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever. ”

This act distinguished them from the Egyptians at a time when Yahweh struck all the firstborn of Egypt. According to the text, the blood was a sign of divine protection:

“For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. ¹³And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 12:12-13)

This event was such a defining moment that the people of Israel were commanded to remember it annually as a perpetual ordinance (Exodus 12:14). The Passover meal included specific elements-unleavened bread (matzo), bitter herbs, and the Passover lamb-underscoring themes of haste, deliverance, and sacrificial atonement.

III. Foreshadowings of a Greater Deliverance

Throughout the Old Testament, prophetical writings and typologies hinted at a future, greater redemption. The sacrificial system in Leviticus (cf. Leviticus 16) and passages like Isaiah 53 pointed to a suffering servant who would bear sins on behalf of others. The Passover lamb’s blood, which protected Israel from death, was a recurring symbol of a more permanent sacrifice to come.

Further historical and archaeological findings (such as certain passages in the Dead Sea Scrolls that reference Isaiah’s prophecies) corroborate the central role of sacrifice and atonement in the Jewish understanding of redemption. These pre-Christian Jewish documents illuminate how the community at Qumran looked forward to a Messiah figure who would bring ultimate salvation. Passover, therefore, was more than a historical commemoration-it was a signpost directing attention to a future deliverer.

IV. Jesus as the Passover Lamb

When John the Baptist saw Jesus, he declared: “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). This label directly connected Jesus to the Passover lamb-offered at the first sign of national deliverance for Israel. The New Testament writers consistently link Jesus’ atoning work with that of the sacrificial lamb demanded by God’s justice.

The Apostle Paul later emphasized this connection: “For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed” (1 Corinthians 5:7). By calling Jesus the Passover Lamb, Paul underlined that just as the original Passover lamb delivered Israel from physical bondage, Jesus’ sacrifice frees believers from the spiritual bondage of sin.

V. The Last Supper as a Passover Meal

The Gospels describe Jesus celebrating the Passover with His disciples shortly before His crucifixion (Matthew 26:17-20; Mark 14:12-16; Luke 22:7-13). Known commonly as the Last Supper, it retains the form of the traditional Jewish Passover meal. Yet Jesus transformed its meaning by reframing the bread and wine as symbols of His impending sacrifice:

“And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is My body, given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you.’” (Luke 22:19-20)

The bread now represented His body, and the wine His blood, revealing that He ultimately fulfills the Passover. The timing-taking place during Passover week-strongly connects His death to the sacrificial typology that the festival had foreshadowed since Exodus.

VI. The Crucifixion and Passover Timing

All four Gospels indicate that Jesus’ crucifixion occurred around the time of the Passover feast. Historical sources such as Josephus (“Antiquities of the Jews” 18.3.3) corroborate that the Passover was indeed one of the major pilgrimage festivals, drawing large crowds to Jerusalem, aligning with the scriptural accounts of Jesus’ final days.

In John’s Gospel, the crucifixion is specifically noted to coincide with the preparation day of the Passover (John 19:14). This highlights again that, at the time the Passover lambs were being slain, Jesus was being sacrificed for the sins of the world-fulfilling the deeper meaning of Passover.

VII. Theological Significance

1. Deliverance from Sin and Death

In the same way that the blood of the Passover lamb rescued the Israelites from divine judgment in Egypt, Jesus’ blood rescues believers from the penalty of sin (Romans 5:8-9). Passover, therefore, is no longer merely historical ritual. In Christ, it points to ultimate, eternal deliverance.

2. Inauguration of the New Covenant

Jesus’ reference, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood” (Luke 22:20), reveals the establishment of a new relationship between God and humanity. Echoing Jeremiah 31:31-34 and Ezekiel 36:26-27, this is a covenant in which God’s law is written on the hearts of believers.

3. Remembrance and Worship

Just as Jewish believers were commanded to keep the Passover as a memorial (Exodus 12:14), Christians observe the Lord’s Supper in remembrance of Christ’s sacrifice. This ongoing practice unites believers with the redemptive history begun at the Exodus and brought to fullness in Jesus’ death and resurrection.

VIII. Historical and Modern Celebrations

Early Christians, particularly the Jewish believers, recognized and celebrated Passover through a new lens-seeing Christ as its fulfillment. Church fathers in the early centuries wrote about the close relationship of Jesus’ sacrificial death with Passover themes. Despite various ecclesiastical debates about the date of the celebration (the Quartodeciman controversy), the essential spiritual truth remained firm: Christ is the embodiment of the Passover Lamb.

To this day, many Christian communities observe Communion (the Lord’s Supper) around Passover to vividly recall that the Exodus event of Israel foreshadowed the grand story of salvation fulfilled by Jesus.

IX. Conclusion

From the original Exodus event to the death and resurrection of Jesus, Scripture consistently conveys the message that the Passover lamb foreshadowed a greater sacrifice for the redemption of humanity. The Lamb’s blood on the doorposts anticipated the blood of the Messiah shed on the cross. Jesus’ Last Supper was a Passover meal that He transformed to symbolize the new covenant, and His crucifixion coincided with the festival’s timing to highlight His identity as the ultimate Passover Lamb.

Passover thus not only marks a defining moment in Israel’s history but also points forward to the definitive act of deliverance in Jesus. The convergence of these truths testifies to the Bible’s consistent and coherent message of redemption. Through ancient accounts (such as the Exodus and historically documented Passover observances) and culminating in the Gospels, the Scriptures reveal that the Lamb slain in Egypt was a precursor to the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world. (Bible Hub, Questions and Answers)

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

The evening of April 1, 2026, is the celebration of Passover. How are Jesus and Passover connected? That will be our study for this week.

What’s Jesus link to Passover?

How are Jesus and the Passover connected?

I. Introduction

Passover, an annual Jewish festival commemorating the Israelites’ deliverance from slavery in Egypt, holds significant meaning within biblical history. The question of how Jesus is connected to the Passover underscores deep theological themes that span from Exodus to the New Testament. By exploring Passover’s Old Testament origins and its culminating aspects in the life and ministry of Jesus, we gain a fuller understanding of how Scripture consistently portrays redemption through the sacrifice of the “Lamb of God.”

III. Foreshadowings of a Greater Deliverance

Throughout the Old Testament, prophetical writings and typologies hinted at a future, greater redemption. The sacrificial system in Leviticus (cf. Leviticus 16) and passages like Isaiah 53 pointed to a suffering servant who would bear sins on behalf of others. The Passover lamb’s blood, which protected Israel from death, was a recurring symbol of a more permanent sacrifice to come.

Further historical and archaeological findings (such as certain passages in the Dead Sea Scrolls that reference Isaiah’s prophecies) corroborate the central role of sacrifice and atonement in the Jewish understanding of redemption. These pre-Christian Jewish documents illuminate how the community at Qumran looked forward to a Messiah figure who would bring ultimate salvation. Passover, therefore, was more than a historical commemoration-it was a signpost directing attention to a future deliverer.

IV. Jesus as the Passover Lamb

When John the Baptist saw Jesus, he declared: “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). This label directly connected Jesus to the Passover lamb-offered at the first sign of national deliverance for Israel. The New Testament writers consistently link Jesus’ atoning work with that of the sacrificial lamb demanded by God’s justice.

The Apostle Paul later emphasized this connection: “For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed” (1 Corinthians 5:7). By calling Jesus the Passover Lamb, Paul underlined that just as the original Passover lamb delivered Israel from physical bondage, Jesus’ sacrifice frees believers from the spiritual bondage of sin.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

The evening of April 1, 2026, is the celebration of Passover. How are Jesus and Passover connected? That will be our study for this week.

What’s Jesus’ link to Passover?

How are Jesus and the Passover connected?

I. Introduction

Passover, an annual Jewish festival commemorating the Israelites’ deliverance from slavery in Egypt, holds significant meaning within biblical history. The question of how Jesus is connected to the Passover underscores deep theological themes that span from Exodus to the New Testament. By exploring Passover’s Old Testament origins and its culminating aspects in the life and ministry of Jesus, we gain a fuller understanding of how Scripture consistently portrays redemption through the sacrifice of the “Lamb of God.”

II. Old Testament Foundations of Passover

Passover (Hebrew: Pesach) was instituted during the Exodus when Yahweh commanded the Israelites to sacrifice a lamb, place its blood on their doorposts, and eat the lamb as part of a special meal (Exodus 12:3-14).

Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: ⁴And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb. ⁵Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: ⁶And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. ⁷And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. ⁸And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. ⁹Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof. ¹⁰And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire. ¹¹And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD’S passover. ¹²For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. ¹³And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.¹⁴And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever. ”

This act distinguished them from the Egyptians at a time when Yahweh struck all the firstborn of Egypt. According to the text, the blood was a sign of divine protection:

“For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. ¹³And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 12:12-13)

This event was such a defining moment that the people of Israel were commanded to remember it annually as a perpetual ordinance (Exodus 12:14). The Passover meal included specific elements-unleavened bread (matzo), bitter herbs, and the Passover lamb-underscoring themes of haste, deliverance, and sacrificial atonement.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

This week we will study the characteristics of faith. 

Each person, lost or saved, lives by faith. Faith in what is the question.

We will look at faith through the lens of the Bible. 

Characteristics of Faith

Hebrews 11

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)

Definition of FAITH

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Heb 11:1)

Source document for faith: 

Word of God

Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. (Hebrews 11:3)

 PEOPLE WHO HAVE FAITH:

7) RECEIVED NOT THE PROMISE

And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: 40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. (Hebrews 11:39-40)

CONCLUSION:

But without faith it is impossible to please Him: For He that cometh to God must believe that He is, And that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.  (Heb 11:6)

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

This week we will study the characteristics of faith. 

Each person, lost or saved, lives by faith. Faith in what is the question.

We will look at faith through the lens of the Bible. 

Characteristics of Faith

Hebrews 11

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)

Definition of FAITH

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Heb 11:1)

Source document for faith: 

Word of God

Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. (Hebrews 11:3)

 PEOPLE WHO HAVE FAITH:

5) DESIRED GOD’S COUNTRY V16 

The faithful desire a better country

But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city. (Hebrews 11:16)

Heavenly, God prepared for them a city

Pilgrim’s Progress

6) SUFFER FOR GOD 

Moses choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God

By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment.²⁴ By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;²⁵ Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;²⁶ Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.²⁷ By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.²⁸ Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.²⁹ By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned. (Hebrews 11:23-29)

Of whom the world was not worthy 

And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:³⁷ They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;³⁸ (Of whom the world was not worthy🙂 they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. (Hebrews 11:36-38)

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

This week we will study the characteristics of faith. 

Each person, lost or saved, lives by faith. Faith in what is the question.

We will look at faith through the lens of the Bible. 

Characteristics of Faith

Hebrews 11

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)

Definition of FAITH

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Heb 11:1)

Source document for faith: 

Word of God

Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. (Hebrews 11:3)

 PEOPLE WHO HAVE FAITH:

1) OFFERED TO GOD 

Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice

By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. (Hebrews 11:4)

Abraham offers tithes to Melchizedek 

For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;2 To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;3 Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually. (Heb 7:1-3)

2) SEEK GOD 

Enoch pleased God

By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. (Hebrews 11:5)

God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)

Get to know God better.  What are some characteristics of God?  

3) FEAR GOD 

Noah moved with fear

By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. (Hebrews 11:7)

Noah’s fear moved him to prepare the ark.  Eight saved/world repopulated

4) OBEY GOD 

Abraham obeyed and went, not knowing where he was going 

By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. (Hebrews 11:8)

Abraham sojourned in strange country 

 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: (Hebrews 11:9)

Abraham looked for city 

For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. (Hebrews 11:10)

Sarah judged God faithful to keep his promise 

Through faith also Sarah herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. (Hebrew 11:11)

5) DESIRED GOD’S COUNTRY  

The faithful desire a better country

But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city. (Hebrews 11:16)

Heavenly, God prepared for them a city

Pilgrim’s Progress

6) SUFFER FOR GOD 

Moses choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God

By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment.²⁴ By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;²⁵ Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;²⁶ Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.²⁷ By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.²⁸ Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.²⁹ By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned. (Hebrews 11:23-29)

Of whom the world was not worthy 

And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:³⁷ They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;³⁸ (Of whom the world was not worthy🙂 they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. (Hebrews 11:36-38)

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Seek ye first the kingdom of God

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (Matthew 6:33)

Lay up treasures above (Matthew 6: 19-24)

Matthew 6:19-24 teaches that believers should prioritize eternal, heavenly treasures over temporary, earthly ones, as material possessions are vulnerable to destruction and theft. Jesus emphasizes that a person’s heart follows their treasure, and it is impossible to serve both God and money (mammon), urging a singular devotion to God. 

Treasures in Heaven vs. Earth (Matthew 6: 19-21):

19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Earthly wealth (clothing, food, money) is corruptible by moth and rust (or decay/pests) and insecure, while heavenly treasures are permanent. Storing treasure in heaven involves using resources for God’s kingdom, such as generosity and service.

The Eye as a Lamp (Matthew 6:22-23):

22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

A “clear” or “single” eye signifies a heart fully focused on God, filling the life with light.
A “bad” or divided eye reflects a focus on materialism, leading to spiritual darkness.

Two masters (Matthew 6:24)

24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Jesus declares that one cannot serve both God and money (Mammon). Money demands total allegiance, acting as a master (idol) that conflicts with devotion to God. 

Conclusion:

The passage is not condemning owning possessions, but rather the act of “hoarding” or finding security in them. It calls for a, shift in perspective from hoarding wealth to prioritizing the kingdom of God. The central message is that the location of your treasure (material vs. spiritual) reveals your true allegiance.          

Seek first God’s way (Matthew 6:25-34)

Matthew 6:25-34 is a core part of the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus commands his followers not to worry about basic needs—food, drink, and clothing—but instead to trust in God’s providence. He instructs them to prioritize seeking God’s kingdom and righteousness first, assuring that all necessities will be provided. GotQuestions.org +3

Don’t worry about basic needs: (Matthew 6:25)

25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

“Take no thought” (vs. 25, 31, 34): In modern English, this can be misleading. In the 1611 KJV context, it does not mean “don’t plan,” but rather “do not be anxious” or “distracted by care”. The Greek word used, merimnao, literally means to be “drawn in different directions”. He will surely provide the food and clothing (the lesser gifts) to sustain it. 

The fowls of the air (Matthew 6:26-27)

26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

The Futility of Worry (vs. 27): Jesus asks, “Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?” This highlights that worry is unproductive; it cannot even perform a small physical change like increasing one’s height.

The Fowls of the Air: They do not store food in barns, yet God feeds them. You are “much better than they”.

The lilies of the field (Matthew 6:28-29)

28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

The Lilies of the Field: They do not “toil nor spin,” yet their natural beauty surpasses the “glory” of King Solomon’s finest robes.

Grass of the field (Matthew 6:30)

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

God knows our needs (Matthew 6:31-32)

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

Seek ye first the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33-34)

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

The Core Command (vs. 33): “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” This is the “perfect prescription” for worry: prioritize God’s reign and His ways above all else, and your material needs will be provided as a byproduct.

Sufficient Unto the Day (vs. 34): “Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” This means each day has enough of its own troubles; adding tomorrow’s potential problems only creates an impossible burden for today. 

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com                                                                           

Seek first God’s way (Matthew 6:25-34)

Matthew 6:25-34 is a core part of the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus commands his followers not to worry about basic needs—food, drink, and clothing—but instead to trust in God’s providence. He instructs them to prioritize seeking God’s kingdom and righteousness first, assuring that all necessities will be provided. GotQuestions.org +3

Don’t worry about basic needs: (Matthew 6:25)

25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

“Take no thought” (vs. 25, 31, 34): In modern English, this can be misleading. In the 1611 KJV context, it does not mean “don’t plan,” but rather “do not be anxious” or “distracted by care”. The Greek word used, merimnao, literally means to be “drawn in different directions”. He will surely provide the food and clothing (the lesser gifts) to sustain it. 

The fowls of the air (Matthew 6:26-27)

26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

The Futility of Worry (vs. 27): Jesus asks, “Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?” This highlights that worry is unproductive; it cannot even perform a small physical change like increasing one’s height.

The Fowls of the Air: They do not store food in barns, yet God feeds them. You are “much better than they”.

The lilies of the field (Matthew 6:28-29)

28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

The Lilies of the Field: They do not “toil nor spin,” yet their natural beauty surpasses the “glory” of King Solomon’s finest robes.

Grass of the field (Matthew 6:30)

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

God knows our needs (Matthew 6:31-32)

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

Seek ye first the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33-34)

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

The Core Command (vs. 33): “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” This is the “perfect prescription” for worry: prioritize God’s reign and His ways above all else, and your material needs will be provided as a byproduct.

Sufficient Unto the Day (vs. 34): “Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” This means each day has enough of its own troubles; adding tomorrow’s potential problems only creates an impossible burden for today. 

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Seek ye first the kingdom of God

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (Matthew 6:33)

Lay up treasures above (Matthew 6: 19-24)

Matthew 6:19-24 teaches that believers should prioritize eternal, heavenly treasures over temporary, earthly ones, as material possessions are vulnerable to destruction and theft. Jesus emphasizes that a person’s heart follows their treasure, and it is impossible to serve both God and money (mammon), urging a singular devotion to God. 

Treasures in Heaven vs. Earth (Matthew 6: 19-21):

19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Earthly wealth (clothing, food, money) is corruptible by moth and rust (or decay/pests) and insecure, while heavenly treasures are permanent. Storing treasure in heaven involves using resources for God’s kingdom, such as generosity and service.

The Eye as a Lamp (Matthew 6:22-23):

22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

A “clear” or “single” eye signifies a heart fully focused on God, filling the life with light.
A “bad” or divided eye reflects a focus on materialism, leading to spiritual darkness.

Two masters (Matthew 6:24)

24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Jesus declares that one cannot serve both God and money (Mammon). Money demands total allegiance, acting as a master (idol) that conflicts with devotion to God. 

Conclusion:

The passage is not condemning owning possessions, but rather the act of “hoarding” or finding security in them. It calls for a, shift in perspective from hoarding wealth to prioritizing the kingdom of God. The central message is that the location of your treasure (material vs. spiritual) reveals your true allegiance.          

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com