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Clean Hands, Distant Hearts

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  Clean Hands, Distant Hearts Matthew 15:1–20 Clean hands can still belong to distant hearts. In Matthew 15, the Pharisees confront Jesus because his disciples do not follow the ritual handwashing tradition of the elders. Jesus turns the question back on them: Why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? This passage is not really about hygiene. It is about holiness, tradition, mercy, hypocrisy, and the condition of the heart. Jesus is not against clean hands. He is against distant hearts hiding behind clean hands. He is not against tradition. He is against tradition that cancels commandment. He is not against holiness. He is against counterfeit holiness that avoids people instead of loving them. Jesus says it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth. Our words, motives, resentments, slander, and contempt reveal what is happening inside us. The mouth is the heart going public. So the question bec...
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When Compassion Walks on Water

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   Bread is not bait. Mercy is not manipulation. Compassion is not a church-growth strategy. Compassion is the heart of Jesus. When Compassion Walks on Water Matthew 14:13–36 In this passage, Jesus has just heard of the death of John the Baptist. He withdraws to a deserted place, but the crowds follow him. When he sees them, he is moved with compassion. He heals the sick. He feeds the hungry. He involves inadequate disciples. He goes alone to pray. He comes to his frightened followers in the storm. He catches sinking Peter. He remains reachable to those who can only touch the fringe of his cloak. This is not only a story about miracles. It is a revelation of the character of Jesus. Jesus did not feed the multitude so they would listen. They had already come. They had already followed him into the wilderness. They had already shown spiritual hunger. Then evening came, and they were physically hungry. So Jesus fed them. Not as bait. Not as leverage. Not as manipulation. Not to g...
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When Familiarity Blocks Faith

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  Is it possible to become so familiar with Jesus that we limit our capacity for real faith in Him? In Matthew 13:53–58 , Jesus returns to His hometown. The people are astounded by His wisdom and deeds of power, but instead of receiving Him, they take offense. They know His family. They know His trade. They know His village. But their familiarity becomes a filter that blocks their faith. Matthew gives us the haunting summary: “And he did not do many deeds of power there, because of their unbelief.” The danger is not that they knew too much about Jesus. The danger is that they thought they already knew all there was to know. That danger is still with us. We can know the songs, the stories, the symbols, the vocabulary, and the traditions of Jesus while still resisting Him when He comes to us as Lord. We can admire Him without obeying Him. We can invoke Him without surrendering to Him. We can build institutions around Him while keeping Him safely inside the box we have prepared...
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The Kingdom and the Complicated Field

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   The Kingdom of God grows in a complicated field. That is one of the lessons Jesus gives us in Matthew 13:24–52. He speaks of weeds and wheat, mustard seed and yeast, treasure and pearls, a wide fishing net, and a household steward bringing out treasures new and old. The field is complicated. People are complicated. Systems are complicated. Motives are complicated. Growth is complicated. But the seed is good. The Kingdom is active before it is obvious. The Kingdom is valuable before it is fully possessed. The Kingdom is mixed before it is sorted. The Kingdom is certain before it is complete. So we do not panic over weeds. We do not despise small beginnings. We do not cheapen the treasure. We do not inspect every fish. We sow faithfully. We grow patiently. We gather widely. We trust God completely. Dive Deeper - https://tomsims.substack.com/p/the-kingdom-in-a-complicated-field Bible Chat on Substack: https://tomsims.substack.com/s/bible-chat Fellowship of Joy: https://ww...
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Hear If You Can

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  Hear This If You Can Matthew 13:1–23 The Word of the Kingdom is still being sown. Jesus tells of seed scattered broadly and generously. Some is snatched. Some is scorched. Some is choked. But some becomes fruitful. This message asks a direct question: what is happening in our hearts when the Word of God lands there? Are we hardened? Are we shallow? Are we crowded? Or are we becoming fruitful? There is also hope. The Spirit of God can break up the packed-down places, deepen the thin places, and clear the crowded places so the Word can take root and bear fruit. Watch the message: https://www.facebook.com/tomsims/videos/836824365718771 Read the full Bible Chat reflection and study guide: https://tomsims.substack.com/p/hear-this-if-you-can Join Fellowship of Joy for conversation, encouragement, and shared spiritual growth: https://www.facebook.com/groups/fellowshipofjoy More links and resources: https://linktr.ee/tomsims #BibleChat #Matthew13 #ParableOfThe...
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New Reflections and Resources from Pastor Tom Sims

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  Over the past several days, I have been exploring a connected set of themes involving conviction, neutrality, grace, spiritual anxiety, and the call of Jesus to decision and rest. These reflections emerged through sermons, essays, pastoral conversations, and leadership-oriented teaching resources. Each piece stands on its own, but together they form a broader conversation about: spiritual commitment, healthy faith development, grace, fear, religious scrupulosity, and wise pastoral leadership. Below is a guide to the current series with summaries and links. 1. There Is No Such Thing as Permanent Neutrality Medium Essay This reflection explores the tension between: pluralism, tolerance, state neutrality, personal conviction, and the human need for meaningful commitment. The article argues that one can deeply value: religious tolerance, diversity, humility, and civic neutrality, without surrendering personal conviction or drifting into sp...
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When Mercy Interrupts Religion

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Matthew 12:1–21 In Matthew 12, Jesus challenges the kind of religion that becomes so focused on rules, appearances, and systems that it forgets the people those things were meant to serve. The disciples are hungry. A man’s hand is withered. The Pharisees see violations. Jesus sees human beings in need of mercy, restoration, and healing. This message explores: Sabbath as gift rather than burden Mercy over legalism Rest in a culture of exhaustion The healing heart of Jesus “A bruised reed he will not break” The Lord of the Sabbath still invites weary people into rest. Read the full Bible Chat study here: When Mercy Interrupts Religion — Matthew 12 #BibleChat #Matthew12 #MercyNotSacrifice #LordOfTheSabbath #ChristianLiving #FaithJourney #Restoration #TomSims  
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