Daily Bible Reading “Christmas Traditions” (Matthew 2:1-11)

Posted on December 19, 2023 by Deborah H. Bateman

Christmas Traditions

Today’s Daily Bible Reading is from Matthew 2:1-11. I find it interesting to see what other people do as some of their family Christmas traditions. What are some of your Christmas Traditions? In this post, I am going to share some of my family’s Christmas traditions and a family favorite recipe that we fix every year during the Christmas holidays.

Christmas is a time when we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Probably at the top of the list as one of our favorite family Christmas traditions over the years has been being involved in our church’s Christmas drama that was called, “This Man Called Jesus,” and was performed for twenty-five years at the church.

My husband, children, grandchildren all played parts in the drama throughout the years. There are many people in our community and throughout the world who attended the drama and some came back every year to see it as part of their family traditions. The drama is no longer done at our church, but has become a community project that my family is still involved in. It is now called “Jesus Is His Name.”

At home, we decorate our tree and home in a festive manner as I am sure a lot of you do as well. It is always a fun family time of putting up the tree and getting the house ready for the Christmas holidays.

This year we started a new Christmas tradition of giving the children and grandchildren an ornament that they could keep and hang on their tree in the future as something to remember us by. I also wrote them a Christmas letter introducing the new tradition and reminding them to always celebrate the true meaning of Christmas.

When our children were growing up we always opened presents on Christmas morning, but now that they are grown and have children of their own, we open our presents on Christmas Eve. That way they are able to celebrate Christmas with their children on Christmas morning. We also have a nice Christmas dinner as part of our Christmas celebration. Over the past several years we have gone to our daughter’s house to have breakfast with her and watch her children open their presents. Then, we may drop by and visit other relatives and friends in the area.

We also have a big family party usually after Christmas with all of my extended family. Our house was the meeting place after my parents went to be with the Lord. Now that we have outgrown our house we started meeting at a community center. My brother, sisters, and their children and grandchildren all gather together for a meal and fellowship. Everybody brings finger foods, appetizers, or a covered dish and we all enjoy another day of celebrating together. Each family group represented at the party has their picture taken in front of the Christmas tree. We usually have about thirty or thirty-five people for this day of celebration. Of course that number continues to grow as the family grows.

We have special treats that we cook only during the holiday season. Over the years I have taught my daughters and now my grandchildren how to cook. One of our favorite things to make every year is Peanut Butter Balls. I only fix these during the holidays, so it gives my family something to look forward to. One of my granddaughters asked me if we could make them in the summer, and I told her she would have to wait until Christmas. I will share that recipe with you at the end of this post.

The wise men gave gifts at the birth of Jesus. Maybe this is where we developed the tradition of exchanging gifts.

Daily Bible Reading:

Matthew 2:1-11

1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,
6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

Things to think about:

What are your family traditions?
Which of your family traditions do you feel honor Jesus’ birth?
Are there any of your family traditions that does not honor the birth of Jesus?
How can we make our family traditions more about celebrating the birth of Jesus and less commercialized?

Prayer of the Day:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for this Scripture where the wise men’s visit at the birth of Jesus is recorded. Help us as we go through the holiday season to always remember the true meaning of Christmas. Help us to center our celebrations around the birth of Christ. Help us to honor You in all that we do. Thank You for giving the precious gift of Your Son, Jesus, to be born into this world in order to save us from our sins. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

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PS. Thank you for coming to DeborahHBateman.com to study the Bible with us. Come back again tomorrow. We will continue to study God’s Word together.

Featured Book:

The Book of Matthew: Life of Jesus Christ
by Deborah H. Bateman

About the book:

The Book of Matthew: Life of Jesus Christ is a Daily Bible Reading Study by Deborah H. Bateman, which takes you through the life of Jesus Christ. The book of Matthew is the first book in the New Testament of the Bible. It begins with the genealogy of Jesus Christ and His birth.

The Book of Matthew also goes into Jesus’ ministry on earth, including the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus’ parables, and Jesus’ final days, including His death, burial, and resurrection. The book concludes with the great commission.

The Book of Matthew: Life of Jesus Christ includes fifty-seven daily devotionals which contain a brief commentary, the Daily Bible Reading Scripture, a few questions to think about, and a prayer of the day. It is a great book for individual daily devotions or a group Bible study.

Go to: Amazon
Get your copy now!

Click Here to Subscribe to Deborah H. Bateman author site to receive

Daily Bible Reading Lessons in your inbox.

This is a recipe my family usually makes every year for Christmas. However, I haven’t gotten around to it yet this year. I usually make three or four recipes, so we can have plenty for all our Christmas gatherings.

Peanut Butter Balls

1 lb. confectioners sugar

2 sticks margarine or butter, melted

1 cup crushed graham crackers (I run mine through the salad shooter w/ the grate blade)

1 cup peanut butter-you can use crunchy or creamy whichever you prefer, I prefer crunchy, but the grandchildren prefer creamy.

1 tsp vanilla

Melt butter, stir in peanut butter until melted, add sugar, vanilla, and graham crackers crumbs. The mixture will be very thick. Form into balls. Melt 6 oz. chocolate chips with 1/4 bar paraffin wax over low heat in double boiler. Use a toothpick or spoon to dip balls into chocolate. Put on wax paper until set.

* Each recipe will make about 100 bite-size Peanut Butter Balls.

I like to mix the chocolate chips, using some semi-sweet and some milk chocolate.

You can do only milk chocolate, or only semi-sweet, or half of each, or I prefer 3 semi-sweet to 1 milk chocolate.

If you would like to see some of our other family favorite recipes please stop by my blog called Recipe for Life at: http://www.deborah-bateman.blogspot.com

May God bless you and your family throughout the holiday season and through the next year.

Happy holidays,

Deborah

Daily Bible Reading “Hope in God” (Psalm 43:1-5)

Posted on May 8, 2023 by Deborah H. Bateman

Hope in God

Today’s Daily Bible Reading is from Psalm 43:1-5. The Psalmist begs God to judge him, to plead his case against the enemy and deliver him. He says, God is his strength or refuge and asks why God has rejected him. Have you ever felt like God has deserted you? Have you ever wondered if He heard your prayers?

The Psalmist asks God to shine His light and truth on him and to lead him to God’s dwelling place. He says God is his joy. He declares he will praise God with his harp. Have you ever felt discouraged or depressed due to your circumstances? The Psalmist reminds himself and us to have hope in God and praise Him. He proclaims that God is his helper.

I can tell you from personal experience that if somehow you can stop focusing on your situations and put your focus on God and praise Him, He will encourage you and help you get through your situation. As long as you focus on your circumstances you will be defeated, but when you switch your focus to God your circumstances have to take a back seat. God is bigger than all of our circumstances.

In the book of Esther, the circumstances of the Jewish people were devastating. They were in sackcloth and ashes worrying about their future. Esther asked them to spend three days with her fasting and praying and God turned their situation around. They took their focus off of their circumstances and put their focus, trust, and faith in God and He saw them through their situation. Have you put your hope in God?

Daily Bible Reading:

Psalm 43:1-5

1 Judge me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation: O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man.
2 For thou art the God of my strength: why dost thou cast me off? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?
3 O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles.
4Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God.
5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

Things to think about:

Have you ever been distressed because of your circumstances?
Did you refocus and put your eyes on God?
Has God helped you to get through a difficult situation?
If you are going through a difficult time now put your focus on God and He will help you get through it.

Prayer of the Day:

Dear Heavenly Father,

We thank You for this Scripture in the book of Psalms. We thank You that no matter what we are going through with Your help we can make it. Help us to put our faith, trust, and hope in You. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Excerpt from: PURIM Celebration: 28 Daily Devotionals by Deborah H. Bateman and Friends

If you haven’t read the story of Esther and learned what she had to do with Purim check out my book:

The Book of Esther: A Story of Love and Favor

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Featured Book:

PURIM Celebration: 28 Daily Devotionals

by Deborah H. Bateman

About the book:

PURIM Celebration: 28 Daily Devotionals is a Daily Bible Reading Study Book by Deborah H. Bateman and friends. It is a compilation of 28 Daily Devotionals by Deborah and fourteen of her author and writer friends.

Purim is a holiday that was started back in the days of Queen Esther and is still celebrated today. Deborah took the letters of PURIM and created categories for the contributors to write about:

• P=Praise
• U=Un-forgiveness or Forgiveness
• R=Relationships
• I=Inspirational
• M=Marriage

One of the traditions of Purim is giving gifts to the poor. In light of that tradition we have decided that a portion of the proceeds of this book will go to charity.

PURIM Celebration was created as part of Deborah’s Book Launch for her book: The Book of Esther: A Story of Love and Favor which was published in 2012.

PURIM Celebration includes devotionals from: Mary Pacheco, Penny Zeller, Katherine Harms, Dave Moore, Marlo Schalesky, Judith Robl, Lynn Dove, Buffy Crabtree, Deborah McCarragher, Shawn Lamb, Serge Roux-Levrat, Lily Brenner, Heidi Faith, and Lisa Buffaloe. The book is edited by Lisa Lickel, one of my friends in the John 3:16 Networking Group.

Some of the contributors are from the John 3:16 Network Marketing group Deborah belongs to. Some of the writers are from a coaching program that Deborah participates in. One of the authors is from the Palmetto Christian Writer’s Network Deborah is a member of. The rest of the writers and authors are friends Deborah has made over the past few years online.

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Have a blessed day,

Deborah

Recipe for Life

Daily Bible Reading “Jesus Died on the Cross” (Matthew 27:33-54)

Posted on April 6, 2023 by Deborah H. Bateman

Jesus Died on the Cross

Today’s Daily Bible Reading is from Matthew 27:33-54. As we look at this Scripture, try to imagine you are there. In this Scripture, Jesus was led to Golgotha, a place of a skull, which in Hebrew and Latin is Calvary, to be crucified.

In John’s account of the situation, he says in John 19:25-28, “Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home. After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.”

They gave Him vinegar to drink mixed with gall and when He tasted it He wouldn’t drink it. John 19:30, states, “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.”

They crucified Him and cast lots for His garments as it was prophesied in Psalm 22:18, “They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.” They put a sign of accusation up over His head, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS, which was really true. He is the Messiah.

There were two thieves who were crucified with Jesus, one on each side. The people, mocked Him, including the scribes, Pharisees, and elders, saying things like, “You destroyed the temple and built it back in three days, save yourself.” And, “If you are the Son of God come down off the cross,” and “He saved others, but He cannot save Himself.”

Then they said, “If He is the King of Israel, let Him come down off the cross and then we will believe Him.” “He trusted in God, so why won’t He deliver Him?” “He said He was the Son of God.” They accused Jesus and mocked Him, but He truly was the Son of God.

John 19:31-37 tells us:
The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe. For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken. And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.

Can you imagine the agony He must have gone through? He had been hanging there on the cross for six hours. The Scripture says it was dark over all the land from the sixth hour until the ninth hour. In the ninth hour, Jesus cried out, “My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?”

He cried again with a loud voice and then Jesus died, and immediately the veil of the temple was torn in two, and there was an earthquake, and the rocks divided. The graves opened and many bodies of the saints that were dead came out of their graves after His resurrection and went into the city and many people saw them. When they saw all this happen, they said, “Truly this was the Son of God.”

Daily Bible Reading:

Matthew 27:33-54

33 And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull,
34 They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink.
35 And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.
36 And sitting down they watched him there;
37 And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
38 Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left.
39 And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads,
40 And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.
41 Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said,
42 He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.
43 He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.
44 The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.
45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.
46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
47 Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias.
48 And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink.
49 The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him.
50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
54 Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.

Things to think about:

Can you imagine being in the crowd that day?

How does it make you feel to read how Jesus was treated?

Remember, Jesus went through all of this so we could be saved from our sins. Have you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior?

Prayer of the Day:

Dear Heavenly Father,

As we read these things that happened to Your Son, Jesus, our hearts are broken to see what He went through, so we could be forgiven. Please forgive us of our sins, and help us to live for You. In Jesus’ name, we pray. We love You, Lord. Amen.

Daily Bible Verse:

And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS. – Matthew 27:37

– Excerpt from: The Book of Matthew: Life of Jesus Christ
by Deborah H. Bateman

Christian Music Video: Were You There When They Crucified My Lord

Featured Book:

The Book of Matthew: Life of Jesus Christ

by Deborah H. Bateman

About the book:

The Book of Matthew goes into Jesus’ ministry on earth, including the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus’ parables, and Jesus’ final days, including His death, burial, and resurrection. The book concludes with the great commission.

The Book of Matthew: Life of Jesus Christ includes fifty-seven daily devotionals which contain a brief commentary, the daily Bible Scripture, a few questions to think about, and a prayer of the day. It is a great book for individual daily devotions or a group Bible study.

Go to: Amazon

Get your copy now!

Subscribe to Deborah H. Bateman to receive
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Have a blessed day,

Deborah

Recipe for Life

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Daily Bible Reading “Jesus was Condemned to Die on the Cross” (Matthew 27:1-32)

Posted on April 5, 2023 by Deborah H. Bateman

Jesus was Condemned to Die on the Cross

Today’s Daily Bible Reading is from Matthew 27:1-32. In this Scripture, Jesus was delivered to Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Palestine, by the chief priests and elders, to condemn Him to death. When Judas, who betrayed him, saw Jesus was condemned, he repented and brought the thirty pieces of silver he was given to turn Jesus over, cast them down in the temple, then left and hanged himself.

The chief priests used the silver to buy the potter’s field, to bury strangers in, which was prophesied by Jeremy the prophet in Zechariah 11:12-13, “And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver. And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD.”

When Jesus stood before the governor to answer the accusations against Him, the governor asked Him if He was the King of the Jews. He answered, “Thou sayest,” in agreement with him. Jesus didn’t say anything else as they accused Him.

At the feast the governor was going to release a prisoner, so he asked the people whether he should release Barabbas or Jesus.The people wanted him to release Barabbas and crucify Jesus. He washed his hands and told them he was innocent of the blood of Jesus.

Then the soldiers took Jesus and stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. They made a crown of thorns and placed it on His head, and gave Him a reed in His right hand.

They bowed down to Jesus and mocked Him saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” They took off the robe and put Jesus’ clothes on Him and took Him to be crucified. On the way, they saw Simon of Cyrene and made him carry the cross. How does it make you feel to know Jesus went through all of this for you?

Daily Bible Reading:

Matthew 27:1-32

1 When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death:
2 And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor.
3 Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
4 Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.
5 And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.
6 And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood.
7 And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in.
8 Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day.
9 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value;
10 And gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord appointed me.
11 And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest.
12 And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing.
13 Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee?
14 And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly.
15 Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would.
16 And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.
17 Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ?
18 For he knew that for envy they had delivered him.
19 When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.
20 But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.
21 The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas.
22 Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified.
23 And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.
24 When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.
25 Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.
26 Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.
27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers.
28 And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe.
29 And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!
30 And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.
31 And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.
32 And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross.

Things to think about:

What did they do with the thirty pieces of silver Judas returned to them?

Who prophesied this would happen?

How does it make you feel to read about how they treated Jesus?

Have you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior?

Prayer of the Day:

Dear Heavenly Father,

As we read this Scripture about how Jesus was treated, our hearts are broken. Thank You for Your Son, Jesus and for all the sacrifices He made so Your will could be fulfilled. If not for Him, all of us would be condemned to hell. Help us to have a new appreciation for the sacrifice that was made for our sins. In Jesus’ precious name, we pray. We love You, LORD. Amen.

Daily Bible Verse:

And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing.

– Matthew 27:12

– Excerpt from: The Book of Matthew: Life of Jesus Christ.

Click the link above to get your copy now!

Christian Music:

Jesus Messiah

Featured Book:

The Book of Matthew: Life of Jesus Christ

by Deborah H. Bateman

About the book:

The Book of Matthew: Life of Jesus Christ is a Daily Bible Reading Study by Deborah H. Bateman, which takes you through the book of Matthew. The book of Matthew is the first book in the New Testament of the Bible. It begins with the genealogy of Jesus Christ and His birth.

The Book of Matthew goes into Jesus’ ministry on earth, including the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus’ parables, and Jesus’ final days, including His death, burial, and resurrection. The book concludes with the great commission.

The Book of Matthew: Life of Jesus Christ includes fifty-seven daily devotionals which contain a brief commentary, the daily Bible Scripture, a few questions to think about, and a prayer of the day. It is a great book for individual daily devotions or a group Bible study.

Go to: Amazon

Get your copy now!

Subscribe to Deborah H. Bateman to receive
Daily Bible Reading Lessons in your inbox.

Have a blessed day,

Deborah

Recipe for Life

PS. Thank you for coming to DeborahHBateman.com to study the Bible with us. Come back tomorrow and invite your friends and family to join us for Bible Study.

If you haven’t already, subscribe to receive the Daily Bible Reading Lessons in your inbox at http://DeborahHBateman.com/subscribe.

Daily Bible Reading “Go Work in my Vineyard” (Matthew 20:1-16)

Posted on March 12, 2023 by Deborah H. Bateman

Go Work in my Vineyard

Today’s Daily Bible Reading is from Matthew 20:1-16. In this Scripture, Jesus says the kingdom of heaven is like this story about a man who went out to hire people to work in his vineyard. He made an agreement with the laborers to work for a penny a day (which was considered a day’s wages during that time). Can you imagine working for a penny a day?

The man went out again at the third, sixth, ninth, and eleventh hours (9 a.m., noon, 3 p.m., and 5 p.m.) and found others standing in the marketplace and told them to go work in his vineyard and he would pay them whatever was right.

At the end of the day, the vineyard owner calls to his steward and tells him to call the laborers and give them their hire, beginning with the last ones he hired to the first ones he hired. All of the men received a penny.

When the steward got to the first man, he complained because he thought he should receive more, but the owner of the vineyard told him that he received what they agreed upon. The owner tells him he has done him no wrong: “Is your eye evil, because I am good? The last shall be first and the first shall be last; many are called, few are chosen.”

Every soul is precious to God, whether they have been saved for twenty years or two days. Everyone who is saved will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. What if God gave us what we deserved?

The Bible says the harvest is plenteous, but the laborers are few. Has God called you to work in His vineyard? What can you do? What can you contribute? If you are not sure, ask God to show you how He can use you to further His kingdom.

Daily Bible Reading:

Matthew 20:1-16

1 For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.
2 And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
3 And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
4 And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.
5 Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.
6 And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?
7 They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.
8 So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.
9 And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.
10 But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.
11 And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,
12 Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.
13 But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?
14 Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.
15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?
16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

Things to think about:

How is Jesus pictured in this Scripture?

Do you find it strange that those who were hired last were paid the same as those who were hired first?

Of what is this Scripture representative?

What does the Scripture mean when it says, “The last will be first and the first will be last?”

Prayer of the Day:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You for this Scripture which lets us know that every soul is precious to You. We thank You that You are not a respecter of persons, but You love us all equally. Help us to be more like You and not be looking at what everybody else is doing, but only be concerned with our relationship with You. In Jesus’ name, we pray. We love You, LORD. Amen.

Daily Bible Verse:

For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. – Matthew 20:1

The Book of Matthew: Life of Jesus Christ

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Christian Video: The Parable of the Laborers

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