Jesus was not a religious leader. He was a righteous Leader and a relational Leader. But He was often confronted by the religious leaders of His day because of the obvious differences in both substance and style. It seems that religious people are the hardest to reach with the gospel. Let’s discover why.

I. The Religious Question (v. 18)

II. The Reasonable Explanation (vv. 19-20)

III. The Real Consideration (vv. 21-22)

Learn Your Bible: Using your favorite Bible dictionary or concordance, dive deeper into the parable of the wineskins and “the new covenant in [His] blood” (Luke 22:20).

Love Your Neighbor: Do you know someone who views Christianity as rules, rituals, or religious performance? How can you demonstrate Jesus’ loving heart to them this week?

Live in Freedom: Meditate on Galatians 5:1-6 and ask the Lord to reveal areas of your walk that have become a religious practice rather than a reflection of your relationship with Him.

Jesus loves outcasts. That’s why the first three gospel accounts record the call of Matthew. Jesus wants us to know that no one is beyond His saving grace. By inviting Matthew into His circle of friends, Jesus showed that He can take and transform anyone. Today we will discover four features in the interaction of Jesus and this tax collector.

I. His Profession (vv. 13-14a)

II. His Invitation (v. 14)

III. His Decision (v. 14b)

IV. His Celebration (vv. 15-17)

Learn Your Bible: Reflect on Romans 6:14 and Ephesians 2:8-9 as you walk in the Lord’s grace.

Love Your Neighbor: Find one practical way to love someone in your circle this week—or sign up to serve our community through Love Month at lovenm.org/serve.

Live in Freedom: Spend time in worship and thank the Lord for His calling and purpose in your life.

I. Adapt to the Situation

II. Apprehend the Scripture

III. Apply Your Story

Learn Your Bible: Spend time studying the big picture of Scripture—how the Bible points to Jesus from beginning to end—so you can be ready to share it with others.

Love Your Neighbor: Is there someone God’s placed in your life who may be spiritually curious or searching for truth?

Live in Freedom: This week, what step can you take to be available, obedient, and ready to share Jesus when God opens the door?

Eric Metaxas is the author of seven New York Times bestsellers, including the million-selling biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and his latest, Revolution: The Birth of the Greatest Nation in the History of the World. He is the host of Socrates in the City and The Eric Metaxas Show. His work has been translated into more than twenty-five languages and has appeared in leading national publications.