Day 19: Matthew 14 | 2026 Lenten Reading Plan

Thank you for joining us for the eighteenth reading in our Lenten Reading Plan. Find all the resources you need below: Read Matthew 14 on Bible Gateway: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2014&version=ESV Listen to Matthew 14: https://share.transistor.fm/s/17da3d6c Download your own Lenten Reading Plan Bookmark: https://higherthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/HT_Lenten-Reading-Plan-Bookmark-2601-PRINT-at-home.pdf Download the 2026 Lenten Reading Plan Study Guide: https://higherthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/HT_Lenten-Reading-Plan-Study-Guide-2511.pdf This chapter's heavy. It opens with John the Baptist's death. Jesus knows him. They're cousins, grew up together. John, the last great prophet preaching repentance and forgiveness, is beheaded for that very message. Jesus mourns. The feeding of the 5,000 happens because Jesus retreats to grieve. But crowds follow, wanting hope and miracles. Jesus tells the disciples to feed them, and they despair. Why despair? We want our faith to give us control, to help us manage logistics from point A to B. But faith isn't about that. It's not about empowering you to do more; it's about what God does for you. When we feel heartbroken, afraid, sinful, and out of control, Matthew 14:19 gives us a gift. Jesus takes five loaves and two fish, looks to heaven, gives thanks, breaks the bread, and gives it to the disciples. Everyone is fed and satisfied. Sound familiar? It sounds very communion-y. Then Jesus walks on water during a storm, when nothing's going right. This isn't a ghost; it's the Incarnate Christ striding over death itself to pull us from the depths. Here's our hope: God entered this world for everything outside our control, conquering it through His death and resurrection. On the other side, He heals the sick because that's who He is. The one who has mercy on the least of these, on you and me. Contributor Rev. Harrison Goodman is the Higher Things Executive Director of Missions and Theology. #higherthings #lcms #lutheran #lent If you have questions or topics that you'd like discussed on Higher Things, email them to content@higherthings.org Subscribe to our channel to get notifications when we go live: http://youtube.com/@HTgospel4all To support the work of Higher Things®, visit https://higherthings.org/morehi/giving/ For more information about Higher Things, go to http://higherthings.org ------ Join the conversation on Social Media: http://facebook.com/higherthings http://instagram.com/higherthings https://www.tiktok.com/@higherthings