Hi, friends. I'm Annie F. Downs. Let's read the Gospels this month. The Let's Read the Gospels podcast is sponsored by our friends at crew because the word they're doing to get the gospel to every person around the world really matters to us. I just know how much reading the Gospels every day has changed me and you've shared so many incredible stories about the way it's changed you to but can you imagine not even having access to the Bible in your own language. This is where crew has stepped in to help close the gap. They have people on the ground spreading the gospel in almost every country around the world.

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71326 to sign up to give these Bibles today. Imagine just how much this gift could change someone's life. You know how it's changing yours and how it has changed mine too. So text Annie to 71326. That's A N N I E to 71326 to help now. Or there's a link in our show notes. Message and data rates may apply and it's available to US addresses only. So the Let's Read the Gospels podcast. The Gospels are the first four books of the New Testament in the Bible, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. These are the stories of Jesus Christ

life on earth, the friendships, the parables, the sacrifices, the meals, the miracles. Each month here, on Let's Read the Gospels, we are reading all four books. We're doing about three chapters a day for 30 days. So make sure you're subscribed today and don't miss a single episode. And remember, we have a downloadable reading plan. If you want to follow along that way, or there is a Let's Read the Gospels guidebook that contains some extra mic notes for me and journal prompts and some questions to dig deeper into the reading. So you can find those at AnnieFdowns.com slash

Gospels. And this month, we are talking about something I have seen this month in the Gospels that I have never seen before. And this is our fifth time reading it. So you can get all that in the Let's Read the Gospels guidebook. So here's how this works. I'll read three chapters to you today. You can listen or read along in your own Bible. And then I'll pray. And that's it. Today is May 7th day seven. And I'll be reading Matthew chapters 19 through 21. And this month, I'm reading from the CSB version. Matthew,

19. When Jesus had finished saying these things, he departed from Galilee and went to the region of Judea across the Jordan. Large crowds followed him. And he healed them there. Some Pharisees approached him to test him. They asked, is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife on Annie grounds?

When he read, he replied that he who created them in the beginning made them male and female. And he also said, for this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife. And the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate. Why then? They asked him, did Moses command us to give divorce papers and to send her away? He told them, Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because of the hardness of your hearts.

But it was not like that from the beginning. I tell you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality and Mary's another commits adultery. His disciples said to him, if the relationship of a man with his wife is like this, it's better not to marry. He responded. Not everyone can accept this saying, but only those to whom it has been given. For there are unix who were born that way from their mother's womb. There are unix who were made by men. And there are unix who have made themselves that way because of the kingdom of heaven.

The one who is able to accept it should accept it. Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. Jesus said, leave the little children alone and don't try to keep them from coming to me because the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these. After placing his hands on them, he went on from there. Just then someone came up and asked him, teacher, what good must I do to have eternal life? Why do you ask me about what is good?

He said to him, there is only one who is good. If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments, which ones he asked him. Jesus answered, do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, honor your father and your mother and love your neighbor as yourself. I have kept all these, the young man told him, what do I still lack?

If you want to be perfect, Jesus said to him, go sell your belongings and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come follow me.

When the young man heard that, he went away grieving because he had many possessions. Jesus said to his disciples, truly, I tell you it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven.

Again, I tell you it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.

When the disciples heard this, they were utterly astonished and asked that who could be saved. Jesus looked at them and said, with man, this is impossible, but with God, all things are possible. Then Peter responded to him, see, we have left everything and followed you. So what will there be for us?

Jesus said to them, truly, I tell you, and the renewal of all things, when the son of man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on 12 thrones, judging the 12 tribes of Israel.

And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields because of my name will receive a hundred times more and will inherit eternal life.

But many who are first will be last in the last first, Matthew 20.

For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the workers on one denarius, he sent them into his vineyard for the day.

When he went out about nine in the morning, he saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. He said to them, you also go into my vineyard and I'll give you whatever is right.

So off they went about noon and about three, he went out again and did the same thing. Then about five, he went and found others standing around and said to them, why have you been standing here all day doing nothing?

Because no one hired us, they said to him. You also go into my vineyard, he told them when evening came, the owner of the vineyard told his foreman, call the workers and give them their pay, starting with the last and ending with the first.

They were hired about five came, they each received one denarius. So when the first ones came, they assumed they would get more, but they also received a denarius each.

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