Gospel at a Glance

Episode 44 - Matthew 7:9-11 - Bread, Fish, and a Father Who Listens

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Scripture
Matthew 7:9–11 (ESV)
“Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him.”
Episode Summary
This episode unpacks Jesus’ simple but profound image of a child asking a parent for bread or fish. Jesus uses familiar objects from daily life to show us God’s character. God does not trick or disappoint His children but gives good things that lead to life. We explore how this teaching helps reshape our expectations of God, how it comforts us in seasons of unanswered prayer, and how it invites us to trust God’s generous heart.
Takeaways
• God gives good things, not harmful ones.
• God’s generosity flows from His character.
• Delayed answers are not signs of neglect.
• Good gifts may come in unexpected forms.
• Trust grows as we remember who God is.
Recommended Reading and Sources
• Matthew 5–7
• Psalm 103
• N. T. Wright, Matthew for Everyone
• Timothy Keller, Prayer
About the Podcast
Gospel at a Glance explores the gospels one passage at a time, finding depth, challenge, and comfort in every episode.
Connect
Email: gospelataglancepodcast@gmail.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gospelataglancepod
Substack: https://gospelataglance.substack.com
Keywords
God’s goodness, prayer, trust, Matthew 7, Sermon on the Mount
Hashtags
#GospelAtAGlance #GodIsGood #Matthew7 #ChristianPodcast #PrayerLife #DailyFaith

Episode 43 - Matthew 7:7-8 - Ask, Seek, Knock

Scripture
Matthew 7:7–8 (ESV)
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.”
Episode Summary
In this episode, we explore Jesus’ invitation to ask, seek, and knock. These verbs carry a continuous sense in the original Greek, pointing to an ongoing relationship with God rather than a single request. We discuss what it means to bring honest prayer, persistent trust, and active seeking into daily life. Jesus teaches that God is responsive, generous, and attentive, even when the answer is delayed or different from what we expect.
Takeaways
• Asking God honestly is an expression of trust.
• Seeking God is noticing His presence in everyday life.
• Knocking teaches patience and hope.
• God responds in ways that lead to life.
• Prayer is an ongoing relationship, not a single moment.
Recommended Reading and Sources
• Matthew 5–7
• Psalm 34:4–8
• N. T. Wright, Matthew for Everyone
• Dallas Willard, Hearing God
About the Podcast
Gospel at a Glance walks through the gospels one short passage at a time, finding depth, challenge, and comfort in just a few verses.
Connect
Email: gospelataglancepodcast@gmail.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gospelataglancepod
Substack: https://gospelataglance.substack.com
Keywords
Prayer, seeking God, persistence, trust, Matthew 7, Sermon on the Mount
Hashtags
#GospelAtAGlance #AskSeekKnock #Matthew7 #PrayerLife #ChristianPodcast #DailyFaith #JesusTeaches

Episode 42 - Matthew 7:6 - Holy Things and Hungry Dogs

Scripture
Matthew 7:6 (ESV)
“Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs,
lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.”
Episode Summary
In this episode, we explore one of Jesus’ most surprising teachings in the Sermon on the Mount. After calling us to humility and self-awareness, Jesus shifts toward wisdom and discernment using imagery from Jewish purity laws. In His world, dogs were scavengers and pigs were deeply unclean animals. Jesus is not labeling people but teaching that sacred things need the right environment to be received well.
We talk about what it means to treat our spiritual experiences as holy, why vulnerability requires safety, and how this passage helps us protect both what is precious and our own hearts. Jesus invites us to balance compassion with discernment, learning to recognize when a moment is open to truth and when it is better to wait.
Takeaways
• Your spiritual experiences are holy and deserve care.
• Vulnerability should be shared with people and in places that can handle it well.
• Discernment protects the sacred things in your life.
• Not every moment is the right moment for correction or spiritual depth.
• Jesus calls us to wisdom in our relationships.
Recommended Reading and Sources
• Matthew 5–7 for the full Sermon on the Mount
• Proverbs 23:9 on receptive hearts
• Isaiah 52:11 on holy things and sacred spaces
• N. T. Wright, Matthew for Everyone
• Amy-Jill Levine, Short Stories by Jesus
About the Podcast
Gospel at a Glance walks through the gospels one short passage at a time, finding depth, challenge, and comfort in just a few verses.
Follow for daily reflections that invite you to see how the kingdom of God still breaks into ordinary life.
Connect
Email: gospelataglancepodcast@gmail.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gospelataglancepod
Substack: https://gospelataglance.substack.com
Keywords
Sermon on the Mount, discernment, wisdom, holiness, boundaries, Jesus teaching, Matthew 7
Hashtags
#GospelAtAGlance #Matthew7 #SermonOnTheMount #BibleStudy #ChristianPodcast #DailyFaith #JesusTeaching #SpiritualWisdom #Discernment

Episode 41 - Matthew 7:1-5 - The Speck and the Log

Scripture: Matthew 7:1–5 (ESV)
 
“Judge not, that you be not judged.
For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged,
and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.
Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye,
but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?
Or how can you say to your brother,
‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye?
You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye,
and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”
Episode Summary
In this episode, we step into Matthew chapter 7, where Jesus begins to teach about how we treat one another. After addressing private devotion and trust, He now moves to relationships and starts with a command that challenges every one of us: “Do not judge.” We explore how Jesus redefines judgment, not as discernment but as condemnation, and calls us to self-examination before correction. The vivid image of the speck and the log reminds us that humility and honesty are the foundation of compassion. When we let grace clear our own vision, we can see others with mercy instead of pride.
Takeaways
Jesus is confronting condemnation, not discernment.
The Greek krinō means to separate, evaluate, or condemn—Jesus warns against assuming God’s role as judge.
The standard we use on others will be used on us, so gentleness grows from self-awareness.
The “speck” and the “log” symbolize hypocrisy and self-deception.
True correction begins with self-examination: “First take the log out of your own eye.”
Healing makes us gentle; humility makes us clear-sighted.
As Augustine wrote, “He who would judge another must first judge himself.”
A clear heart produces compassionate vision—seeing people as fellow pilgrims, not projects.
 
Recommended Reading & Sources
The Gospel of Matthew (The Daily Study Bible) — William Barclay
Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew — St. John Chrysostom
The Divine Conspiracy — Dallas Willard
The Jewish Annotated New Testament, commentary on Matthew 7:1–5
The HarperCollins Study Bible, notes on Matthew 7:1–5
On Christian Doctrine — St. Augustine
About the Podcast
Gospel at a Glance walks through the gospels one short passage at a time, finding depth, challenge, and comfort in just a few verses. Follow for daily reflections that invite us to see how the kingdom of God still breaks into ordinary life.
 
Connect:
Email: gospelataglancepodcast@gmail.com
Instagram: http://instagram.com/gospelataglancepod
Substack: http://gospelataglance.substack.com
 
Keywords
judgment, humility, hypocrisy, Matthew 7, Sermon on the Mount, grace, self-awareness, compassion, discernment, relationships
Hashtags
#GospelAtAGlance #TheSpeckAndTheLog #Matthew7 #SermonOnTheMount #Grace #Humility #Faith #Compassion #KingdomOfGod

Announcement: Offline Thanksgiving Week

Gospel at a Glance will be offline during the U.S. Thanksgiving week. We’re taking a short break to rest, breathe, and be with the people we love.
We’ll be back with a new episode on December 1.
If you’re celebrating this week, I hope it’s gentle, joyful, and filled with peace. If not, I still hope the week brings you rest and goodness in all the ways you need.
See you soon!
Andi
Connect: 
Email gospelataglancepodcast@gmail.com
Substack: gospelataglance.substack.com
Instagram: instagram.com/gospelataglancepod

Episode 40 - Matthew 6:24-34 - Two Masters

Scripture: Matthew 6:24–34 (ESV)
“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other,
or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.
You cannot serve God and money.
Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink,
nor about your body, what you will put on.
Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns,
and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
Are you not of more value than they?
And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?
And why are you anxious about clothing?
Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin,
yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven,
will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.
Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
 
Episode Summary
In this episode, we explore one of Jesus’s most piercing questions: Who, or what, do we actually serve? As we close Matthew 6, Jesus contrasts the loyalty we give to God with the devotion we give to “mammon,” the ancient symbol of wealth and control. He teaches that divided allegiance breeds anxiety, but single-hearted trust brings peace. Through vivid images of birds, lilies, and daily bread, we’re reminded that God’s care is steady and sufficient. The call isn’t to stop planning but to stop panicking. To seek the kingdom first and let trust replace striving.
Takeaways
“Serving” in this passage means full devotion, not part-time faith.
Mammon represents not just money but misplaced trust in control and self-sufficiency.
Divided loyalty leads to anxiety; single devotion leads to peace.
The natural world, birds and lilies, testifies to God’s provision and faithfulness.
“Seek first the kingdom” means reordering priorities toward God’s justice and mercy.
The opposite of anxiety isn’t apathy but trust.
God’s grace meets us daily, like manna in the wilderness. Enough for today.
Freedom grows from letting go of control and resting in God’s care.
Recommended Reading & Sources
The Gospel of Matthew (The Daily Study Bible) — William Barclay
The Divine Conspiracy — Dallas Willard
Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew — Gregory of Nyssa
The HarperCollins Study Bible, notes on Matthew 6:24–34
The Jewish Annotated New Testament, commentary on Matthew 6
City of God — St. Augustine
About the Podcast
Gospel at a Glance walks through the gospels one short passage at a time, finding depth, challenge, and comfort in just a few verses. Follow for daily reflections that invite us to see how the kingdom of God still breaks into ordinary life.
Connect:
Email: gospelataglancepodcast@gmail.com
Instagram: http://instagram.com/gospelataglancepod
Substack: http://gospelataglance.substack.com
Keywords
two masters, anxiety, trust, faith, mammon, Matthew 6, Sermon on the Mount, kingdom of God, daily bread, freedom, discipleship
Hashtags
#GospelAtAGlance #TwoMasters #Matthew6 #SermonOnTheMount #Faith #Trust #KingdomOfGod #Freedom #DailyBread

Episode 39 - Matthew 6:19-23 - Where Your Treasure Is

Scripture: Matthew 6:19–23 (ESV)
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal,
but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light,
but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness.
If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!”
Episode Summary
In this episode, we reflect on Jesus’s words about treasure and vision in Matthew 6:19–23. Moving from outward devotion to inward desire, Jesus invites us to examine what we truly value and what shapes how we see the world. We learn how earthly treasure fades while heavenly treasure endures, and how a “clear eye” brings light to our whole being. Through context, language, and early Christian insight, we explore how generosity, contentment, and focus reveal where our hearts really dwell. Jesus’s challenge isn’t about rejecting possessions, it’s about reordering our loves so our hearts follow what’s eternal.
Takeaways
Earthly treasures are fragile; heavenly treasures endure.
What we choose to value will eventually shape what we love.
“Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” means our investments form our affections.
In Hebrew imagery, the “eye” symbolizes perspective; a healthy eye sees clearly and generously.
The Greek haplous means “clear” or “generous,” while ponēros means “stingy” or “evil.”
A generous outlook fills life with light; greed and envy darken the soul.
Jesus invites us not to reject joy or possessions but to align them with God’s purposes.
True freedom comes from being mastered by love, not by wealth.
Recommended Reading & Sources
The Gospel of Matthew (The Daily Study Bible) — William Barclay
The Divine Conspiracy — Dallas Willard
The Jewish Annotated New Testament, commentary on Matthew 6:19–23
The HarperCollins Study Bible, notes on Matthew 6:19–23
Confessions — St. Augustine
Commentary on Matthew — Origen
About the Podcast
Gospel at a Glance walks through the gospels one short passage at a time, finding depth, challenge, and comfort in just a few verses. Follow for daily reflections that invite us to see how the kingdom of God still breaks into ordinary life.
 
Connect:
Email: gospelataglancepodcast@gmail.com
Instagram: http://instagram.com/gospelataglancepod
Substack: http://gospelataglance.substack.com
Keywords
treasure in heaven, generosity, greed, Matthew 6, Sermon on the Mount, spiritual vision, Jesus, faith, light, discipleship, eternal perspective
Hashtags
#GospelAtAGlance #WhereYourTreasureIs #Matthew6 #SermonOnTheMount #Faith #Light #Generosity #KingdomOfGod
 

Episode 38 - Matthew 6:16-18 - When You Fast

Scripture: Matthew 6:16–18 (ESV)
“And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites,
for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others.
Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
Episode Summary
In this episode, we explore Jesus’s teaching on fasting as the final example of practicing righteousness in secret. In the first century, fasting was a normal part of spiritual life. It was a way to express humility, repentance, and dependence on God. But Jesus calls us to a deeper sincerity, turning fasting from performance into presence.
We look at how His words challenge both ancient and modern tendencies to make devotion a show, inviting us instead into quiet communion with the Father who “sees in secret.” True fasting, we discover, isn’t about deprivation. It’s about alignment, focus, and transformation that begins beneath the surface.
Takeaways
Jesus says “when you fast,” not “if”—it’s an expected rhythm of faith.
“Wash your face and anoint your head” reminds us to embody joy, not gloom.
Fasting was never meant to signal holiness; it’s meant to nurture humility.
The Greek aphanizō (“disfigure”) means “to make vanish”—a warning not to lose our authentic selves behind pious appearances.
Fasting is focus, not punishment—a way to clear space for God.
Early Church Fathers taught that fasting renews the soul and trains the heart toward love.
The kingdom of God grows in quiet soil; what’s done in secret becomes fruit in public.
Recommended Reading & Sources
The Gospel of Matthew (The Daily Study Bible) — William Barclay
The Divine Conspiracy — Dallas Willard
On Fasting and Feasts — St. John Chrysostom
Confessions — St. Augustine
The HarperCollins Study Bible, notes on Matthew 6:16–18
The Jewish Annotated New Testament, commentary on Matthew 6
About the Podcast
Gospel at a Glance walks through the gospels one short passage at a time, finding depth, challenge, and comfort in just a few verses.
Follow for weekly reflections that invite us to see how the kingdom of God still breaks into ordinary life.
Connect:
Email: gospelataglancepodcast@gmail.com
Instagram: http://instagram.com/gospelataglancepod
Substack: http://gospelataglance.substack.com
Keywords
fasting, spiritual discipline, secret devotion, Matthew 6, Sermon on the Mount, Jesus, prayer, righteousness, humility, transformation, sincerity
Hashtags
#GospelAtAGlance #WhenYouFast #Matthew6 #SermonOnTheMount #Fasting #Faith #Humility #KingdomOfGod
 

Episode 37 - Matthew 6:9-15 - The Lord's Prayer

Scripture: Matthew 6:9–15 (NRSV)
“Pray, then, in this way:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And do not bring us to the time of trial,
but rescue us from the evil one.
For if you forgive others their trespasses,
your heavenly Father will also forgive you;
but if you do not forgive others,
neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
Episode Summary
In this episode, we explor the prayer Jesus taught his disciples. They are words that have shaped Christian life for centuries. The Lord’s Prayer is not just a set of lines to memorize; it’s a framework for living. We unpack each phrase, showing how it moves from worship to dependence, forgiveness, and protection, calling listeners to live as people shaped by God’s kingdom breaking into the present moment.
Takeaways
“Our Father” reminds us prayer is communal and relational. God is both near and holy.
To “hallow” God’s name means to reflect His character in the world through our lives.
Praying for God’s kingdom invites us to align with His justice, peace, and mercy here and now.
“Daily bread” teaches trust in God’s provision, not pursuit of excess.
Forgiveness is both received and given—it’s the heartbeat of grace.
Asking for deliverance is dependence, not avoidance: trusting God to sustain us in trial.
The Lord’s Prayer forms a rhythm for living—worship first, then need, then grace.
Recommended Reading & Sources
NRSVUE Study Bible, notes on Matthew 6:9–15
The Lord’s Prayer by N.T. Wright
The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard
William Barclay, The Gospel of Matthew (The Daily Study Bible)
The Jewish Annotated New Testament, commentary on Matthew 6:9–15
The HarperCollins Study Bible, notes on Matthew 6
About the Podcast
Gospel at a Glance walks through the gospels one short passage at a time, finding depth, challenge, and comfort in just a few verses.
Follow for daily reflections that invite you to see how the kingdom of God still breaks into ordinary life.
Connect:
Email: gospelataglancepodcast@gmail.com
Substack: https://gospelataglance.substack.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gospelataglancepod
Keywords
Lord’s Prayer, Our Father, Kingdom of God, forgiveness, daily bread, temptation, evil, prayer, Jesus, Sermon on the Mount
Hashtags
#GospelAtAGlance #TheLordsPrayer #SermonOnTheMount #Matthew6 #Faith #Grace #Forgiveness #KingdomOfGod

Episode 36 - Matthew 6:5-8 - How to Pray

Scripture
Matthew 6:5–8 (NRSV)
“And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward.
But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard because of their many words.
Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”
 
Episode Summary
Before teaching us what to pray, Jesus teaches us how to pray. This passage moves prayer from performance to relationship, from public display to private intimacy. Together, we reflect on what it means to pray with honesty instead of impressiveness, and how to approach God as a Father who already knows what we need.
Jesus invites us into a quiet, simple kind of prayer. Prayer that doesn’t strive for eloquence or attention, but rests in trust. The reward is not applause or perfection, but peace in the secret place.
 
Takeaways
Jesus warns against performative prayer meant to impress others.
The “room” (tameion) represents the inner space of honesty and stillness.
“Your Father who sees in secret” reveals a God who is intimate and attentive, not distant.
Prayer is not information for God, but formation for us.
Simplicity and sincerity make space for true communion with God.
 
Recommended Reading & Sources
Biblical and Historical Context
Psalm 62:8 — “Pour out your heart before him.”
Ecclesiastes 5:2 — “Let your words be few.”
Luke 11:1–4 — Parallel teaching of the Lord’s Prayer.
The Didache (c. 1st century) — Early instruction to pray the Lord’s Prayer three times daily.
 
Scholarly Works
R. T. France, The Gospel of Matthew (NICNT) — Commentary on the meaning of “secret prayer” and “empty phrases.”
N. T. Wright, Matthew for Everyone, Part 1 — Contextual explanation of Jesus’s critique of public piety.
Craig S. Keener, The Gospel of Matthew: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary — Historical insight into Jewish and Gentile prayer customs.
Scot McKnight, The Sermon on the Mount — Analysis of prayer as relationship over ritual.
Ulrich Luz, Matthew 1–7: A Commentary — Notes on early Christian prayer practice and Greek terminology.
 
Mainstream and Devotional Reading
Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy — On prayer as participation in God’s life rather than performance.
Henri Nouwen, The Way of the Heart — Silence and solitude as gateways to prayer.
Richard Foster, Prayer: Finding the Heart’s True Home — The simplicity and honesty of authentic prayer.
Thomas Merton, Thoughts in Solitude — Cultivating interior stillness before God.
Eugene Peterson, Answering God — On prayer as response, not initiative.
 
About the Podcast
Gospel at a Glance walks through the Gospels one short passage at a time, finding depth, challenge, and comfort in just a few verses. Follow for daily reflections that invite us to see how the kingdom of God still breaks into ordinary life.
 
Connect
Email: gospelataglancepodcast@gmail.com
Substack: gospelataglance.substack.com
Instagram: instagram.com/gospelataglancepod
 
Keywords
Jesus, Sermon on the Mount, Prayer, Secrecy, Hypocrisy, Simplicity, Relationship with God, Faith, Kingdom of God, Discipleship
 
Hashtags
#GospelAtAGlance #SermonOnTheMount #Matthew6 #HowToPray #PrayerLife #ChristianPodcast #FaithInAction #SecretPrayer #KingdomLiving #JesusTeachings