Part 1 :: Reading Plan :: Fall 2026

Join us as we journey through the Gospel of Matthew, discovering who Jesus was and who we are called to be.

Each week, take time to read the passages and respond to the reflection question.

Week 1: Jesus’ Genealogy & Birth

  • Monday: Matthew 1:1-17

  • Tuesday: Matthew 1:18-25

  • Wednesday: Matthew 2:1-12

  • Thursday: Matthew 2:13-23

  • Friday: The opening chapters of Matthew note that Jesus’ entrance into the world takes place amidst a family lineage marked by scandal and a world ruled by Herods. Nevertheless, Matthew’s message is that God is with us—Emmanuel. Where in your life or in our world are you needing to experience God’s nearness?

Week 2: Jesus’ Baptism

  • Monday: Matthew 3:1-6

  • Tuesday: Matthew 3:7-12

  • Wednesday: Matthew 3:13-17

  • Thursday: Reread Matthew 3:13-17

  • Friday: The centerpiece of Matthew 3 is Jesus’ baptism. In the baptism story, God says about Jesus, “This is my Son, in whom I’m well pleased.” The remarkable point in this is that Jesus has yet to perform any miracles or start his public ministry. The Father’s delight over the Son is before anything is achieved; it is a statement of love for simply being the Son. In what ways is this truth comforting to you?

Week 3: Jesus’ Temptation & Calling

  • Monday: Matthew 4:1-11

  • Tuesday: Matthew 4:12-17

  • Wednesday: Matthew 4:18-22

  • Thursday: Matthew 4:23-25

  • Friday: Jesus’ temptations follow his baptism experience. Reflect on a time when a hard season followed a high point in life. How did the Spirit help you through that season? What Scriptures did the Spirit use to strengthen you and encourage you?

Week 4: The Beatitudes

  • Monday: Matthew 5:1-6

  • Tuesday: Matthew 5:7-12

  • Wednesday: Matthew 5:13-16

  • Thursday: Reread Matthew 5:1-12

  • Friday: Review the Beatitudes that Jesus says in Matthew 5. Which Beatitude comforts you? Which challenges you? What might the Spirit be stirring in you from the Beatitudes?

Week 5: Fulfilling the Law

  • Monday: Matthew 5:17-26

  • Tuesday: Matthew 5:27-37

  • Wednesday: Matthew 5:38-42

  • Thursday: Matthew 5:43-48

  • Friday: Throughout this section of Matthew 5, Jesus is examining the Law’s external requirements and focusing on the heart of the matter. Where in your life have you been satisfied with keeping the letter of the commands, and what would it mean for you to let Jesus’ deeper standard shape who the Spirit wants you to become?

Week 6: Life with God

  • Monday: Matthew 6:1-6

  • Tuesday: Matthew 6:7-15

  • Wednesday: Matthew 6:16-18

  • Thursday: Reread Matthew 6:9-13 slowly

  • Friday: Where in your life have you been more concerned with how faith looks in public, rather than focusing on the shape of your faith with God? How might the Spirit want you to address that gap this week?

Week 7: Do Not Worry

  • Monday: Matthew 6:19-24

  • Tuesday: Matthew 6:25-34

  • Wednesday: Reread Matthew 6:25-34

  • Thursday: Consider the things in your life about which you are prone to worry; list them on a piece of paper and slowly pray over them. As you pray, mark them off like a ‘to-do’ list as a way to visually represent the Spirit taking care of them for you.

  • Friday: Where are you being invited to trust the Lord?

Week 8: What to Do With a Sermon

  • Monday: Matthew 7:1-6

  • Tuesday: Matthew 7:7-12

  • Wednesday: Matthew 7:13-23

  • Thursday: Matthew 7:24-29

  • Friday: What is something in your life or in the world that you’ve quietly decided the Lord won’t address? Consider praying for that thing for a few days. What do you notice in you as you pray?

Week 9: Jesus’ Authority

  • Monday: Matthew 8:1-13

  • Tuesday: Matthew 8:14-22

  • Wednesday: Matthew 8:23-27

  • Thursday: Matthew 8:28-34

  • Friday: In Matthew 8, each of the stories is a kind of situation asking whether we’ll take Jesus at his word or if we’ll turn towards fear. Where in your life is Jesus asking you to trust him? What’s keeping you from trusting?

Week 10: A Wide Welcome

  • Monday: Matthew 9:1-8

  • Tuesday: Matthew 9:9-13

  • Wednesday: Matthew 9:14-26

  • Thursday: Matthew 9:27-38

  • Friday: Jesus moves towards those in need — paralytics, tax collectors, sinners. Where is Jesus asking you to draw near to someone you’d rather avoid, or inviting you to a faith bigger than what you have right now?

Week 11: The Sending

  • Monday: Matthew 10:1-15

  • Tuesday: Matthew 10:16-25

  • Wednesday: Matthew 10:26-33

  • Thursday: Matthew 10:34-42

  • Friday: Where is Jesus asking you to release your grip on security, comfort, or approval — trusting that what looks like loss is actually the way to real life?

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