January-February 2026
The Greatest Sermon Ever
The Greatest Sermon Ever
Use the links to below to dive deeper into meditating on and studying God's Word as you read!
Matthew 7:1-12 is the end of a larger literary unit, which begins in Matthew 5:17. The whole unit (Matthew 5:17-7:12) forms an inclusio, where the author places similar material at the beginning and the end. In this case, the unit begins with an emphasis on righteousness, or doing right by others, and it ends with the same emphasis by articulating the Golden Rule. In verses 7:1-12, Jesus instructs listeners to avoid judging one another and to always rely on God’s wisdom and provision. Both instructions provide examples of rightly relating to God and others, and at the end of Matthew 7:1-12, Jesus calls us to treat others as we would like to be treated.
Matthew 7:13-27 is the fifth and final section of the sermon, where Jesus makes his concluding point with three images. The first image shows two paths with two different gates—one leads to life and the other to ruin. The second image is about discerning between two kinds of leaders who claim to represent God. The last image illustrates two types of houses you can build.
Jesus is explaining how God’s followers can build a community where God’s heavenly presence can reside here on earth—just like the garden of Eden. Jesus encourages us to build this kind of community because those places are the only ones that will last.
Like Jesus said at the very beginning of the sermon, “a city on a mountain cannot be hidden … let your light shine before people” (Matt. 5:14; Matt. 5:16). Jesus is describing a new humanity who lives together by God’s wisdom and love, creating communities of peace and justice even while violence and death surround us. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gives us a bold vision for what this can look like, and his life and ministry on Earth carry out this vision. He continues to offer his followers the choice to do the same. And now, that choice is ours.
This summary is provided by the BibleProject
Matthew 7:13-27 is the fifth and final section of the sermon, where Jesus makes his concluding point with three images. The first image shows two paths with two different gates—one leads to life and the other to ruin. The second image is about discerning between two kinds of leaders who claim to represent God. The last image illustrates two types of houses you can build.
Jesus is explaining how God’s followers can build a community where God’s heavenly presence can reside here on earth—just like the garden of Eden. Jesus encourages us to build this kind of community because those places are the only ones that will last.
Like Jesus said at the very beginning of the sermon, “a city on a mountain cannot be hidden … let your light shine before people” (Matt. 5:14; Matt. 5:16). Jesus is describing a new humanity who lives together by God’s wisdom and love, creating communities of peace and justice even while violence and death surround us. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gives us a bold vision for what this can look like, and his life and ministry on Earth carry out this vision. He continues to offer his followers the choice to do the same. And now, that choice is ours.
This summary is provided by the BibleProject
The Greatest Sermon Ever Reading Plan | Winter 2026
Week 1: January 5-11
Monday
Matthew 7:1-6
Tuesday
Romans 2:1-5
Wednesday
Romans 14:1-23
Thursday
James 4:11-17
Friday
Proverbs 9:7-12
Matthew 7:1-6
Tuesday
Romans 2:1-5
Wednesday
Romans 14:1-23
Thursday
James 4:11-17
Friday
Proverbs 9:7-12
Week 2: January 12-18
Monday
Matthew 7:7-11
Tuesday
Luke 11:5-13
Wednesday
James 1:5-8, 16-18
Thursday
John 15:1-17
Friday
1 John 3:19-24
Matthew 7:7-11
Tuesday
Luke 11:5-13
Wednesday
James 1:5-8, 16-18
Thursday
John 15:1-17
Friday
1 John 3:19-24
Week 3: January 19-25
Monday
Matthew 7:12-14
Tuesday
Matthew 22:34-40
Wednesday
Mark 12:28-34
Thursday
Luke 13:22-25
Friday
John 14:1-7
Matthew 7:12-14
Tuesday
Matthew 22:34-40
Wednesday
Mark 12:28-34
Thursday
Luke 13:22-25
Friday
John 14:1-7
Week 4: January 26-February 1
Monday
Matthew 7:15-20
Tuesday
Deuteronomy 13:1-5
Wednesday
Jeremiah 14:13-22
Thursday
2 Peter 2:1-22
Friday
1 John 4:1-6, Acts 20:28-32
Matthew 7:15-20
Tuesday
Deuteronomy 13:1-5
Wednesday
Jeremiah 14:13-22
Thursday
2 Peter 2:1-22
Friday
1 John 4:1-6, Acts 20:28-32
Week 5: February 2-8
Monday
Matthew 7:21-23
Tuesday
Luke 13:26-30, Matthew 25:31-46
Wednesday
2 Thessalonians 1:5-12
Thursday
James 1:22-25
Friday
Galatians 5:16-26
Matthew 7:21-23
Tuesday
Luke 13:26-30, Matthew 25:31-46
Wednesday
2 Thessalonians 1:5-12
Thursday
James 1:22-25
Friday
Galatians 5:16-26
Week 6: February 9-15
Monday
Matthew 7:24-27
Tuesday
Psalm 19:7-11
Wednesday
Psalm 14:1-7
Thursday
Proverbs 12:1-28
Friday
Psalm 18:1-6, Psalm 27:1-5
Matthew 7:24-27
Tuesday
Psalm 19:7-11
Wednesday
Psalm 14:1-7
Thursday
Proverbs 12:1-28
Friday
Psalm 18:1-6, Psalm 27:1-5
Week 7: February 16-22
Monday
Matthew 7:28-29
Tuesday
John 5:19-29
Wednesday
Luke 5:17-26, John 7:40-46
Thursday
Matthew 28:18-20
Friday
Colossians 2:8-15
Matthew 7:28-29
Tuesday
John 5:19-29
Wednesday
Luke 5:17-26, John 7:40-46
Thursday
Matthew 28:18-20
Friday
Colossians 2:8-15